User-Centred Digital Product Consultancy
Through Digital Optimist, I work in a hands-on, consultative way with my clients.
My UX-focused digital consultancy keeps the needs of all participants in mind – not just the business, not just the customers. Success comes from developing outcomes that include everyone and determine the best use of every project’s backbone of budget, resource and available time.
I’ve worked in Waterfall and Agile environments, utilise the best principles of User-centred design (UCD), and tend to work with the best parts of methodologies to fit the project – no two projects are the same shape or size.
I offer a unique blend of UX strategy, Digital Product Design, Project Management and Technology experience that help find balance and improve success in any digital project.
History of Working with Top Brands
Clients and brands I’ve worked with over the years include:
AIRMILES, APACS, AT&T, AXA, BAA, BBC FM&T, BBC Worldwide, BSKYB, Cabinet Office, Channel 4, Creative Labs, Currys, Directgov, ebay, First Plus, Five.tv, Flowerfarm, George Wimpey Homes, HP/Compaq, IBM, IPA, Jewson, Johnson & Johnson Acuvue, Lloyds TSB, Lonely Planet, LOVEfiLM, Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars and Trucks, Microsoft, Moroccan Tourism, National Assessment Agency, Nestle, Newspaper Marketing Agency, Nursing & Midwifery Council, Nokia, PC World, Proflowers, Project Kangaroo, Royal Bank of Scotland/ NatWest, Sega, smart UK, Sony, Top Gear and Unilever.
“I’ve had the lucky chance to work alongside Brian more than once, both client-side and as colleagues. Brian is a unique individual. When presented with a problem, either small or large, he’s able to cut through the noise and identify what really is the problem and actively work to provide a viable solution…”
Former client & colleague
ebay & BBC
“Brian’s take on what was an incredibly complex product challenge at Directgov was to innovate his way out of the maze. He has deep and broad knowledge and skills in his field and is like a dog with a bone. Just the sort of intrapreneur that you’ll want in your organisation.”
Transformational Strategy Director
COI
“If you like engaging, witty, intelligent and experienced people then stand next to Brian. In an increasingly bland world of digital yawnsome agency types Brian is his own man with the skill and tenacity to impress everyone he meets. He’s always been there to help with a variety of projects and his input has been sharp, thorough and influential.”
Business Development Director
A Competitive Agency
UX Strategy
My focus is on creating engaging journeys within and across digital products.
User experience runs from the very tactical to the very strategic. At the strategic end of the scale I have to consider brand pervasiveness in a customer’s journey. It’s no longer just enough to design good experiences – you need to understand the context of the thing you are designing.
Customers will inevitably come into contact with a brand in numerous forms throughout a journey. For instance, in a 24-hour period a customer’s journey could put them in contact with web, mobile, television, in-store, direct mail and delivery experiences – all in support of the same objective – to purchase something from the brand.
As brands – like most companies in many difference sectors – are made up of many internal departments, each with its own set of objectives and KPI’s, the chance of vertical integration, or development of silos, is high.
With a focus on the strategic end of UX, I try to look more holistically at the business, their customers, competition, and delivery methods to ensure the experiences all feel part of the same journey – and at the same time take advantage of the uniqueness of the digital channel in which they are being delivered, e.g. mobile, tablet, web, etc.
UX Leadership
While some people will say that Leadership within UX has nothing to do with managing people, I believe, at its core, it is about fundamentally managing people through change, and mentoring people up through the ranks.
Often clients understand the idea that user experience is important to their business, but they sometimes don’t understand why this is so or what it takes to achieve it. In technology driven businesses there is often a focus and drive on developing the final product – the final product as the technology team view it. This is often not the same as the product that customers would have found useful and usable.
UX Leaders need to evangelise UX across the business – horizontally – and mentor, train and inspire UX practitioners about how to grow in their field, become leaders themselves, and be better collaborators and communicators with their peers in adjacent disciplines.
Good UX Leaders provide vision and inspire confidence through experience, and a willingness to educate and lead.
I’ve led UX projects and teams at agencies and companies for many years. I have also worked in Engineering, Project Management and have sat on the Management teams and Boards of several agencies (including my own digital product design agency), and bring a breadth of experience from having been “on the other side” of the aisle on many occasions.
Digital Product Management
Good Digital Product Managers often have backgrounds with a mix of Engineering, Business and Design expertise. They focus on execution and delivery of good products that can be executed with a reasonable amount of effort.
I began my career as an Engineer in the telecoms field 24 years ago, moved into digital 17 years ago and have worked with design and technology teams since. My interest in defining digital products grew out of a historical lack of UX as a discipline and technology teams driving the shape of the product.
I work with my customers to understand the intent of their digital product development – who are their customers and competition – and help them to define what they are building and establish why their customers might want the product.
It is important to keep teams focused on customers and revenue (or business) opportunities throughout the process of Product Management, to define clear specifications and roadmaps, and be clear in communicating through presentation and other documentation, clear and concise information about the products in development.
UX Project & Program Management
Whether using Waterfall, Agile, UCD or other methodologies, with 24 years of experience deploying technology and user-focussed digital projects, I believe a modicum of common sense must be applied.
Even in 2011, there are still too many mid to large sized projects driven by technology teams – often to the exclusion of the end user.
Large programs are another matter and often lack a customer-focused, UX-experienced Program manager who really understands the importance of doing up-front product design before bringing in large build teams to deliver – it’s a bit like trying to run before you walk.
I try to find the balance, understanding the role that traditional time-scope-budget has to play, while also understanding that without giving a product shape – that is informed by both the business and customers – you will end up with a shadow of what you otherwise might have delivered (and often with time and cost over-runs).
I provide my clients with UX focused project and program management at an early or mid-point in the project, though the earlier the engagement, the greater the potential for success.
