About
As a UX designer with a background in business and brand photography, I also bring over 15 years of experience in marketing and visual communication to the mix.
Having embraced design as a natural evolution of my creative journey, I’m now keen to apply my lifelong passion for capturing brand narratives and personal stories, and for understanding people’s goals, needs and aspirations, to the fascinating field of UX.
I’m also equally excited to weave my natural empathy, analytical skills and ease of talking to people, with user research and design thinking, to craft meaningful user experiences that delight customers and drive success for my stakeholders.
My design process
As a UX / Product Designer, my work process channels the Double Diamond framework coined by the UK Design Council. I am a firm believer that before developing any product or solution, designers should have a deep understanding of the problem they are trying to solve first, and research is essential to this.
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My UX design process begins with the Discover phase, where I fully immerse myself in the problem space to understand its full context, aiming for a solid foundation of insights to guide the design process.
Collaborating with stakeholders, I align on project goals and conduct thorough research, including user interviews, observations, and secondary data analysis. I focus on uncovering user needs, pain points, and behaviours, so that decisions are always based on evidence.
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In the Define phase I synthesise all research findings, turning data into actionable insights, while organising the complexity into a focused challenge.
Using techniques like personas and journey mapping, I identify key user needs and challenges while aligning these with business goals. My problem-solving skills and design-thinking enable me to distil information into a concise framework that guides the development of meaningful solutions.
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The Develop phase is where creativity and collaboration come to life. I ideate potential solutions through techniques like sketching, wireframing, and prototyping, exploring a wide range of possibilities informed by user insights.
This phase thrives on flexibility and iteration, so my focus is on incorporating feedback from stakeholders and users to refine ideas, while ensuring that concepts are both impactful and feasible.
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In the Deliver phase, I focus on validating solutions through user testing and iteration to ensure they meet both user and business needs.
Early prototypes are tested to gather feedback, designs refined, and assets optimised for launch with great attention to detail, so that the product / solution is ready for real-world impact.
My background
An inspirational 3 month UX/UI Career Development Bootcamp
A few months ago I completed an intensive UX/UI Career Development Bootcamp at Experience Haus in London which inspired the dream to make it a full time career.
Studying at design agency Matter of Form’s in-house UX school gave me the opportunity to gain a solid understanding of the current industry standard UX processes, while also honing my skills in UI design. The highlight of this bootcamp was the experience of working with 3 real-life clients on some exciting projects in healthcare, legal and insurtech.
Having loved every moment of this new chapter, I am now looking for my next challenge in UX Design, where I can apply these newly acquired skills and knowledge, to design digital products that make a real difference in people’s lives.
One massively rewarding solopreneurial journey, one managerial role in higher education - two highly customer-focused positions
For the past 10+ years I have been running my own photography business as a freelancer, specialising in portraiture and events, while prior to that I co-managed the student residence for one of London’s elite music conservatoires - the Royal College of Music.
In both of these roles I’ve developed really strong people skills, a solid business acumen, and enhanced my communication, marketing and sales expertise, while successfully managing different stakeholders (individuals and organisations) and championing the delivery of excellent service in the process.
Top transferable skills for UX Design
In my creative venture as a professional photographer at Andreea Tufescu Photography, I also got to finetune some valuable transferable skills for a UX designer.
Here’s what makes me and my approach different, and what I bring as a professional from my past roles:
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Understanding customer needs, wants, objectives, connecting with clients in a meaningful way
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Analyse creative briefs, understand the client and their business, and tailor photography solutions and session details to meet client needs
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Helping clients achieve their goals in terms of marketing and visual branding
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Relating to people in a meaningful way, making them feel seen and heard, effortlessly communicating with others and sharing ideas with ease
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Thinking outside the box, channeling my curiosity and creative flair, experiment with new ideas for client photoshoots
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Effectively delivering presentations and business talks to different audiences
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Providing creative direction, project coordination, and aligned visual results to my client projects, bringing a strong eye for visual storytelling and a user-focused mindset to create seamless and engaging digital experiences
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Having been part of several business networking organisations and running my own solopreneurs’ meetups for over 2 years, I love being a people connector, building long-lasting relationships and collaborations etc.
So if you’d like to explore how my background and experience enhance my UX design skills, and how we could best work together, feel free to reach out via my Contact Page, or click a button of your choice here.
My favourite career highlights to date
Other projects in my creative portfolio
My life beyond UX Design