Rob Armes
Verified Expert in Design
Designer
London, United Kingdom
Toptal member since October 3, 2022
Rob is an entrepreneur and consultant passionate about how digital can enable organizations to rethink their business models and digital strategy shifting toward circularity. Rob has coached design thinking, steered product and UX strategy, assisted in recruitment, and helped win new business. He has worked with clients such as Aviva Investors Security Bank, Transport for Wales, London Metal Exchange, Rentokil Initial, HM Courts & Tribunals Service, The Scottish Government, and Randstad.
Portfolio
One App Product Strategy for Transport
Metal Traders Biggest Digital Change
Improving the Quality of Care Homes
Courts and Tribunal Service Design
Experience
- Journey Mapping - 10 years
- Workshops - 10 years
- User Interviews - 10 years
- UX Design - 10 years
- Stakeholder Management - 8 years
- Business Strategy - 7 years
- Miro - 6 years
- UX Strategy - 5 years
Tools
- Miro
Work Experience
Director
Sketch Design Flow
- Founded and set up Sketch Design Flow for freelance work and contracts.
- Created a design and technology company, blending user-centered service design with a passion for how digital can enable organizations to rethink their business models and digital strategy shifting toward circularity.
- Completed longer consulting engagements and services such as UX audits.
Senior User Experience Consultant
Red Badger
- Led shaping and running of the Red Badger design school for both badgers and clients.
- Ran workshops, coached design thinking, and steered product and UX strategy while managing senior stakeholders during discovery and delivery build phases for clients.
- Wrote thought leadership blogs in areas of expertise.
- Mentored other UX designers through coaching and line management.
- Worked with clients such as Security Bank, Transport for Wales, Oodle Car Finance, Bone Marrow Donors Worldwide, MAK-SYSTEM International Group, London Metal Exchange, and Fortnum & Mason.
User Experience Consultant
PA Consulting
- Followed GDS principles and created prototypes with GOV.UK toolkit and completed assessments.
- Served as the design and user research workstream lead creating research plans, best practice design interactions, and delivery of digital services for clients.
- Assisted in the recruitment of designers and researchers, helping the team double in size.
- Supported winning new business by contributing to bids, tenders, and successful pitches.
- Worked with clients such as Rentokil Initial, HM Courts & Tribunals Service, Care Quality Commission, National Citizen Service, The Scottish Government, and Randstad.
Design Consultant
Unilever
- Completed a futuristic research project looking at how new technologies like additive manufacturing (3D printing) of chocolate could influence purchasing, logistics, and consumption of products.
- Worked with research and process scientists and used design thinking.
- Produced an associated public journal paper looking at emotional and ethical topics.
Design Associate
BlackBerry
- Served as a part of three teams, including Handheld Management & Tracking (HMT), Product Management (PM) & Industrial Design (ID).
- Involved in the preparation and successful global launch of a new operating system and associated products, managing several projects deploying products.
- Given the responsibility of ensuring devices were correctly configured for a number of celebrity endorsements.
Education
Master's Degree in Design, Strategy, and Leadership
Cranfield University - England, UK
Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Design
Loughborough University - England, UK
Certifications
Circular Economy Implementation for Smaller Businesses
University of Exeter Business School
UX Certified (1030958)
Nielsen Norman Group
Line Management Training
Aspire Leadership
Skills
Tools
Miro, Adobe Creative Suite, Google Workspace, Illustrator CC, Photoshop CC, Sketch, InVision, MURAL, CAD
Platforms
Figma, WordPress, Web, UserZoom
Industry Expertise
Events, Sports
Languages
HTML, CSS, JavaScript
Other
Design, Business Strategy, GOV.UK Prototype Kit, User Interviews, UX Strategy, Circular Economy, User Research, User Testing, Design Thinking, Stakeholder Management, Workshops, UX Wireframes, UX Design, Consulting, Design Leadership, User Experience (UX), Mobile Design, Dashboard Design, Rapid Prototyping, Research, Stakeholder Interviews, Prototyping, User Journeys, Style Guides, Web Design, eCommerce, Landing Page Design, UI Design, Product Design, Web App Design, Landing Pages, SaaS, Web App UX, SaaS Design, Mobile Prototypes, Mobile UX Design, Mobile UI Design, Mobile App Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Wireframing, Usability, Lean UX, Agile, Logo Design, Visual Design, B2B, Fintech, User Interface (UI), Business to Business (B2B), Food Ordering, Food Ordering Platforms, Squarespace, Microsoft Teams, Line Management, Interactive Prototypes, Product Strategy, Design Systems, Branding, Layout Design, Fantasy & Daily Fantasy Sports Platforms, Digital Marketing Design, Banner Ads, Parenting, Zoho, SAP, Journey Mapping, UX Process, User Experience Design, User Experience Strategy
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