R.
Hello, I’m Rob – Strategist, Product Designer and leader with a passion for designing beautiful, human-centred products and services.
Former Experience Design Director at VML, London and Sydney.
My Craft
Over the past 17 years I've led four high-performance teams and setup the experience design and innovation practice for one of Australia’s most successful digital agencies. Recognition for our success included a D&AD Yellow Pencil, two Silver Cannes Lions and many other awards.
Strategic Planning
I'm a multi-disciplinary strategist with deep business, brand, design, technology and product knowledge. My strategic capabilities include objective setting, problem identification, solution assessment and prioritisation, and performance measurement.
User Research
Uncovering deep insights into the needs, behaviours and motivations of those we design for. My capabilities include running interviews, contextual inquiries, stakeholder workshops, defining behavioural archetypes, empathy mapping and JTBD.
Design Research
Drawing on proven design principles, best-of-breed research and usability testing to validate solutions. My capabilities include secondary research, industry analysis, heuristic reviews, data analysis, usability testing, and A/B/X testing.
Ideation
Making the giant leap from strategic insights to high-impact solutions. My capabilities include divergent and convergent thinking, facilitating single or multi-day guided ideation session, structured brainstorms, group journey mapping and presentation of early stage concepts.
Prototyping
Moving from low to high fidelity prototypes for the purposes of concept and usability testing, through to UI design and development. My capabilities include designing information architecture, user flows, wireframing, UI design, interactions across multiple form factors.
Product Management
Great product teams mix agility with pragmatism. My capabilities include writing user stories, backlog management and grooming, facilitated prioritisation and roadmap planning, sprint showcase and retrospective facilitation.
Select Projects
Rip Curl Search GPSOver an 18 month period we designed and launched
the world's first GPS watch and digital platform that allows surfers to capture and relive the moments they spend their lives searching for.
For the past 4 years I've work closely with London Heathrow to continuously advance their mobile app, helping passengers realise a seamless and enjoyable door-to-gate experience.
Mentoring
Lead Product Designer, Canva: “You hired me at VML, you mentored me, and you taught me everything I know. Meeting you and being exposed to the way you solve problems was a pivotal moment in my career and I don’t know where I’d be if I hadn't met you. Thank you, Rob.”
Lead Product Designer: “You’ve taught me far more than you can imagine, been an incredible mentor, and I’ll forever be grateful for having the chance to work alongside you.”
Brands Served
United Kingdom and Europe: Ford Motor Company, TUI, Bridgestone, Diageo, Boots, D&AD Academy, London Heathrow, Art Basel, Lyreco, Phillip Medisize, Seatfrog.
Australia: Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Rip Curl, MacDonald’s, Pfizer, Emirates, Hyundai, American Express, UNIQLO, Australian Open, Bankwest, Teachers Mutual Bank, Woolworths Supermarket, MetLife, BresicWhitney, Carsguide, Domain Real Estate, NSW Government, Mad Mex, Pet Barn, Telstra, Rugby League World Cup, DoGooder.
US: Georgetown University, Herschend, NCTA.
New Zealand: ASB, Spark Digital.