The Bacon Dilemma
For a recent job interview, I was given a challenge: Solve a real-life user-experience problem that does not involve software or the internet.
I decided TESCO's unhelpful bacon packet
was primed for some problem-solving.
Nick Black
After 8 years in animation, in 2018 I retrained as a UX designer and researcher - Now I solve problems and make things easier to use.
I was drawn to product design for the collaboration, satisfaction and positive impact. Throw into the mix a healthy dose of analysis, psychology and creativity and you have yourself a winning combination!
I've been very lucky and been a design omnivore - apps, mobile/desktop, B2B, B2C, fintech, proptech, service design, mass market, startup, enterprise, and more. I currently work in a tight-knit technology team at construction startup Modulous.
Senior product designer - Modulous
01/2023 - now
My current role.
Senior product designer - GetGround
10/2021 - 01/2023
Crazy pace and complex problems to solve at this innovative scale up in the fintech/proptech space.
Skills
Planning
Interviews
Personas
Journey mapping
Competitive analysis
Business analysis
Testing
Synthesis
Workshops
Ideation
Low-fi/Mid-fi/High-fi
Prototyping
Sketching
UI design
Accessibility
Design systems
Common sense
Product designer - Rightmove
09/2020 - 10/2021
Research, design, design systems, and accessibility for all of Rightmove's consumer-facing iOS and Android apps..
UX/UI designer - Maritech
01/2019 - 09/2020
=Developing and improving a suite of enterprise products to transform the shipping industry. This involves all parts of the UX process from user interviews to high-fidelity wireframes, getting into the guts of complex business problems plus working closely with engineers to implement designs.
Product designer - ETCH
09-11/2018
8-week design sprint to research, prototype, test and deliver assets for a blockchain startup's new mobile app.
UX designer & researcher - Nettoken
08-09/2018
Final project at General Assembly to design key user flows for a password management app.
Student - General Assembly
05-08/2018
3-month course to nail the fundamentals of UX design. Training in principles of UX, UI, research methods, agile, facilitation, presentation and collaboration.
Animator, illustrator - freelance
2011-2018
During this time I was lucky enough to animate and draw for some truly epic projects - artists, charities, companies like Aardman, BBC and Red Bull, plus a few of my own short films.