Portfolio

Gareth Young Senior UX Designer

About meI design useful and usable digital products with user-centred design processes.An experienced and highly versatile designer that understands the importance of analysing the goals of both the end user and the business.

I ensure product features are fully justified and design decisions are backed up with research, data and design best practices.

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CompaniesI’ve worked for… I’ve worked with...

Platforms

Desktop

TV VR Vehicle

Mobile Tablet

Events

UXUK Awards

UXUK Awards

Big Radical Agency Innovation Event

Mobile UX London Interfacing the Future

Projects

Project:

The goal

The problem

AR/VR Back Seat Passenger Experience

Create an application that demonstrated the benefits of using Ultraleap technology for real-world use cases within the context of augmented/virtual reality, and the advantages of using hand tracking controllers over standard VR controllers. It was to be launched at CES 2020.

Ultraleap wanted to be recognised for the value its hand tracking and haptic technology could bring to AR/VR and automotive industries. Existing demos showcased the tech’s capabilities, but were mostly novel and not relatable.

Continued…The processAs a team of 3D creative technologists, designers and researchers we held several whiteboarding sessions to explore potential activities that users would both relate to and genuinely find useful whilst using AR glasses within a vehicle.

Once the narrative and features were decided, I began designing interactions for them. Prototypes were then tested with members of the public.

Continued…The resultUsers are able to use their hands to interact with media players, news apps and social feeds within AR/VR whilst feeling mid-air haptic feedback. Since its launch at CES 2020, it has become the most popular demo to show AR/VR related customers.

Each round of user testing and analysis led to further refinements until we were confident the interactions could be learned by users with little or no AR/VR experience. Alongside regular design duties, I supervised the construction of the physical car to ensure satisfactory ergonomics.

Watch Video

Project:

The goal

The problem

Mid-Air Gesture Infotainment System

Create an application that demonstrated the benefits of controlling an infotainment system using mid-air gestures and haptics.

It had to be:

Ultraleap recognised that driver safety was increasingly being put at risk with touchscreen infotainment systems becoming standard in most vehicles.

• Useful• Realistic• Safe• Easy to use• Reliable

Continued…

The processI took ownership of the full end-to-end user centred design process to ensure the demo was fit-for-purpose.

Surveys were sent out to drivers to gain insights into typical driver behaviour, and reviews of existing in-car infotainment systems were carried out at dealerships alongside desk research.

The UI, gestures and haptic effects were designed simultaneously.

Screenshots of existing car UIs were grouped and stuck to walls to reveal any design patterns we should stick to.

Interviews and workshops were held with key business stakeholders, and numerous cycles of sketching, storyboarding, prototyping and user testing followed.

Continued…

The outcome• A mid-air controlled infotainment system demo

that could be taken to customers and eventsaround the world including CES 2019/2020.

• The project design process was peerreviewed and published in a HCI journal.

• The learnings from the research were utilisedin the design of a new concept car launchedby DS Automobiles in Feb 2020.

3 rounds of user testing were organised and carried out by myself with members of the public using a low-fidelity driving simulator.

Task success rates and subjective feedback greatly helped us discover the best UI, gestures and haptics to use in the final version.

Watch Video

Project:

Background and process

File Sharing Mobile AppWorkshare’s mobile app provides professionals with a simple way to share files and evolve documents by allowing its users to continue working with others whilst they’re away from their desks or on the move (like Dropbox, but with more of a focus on remote collaboration instead of simply sharing files).

The app was developed using an Agile process using Kanban, and I typically worked alongside a UI designer.

I carried out typical UX activities such as design workshops, sketching, wireframing, storyboards, prototyping and user testing for many of its features over the course of 6 months.

The resultThe app became one of Workshare’s most appealing products to potential customers as it featured useful functionality that competing products didn’t. It also won Best Mobile App for Business at the V3 technology awards and was shortlisted for a UXUK award in 2014.

Continued…

Project:

Background

Document Management Software SuiteWorkshare Professional is Workshare’s flagship product suite. Its features include industry leading document comparison, meta data removal, file sharing and collaboration tools. It is used by 2 million professionals in 70 different countries (mostly in the legal industry).

Design ProcessThis particular product suite followed a more traditional waterfall development process, and I typically carried out UX activities in a certain order for each feature I was asked to improve.

These activities included interviews, persona generation, task analysis, metrics analysis, sketching, wireframing, paper/Axure prototyping and user testing.

OutcomeImprovements to the product’s UI and workflows were welcomed hugely by both new and existing customers. This resulted in more product licence purchases and renewals as their confidence grew in the software and its ability to reduce task completion times.

The suite was purchased by Workshare’s competitor, Litera, who continue to sell it.

Continued…

Software Install Step UI - Sketch Software Install Step UI - Wireframe/Prototype

Software Install Step UI - Final DesignSoftware Install Flow Diagram

Project:

The problem

Broadband Self-Service AppTalkTalk, with its 4.3 million customers, was receiving large numbers of customer service calls and complaints about their broadband, phone and TV service.

They wanted to reduce the number of calls by building an application that customers could use to fix the problem themselves.

The strategyPaired with a visual designer, I sketched potential designs of an app that showed customers what their connection looked like as part of the network.

Visualisations of the services between their home and the exchange became the basis of the interface, combined with problem solving features. User journey design and wireframes followed.

I organised and conducted user testing with 12 TalkTalk customers using an Axure prototype I created, and provided recommendations based on the findings.

This ensured the apps were both usable and versatile enough to handle the many different problems experienced by TalkTalk customers.

The outcomeThe number of calls and complaints associated with internet connection problems dropped significantly, as customers would rather fix the problem themselves than call tech support.

The app was also loved by offshore technical support teams because they could also use the app to diagnose and fix customer connection problems.

Continued…

Project:

The brief

On-Demand TV PlayerTalkTalk wanted to redesign their set top box TV player that allowed users to stream TV programmes and rent films.

Two different designs had been created, one by an in-house TV team, and one by an external agency. Management wanted to find out which was the most suitable for TalkTalk TV customers.

The approachI created fully functioning prototypes (pictured) for both TV player designs, and wrote/organised user testing to be conducted by an independent UX agency to find out which was the most suitable design for the set top box.

The resultsNeither TV player design was more successful than the other. Both performed well, but each had their own strengths and weaknesses. I presented results and recommendations to the head of design and we decided to use the in-house version as the foundation, but include successful elements from the agency design. TalkTalk TV currently has over 400,000 subscribers.

Continued…

I programmed an infrared signal receiver and remote control to work with my Axure prototypes to make the user testing as realistic as possible. This prototype also featured at 2 Axure London events.

Contact meWant to find out more?

garethmyoung@bath.edu

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