Ben Wood
Product designer specializing in helping startups with UX & UI.
Hey đ, I'm Ben. I'm a product design expert with 13+ years experience, passionate about simple, practical UX-thinking, stunning UI design and properly thought-out content that together, make the difference for a tech startup.
I've worked at multiple startups myself, where I helped one to successful exit, and was employee number 1 at another. In 2022, I co-founded the Built For Mars Design Studio. I'm currently helping Lloyds Bank to build deeper, more valuable relationships with its customers.
I râŚ
Work
Portfolio highlights
https://www.figma.com/proto/k6AAHWfgnyMhgtSW5cqvNR/Portfolio-highlights?page-id=1%3A7&type=design&node-id=3-8&viewport=402%2C402%2C0.06&t=uze5JR3tULuaxz1F-1&scaling=scale-downBrowse highlights of some recent projects, including:
đŚ YC-funded bank in Middle East, valued at $100M+
đŞ New UK crypto exchange, founded by former Etoro exec
â˝ď¸ Global entertainment brand in FTSE 100
đł Sustainable bank, listed on SIX (Swiss Exchange)
đŻ All-in-one strategy planning & productivity tool
Take a look âŹď¸
Built For Mars
https://builtformars.com/63 UX case studies, highlighting why some designs work, and others fail horribly. Contextualised with practical UX psychology and cheatsheets.
Experience
Lloyds Banking Group
Design Delivery Lead
Nov 2023 - Present
Lloyds Banking Group are a leading UK-based financial services group with over 325 years' history and a unique family of household brands. The purpose at Lloyds Banking Group is Helping Britain Prosper.
- Lead a design team of 7, delivering Mass Affluent propositions
- Working closely with stakeholders across the bank to bring ideas to life
- Recognised for impact I brought to the team within 3 months of joining
Built For Mars Agency
Co-Founder
Apr 2022 - Sep 2023
The Built For Mars Agency specializes in creating impactful experiences for top-tier products. Collaborating with iconic brands such as Google, Experian, Klarna, Entain, Notion and MoonPay to deliver world-class UX analysis and design.
- Provide services including information architecture, UX audits, wireframes & flow design, content design, and UI & Design Systems.
- Work with both large enterprises and early-stage startups.
- Help companies create products that resonate with users and drive customer satisfaction and retention.
Lucidity
Founding Designer / Design Lead
Apr 2019 - Apr 2022
Lucidity supports a joined up approach to strategy, planning and execution. From using the Tool Library for analysis through to planning, tracking progress and communicating that to the team, Lucidity is the complete strategy platform.
- Led design efforts for Lucidity, a market-leading strategic planning and management software.
- Established the design function as the first employee, and led a small team that pioneered the integration of design principles throughout the platform's development journey.
- Created a modern, intuitive user interface from the ground up, that enables strategic planning and management for beginners and pros alike.
- Focused on task management, dashboards, and data visualization to optimize user experience.
Movem
Head of Design (IC)
Jan 2018 - Apr 2019
Developed and implemented the first fully automated tenant reference system at Movem.
- Utilized data-driven approach and Open Banking integration to provide comprehensive insights and analysis on applicants' financial history.
- Pioneered cutting-edge technology within the industry, establishing Movem as a leader in the field.
- Contributed to the successful acquisition of Movem by Barbon Insurance Group in September 2018.
Wyld Technologies
Product Designer
Sep 2017 - Jan 2018
Early team member, instrumental in establishing the design function.
- Successfully evolved the Wyld brand and created associated marketing materials.
- Produced innovative product mock-ups for both desktop and iOS platforms.
Madgex (Wiley)
Product Designer
Jan 2015 - Sep 2018
Career Center solutions. Whether you need a full-service partner to deliver an engaging career center or a technology upgrade to your current job board, Madgex will help you reach your membership and revenue goals.
- Developed market-leading careers technology solutions for top media companies, recruitment businesses, and associations.
- Collaborated with renowned clients such as The Guardian, Gumtree, Washington Post, Reach, British Medical Journal, ACCA, and more, to create their Job Boards and Course Boards.
- Played a key role in enhancing user experience and driving growth through innovative product development.
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