Cat Ryan Email & Phone Number

Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia

n 2014, I decided to go out on my own and initiated my own company. Since this time, I have successfully enabled a range of diverse clients in a service design capacity.I have been able to not only provide service design to my clients, but to change the mindset of organisations to embed a customer centric approach to their thinking, actions and overall strategy.Some of my key achievements have been developing:a centralized research platform that consolidated all customer research in a searchable, intuitive online tool. This enabled democratization of research insights across the organization, facilitating a customer centric mindsetService specifications that detail the customer interaction model across all touchpoints including frontline staff interactionsWorkshop structures and methodologies using LEGO® Serious Play® to embed new ways of working, problem solving, strategising and negotiating within the organisation. A ‘Collaboration Blueprint’ that enabled the organization to design collaboration experiences that address real human needsA cultural change program including the facilitation of coaching for High Performing TeamsService Blueprinting the end to end customer experience involving all parts of the organization.KEY CLIENTS: Deakin University | NAB | Department of Education | IAG | Medibank Private | Commonwealth Bank | MYOB | Foxtel

n 2014, I decided to go out on my own and initiated my own company. Since this time, I have successfully enabled a range of diverse clients in a service design capacity.I have been able to not only provide service design to my clients, but to change the mindset of organisations to embed a customer centric approach to their thinking, actions and overall strategy.Some of my key achievements have been developing:a centralized research platform that consolidated all customer research in a searchable, intuitive online tool. This enabled democratization of research insights across the organization, facilitating a customer centric mindsetService specifications that detail the customer interaction model across all touchpoints including frontline staff interactionsWorkshop structures and methodologies using LEGO® Serious Play® to embed new ways of working, problem solving, strategising and negotiating within the organisation. A ‘Collaboration Blueprint’ that enabled the organization to design collaboration experiences that address real human needsA cultural change program including the facilitation of coaching for High Performing TeamsService Blueprinting the end to end customer experience involving all parts of the organization.KEY CLIENTS: Deakin University | NAB | Department of Education | IAG | Medibank Private | Commonwealth Bank | MYOB | Foxtel

Melbourne, Australia

At Play Academy, I lead the charge on Lego® Serious Play® facilitation and training. I design and facilitate workshops for teams, as well as one-to-one sessions for research or coaching.As the principal consultant, I undertake end to end projects in service design. This involves everything from research through to service blueprinting, experience design and testing.

Melbourne, Australia

Sydney, Australia

Heading up the Experience Design team at Isobar, I have lead my people to create useful and meaningful human experiences that are firmly grounded in research and aimed at strategic objectives. At Isobar, I have implemented HCD methodologies and processes from the ground up, instilling an Experience Design driven culture both in my team and the agency.I have mentored and motivated my team to continuously improve on existing processes and techniques things and - as a result - have produced artefacts that go above and beyond anything in the industry. Through a Service Design approach, I have worked with clients to embed participatory practices into their organisations in order to create Customer centric thinking and a culture that embraces Human Centred Design and innovation.I lead and implement ethnography and other research methods in order to discover Customer and Business goals that then serve to form the foundation of an Experience Strategy.

Sydney

My time at Massive was devoted to the Research piece for the new Foxtel experience.The research involved Contextual Inquiry of 22 participants across Australia, in addition to a pre-interview personality test, learning style evaluation, and Diary Study in order to gain a complete picture of the Foxtel Customer.Once the research was complete, I designed and implemented the analysis through Affinity Notes and Diagramming. The result was a set of Customer Goals, Personas, Design Principles and a report detailing insights and recommendations.

Sydney, Australia

Right now, I’m consulting at CBA in Customer Experience.My biggest achievement here has been the design and implementation of a proper UCD approach and strategy that I continue to sell into the organisation.I provide mentorship and direction to the UX team, ensuring that they adhere to good practice and participate in workshop facilitation, design thinking and UX work beyond prototyping (i.e. research, personas, user journeys, etc).I have created an Experience Strategy for CBA based on customer and stakeholder research aimed at bridging the gap between customer and business goals across channels.I continue the valiant battle to advocate the value of UX to the business - slowly but surely they’re seeing the light.Experience Strategy, Personas, User Journeys, UCD, Workshop facilitation

I am currently Principal Consultant for Barros Consulting. I specialise in User Experience, Design and Project Management.At the moment, I am consulting for a number of different companies on a variety of projects for both web and mobile. My role varies from Experience Strategy to Project Management to User Testing, according to the needs of the project.I enjoy consulting as it provides a constant challenge and the ability to go in and help a company achieve (and sometimes find) their vision. That being said, I always have my ear to the ground for my dream job - that is, one where I am surrounded by intelligent people and where I can continue my mission of ridding the world of unusable things.

My challenge here was not only to create a brilliant user experience, but to change the design process. I arrived to a Wireframe factory, where designers were simply visualising business requirements.I started by going back to the source of truth - our customers. After identifying customer goals, I went about discovering the business objectives. From here, I created an Experience Strategy. I then implemented a new process - working with the team and key stakeholders, we undertook an anity diagramming exercise with the Business Requirements. First, we translated each requirement into a user story, then undertook an anity diagramming exercise to map requirements to a business or customer goal. Where they did not match, they were excluded. This ensured that the design would remain true to customer and business goals. In addition, I helped change the process to design lead, rather than business driven.I continued on to work alongside IDEO in design thinking exercises with the Business, from which ensued the creation of a High Level Design which would become the framework for the customer experience. Here, I opened the door to the entire Service Design, rather than simply focussing on the web channel. I undertook iterative user testing on the design concepts to ensure that it met customer needs and desires.In my time here, I feel I was able to implement a more user centric approach to the design process, the design team, and the organisation.

In this position at Amnesia Razorfish, I lead UX throughout the organisation.This involved not only implementing the UX practice, but advocating User Experience both internally and to clients.In my role, I ensured that the project remained user focussed throughout its entire lifecycle. This involved research, audience insights and requirements gathering in the beginning, and iterative user testing throughout.I ensured that all projects were run in a user centric fashion. Commencing with persona development and leading to User journeys and then onto user stories -which form the requirements of the project.Transparency and communication is key. I maintained a collaborative approach, working closely with the client, engaging them at each step of the project. I involved the client in the project, running regular workshops (User Stories for example) to ensure they remained engaged with the User Centred approach. I advocated and educated UX - providing workshops and training internally to ensure that User Experience flows through the entire organisation - from Account Management to development.I continue to work with Amnesia on a consulting basis - providing them strategic advice for all things UX.Skill SnapshotWorkshop facilitation User ResearchPersona, Scenario, User Journey and user Story developmentStakeholder analysisInteraction design (web / mobile / surface table)IA, Wireframing & PrototypingUser TestingProject Management

Melbourne, Australia

Consulting in an Agile environment, I have been heavily involved in not only interaction design and analysis, but also Product Development and Business Strategy.Presented with a set of somewhat confusing requirements, I have been able to transform these into a goal driven, usable application (lucky I’m good with ambiguity) that went beyond providing a bespoke solution into a scalable and flexible application. I presented a clear Value Proposition and delivered a design that was useful, usable, desirable and feasible, with a clear benefit to the user.I was responsible for producing Personas, Scenarios, Information Architecture, Wireframes and ultimately High Fidelity Visual Design.I collaborated closely throughout the project with Product Owners and the development team to ensure buy-in from all stakeholders.

Consulting with this Federal Government department, I worked with the business to create and deliver the user experience for their suite of web applications.Commencing with Stakeholder analysis, I gathered the business goals and formulated a clear value proposition and vision for the project, based on the business objective and long term strategy. Through these workshops, I was also able to identify key users and commence user research.Through my research, I was able to define and understand the target users’ needs, wants and limitations. This enabled me to create key personas, which I workshopped with the business to ensure buy in from all stakeholders. I then identified key tasks and goals, and created several scenarios which I used for high level testing with users.I then set about an iterative process of prototyping - testing regularly with users. I then commenced the visual design phase. Again working closely with the Business to ensure the brand was expressed correctly, and with users to ensure the design was apt for the target audience and supported their goals and task flows. I directed the implementation of the design to the development team.At each point in the process, I tested against the value proposition and the personas, in addition to close collaboration with the business to ensure all stakeholders remained informed and on-board.

My role at Hard Hat necessitated both creative flair and strategic thinking. I mentored, motivated and inspired the design team to encourage design that excelled. I lead my team to improve performance, productivity and design thinking. I oversaw all creative output, and directed with a mission to not only ensure quality but also to educate the designer. I implemented strategies aimed at increased performance and productivity.I was responsible for strategy and concept from inception through the full project lifecycle. I was involved in scoping, wireframes and information architecture and translating requirements into usable and functional designs that achieved the business objective and delivered a rich and fulfilling user experience. I conducted client, user and stakeholder interviews, competitive site analysis, and expert site reviews to define project strategy.I collaborated with both technical and account management departments to coherently verbalise thinking behind concept, design, and usability. I ensured that I remained informed of technology and best practices online, ensuring and encouraging knowledge sharing amongst my team.I became a key player in national client account management, responsible for collaborative workshops, company and brand research, client meetings, and creative presentations. I played a critical role in new business development and actively lead pitches and client strategy sessions.

Heading up the UI team for the IMES (Infringement Management and Enforcement Services) Project, I was responsible for the Project Management and Design of the user experience of the software.Through internal consulting, contextual enquiry, workshop facilitation and interviews, I was able to gather the requirements for the user experience. I was then able to define the IA, Scenarios and then wireframe the user journey. I heavily involved the users, and, after many iterations and workshops, I produced a design that was both useful and usable.The project necessitated a great deal of stakeholder management to ensure buy-in from the Business, State Government (Department of Justice) and users. The role also required a high level of Project Management. I lead the design team and ensured a high level of fidelity from concept to prototype.

At DMG I was responsible for the management of the digital department for 9 radio stations nationally (including Nova and Vega). Much of my role revolved around the mentoring and thought-leadership of a team of designers (spread across the country). However, my tasks additionally included art direction, staff recruitment and strategic planning. I lead and managed my team to improve both productivity and quality of design.My core role here though, was to develop a digital strategy for DMG. Through research and workshops, I was able to create a clear vision and a roadmap for the company in order to create not only a rich and fulfilling user experience for their audience, but also to increase internal workflow and efficiency through a new CMS.

My role here involved Art Direction, mentorship and leadership of the design team. Responsibilities included concept and design for digital and through the line campaigns, interactive design, web site design, illustration and Flash animation. Lead creative responsibilities including collaborative work, company research, client meetings, and creative presentations and pitches for national accounts such as Sony, Three, Volvo, Dell, South Australia Tourism, Clearasil, 3M, Integral Energy, Sydney Water, Mortein, and Telstra.

After more than 6 years working in the industry, I decided to take a break from my rather intense relationship with the computer screen and try my hand at teaching what I love. As Head of the Department at Natcoll (which is a New Zealand RTO), I was responsible not only for the delivery of education, but also the design of curriculum. I was also responsible for developing and improving department processes to improve quality of education. The role challenged me to make the seemingly complex tangible and achievable to the “newbie”. Teaching interaction and web design, usability, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Flash gave me the opportunity to demonstrate my communication skills - visually, orally and in the written form. It enabled me to discover different learning styles and to cultivate and enhance my skills as a mentor.

Interactive designer and lead creative on a number of projects. Responsibilities included concept development, creating identity, interaction design (games and educational), website design, illustration and Flash animation for clients such as Fairfax, CarsGuide, Chadstone, Chatswood, Figgins (Midas Shoes, Evelyn Miles, Scooter, Shoobiz, Mollini), MAB Corporation (NewQuay, MabCorp, University Hills, MetroRE).

Ba Creative Arts, Multimedia, Creative Writing, Photography, Design

Ieq Advanced Enneagram And Team Dynamics, Personality Psychology, Level 2

Enneagram Certified Practitioner, Personality Psychology

Nlp Practitioner

Associate Certified Meta Coach (Acmc), Coaching

Lego® Serious Play® Facilitator, Lego® Serious Play®

Lego Serious Play

Prince2 Practioner, Prince2 Project Management