What This Means
UX strategy isn't a deck that gets presented once and filed. It's the ongoing alignment between design vision and business execution. I help organisations translate UX objectives into roadmaps that integrate with product planning, so design decisions drive outcomes rather than react to them.
How I Approach It
Integrate with the roadmap
Define UX strategy that integrates with product roadmaps rather than running parallel to them
Lead cross-functional alignment
Lead cross-functional alignment sessions so design, product, and engineering operate from a shared vision
Establish design principles
Establish design principles that guide decision-making at scale across distributed teams
Prioritise by impact
Build prioritisation frameworks for UX initiatives based on business impact and user value
Communicate UX value
Coach design leaders to communicate UX value in terms stakeholders understand and act on
Link design to performance
Set up KPI and OKR structures that link design output to measurable product performance
Common Challenges
- Design is perceived as a service function that receives briefs rather than shaping product direction
- No shared language between design and business leadership for evaluating UX impact
- Distributed teams interpret design vision inconsistently without clear principles and governance
- UX research exists but findings aren't systematically fed into roadmap decisions
- Design leaders are strong executors but lack frameworks for strategic communication with senior stakeholders
- Competing product priorities crowd out longer-term UX initiatives that would deliver compounding value
When You Need This
- Your design team delivers quality work but struggles to influence product direction
- UX is treated as a downstream function rather than a strategic partner
- You're scaling globally and need consistent design thinking across markets
- Design decisions are reactive, slowing product delivery
- You need to mature your UX practice from execution-focused to strategy-led
Expected Outcomes
- A UX roadmap aligned with business goals and product timelines
- Cross-functional collaboration anchored in shared design principles and frameworks
- Design leaders who articulate UX value in business terms and drive strategic decisions
- Consistent design execution across global teams without sacrificing local relevance
- Measurable impact on product outcomes through strategically prioritised UX initiatives
What I Bring To This
At Johnson Controls, I took UX from a service function to a recognised strategic partner embedded in product roadmap planning. I aligned UX vision globally across all markets for the OpenBlue platform, directing 39 team members across regions and achieving year-on-year KPI and OKR targets that demonstrated design's direct contribution to business outcomes. User satisfaction improved through data-driven UX standards applied consistently across international teams.
At SwissRe, I defined UX strategy with KPI and OKR frameworks that linked design output to product performance metrics, securing leadership buy-in for a measurement-driven culture. I developed 4 direct reports into senior roles through structured career development while delivering against annual targets in a regulated financial services environment.
I now advise organisations on this through DesignOps Aligned, drawing on formal programme management credentials (PRINCE2 Agile, PMI-ACP) alongside over a decade of hands-on UX leadership across enterprise, financial services, and smart building domains.