Case studies
A selection of projects highlighting my range of skills & experience across start-ups, scale-ups, and FTSE 100 companies.
From hands-on design and user research, to design and product strategy, to 0-1 product innovation and global digital transformation projects
0-1 case study / FTSE100 transformation
A digital sustainability planning solution for strategic oversight
0-1 CASE STUDY
A digital sustainability planning solution for strategic oversight
0-1 research & design of a new strategic sustainability planning, performance management and reporting solution for a FTSE 100 energy supermajor.
The new centralised solution provides an easy to use tool and process to 300+ experts coordinating the allocation of ~$4bn/year of transition growth investment.
Key skills
/ 0-1 design from discovery to MVP to MLP
/ user research with users & stakeholders globally
/ service design of current and future state
/ product design within brand and DS constraints
/ agile delivery to critical business timelines
Sector
Energy sector, enterprise digital app and service for planning, performance management and reporting of strategic sustainability planning
Timeline
12 months, full-time
Client
FTSE100 energy supermajor
UX STRATEGY CASE STUDY
From 8,000 to 11,000,000+ users: Product-market fit the human-centred way
Research & product strategy for the leading collaborative, online LaTeX editor trusted by 19 million users at research institutions and businesses worldwide for scientific writing & publishing
Key skills
/ design leadership & product strategy
to shape human-centred product prioritisation (Kano modelling, HEART metrics)
/ user research
strategy, planning and hands-on support (Qualtrics, mixed methods)
Sector
B2C, SaaS for researchers and technical writers globally
Timeline
Multiple projects from initial strategic investment in 2014 until I left Digital Science in 2021
Client
Overleaf - in 2014 Digital Science invested in WriteLatex (later rebranded to Overleaf) and as Head of UX, I supported the founders with strategic design & research priorities.
From 8,000 to 11,000,000+ users
Overleaf - growing a great idea into market dominance - the human-centred way
Key skills
Sector
B2B, SaaS for 50+ funding agencies who collectively award more than $2 billion annually
Design leadership, product strategy, user research, service design, product design, agile delivery
Timeline
approx. 12 months
Context
Overleaf -
Digital Science bought CC Technology in 2019. As Head of UX, I was asked to work with the company to transform the core product offering - GrantTracker.
CASE STUDY 2
PROTOTYPING CASE STUDY
More effective lab information management for 100,000 scientists
A transformative new electronic lab notebook (ELN) experience, and a sector first digital microplate documentation experience to reach new customer segments.
It critically supported labguru in its journey to transition from small academic lab customers to large pharma (AstraZeneca, ThermoFisher, etc.).
The work was delivered using a bespoke agile UX process that I presented at UX Cambridge 2018.
Key skills
/ user research with users & stakeholders globally
/ interactive prototyping of future state journeys
/ product design of critical features
Sector
B2C and B2B, start-up serving customers in the life sciences (academia, pharma and biotech)
Timeline
approx. 2 years, 2 days / week
Client
Labguru - part of the Digital Science portfolio until sold to Battery Ventures in 2024
WRITEFULL CASE STUDY
Embedding deep learning language support into publishing workflows
Pilot project to integrate Writefull's AI language technology into scientific publishing workflows of Hindawi
Key skills
/ user research with users & stakeholders globally
/ service design of future AI enhanced workflow
/ product design of pilot experience
Sector
B2C and B2B, early stage start-up targeting academic writing
Timeline
approx. 12 months, full-time
Client
Writefull - part of the Digital Science portfolio
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE CASE STUDY
Transforming a legacy product with research & strategic design
Grants management for 50+ funding agencies who award more than $2 billion annually, with a 94% customer recommendation rate
Key skills
/ design leadership to shape ux process
/ user research with users, clients, and stakeholders
/ service design to transform critical user journeys
/ product design of new IA, search, navigation
/ product strategy to shape product prioritisation
/ agile delivery of quick wins and highest priorities
Sector
B2B, SaaS for 50+ funding agencies who collectively award more than $2 billion annually
Timeline
approx. 12 months / 0.5 FTE
Client
CC Technology - in 2019 Digital Science bought CC Technology and as Head of UX, I was asked to work with the company to transform the core product offering - GrantTracker.
SYMPLECTIC CASE STUDY
Shaping the leading research information management system in the world
Symplectic Elements ranks first for client satisfaction with a 91% satisfaction rate and used by 13 of the 25 top ranked universities globally.
My UX team and I led all critical research & design for many years for this core product of Digital Science's portfolio.
Key skills
/ design leadership to shape ux process
/ user research with users, clients, and stakeholders
/ service design to shape critical product extensions
/ product design of new functionality and re-brands
/ product strategy to shape product prioritisation
Sector
B2B, SME targeting research organisations globally
Timeline
I led - strategically and hands-on - all priority design and user research work for Symplectic over many years - akin to an in-house agency on retainer.
Client
Symplectic Elements - in 2011 Digital Science invested in Symplectic and as Head of UX, I supported the founders and product team with strategic design & research priorities, shaping most of the core functionality for many years.
