Catching up with Michael

tl;dr

I’m a product designer based in London, with 2.5 years' experience in the EdTech / SaaS sectors.

I'm available for my next opportunity ✋

The best way to contact me is via email or Linkedin.

I’m a product designer based in London, with 2.5 yrs' experience in EdTech / SaaS.

I'm available for my next opportunity ✋

The best way to contact me is via email or Linkedin.

To view my work experience, check out my CV or my Linkedin.

description

The long version

Why'd you pivot into design?

After a redundancy from the travel industry in 2021, I wasn't sure what my next steps would be.

Browsing Instagram one day, I came across an advert for UX Design. The emphasis on creativity and analytical thinking hooked me, and this was my lightbulb moment.

After a tonne of research, I enrolled with Designlab, landing my role with BridgeU after graduation.

What are your go-to design tools?

If I had to pick one, I'd go with FigJam. It's been really helpful for me for things like wireframing, mapping user flows and running workshops with stakeholders.

I've been using it in my personal life as well, for gathering inspiration and for wireframing this portfolio!

A screenshot of the wireframing of my portfolio

So before UX, what were you doing?

I graduated from uni with a degree in Archaeology. Whilst I loved the research aspect of my studies, I didn’t want to pursue it as a career.

So I moved to China 🇨🇳 for a year to teach English as a foreign language before 2 years in Spain 🇪🇸. My time in the classroom helped hone my ability to communicate clearly and concisely with my audience.

Then in 2016, I returned to the UK and made the move from sales into travel industry for a 5-year stint, working with clients to uncover their needs and motivations.

It was following my time in travel that I found out about UX design and combined these skills into one.

A photo of me with my students when I was teaching in China in 2012

Favourite part of the design process?

I really enjoy the exploration stage – thinking deeply about the problem space whilst garnering inspiration from across the web.

But my favourite part would probably have to be ideation, specifically wireframing. I love going wide and exploring different ideas in low-fi and at pace.

A photo of my favourite design read of 2023 – Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

If you could upskill in any area of design, which would you choose?

I'm always interested in getting closer to the user and understanding their life cycle throughout products.

To develop my skillset here, I'm part-way through a course on Journey Mapping with the Interaction Design Foundation.

I'm always interested in getting closer to the user and understanding their life cycle throughout the product. To develop my skillset here, I'm part-way through a course on Journey Mapping with the Interaction Design Foundation.