Paul is available for hire
Hire PaulPaul Thomson
Verified Expert in Design
Designer
London, United Kingdom
Toptal member since January 27, 2020
Bio
Paul is a strategic UX research and innovation lead with two decades of experience turning product problems into strategic clarity. He has led UX research and strategy for Gen AI proof-of-concept initiatives and digital transformation across insurance, banking, and consumer products. He combines rigorous research with a background in design and video production, including work as a director of photography. Clients include Colgate-Palmolive, Gartner, the BBC, Deutsche Bank, and Legal & General.
Experience
- User Interface (UI) - 20 years
- Journey Mapping - 10 years
- User Experience (UX) - 10 years
- UX Research - 10 years
- UX Strategy - 10 years
- Filmmaking - 10 years
- UX Audits - 10 years
- Service Design - 5 years
Portfolio
Legal and General Digital Transformation
User Experience (UX)Validated User ResearchHTMLProduct ManagementVideo PresentationsResponsive Design
Vitality New Product Strategy
User Experience (UX)Validated User ResearchA/B TestingWeb UIWorkshop Facilitation
The BBC Writersroom Relaunch
User Experience (UX)Web UICodingFilmmakingWorkshop Facilitation
The People's Pension Design Sprint
Workshop FacilitationIdeation WorkshopsStakeholder EngagementDigital StoryboardsPrototypingTeam Leadership
Deutsche Bank: Hi-fidelity Rapid Prototyping
Video PresentationsStakeholder EngagementUser Experience (UX)Team Leadership
Sentinyl: Blockchain Aid Distribution Proof of Concept
PrototypingVideo PresentationsTeam LeadershipStakeholder Interviews
Work Experience
UX Innovation & Gen AI Production Lead
2022 - 2026
Colgate-Palmolive
- Led strategic UX research for Gen AI proof-of-concept initiatives within the analytics and insights organization, shaping the research agenda for a multinational consumer products company's innovation pipeline.
- Defined and iterated an end-to-end AI generation workflow, from tool selection through output refinement, to assess feasibility for production-grade visual content.
- Directed research-informed design strategy across multiple consumer product platforms, translating ambiguous, emerging-technology problem spaces into actionable product direction.
- Partnered with analytics and insights, product, and engineering teams to embed user research into Gen AI product decisions, driving cross-functional adoption of design thinking.
- Established research and design documentation practices in Figma to align distributed stakeholders around a validated UX strategy.
- Delivered research-grounded prototypes and interface concepts to support proof-of-concept validation and stakeholder buy-in.
- Operated with high autonomy across global time zones (New York-based team), independently scoping and prioritizing research and design work.
- Evaluated and piloted AI video and image generation tools - including Stable Diffusion, Kling AI, Veo, and Nano Banana - for Gen AI proof-of-concept initiatives within a multinational consumer products company's analytics and insights organization.
Technologies: UX Design, UI Design, Figma, Innovation, Product Design, UX Research, UX Strategy, Design Thinking, Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), Prototyping, A/B Testing, Stakeholder Engagement, Stakeholder Interviews, Consumer Products, Product Strategy, User Journey Maps, User Experience Design, Wireframing, Jira, Miro, Confluence, Workflow Optimization, Stakeholder Management, AI Product Strategy, Product Launch, Strategy Consulting, Workshops, Information Architecture (IA), User Journeys, Audits, Interaction Design (IxD), UX Audits, Market Research
Lead UX Researcher
2022 - 2022
iTRVL
- Led UX research and strategy for itrvl, a SaaS booking and itinerary platform for luxury safari and travel professionals.
- Conducted in-person contextual inquiry and site visits with travel agents and destination management companies to understand real-world booking, quoting, and client-presentation workflows.
- Synthesized qualitative and quantitative research into actionable insights that informed product strategy for live availability, video itineraries, and payment tooling.
- Presented research findings and recommendations to stakeholders to build alignment on product direction.
Technologies: UX Design, User Experience (UX), User Interviews, User Interface (UI), User Testing, User Research, UI Design, Remote User Testing, Web Platforms, Platform Design, Product Design, SaaS Design, Travel Design, Stakeholder Engagement, User Experience Design, User Journeys, Audits, B2B, Business to Business (B2B), UX Audits, Market Research
UX Research Analyst
2021 - 2022
Gartner
- Planned, conducted, and led moderated and unmoderated user research.
- Collected insights from user interviews, reports, and research findings, turning them into actionable output.
- Used the insights to plan a prototype's creation for further research.
- Collaborated remotely with team members in Europe and the US.
Technologies: A/B Testing, Prototyping, Figma, UX Research, UI Research, Competition Research, User Testing, Usability Testing, Quantitative Research, Qualitative Research, User Surveys, User Interviews, UX Design, User Journeys, Audits, B2B, Business to Business (B2B), UX Audits, Market Research
UX Researcher
2021 - 2021
Now
- Conducted research for a bookkeeping application targeting the Saudi Arabian market.
- Tested user needs around integrating with third-party accounting, banking, online payment software, and AI recommendations.
- Developed a research plan and usability testing scripts.
- Conducted UX research, competitive analysis, and usability studies.
Technologies: A/B Testing, UX Research, User Research, UI Research, Figma, User Testing, Usability Testing, Quantitative Research, Qualitative Research, User Surveys, User Interviews, UX Design, User Journeys, Audits, Business to Business (B2B)
UX Research Analyst
2021 - 2021
Singular.Live
- Gathered qualitative and quantitative insights into the Singular live graphics platform via moderated studies to assess the platform's strengths and weaknesses.
- Recommended UI/UX improvements, resulting in an optimal user experience for all customer personas, improved customer retention, and increased paid signups.
- Led user research to help Singular understand the perceptions of the brand and refine what marketing approaches could help them win more business.
Technologies: A/B Testing, User Experience (UX), UX Review, SaaS Design, Web App UI, Web App UX, ClickFunnels, Heatmaps, UX Research, User Flows, Hotjar, User Testing, Usability Testing, Quantitative Research, Qualitative Research, User Interviews, UX Design, User Journeys, Audits, B2B, Business to Business (B2B), UX Audits
Video Editor
2020 - 2020
Prudential
- Edited the video content and animations for e-learning videos using an Adobe workflow with Adobe Premiere and After Effects.
- Enhanced video and audio from multiple and diverse video sources, ranging from iPhone footage to 4K.
- Optimized content for Articulate Rise, an e-learning management platform.
Technologies: Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Video Editing, Audio, DaVinci Resolve, Storyboarding, Audits
Lead UI/UX Consultant
2019 - 2020
Allied World
- Led the UI/UX on a global insurance product. Worked with the product team and a platform vendor to understand the business requirements and technical limitations.
- Conceived and conducted user research and translated it into sitemaps, user flows, customer journey maps, wireframes, mockups, and prototypes.
- Worked autonomously with product owners, business analysts, users, and other stakeholders. I was the only UX consultant dedicated to this project and regularly contacted 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 lean on and contribute to.
- Based deliverables on Figma, with globally distributed teams collaborating on a shared design foundation.
- Cooperated with the global design team on the creation of the design system and contributed to the organization's overall design strategy.
Technologies: HTML, Figma, A/B Testing, User Interface (UI), User Experience (UX), UX Review, Design Systems, Design Documentation, Web Dashboards, Dashboard Design, UX Design, Information Architecture (IA), User Journeys, Audits, B2B, Business to Business (B2B), Interaction Design (IxD), UX Audits
Lead UX Consultant
2019 - 2019
Smoke and Mirrors Productions
- Led a review of the NatWest Markets web offering. Drove a complete site redesign, 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.
- Managed stakeholders and reported at the board level.
Technologies: React, HTML, Axure, Zeppelin, InVision, Sketch, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Experience Design (XD), Information Architecture (IA), User Journeys, Audits, Interaction Design (IxD), UX Audits
Senior Experience and Service Designer
2019 - 2019
Rainmaker Solutions
- Conducted an in-depth review of a Canadian communications company 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 one-on-one 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, touchpoints, and back-end service delivery systems.
Technologies: Zeppelin, InVision, Sketch, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop, User Journeys, User Journey Maps, Service Design, B2B
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 touchpoints.
- Developed and led 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 and 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 front-end design trends.
- Directed the HTML, Sketch, and InVison, hands-on if required, prototyping, and A/B testing.
- Championed the adoption of Scrum and Kanban methodologies across Agile squads. Led service design and discovery workshops, groomed product backlogs, and collaborated closely with offshore teams.
- Enforced the digital brand guidelines and policing of group websites and retail web experiences to ensure an aligned and consistent omnichannel customer experience.
Technologies: React, HTML, Axure, Zeppelin, InVision, Sketch, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Design Documentation, Information Architecture (IA), Audits, Interaction Design (IxD), UX Audits, Market Research
Head of User Experience
2016 - 2017
HCL | FinTech Innovation Lab
- Provided financial clients the capability to dive into an entrepreneurial environment, explore emerging technologies and trends, and apply them to real business problems.
- Led Agile teams across global markets, which often took the form of design sprints/hackathons. As we worked in Agile squads, our process allowed us to produce proof of concepts in weeks rather than months and rapidly iterate to market-ready products.
- Provided a strategic UX direction at a project and product level.
- Collaborated with tech leads on finding 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 in voice applications.
- Engaged as the first point of call in global business activity and direction relating to UX.
- Created production-ready HTML/JavaScript prototypes and Sketch/InVision 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. Created inspirational promotional material thanks to my vast experience in video editing, especially with After Effects, and managing video shoots.
Technologies: React, HTML, Axure, Zeppelin, InVision, Sketch, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Web Dashboards, Dashboard Design, Fintech, Blockchain, Storyboarding, Information Architecture (IA), Audits, Interaction Design (IxD), UX Audits, Market Research
Lead UX Consultant
2015 - 2016
Legal & General
- Led the user experience and design for Legal & General on behalf of a global consultancy. I managed a team of local and offshore resources to ensure we produced engaging, accessible, and responsive products.
- Collaborated with L&G's brand and design teams to produce a consistent UX and design strategy and associated guidelines.
- Created a UX strategy and roadmap for market-leading insurance products and managed disparate products across the business.
- Led the user experience and design using UCD principles in an Agile environment and the service design and discovery workshops.
- 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.
- Conducted 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, Information Architecture (IA), Audits, Interaction Design (IxD), Market Research
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.
- Took responsibility for creating UX documentation and prototypes and managed the output with third-party agencies.
- Reviewed internal products and competitors to provide insight into the market by managing a team to create a working group of senior stakeholders across the bank to conduct in-depth research to identify pain points and needs for the times ahead.
- Led the user experience and design using UCD principles in an Agile environment and created the UX strategy and roadmap for the new bank product.
- 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.
- Directed the service design and discovery workshops, conducted user research, and performed usability testing.
- Created the prototype and the wireframe in HTML with Bootstrap.
- Managed stakeholders and reported at the board level.
Technologies: Research, Adobe Photoshop, OmniGraffle, Axure, Information Architecture (IA), Audits, Interaction Design (IxD), UX Audits, Market Research
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.
- Directed user experience and 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, Healthcare, Information Architecture (IA), Audits, Interaction Design (IxD), UX Audits
UI/UX and Product Delivery Consultant
2012 - 2013
Freelance Clients
- Carried out UX tasks for several projects for Haygarth, a London-based agency. These included conducting stakeholder interviews and creating user stories, responsive wireframes, and site maps for pitches and product development.
- Worked for WhatUsersDo on an ad-hoc basis, conducting usability studies. The studies involved watching screencasts and observing how well users completed their assigned tasks. Clients included Virgin Atlantic and Dixons.
- Created an interactive web, mobile, and tablet prototype using Axure for a Ford social presence for Blue Hive.
- Maintained a relationship with various BBC teams for several years and 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 and ran technical consultancy and the translation requirements into technical specifications.
- Drove business analysis and evaluation of propositions. The clients were Organic UK, a Facebook competitor; Kerry Foods, a responsive food products site; and Vichy Cosmetics, to whom I provided website and animation storyboards.
- Performed user research and usability testing and developed prototype and wireframing.
Technologies: Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, OmniGraffle, HTML, Adobe Photoshop, Axure, Storyboarding, Information Architecture (IA), Interaction Design (IxD)
Technical Product Manager
2009 - 2012
BBC
- Reported directly to the head of output and delivery for future media and technology, led the user experience and design consultancy.
- Planned and was liable for specification creation, adherence to BBC standards and guidelines, third-party agency communication, usability, testing, and SEO, and was often accountable for site launches.
- Oversaw the technical consultancy and translation of requirements into technical specifications.
- Managed third-party suppliers and the day-to-day tasks of diverse teams and multiple projects.
- 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.
- Drove the production management and filming of video content.
- Led the research and design of the BBC Careers portal.
Technologies: Project Management, Product Management, Camera Operation, Visio, OmniGraffle, PHP, HTML, Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Employee Experience, Employee Engagement, Storyboarding
Technical Project Manager
2007 - 2008
John Brown Group
- Reported directly to the board level as responsible for the entire project cycle.
- Handled 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, using Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP5, and 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 relaunch of redbulletinf1.com. It 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.
- Directed key developments for several large projects simultaneously–Redbull, Sunseeker Yachts, Landrover, Jaguar, and Honda racing.
Technologies: Flash ActionScript, PHP, MySQL, Apache, Linux, HTML, Visio, Adobe Photoshop
Technical Project Manager
2005 - 2007
IPC Media
- Reported directly to the board level as responsible for the entire project cycle.
- Handled 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.
- Executed projects with budgets of over £1 million.
- Directed as the project manager the relaunch of nme.com within budget and on time. It featured a bolder, more practical design focusing on news and reviews, and also audio and video were better represented in a hugely improved media player.
- Served as the project manager for the redesign and redevelopment of loaded.co.uk.
- Worked as a technical consultant on various developments for uncut.co.uk.
Technologies: PHP 5, Flash ActionScript, MySQL, Apache, Linux, HTML, Visio, Adobe Photoshop
Certifications
AUGUST 2010 - PRESENT
User Experience Fundamentals
Webcredible
JANUARY 2010 - PRESENT
Screenwriting Foundation
Raindance
JANUARY 2010 - PRESENT
Producing Foundation
Raindance
JANUARY 2010 - PRESENT
Directing Foundation
Raindance
AUGUST 2008 - PRESENT
Diploma in Film Production and Storytelling
London Film Academy
JUNE 1988 - PRESENT
City & Guilds - Information Technology
Hymers College
Skills
Tools
Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro, Axure RP Pro, Sketch, Jira, Miro, Confluence, Adobe After Effects, Avid Media Composer, Adobe CC, Apache, Hotjar, DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Experience Design (XD), InVision, OmniGraffle, Visio, Claude
Industry Expertise
Insurance, Healthcare, Consumer Products
Platforms
Figma, Axure, Adobe Suite, Shopify, Magento, ClickFunnels, Linux, Zeppelin
Languages
HTML, CSS, Flash ActionScript, PHP, PHP 5
Other
Workshop Facilitation, Prototyping, Design Reviews, Enterprise SaaS, SaaS, User Flows, User Onboarding, UX Audits, UX Review, Web Design, Form Design, Information Architecture (IA), Journey Mapping, Responsive Web Design (RWD), UX Design, UI Design, Health Insurance, Service Design, User Experience (UX), UX Research, UX Strategy, User Interface (UI), Production Management, Video Editing, Filmmaking, Camera Operation, Heuristic Evaluation, Heuristic Analysis, User Research, Product Design, User Journeys, User Journey Maps, Design Thinking, User Experience Design, Wireframing, Workflow Optimization, Stakeholder Management, AI Product Strategy, Product Launch, Strategy Consulting, Workshops, Audits, B2B, Business to Business (B2B), Interaction Design (IxD), Market Research, Front-end Development, Research, Project Management, MySQL, Validated User Research, Video Presentations, Responsive Design, A/B Testing, Web UI, Coding, Ideation Workshops, Stakeholder Engagement, Digital Storyboards, Team Leadership, Stakeholder Interviews, SaaS Design, Web App UI, Web App UX, Heatmaps, Audio, Design Systems, UI Research, Competition Research, User Testing, Usability Testing, Quantitative Research, Qualitative Research, Design Documentation, Employee Experience, Employee Engagement, Front-end, Web Dashboards, Dashboard Design, Fintech, Blockchain, User Surveys, User Interviews, Storyboarding, Information & Communications Technology (ICT), Product Management, React, Innovation, Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), Product Strategy, Remote User Testing, Web Platforms, Platform Design, Travel Design
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