Craft+ Empathy

Not in the abstract, theoretical sense, but in the practical reality of making things work better for people. That pull has stayed constant for 20 years, even as the tools, technologies, and challenges have evolved dramatically.

I’m James, a Senior Product Designer with two decades of experience transforming complex challenges into human-centred digital solutions. I specialise in strategic design, AI-powered platforms, and inclusive experiences that work for everyone.

My journey into product design wasn’t entirely linear, but I think that’s made me a better designer. I started in graphic design, drawn to the craft of visual communication. But as the web matured, I found myself increasingly interested in the systems behind the visuals. How do people actually use these things? What makes an interface feel intuitive?

That curiosity led me into user experience design, and honestly, I’m still learning every day.

Working across diverse sectors—from financial services to AI-powered research tools, from civic engagement platforms to legal services—has taught me that every complex problem has human needs at its core. The fundamental challenge remains the same: how do we make sophisticated systems understandable, trustworthy, and genuinely useful?

The most satisfying challenges are the ones that look impossible at first. Complex AI systems that need to be accessible to non-experts. Platforms serving millions of users who can’t afford disruption. Legacy systems that need transformation without losing what makes them work.

I’ve learned that complexity isn’t something to hide or simplify away. It’s something to respect and translate. The best solutions don’t make complex things simple—they make complex things clear. There’s a difference.

My role is to be a translator, giving people the context and control they need to make informed decisions. Then measure whether it actually worked. I’m not interested in beautiful designs that don’t deliver results.

I don’t talk about this lightly, but it shapes everything I do: I’m a father to an autistic child. This has fundamentally changed how I approach design.

When I’m working on interfaces, I’m constantly thinking about the person who processes information differently, who finds unexpected patterns overwhelming, who needs more time or a different path to accomplish their goals. Accessibility isn’t a compliance exercise for me. It’s the recognition that there’s no such thing as a “normal” user, and our job is to create experiences that work for the full spectrum of human diversity.

Beyond my professional work, I’m currently developing a neurodiversity support platform for individuals and parents navigating early years support, school systems, and beyond. This project has become a practical testing ground for how AI can genuinely accelerate the design process—moving rapidly from concept to working prototype, validating ideas in days rather than weeks. But the technology is just the accelerant. The real work—understanding what people actually need, designing for varied contexts and capabilities—that’s still fundamentally human work.

I’m genuinely excited about where AI is taking design. I don’t think it will replace designers—it’s going to free us up to focus on what we do best: understanding people, asking the right questions, and solving problems creatively.

I’ve been using generative AI to accelerate the journey from concept to working prototype. What used to take weeks can now happen in days. But the AI doesn’t do the design thinking, the user research, or make strategic decisions. It speeds up execution, which means I can test more ideas and spend more time on the hard problems—the ones that require empathy, judgment, and craft.

Technology is evolving faster than ever, but the fundamentals remain the same: understand people, solve real problems, create experiences that work. The future will be powered by new technologies. But it will be defined by how well we design them, and who we design them for.

If you’re working on something that matters, I’d love to hear about it.