May 2023 – Present · 2 yrs 10 mos · United Arab Emirates · Remote

Feb 2022 – Mar 2024 · 2 yrs 1 mo · Global · Remote

• Headed and lead a team of 10+ talented Product Designers, Researchers, Service Designers and Design Managers across numerous product squads, solving client and customer problems across all touch points, added value and created delightful digital and human experiences.
• Lead product design across all work streams, whilst working with the VP Product and other Heads of Product to help set the overall product strategy for the organisation. Owned the planning, resourcing and expansion of the Product Design team to support demand from the business. I did this by teaching both the soft and hard skills, as well as helping designers become the collaborative glue that inspires product management and engineering to create their best work. I did this through a passionate and hands-on approach.
• I created compelling product visions and strategies that powered Omnipresent's roadmap, in partnership with product, engineering, marketing and other functional leaders. I built effective relationships and operating rhythms with key stakeholders across the organisation. I did this by driving user experiences that are cohesive, inclusive, and well-informed by qualitative and quantitative data.

Sep 2019 – Feb 2022 · 2 yrs 5 mos · Dubai · Hybrid

• In this role I headed a team of 7+ talented Product Designers, Design Researchers and Design Managers across 12 product teams (Squads), solving consumer and customer problems across all customer touch points, adding user value and creating delightful digital experiences.
• I lead product design across B2C and B2B solutions, whilst working with the Chief Product Officer to help set the overall design and product strategy for the team. Owning the planning, resourcing and expansion of the Product Design team to support demand from the business.

Jul 2018 – Aug 2019 · 1 yr 1 mo · Perth, Australia

• In this role I was responsible for overseeing a portfolio of work across projects and supporting and leading the teams delivering these engagements. The role had a focus on growing internal and external relationships, and driving existing and new business growth by actively engaging and networking.
• I was responsible for providing quality assurance across all work from the Strategic Design (Service Design) craft and supporting and mentoring team members across projects. The role drove growth of the craft and Isobar’s offerings through the work, leading and supporting teams to deliver innovative and commercially viable approaches and ways of working that deliver successful outcomes.

Apr 2018 – Mar 2024 · 5 yrs 11 mos

• My role initially involved leading product design through research with customers and product strategy. As the team grew, the role includes design leadership through growing the design team and facilitating global design and research sprints.

Feb 2018 – Aug 2019 · 1 yr 6 mos · Perth, Australia

• Mentorship and advisory to Perth startups in the 2018 and 2019 cohort. Ran a hands-on Lean Usability Testing Workshop in 2018 and 2019 for the entire cohort of startups in Perth. Advisor to Airguides focusing on product design, research, strategy and lean methodology.

Aug 2017 – Jul 2018 · 11 mos

• My role involved providing design research expertise & leadership as well as mentorship within the MYOB Design team of 40 designers across Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland. I lead and managed the design and research output within my customer value streams to ensure the team was creating innovative and engaging solutions for internal and external customers.
• I worked in a lean, agile and collaborative environment and enjoyed being part of all stages of the product design process. I worked to answer the most challenging questions in design. I revealed what myob users & customers need from products and services by conducting primary and secondary research, exploring the behaviours and motivations of our customers, and working with internal teams to develop new and targeted services and programs and take these to market.
• Most importantly, my job as a researcher was to help MYOB understand what would make a customer’s experiences feel more intuitive, accessible, fun—and even magical.

Aug 2015 – Aug 2017 · 2 yrs

• As a Design leader, I helped define and drive the future of MYOB design. When I joined MYOB in August 2015, there were 9 designers across Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland. As one of the Design Managers and a member of the leadership team I helped grow this number to 40 designers when I left 3 years later and mature design thinking and practice throughout the organisation.
• My role encompassed creating and executing the design strategy to reduce operational inefficiencies in the design workflow through process and technological advancements. An example of this was the work I did with the team in regard to a Design System as well as research tools and processes (ResearchOps).
• Other aspects of this role included product strategy, design and research with various product teams, managing seven designers of my team and working on internal cross-functional teams on organisational transformation. Democratising and marketing design were some of my passions and I worked hard to collaborate with leaders across the organisation to share insight and instil a design mindset.

Mar 2017 – Jul 2018 · 1 yr 4 mos · Melbourne & Sydney

• SheStarts is a groundbreaking innovation program for ambitious female entrepreneurs with big ideas for high-impact businesses.
• Founders follow a step-by-step process led by expert advisors, to rapidly accelerate their business from idea to launch.
• Each startup receives $100k pre-seed funding, access to corporates for customer distribution & our global network of investors.
• The founders are building global brands and inspiring others through the documentary web series and social media campaign which can be found at SheStarts.com
• Mentored three of the SheStarts founders in design, research and strategy.
• Vetchat
• Neighbourlytics
• BanjoMaps

Apr 2016 – Jul 2017 · 1 yr 3 mos · Melbourne, Australia

• General Assembly is a venture-backed, NYC-based startup focusing on education for individuals and enterprises in the areas of technology, design, and entrepreneurship. We currently have typical classrooms in 14 cities across 4 continents, with tens of thousands of students coming through our doors.
• I am really enjoying teaching and sharing my experiences in the Australian UX landscape. It has been my honour to be guiding fellow professionals into Experience Design, through instructing and mentoring the Lean Usability Testing workshop. Most UXers live for that "A-Ha!" moment when solving a problem. As an avid problem solver myself, it excites me to be able to share that with others.
• For more info: https://generalassemb.ly/instructors/jonathan-steingiesser/8344

Mar 2015 – Aug 2015 · 5 mos · Melbourne, Australia

• As a leading member of the Symplicit User Experience team, I guided and steered delivery of concurrent projects across a range of products and applications for clients, as well as assisting to define new and innovative ways to engage and provide services to clients.
• As a Lead Experience Designer, I contributed to the delivery of successful projects, effected change and continued to solidify the reputation of Symplicit as one of the best user-experience brands in the Australian marketplace.
• Reporting to the Leadership Team, I had direct responsibility and accountability for my own work, plus the work of less experienced peers within the team. I worked across a number of projects, with diverse clients, from predominantly blue-chip Australian companies, International companies with an Asia-Pacific interest and some web-based businesses and Government agencies.

Dec 2012 – Mar 2015 · 2 yrs 3 mos · Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

• Responsible for leading user research for internal and external audiences and translating these into high-quality user-personas, user stories, experience maps, feature lists, prototypes and other documents to support the end-to-end user experiences across NYUAD's multiple web and mobile applications, including the English and Arabic web and mobile sites. Applying Lean UX and Agile UX methods to promote evidence based experiments throughout the design process.
• Execute the NYUAD User Experience (UX) strategy on projects by working with business analysts, project owners, and developers; build and maintain library of UX tools and templates.
• Champion user experience throughout the organization and act as a voice of UX innovation in the project development process.

Mar 2009 – Dec 2012 · 3 yrs 9 mos

• Leading multiple major web related projects as a Project Manager/User Experience Specialist.
• Ensuring the internal, external and mobile websites meet the Information Services Division's user experience objectives. Liaising with content creators to design and implement improvements based on primary user research including 1-on-1 interviewing, diary studies and guerrilla research techniques. Developing experience maps, user journeys, personas and other UX standards documentation.
• Monitoring new developments in user experience standards for mobile and other applications, providing evidence based recommendations to enhance the student/staff experience.
• Coordinating quality assurance activities (including usability studies, prototyping and the preparation and analysis of web site analytics and monitoring the effectiveness of information delivery).

Aug 2008 – Mar 2009 · 7 mos

• This position involved a number of roles all of which were related to the Library and its applications. Primary responsibilities included the co-ordination of usability studies as well as production of specialised reports for system improvement. The role included providing user experience design and functional support for IT Applications and providing advice and problem resolution for current systems including maintaining parameters and developing organisational policies and procedures.

Jul 2007 – Jul 2008 · 1 yr · Perth, Australia

• This position involved a number of roles all of which were related to the operations of the company in respect of Amlib - the library management system and Netloan PC booking system.
• Major role included user-centred website design and customization, as well as training, producing and updating user documentation (e.g., collating user feedback through user research studies), and liaising with national libraries for the maintenance and improvement of customer relations. Additional responsibilities involved a more technical nature through leading the Quality Assurance Program testing, which required regular interaction with the Amlib Development Team.

Jan 2004 – May 2014 · 10 yrs 4 mos · Australia & UAE

• Stemaco Technology was a user experience design studio I founded. Stemaco provided UX services, web and multi-device design, development and usability.
• Stemaco’s philosophy was based on user-centred design and focuses on the user experience in all projects.
• Stemaco delivered a range of design projects with multiple stakeholders, from concept stage to delivery.

Jan 2004 – Jun 2007 · 3 yrs 5 mos · Perth, Australia

• A diverse range of responsibilities, focusing on the design, development, and administration of the Internet, national Intranets and Extranet facilities.
• Additional responsibilities included the design of web systems, and the development and training of staff who maintained the HR, Safety, Finance and Communications pages of the Intranet.
• Responsible for the development of web based solutions (as described below) including systems design, testing, implementation, training and ongoing support for the key stakeholders in the business chain.
• Web Applications Used:
• Intranet – BISCOM (BIS Industrial Logistics) national Intranet (CMS – Site Manager).
• Incident & Risk Management System - Online system to record and report all incidents, corrective actions and hazards for: Injury & illness incidents, Environment incidents, Quality incidents, Property incidents and Near Misses. Used by BIS Industrial Logistics and Cleanaway Australia and accessed from BISCOM.
• Integrated Management System - The Big Picture – designed to house the most up to date versions of BIS Industries corporate policies, procedures, documents and photos.
• Extranet – http://www.industrialservices.com.au - used for reporting KPIs to various customers.