Design System: what we did to rally people over the years

Designers and developers often think that hard work should speak for itself, but adoption does not happen magically. This article tells the story of how we learned to become Design System ‘growth hackers’. Jun 2020

How to deal with people who don’t “get” design: design and strategy

As designers, we often complain that non-designers don’t “get" design. The reality is a little bit more complex, and you need a strategy to make sure Design is used strategically. This is a recap of my talk at the UX Days Conference. Sep 2019

#10yearchallenge: the rise of design in Corporate and Investment Banking

The days of unreadable Excel spreadsheets are coming to an end! This story explores the use of design in Corporate & Investment Banking services and what it really means to rethink an entire industry. Mar 2019

Changing a 150-year-old bank with design: 3 impacts

Design is not the icing on the cake. It needs to be embedded throughout the organization, and this changes how people work together. In this post I discuss the impacts I’ve seen while setting up the design practice at Societe Generale CIB. Apr 2019

Design without chaos: 9 principles

Working in a team can be hard. Working with other teams can be hell. This post shares the mix of communication, project and team management principles I've gathered for the team from the hundreds of services we designed through the years. Aug 2018

Tackling complex financial subjects in the B2B space

In this article I explain the design approach at Societe Generale and how our users benefit from an open and inclusive approach with close collaboration between the Business, Information Technology and Design teams. Jun 2018

4 false assumptions we made about our Design System (updated)

What happens after you release a design system for the first time? After you press that holy Production button? In this article, I look back over 8 years in the making and share several false assumptions we had, and why we came to change our minds. Feb 2022

Over-complicated? Over-simplified? The UX Efficient Frontier

What makes a user experience good is entirely dependent on who uses it. How do we simplify without oversimplifying? In this article I talk about the UX Efficient Frontier and how to design for expert users, when simple often isn’t better. May 2020

Lessons from designing for advanced users

In the professional space, people often find themselves lumbered with tools that need serious design work. I share in this post how we push our design craft for these advanced users, and design for some of the most complex applications imaginable. May 2019

Red flags? Things to check in your design interviews and why

Your working environment matters, even more so today. How can you work out if a team is right for you, without being too inquisitive? I gathered these bits of advice to help candidates make better informed decisions when joining their next companies. Mar 2022

The public speaking side quest

Many people find speaking in front of big audiences nerve-wracking. How can one become less afraid of doing this? I've been asked this very question a few times now and I may have found an answer in this article. Jan 2021

11 realities on finding your first job

I noticed when interviewing candidates that some are ‘in the know’ (coached by their family, school, or network), while others are quite clueless about how to get hired. Here are 11 lessons, from over 10 years of reflection and interviewing. Oct 2020