James Cutts

About

Seasoned Product Design Lead with 15+ years in digital product and UX, combining visual design craft with research-led problem solving. Expertise includes desktop, responsive, and native mobile app design; design systems (tokens/variables/components) for scalable consistency across platforms; and end-to-end delivery from discovery and research through production-ready design specifications, PRDs, and developer handover.

Experience

• Principal Product Designer · Bolt Group (startup)07-01-2024

  I directed the end-to-end design function for Bolt, a next-generation fintech platform focused on financial literacy and money management. My remit spanned product, UX, and brand design, from early discovery through to production-ready delivery. Key Contributions: • Brand & identity: Created the Bolt brand system, including logo, visual identity, and tone of voice across marketing and in-product touchpoints. • Strategy & research: Defined product priorities through competitive analysis, stakeholder workshops, and qualitative user research to align design outcomes with business goals. • Experience design: Mapped user journeys and information architecture for core flows including onboarding, savings, and gamified learning modules. • Interaction design: Designed low- to high-fidelity wireframes, interactive prototypes, and conducted iterative user testing to validate hypotheses. • Design systems: Built a scalable design language and component library, establishing tokens, UI patterns, and accessibility standards for cross-platform consistency. • Content & communication: Wrote in-app copy, microcopy, and marketing material to reinforce the brand’s educational and motivational tone. • Delivery & collaboration: Produced developer-ready design specifications and PRDs, collaborating closely with product, engineering, and leadership teams to ensure smooth handover and implementation.

• Lead Product Designer · Amaysim08-01-2023 – 07-01-2024

  As lead product designer for Amaysim’s mobile app, I worked closely with engineering, CX, and brand teams to deliver a new design and interaction model that improved scalability and significantly enhanced the user experience. I also introduced a structured design review framework that increased transparency and collaboration across disciplines, streamlining workflows and elevating the overall quality of output within the UX team. Key contributions: • Experience strategy: Defined product priorities and mapped end-to-end user journeys to align business objectives with customer needs. • Design execution: Produced wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity designs for iOS and Android platforms. • Usability and testing: Conducted iterative user testing and applied insights to refine interaction patterns and accessibility. • Design systems: Built and maintained a reusable component library to improve design consistency and development efficiency. • Collaboration and delivery: Partnered with engineers for design hand-off, QA, and implementation reviews. • Team development: Mentored a senior designer, facilitated design and CX workshops, and created presentation decks to support internal pitching and product vision alignment.

• Lead Product Designer · Shift2023 – 06-01-2023

  At Shift, I established a new design direction and built a comprehensive component library to support scalable, consistent delivery across mobile and web platforms. Working closely with engineering and product teams, I helped implement a modern interaction model that improved usability and design efficiency. I also designed and launched multiple high-impact product features that delivered measurable business and customer value, contributing to a more cohesive and intuitive product ecosystem. Key contributions: • Design direction: Defined the visual and interaction language to unify product experiences across mobile and desktop. • Design systems: Created a scalable component library and documentation to support cross-functional delivery. • Collaboration: Partnered with engineering and product teams to implement a new interaction model and design standards. • Feature delivery: Designed and shipped customer-facing features with measurable improvements to engagement and usability. • Team culture: Contributed to a collaborative design culture and helped embed design thinking across product teams.

• Lead Product Designer · Lab4911-01-2018 – 2023

  At Lab49, I established a new design direction and built a comprehensive component library to support scalable, consistent delivery across mobile and web platforms. Working closely with engineering and product teams, I helped implement a modern interaction model that improved usability and design efficiency. I also designed and launched multiple high-impact product features that delivered measurable business and customer value, contributing to a more cohesive and intuitive product ecosystem. Key contributions: • Design direction: Defined the visual and interaction language to unify product experiences across mobile and desktop. • Design systems: Created a scalable component library and documentation to support cross-functional delivery. • Collaboration: Partnered with engineering and product teams to implement a new interaction model and design standards. • Feature delivery: Designed and shipped customer-facing features with measurable improvements to engagement and usability. • Team culture: Contributed to a collaborative design culture and helped embed design thinking across product teams. Leading the Sydney design capability and overseeing projects across the APAC region, I was instrumental in fostering a strong design culture and a collaborative, supportive environment within the company. I helped build both internal and client-side design capabilities by providing on-site training, mentoring, and process guidance. My work spanned UX, product strategy, and visual design for complex financial platforms and trading systems used by global tier-one banks. Key contributions: • Design leadership: Established monthly global design workshops and presented multiple sessions to enhance design maturity and cross-regional collaboration. • Mentorship and development: Mentored designers at various levels, delivering targeted up-skilling and fostering a cohesive, growth-oriented team culture. • Financial UX delivery: Designed trade lifecycle dashboards, FX swaps and forwards ticketing systems, and settlement blotters for tier-one to tier-three banking clients. • Enterprise solutions: Created SDLC and bank architecture visualisation dashboards to improve transparency and technical communication across teams. • Innovation and R&D: Developed a next-generation trade management UI using OpenFin, pioneering new approaches to modular, high-performance financial interfaces. • Thought leadership: Authored an article on gamification in financial markets, published in Traders Magazine. • Mobile and consumer finance: Designed a social investment mobile experience to engage new retail audiences in financial products. • Brand and marketing: Oversaw brand implementation and rollout across Lab49’s product and marketing materials. • Talent and recruitment: Interviewed and assessed candidates for the Sydney design team to support ongoing studio growth.

• Lead Interaction Designer · DTA06-01-2018 – 11-30-2018

  I led the visual and interaction design for the new ABC iView app, delivering a cohesive multi-platform experience across mobile, tablet, and desktop. My role encompassed end-to-end design execution, from early concepting to high-fidelity prototypes and interactive design systems. I worked closely with cross-functional teams to define user flows, validate design decisions through workshops and testing, and ensure delivery of an engaging, intuitive streaming experience. Key contributions: • Interaction and visual design: Created detailed wireframes, interactive prototypes, and final UI deliverables with full interaction modelling. • Tools and workflow: Utilised Sketch, Craft, InVision, Principle, and Adobe Creative Suite to design and prototype multi-platform experiences. • User research: Facilitated design workshops, guerrilla testing, and in-house user testing to validate design hypotheses and improve usability. • Cross-platform design: Led interaction design across mobile, tablet, and desktop to ensure consistency and accessibility in the viewing experience.

• Lead Product Designer · BT Financial Group12-01-2017 – 05-31-2018

  At BT Financial Group, I was responsible for the visual design direction and user experience across key product areas, ensuring a cohesive and intuitive interface for institutional clients and members. My role spanned concept development, wireframing, visual language refinement, prototyping, and delivery in close collaboration with business analysts and engineering teams. Key contributions: • Experience design: Defined and refined user flows and interaction models to improve clarity and usability across the platform. • Visual language: Led the ratification and enhancement of the design system to achieve consistency across complex financial modules. • Feature design: Delivered high-fidelity designs and prototypes for critical areas including risk and exposure, forecasting, fund allocation, and general fund management. • Collaboration: Partnered with stakeholders and developers to translate business logic into clear, user-centred design solutions.

• Lead Product Designer · ABC12-01-2016 – 11-30-2017

  Working across OMNI, NetBank, and mobile channels, I collaborated with a large, cross-disciplinary team to design and deliver award-winning digital experiences for millions of CommBank customers. This role spanned UX and UI design, prototyping, testing, and interaction design, alongside the refinement of the CommBank visual language and the introduction of design frameworks to improve consistency and delivery efficiency across multiple channels. Key contributions: • Cross-platform experience: Designed and optimised user journeys across mobile and desktop platforms, ensuring consistency across OMNI, NetBank, and the CommBank mobile app. • Prototyping and testing: Created native mobile prototypes and interactive design artefacts to validate and refine user flows. • Design systems: Contributed to the evolution of the CommBank design language, establishing scalable processes and frameworks for design and development alignment. • Stakeholder collaboration: Maintained close communication with product owners, project managers, and engineering teams, advising on UX and technical feasibility. • Leadership and presentation: Presented and rationalised design decisions to senior stakeholders and the wider UXD team. • Delivery impact: Helped launch multiple new features and services across NetBank and the CommBank mobile app, improving usability and daily banking experiences for millions of users. I led the design of the new P&O Cruises website, collaborating closely with the development team, technology lead, and client stakeholders to deliver a next-generation, fully responsive digital experience. My focus was on aligning brand with usability, ensuring a seamless user experience across devices, and improving conversion through better information architecture and interaction design.

• Senior UI/IX Designer · CBA07-01-2014 – 12-31-2016

  I led the design of the new P&O Cruises website, collaborating closely with the development team, technology lead, and client stakeholders to deliver a next-generation, fully responsive digital experience. My focus was on aligning brand with usability, ensuring a seamless user experience across devices, and improving conversion through better information architecture and interaction design. Key contributions: • Cross-platform experience: Designed and optimised user journeys across mobile and desktop platforms, ensuring consistency across OMNI, NetBank, and the CommBank mobile app. • Prototyping and testing: Created native mobile prototypes and interactive design artefacts to validate and refine user flows. • Design systems: Contributed to the evolution of the CommBank design language, establishing scalable processes and frameworks for design and development alignment. • Stakeholder collaboration: Maintained close communication with product owners, project managers, and engineering teams, advising on UX and technical feasibility. • Leadership and presentation: Presented and rationalised design decisions to senior stakeholders and the wider UXD team. • Delivery impact: Helped launch multiple new features and services across NetBank and the CommBank mobile app, improving usability and daily banking experiences for millions of users.

• Creative Director · Carnival Australia02-01-2014 – 07-31-2014

  I led the design of the new P&O Cruises website, collaborating closely with the development team, technology lead, and client stakeholders to deliver a next-generation, fully responsive digital experience. My focus was on aligning brand with usability, ensuring a seamless user experience across devices, and improving conversion through better information architecture and interaction design.

• Creative Director · Grays Online09-01-2012 – 02-28-2014

  At Grays Online I led the creative strategy and design execution across the company’s digital and print channels. My remit included overseeing brand implementation, user experience strategy, and visual design across multiple e-commerce platforms including Grays Online, Grays Outlet, and OO.com.au. Working closely with marketing, engineering, and executive teams, I drove several large-scale redesigns that improved brand perception, usability, and conversion.

• Senior Visual Designer · Deloitte Digital08-01-2009 – 08-31-2012

  As a senior UX consultant at Deloitte Digital, I worked across multiple client engagements including NSW Health, ASX, Telstra Mitsubishi, Australiua Post, and ING, delivering user-centred digital solutions across complex enterprise environments. My role combined UX strategy, detailed interaction design, and high-fidelity UI delivery, often collaborating directly with client-side teams to improve usability and customer experience across platforms.

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