My journey to product design was an indirect one, calling at road-crewing for touring bands via production management for education consultants.

Since discovering the UX profession, I have adopted a beginner's mindset. One that is open-minded and willing to absorb new information and new approaches.

Over the past six-plus years I have developed a career that has seen me working with small start-ups, charities and well-oiled tech platforms that are used by millions of people every single day.

My design is at its best when I truly understand the rationale behind the work - and sometimes that means pivoting and flexing design direction.

I know that getting those answers isn't always easy, it sometimes has to be teased out of stakeholders, fished out of an analytics dashboard or getting to know users that bit deeper.

When I am ideating, I like to cast a wide net. I like lots of ideas, bad ideas, fantastical and ridiculous ideas, the more the merrier. I can then step back, admire the hard work before honing in what might be the diamond in the rough.

And yes, sometimes your favourite, most prized design just ain't going to cut it. Darlings get killed off. But good ideas never really die, so keep that darling in your back pocket.

I want to emulate the best qualities of the leaders I look up to.

These leaders are people I have been lucky enough to work with as well as ones observed from afar.

I am at my best when I am getting my hands dirty, there's no job that I am above. If I am developing my skills, seeking to learn new things and if I am okay with being wrong this can all be observed by others. My favourite leaders are role models.

The satisfaction of getting a "thank you" from someone by facilitating a conversation that serves them and their professional development is infectious. I want to be liked and I want to make a positive impact on others.

One of the most challenging aspects of my work. This requires an ability to actively listen, to employ genuine empathy for your stakeholders and knowing when you need to stand firm.

I don't always get this right, but I do learn from each of these interactions. Knowing your audience is fundamental to properly managing those situations.

Knowing your stakeholders and working with them, not against them can be the difference between a project succeeding and one falling flat on its face.

Seek consensus. If you can't reach consensus, reach compromise. If you can't compromise, seek to resolve conflict.