Specialisms
I’ve had a varied career in games. The first half in independent studios broadened my design skillset beyond UI/UX while the latter half in larger studios honed my creative leadership and specialisms in gameplay design and narrative.
These are eight core specialisms that shape the unique way I design, build and lead.
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Creative Direction and Leadership
I lead teams in developing exciting, innovative and ambitious game concepts. As a creative leader, I balance being a decisive vision holder alongside leveraging the collective expertise and creativity of my team. I have six years experience creatively leading a combination of small and large internal and external development teams.
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Game Design and Concept Development
I design with the player in mind first. I work top-down, translating the player’s desires and motivations into elegant interconnected game systems. I’ve designed gameplay, features and systems across a range of genres and areas including GaaS, online PvE, interactive narrative and F2P.
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UI / UX, Graphic & 2D Art
I started my career as a graphic designer. Visual excellence and clarity are essential to how I communicate. I use the fundamentals of visual design to ensure direction I present is engaging, clear and down to earth. I also have hands-on experience building UI and VFX for games.
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Storytelling and Narrative Design
I have been incredibly fortunate work alongside Emmy, Golden Globe and BAFTA award-winning writers, producers and actors. I attended Robert McKee’s three-day Story masterclass seminar in 2017. I’m experienced in leading and developing both linear and interactive narratives..
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Management and Mentoring
I act as a mentor to support my team finding and using their own agency to learn and grow. Building confidence and understanding personal motivations are key pillars in how I empower my team. I’m open and direct, never shying away from the difficult but important conversations when they arise.
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Process and Production Streamlining
I’m a process nerd and work to ensure the team’s time is spent on the areas that make the biggest impact. I help my teams build scalable and focused processes that maximise time spent on creative development and meaningful team interactions, minimising time on unnecessarys box-checking exercises.
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Player Segmentation and Analysis
I believe it’s essential to define and target easily understandable player segments when designing games. I research and define these on every title I work on, building a shared understanding within the team and referencing them throughout development to ensure the end product is consistent, focused and successful.
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Pioneering Technical Innovations
I love to be among the first working with something new. Across almost every role in my career I’ve worked with some form of innovative hardware (LED, VR) and/or proprietary software (AAA WebGL, Interactive Live Action). I’ve become adept at throwing assumptions to the side and embracing new ways to delight players.