Paul Thomson

Designer in Auckland, New Zealand

Member since May 15, 2019

Paul is a customer experience specialist and design strategist who has worked in media, eCommerce, and the broadcast, finance, and publishing environments since 1997. By combining his unique background in design, UX, product, coding, and film, he helps businesses make decisions on how to communicate and interact with their customers. He's worked with the BBC, Deutsche Bank, Legal & General, Thomas Cook, NatWest, Redbull, PruHealth, and NME.

User Interface (UI)SaaS User Flows UX Audits Web Design Information Architecture (IA)Journey Mapping UI UX Responsive Web Design (RWD)User Experience (UX)UX Research UX Strategy User Research Product Design Show more

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Portfolio

Digital Design

Legal and General Digital Transformation
- User Experience (UX)
- Validated User Research
- HTML
- Product Management
- Video Presentations
- Responsive Design
Vitality New Product Strategy
- User Experience (UX)
- Validated User Research
- A/B Testing
- Web UI
- Workshop Facilitation
The BBC Writersroom Relaunch
- User Experience (UX)
- Web UI
- Coding
- Filmmaking
- Workshop Facilitation
The People's Pension Design Sprint
- Workshop Facilitation
- Ideation Workshops
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Digital Storyboards
- Prototyping
- Team Leadership
Deutsche Bank: Hi-fidelity Rapid Prototyping
- Video Presentations
- Stakeholder Engagement
- User Experience (UX)
- Team Leadership
Sentinyl: Blockchain Aid Distribution Proof of Concept
- Prototyping
- Video Presentations
- Team Leadership
- Stakeholder Interviews
BBC Product Delivery
Editing and Cinematography

Employment

Lead UX Consultant
2019 - PRESENT
Allied World Insurance
- Led the UX on a global insurance product. Worked with the product team and a platform vendor to understand the business requirements and technical limitations. The UX deliverables were based around Figma with global, distributed teams collaborating on a shared design foundation.
- Conceived and conducted user research, translated it into sitemaps, user flows, customer journey maps, wireframes, mock-ups, and prototypes.
- Worked autonomously with the product owners, business analysts, users, and other stakeholders. I was the only UX consultant dedicated to this project, although I was in regular contact with distributed teams on other global projects across the organization.
- Collaborated with other design teams within the organization to assist in establishing an organization-wide design system that the project could both lean on and contribute to.
Technologies: HTML, Figma
Lead UX Consultant
2019 - 2019
Smoke & Mirrors
- Led a review of the NatWest Markets web offering. Drove a complete redesign of the site, information architecture, and content strategy.
- Created a UX strategy and roadmap for a market-leading banking brand.
- Ran the user experience and led the design using UCD principles in an Agile environment.
- Oversaw the business analysis and evaluation of propositions.
- Ran the statistical analysis and competitor insight to inform UX output.
- Performed competitor and user research and usability testing.
- Developed the prototype and wireframe.
- Managed stakeholders and reported at the board level.
Technologies: React, HTML, Axure, Zeppelin, InVision, Sketch, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop
Senior Experience and Service Designer
2019 - 2019
Rainmaker Solutions
- Conducted an in-depth review of a Canadian communications company that had been acquired by a global technology corporation.
- Established how employees (from vice presidents to front line call center teams) viewed the corporate culture, technology, and other facilities they relied on to carry out their roles.
- Conducted extensive service blueprinting workshops, focus groups, and 1-2-1 interviews across several Canadian sites.
- Created service design blueprints, illustrated journey maps, concept designs, service experience prototypes, empathy maps, and value proposition proposals for the creation of products and services.
- Developed scenarios and service blueprints that described the end-to-end user experience, touch points, and back-end service delivery systems.
Technologies: Zeppelin, InVision, Sketch, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop
Head of UX and Design
2018 - 2018
Thomas Cook
- Defined, owned, and implemented the user experience and design strategy across the online, app, and retail customer touch points. I led and developed the UX and design strategy of the Thomas Cook platform, directing the team to envision and deliver the future digital user experience for Thomas Cook.
- Managed teams across global markets.
- Built engaging and innovative UX storylines to engage key senior stakeholders.
- Led ‘from the front’ as an evangelist for the latest in front-end design trends.
- Led service design and discovery workshops.
- Directed the HTML, Sketch, and InVison (hands-on if required) prototyping, and A / B testing.
- Led the Scrum and Kanban methodologies (within Agile squads).
- Accountable for enforcing the digital brand guidelines and policing of group websites and retail web experiences to ensure an aligned and consistent omnichannel customer experience.
- Groomed product backlogs and worked closely with offshore teams.
Technologies: React, HTML, Axure, Zeppelin, InVision, Sketch, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop
Head of User Experience
2016 - 2017
HCL Fintech Innovation Lab
- Provided financial clients the capability to explore in an entrepreneurial environment, emerging technologies and trends, and apply these to real business problems. This often took the form of design sprints and hackathons. Working in Agile squads, our process allowed us to produce proof of concepts in weeks rather than months and then rapidly iterate to market-ready products.
- Led Agile teams across global markets.
- Provided strategic UX direction at a project and product level.
- Worked with tech leads to find innovative and rapid solutions.
- Drove proof of concept projects for voice control and blockchain projects.
- Oversaw the discovery and innovation work. Contributed to white papers on the role of UX and design on voice applications.
- Developed a new proposition providing UX input to RFPs.
- Engaged as the first point of call in global business activity and direction relating to UX.
- Led service design and discovery workshops.
- Created Sketch and InVision prototypes.
- Created production-ready React.js prototypes.
- Delivered digital storytelling to help drive knowledge, awareness, and consensus in varied stakeholder communities.
- Utilized data analysis and visualization to support key strategic messages. My vast experience in video editing (especially After Effects) and managing video shoots enabled me to create inspirational promotional material.
Technologies: React, HTML, Axure, Zeppelin, InVision, Sketch, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop
Lead UX Consultant
2015 - 2016
Legal & General
- Led the user experience and design for Legal & General on behalf of a global consultancy. The objective of my role was to manage the UX and design process for market-leading insurance products.I managed a team of local and offshore resources to ensure we produced engaging, accessible, and responsive products.
- Collaborated with the brand and design teams within L&G to produce a consistent UX and design strategy and associated guidelines.
- Created a UX strategy and roadmap for market-leading insurance products.
- Managed disparate products across the business.
- Led the user experience and design using UCD principles in an Agile environment.
- Ran the technical consultancy and translation of requirements into technical specifications.
- Drove business analysis and evaluation of propositions.
- Utilized statistical analysis and competitor insight to inform UX output.
- Led the service design and discovery workshops.
- Performed user research, usability testing, and HTML and Axure prototyping.
- Led A/B testing for both remote and 1-2-1 scenarios in a lab environment.
- Managed stakeholders and reported at the board level.
Technologies: HTML, Axure, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop
Lead UX Consultant
2014 - 2015
Royal Bank of Scotland
- Managed a significant new bank development for RBS. I began with a blank slate; the objective of my role was to prepare a user experience strategy for a new banking brand. I was responsible for creating UX documentation and prototypes and managed the output of third-party agencies.
- Reviewed internal products and competitors to provide insight into the market space. I managed a team to create a working group consisting of senior stakeholders across the bank to conduct in-depth research to identify pain points and needs for the challenging times ahead.
- Created the UX strategy and roadmap for a new bank product.
- Led the user experience and design using UCD principles in an Agile environment.
- Oversaw the technical consultancy and translation of requirements into technical specifications.
- Ran the business analysis and evaluation of propositions.
- Developed the statistical analysis and competitor insight to inform UX output.
- Led the service design and discovery workshops, completed the user research, and performed usability testing.
- Created the prototype and wireframe in HTML (Bootstrap).
- Managed stakeholders and reported at the board level.
Technologies: Research, Adobe Photoshop, OmniGraffle, Axure
Lead UX Consultant
2013 - 2014
PruHealth
- Defined the best-in-class experience and journeys for PruHealth customers. The core KPI was to improve customer conversion and retention. I was accountable for the management of user experience resources and directing external agency resources to achieve the project objectives, customer optimization, and product performance targets.
- Led the user experience and design using UCD principles in an Agile environment.
- Ran the technical consultancy and translation of requirements into technical specifications.
- Drove business analysis and evaluation of propositions.
- Utilized statistical analysis and competitor insight to inform UX output.
- Performed user research, usability testing, and HTML and Axure prototyping.
- Managed stakeholders and reported at the board level.
Technologies: HTML, OmniGraffle, Adobe CC
Freelance UI/UX and Product Delivery Consultant
2012 - 2013
BBC, Haygarth, WhatUsersDo, Blue Hive
- Carried out UX tasks for several projects for Haygarth, a London based agency. These consisted of conducting stakeholder interviews and creating user stories, responsive wireframes, and site maps for pitches and product development. The clients were Organic UK (Facebook competition), Kerry Foods (a responsive food products site), and Vichy Cosmetics (web site and animation storyboards).
- Worked for WhatUsersDo on an ad-hoc basis, conducting usability studies. The studies involve watching screencasts and observing how well users complete their assigned tasks. Clients included Virgin Atlantic and Dixons.
- Created an interactive prototype (web, mobile, and tablet) using Axure for a Ford social presence for Blue Hive.
- Maintained a relationship with several BBC teams for several years. I conducted many stakeholder interviews across several product areas to aid in a funding application for a proposed BBC web product.
- Led the user experience and design consultancy.
- Ran the technical consultancy and translation of requirements into technical specifications.
- Drove business analysis and evaluation of propositions.
- Performed user research and usability testing, and developed the prototype and wireframing.
Technologies: Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, OmniGraffle, HTML, Adobe Photoshop, Axure
Technical Product Manager
2009 - 2012
BBC
- Reported directly to the head of output and delivery for Future Media & Technology. I was responsible for planning and specification creation, adherence to BBC standards and guidelines, third-party agency communication, usability, testing, SEO, and was often responsible for site launches.
- Led the user experience and design consultancy.
- Oversaw the technical consultancy and translation of requirements into technical specifications.
- Managed the day-to-day of diverse teams and multiple projects.
- Managed third-party suppliers.
- Planned and built standard-setting multimedia sites and games.
- Ran the business analysis and evaluation of propositions.
- Developed the full-stack LAMP portion of the project.
- Ran the production management and filming of video content.
- Created prototypes and wireframe.
Technologies: Project Management, Product Management, Camera Operation, Visio, OmniGraffle, PHP, HTML, Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop
Technical Project Manager
2007 - 2008
John Brown Group
- Reported directly to the board level, responsible for the entire project cycle; planning and specification creation, hardware requirements, recruitment, database design, code standards, design agency communication, usability, load testing, SEO, and site launch.
- Worked as the technical project manager in a LAMP/AS3 environment (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP5, ActionScript 3).
- Ran the technical consultancy and translation of requirements into technical specifications.
- Oversaw the day-to-day technical management of diverse teams–PHP, ActionScript, and design.
- Utilized consultancy skills to introduce company-wide standards and methodologies.
- Managed third-party providers–notably video streaming.
- Planned and managed the launch of www.redbulletinf1.com. The relaunch featured an ambitious site that required a 20-strong team of creative and technical developers–merging skills as diverse as AS3, After Effects, Maya, PHP (Symfony framework), and HTML.
- Managed key developments for several large projects simultaneously–Redbull, Sunseeker Yachts, Landrover, Jaguar, and Honda racing.
Technologies: ActionScript, PHP, MySQL, Apache, Linux, HTML, Visio, Adobe Photoshop
Technical Project Manager
2005 - 2007
IPC Media
- Reported directly to the board level. Responsible for the entire project cycle; planning and specification creation, hardware requirements, recruitment, database design, code standards, design agency communication, usability, load testing, SEO, and site launch.
- Ran the technical consultancy and translation of requirements into technical specifications.
- Oversaw the day-to-day technical management of multiple development teams.
- Managed internal graphic designers and design agencies.
- Managed budgets in excess of £1 million.
- Project managed the relaunch of nme.com within budget and on time. The relaunch featured a bolder, more practical design with a focus on news and reviews; also, audio and video were better represented in a hugely improved media player.
- Project managed the redesign and redevelopment of loaded.co.uk.
- Worked as a technical consultant on various developments for uncut.co.uk.
Technologies: PHP 5, ActionScript, MySQL, Apache, Linux, HTML, Visio, Adobe Photoshop

Certifications

User Experience Fundamentals
AUGUST 2010 - PRESENT
Webcredible
Screenwriting Foundation
JANUARY 2010 - PRESENT
Raindance
Producing Foundation
JANUARY 2010 - PRESENT
Raindance
Directing Foundation
JANUARY 2010 - PRESENT
Raindance
Diploma in Film Production and Storytelling
AUGUST 2008 - PRESENT
London Film Academy
CIty & Guilds - Information Technology
JUNE 1988 - PRESENT
Hymers College

Experience

User Interface (UI)20 years
UX Audits10 years
Filmmaking10 years
Journey Mapping10 years
UX Research10 years
User Experience (UX)10 years
UX Strategy10 years
Service Design5 years

Location

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Designer in Auckland, New Zealand

Portfolio

Employment

Lead UX Consultant

Lead UX Consultant

Senior Experience and Service Designer

Head of UX and Design

Head of User Experience

Lead UX Consultant

Lead UX Consultant

Lead UX Consultant

Freelance UI/UX and Product Delivery Consultant

Technical Product Manager

Technical Project Manager

Technical Project Manager

Certifications

Experience

Location