Delicious to meet you *
Hi, I’m James — Senior Product Designer, Design Systems at Zendesk, based in Melbourne, Australia. I've been working in the Garden Design System team for nearly 2 years and learnt a great deal about working in global large tech remotely, remote-friendly practices, collaboration, and accessibility.
Previously, I was Principal Visual Designer at MYOB, where I would lead the visual languages of our browser based products and helped form, support, strategise, and contribute to their design system Feelix. As part of the design leadership team, I would also mentor the wider design teams on design tooling, visual design, contribute to DesignOps strategies, and how best to utilise the design system.
Professionally, I believe in cross-functional, collaborative teams, who share goals and accountability across disciplines. I am passionate about designing at scale, seeing how design can impact large (and small) business practices (ie DesignOps), and improve the customer experience.
I'm happiest in that intersection between design and development and helping bridge those gaps, whilst realising and overseeing high-quality, crafted experiences. I also love building design culture, mentoring others, and working with companies who appreciate a well-crafted product. I do what’s fun, accessible & needs to get done.
I don’t believe in brilliant arseholes, I feel motivated when working with open, collaborative, inclusive people who display good amounts of empathy for others, and most of the time, there is usually an “it depends” to solving problems.
Personal Life
Wandering through the family creek
I have an incredibly talented wife, an insanely great 5 y/o son, and humbled and amazed everyday by what they bring into my life. I am truly blessed.
Lately, when I’m not working, I’m spending time with family and friends, making home movies with the little one & absorbing a tonne of visual culture. Every day I'm learning how to effectively build digital products and teams at scale, design system best practices, and getting outdoors as much as humanly possible 🌞