Steve O’Connor CV
Senior UX Designer with 15+ years of experience creating accessible, user-focused digital services across public and private sectors.
Passionate about crafting intuitive, inclusive, and user-centred digital experiences. Skilled in prototyping, usability testing, user research, journey mapping, and the development of accessible solutions in Agile environments. Experienced with design systems and cross-functional collaboration, with a strong foundation in interaction design, branding, and service design. Committed to continuous learning, mentoring, and delivering engaging, user-driven outcomes.
Core Skills
- Accessible Design (WCAG, ARIA)
- User Experience (UX) & Interaction Design
- Prototyping (Figma, Axure, GOV.UK kit)
- HTML/CSS collaboration & Front-End awareness
- Design systems & pattern libraries
- Team mentoring & leadership
- Creative development & strategic thinking
- Agile development environments
- User research & usability testing
- Journey mapping & service design
- Visual & brand identity design
Experience
Principal UX Designer, Nexer Digital
(Mar 2024 — Present, Cambridge, UK)
- Leading UX quality assurance initiatives and optimising cross-team collaboration.
- >Championing accessible, user-first design practices aligned with WCAG standards.
- Developing design systems to support scalable, inclusive product development
- Plus what I was doing as a Senior UX Designer.
Senior UX Designer, Nexer Digital
(Mar 2017 — Mar 2024, Cambridge, UK)
- Delivered accessible, inclusive digital solutions for clients including the Department for Education (DfE), Mind, AstraZeneca, and Research Data Scotland
- Conducted extensive user research, journey mapping, and iterative usability testing
- Developed interactive prototypes in Figma and Axure to validate and enhance designs
- Collaborated closely with product managers, developers, researchers in agile teams
- Led the redesign of Mind charity’s donation flow—increasing online donations by 70%
- Contributed to cross-gov initiatives, including design ops and the GDS Design System.
CamCreatives, Director and Community Organiser
2006–present
- Organise creative meetups, events for creative minds in Cambridge
- Support local collaboration, mentoring, and creative careers
Lead Designer, Airsource
(Sep 2010 — Mar 2017, Cambridge, UK)
- Introduced structured UX and UI processes to a development-focused agency
- Led mobile app and web interface redesigns improved client KPIs and user satisfaction
- Developed brand and design system guidelines for mobile and digital products.
Graphic and Web Design Consultant, stevethedesigner
(Nov 2008 — Sep 2010, Cambridge, UK)
Delivered end-to-end branding, UX, and web design projects for local and international businesses.
Earlier roles
- Studio print and web designer at Cream Group Ltd.
- Graphic and web design consultant at Guido Design
- Graphic Designer at Logotron Ltd.
- 2D/3D Software trainer and design manager at Vellum Software UK Ltd.
Education & Certifications
- BA Hons in Graphic Design — University of Central Lancashire (Unfinished)
- B-TEC Graphic Design - Southport Techical College (Distinction)
Contact
- Email: steve@stevethedesigner.com
- LinkedIn: stevethedesigner