Hi, I'm Damien.
I’m an Experience Designer with skills in UX, Service and Product Design. I lead mobile, app and web projects from research to launch.
I also write about technology for Vodafone and UX Collective, explore Speculative & Future Design, and publish science fiction.
UX/SD Projects
Weatherzone app and site redesign
Role: Lead CX/UX
Project: Redesign app and Website (50+ pages) to increase downloads and traffic
Client: Weatherzone, Australia’s leading commercial weather information provider
Challenge: Appeal to loyal, detail-loving weather enthusiasts while providing a frictionless experience to millions of ‘lifestyle’ users checking the weather only occasionally
Methods: Heuristic review, Surveys, Personas, Competitor Analysis, Prototyping, and Usertesting
Results: A design that has remained current since 2015
App Redesign
New Snow & Ski App Design
“Awesome work … a better user experience … ultimately this has secured a new long term deal with significant revenue attached…”
Weatherzone Project Manager
Hotelscombined App Optimisation
Role: Lead UX
Project: Optimise a hotel search experience to increase bookings
Client: HotelsCombined, one of Australia’s leading hotel search aggregators
Challenge: Redesign an already-successful app in a hyper-competitive industry
Methods: Researching how industry leaders, online travel stores, information sites, and travellers themselves talked about their travelling needs to define user personas, then matching their needs to hotel features to personalise journeys; drawing on the most effective aspects from competitors and working closely and agile with developers to optimise the key UX element—the booking calendar
Results: A more intuitive search calendar contributing to 4.5% increase in bookings and 400% increase in members
User Account
400% increase in members
eCommerce Journey
4.5% increased bookings
Vodafone Click & Collect Launch
Role: Lead CX/UX
Project: MVP Click & Collect launch for Vodafone
Challenge: Design an MVP solution for selected stores only without real-time store data
Methods: Mapping a Customer Journey for an exsiting C&C experience to identify highlights, flaws an opportunities, and mapping this against business systems and processes to map a Service Design Blueprint.
Result: A customer-led approach, combined with agile stakeholder engagement, contributed to a successful launch that has since expanded to more stores
Customer Journey Map
Journey Map Segment
Service Design Blueprint
Terminology research
Challenge: Researching current trends and user awareness, I validated product naming and terminology, and then mapped this approach for other designers.
Product & Innovation
Connecting digital and real-world experiences
Role: Lead UX
Project: Taste Living Online Store
Challenge: Generate in-store traffic
Result: A multi-channel experience connecting the online and real-world experiences (Unfortunately this concept was deprioritised)
Lean Product Design
Role: Product Design
Project: New event search app
Problem: Finding and comparing LGBTQ+ activities is hard and time-consuming
UI Design
UI & Branding
eCommerce
eCommerce
Utility App
Online Style Guide
Infographics
Cyclone Advice
Carbon credit lifecycle
Drone service concept
Speculative Design
In 2019, I published my sci-fi novel The Lenz, for which I designed a future Mixed Reality contact lens and its experience. I combined the world-building techniques of science fiction with design methods and created my own Speculative Design method.
Guerilla prototyping Mixed Reality
Future Innovation
Being a drone enthusiant, I explored a speculative concept for drones being used to transport food from farms directly to the city.
Speculative Fiction
I write sci-fi and speculative fiction to explore future tech, their experiences, and our relationships with them.
Design Experience
2017 to Present
UX/UI Designer
Client side | Web, Mobile, App (Native and Hybrid)
As a Senior UX/UI Designer in a great team, I lead the end-to-end UX design for many desktop, mobile and app projects, from discovery phase workshops, through the design iteration/testing process (including stakeholder management), to final UI design and dev support. I also supported the Service Design stream for our Digital transformation project, working with Deloitte.
2015-2016
UX/UI Designer
Client side | Web, Mobile, App (Native and Hybrid)
As Senior UX Designer I managed junior designers and worked with data analysts and development to A/B test improvements to a product that is translated into over 30 languages and has over 13million users per month. I also established UX thinking more into the development process, developing closer relationships with the development team.
- Redesigned user account and tools, contributing to 400% increase in memberships
- Refined 7 breakpoints to 1(+ a minimum width), improving productivity for both Design and Dev teams
- Improved App home screen and calendar, contributing to 4.5% increase in bookings
- UX and Visual Design for online booking, contributing to increase in revenue across all markets
- Creatively directed the production of complete online Style Guide
- Established UX/Design review process within development phase, workshops and stakeholder meetings
2012-2015
UX/UI Designer
Client side | Web, Mobile, App (Native and Hybrid)
Working with the Fairfax UX Team, I redesigned weatherzone.com.au, and the Weatherzone iPhone App, as part of a user-focused rebranding of all Weatherzone products. I also designed customized data and map-based B2B interfaces, and worked with 9News and Yahoo7 to translate their weather pages into refreshed responsive designs.
2011-2012
Digital Designer
Client-side | Web
I assisted the company’s transformation to a digital-focused product by designing and developing promotional and reusable digital elements. I also created journalistic infographics.
2017 - 2020 | Study
2010-2011
Content Editor/Digital Designer
Client-side | Web, Tablet
Working closely with development, branding, store product managers and warehouse logistics, I lead a team of two junior designers to develop the UX, visual design and content for Strathfield’s eCommerce site and for www.tasteliving.com.au.
2011 - 2020
Courses in UX & Future Tech
2020 | Product Manager/Owner Foundations – Academy XI
2020 | Project Management for Designers – Linkedin Learning
2019 | Service Design – Vodafone Training
2019 | Methods of Design Synthesis – Udemy | Certificate
2019 | Micro copy and UX Writing: Mini Course – UX Writing Hub
2019 | Gamification: Motivation Psychology & The Art of Engagement – Udemy | Certificate
2019 | Gamification & Behavioural Design – Udemy | Certificate
2018 | Designing for Virtual Reality: 1 Day Bootcamp – Academy XI
2013 | 3D Printing: A Hands-on Workshop – General Assembly
2011 | Agile Wire-framing and Prototyping – General Assembly
2005-2008 | Study
Masters in Design Science
Digital Media & Design
Awards & Prizes
Sony Foundation Scholarship
University of Sydney Digital Media Prize
