How solving problems led me to UX

Like many people from my era, UX wasn't really a well-known field when I started my career over a decade ago. The term "UX" wasn’t thrown around as much back then, but the principles were always present. It just wasn’t something done by a dedicated team of professionals. My journey into UX didn’t start with a design course or a fascination with sleek interfaces. It began in a high-stress, fast-paced insurance team where the stakes were real—handling motor insurance claims for a UK-based multinational company.

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First steps into UX

Calls from the accident scene: Balancing compliance and empathy

Imagine this: a customer calls you, still shaken, maybe even standing right at the accident site. They’re rattled, emotional, and unsure of what to do next. Their first instinct is to reach for their phone and call their insurance provider. On the other end of the line, it was my team’s job to quickly get all the details—what happened, who was involved, whether anyone was injured and log everything in a compliant way.

But it wasn’t as simple as just ticking boxes. These were real people, in real distress, often panicked or frustrated. We had to remain calm and focused, but also show genuine empathy. They needed to trust that we had their backs. The challenge was balancing this human connection with the legal and procedural requirements. We couldn’t afford mistakes, but we also couldn’t come across as cold and detached.

It was an intricate dance of efficiency and empathy, and our available tools weren’t helping us. We had static documents and outdated guidelines and each handler had their own method for handling calls. There was no centralized way to quickly access updated information, and training new employees was a nightmare.

The opportunity

That’s when I saw an opportunity. I decided to create a solution that would simplify things, both for the handlers and the customers. With a rudimentary knowledge of HTML (several lines of inline styles!!!), I set out to build an intranet website. My goal was to create something dynamic... something that would display the right information at the right time, without overwhelming the handler with too many details at once.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was already thinking in terms of user experience. I wanted the system to work with the natural flow of a conversation, guiding handlers through the process so they could focus on what mattered most: helping the customer. It wasn’t about flashy designs or cutting-edge technology. It was about making things simple, fast, and intuitive.

The power of observing real users

To make sure the system worked, I knew I needed to understand exactly what was going wrong in the current process. So, I started analyzing calls. I sat through hours of screen recordings, observing how handlers interacted with the system. I noted the moments when they hesitated, where they struggled to find the right information, and when they were forced to call the customer back for missing details.

These observations were critical. I could see the gaps between what the system provided and what the users needed. It wasn’t just about the technology; it was about understanding the pain points of real people, both the handlers and the customers. From this, I iterated on the intranet system, refining the flow, reducing unnecessary steps, and ensuring that critical information was easy to access.

The impact

The intranet website was an absolute success. It significantly reduced the average handling time of calls, improved the quality of interactions, and made life easier for everyone on the team.

But what really surprised me was how it changed the nature of the conversations. Handlers were less stressed and more confident, which meant their empathy came through naturally.

Customers felt heard, and that made all the difference.

This project didn’t just improve efficiency - it transformed the way we approached customer service. And more importantly, it made me realize how much I enjoyed solving these kinds of problems. That’s when I knew UX was something I wanted to explore further.

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"Officially" entering the world of UX

Eventually, my manager recognized my growing interest in web design and suggested I explore a new opportunity. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I dove in anyway. The role description was packed with technical jargon, most of which I didn’t fully grasp at the time. But as I got deeper into it, I realized that my job wasn’t about just design - it was about bridging the gap between creative vision, content strategy, and technical execution.

That’s how I officially stepped into UX.

At the time, there were already established guidelines and standards for digital experiences, but they weren’t as effective as they could be. They were scattered, inconsistently applied, and often misinterpreted by the people who needed them the most: creative agencies, content teams, and developers. My role wasn’t about creating something entirely new but about bringing together the right experts, refining these guidelines, and making them more practical and actionable.

A large part of my focus was on how content made its way into the company’s CMS (Content Management System). The CMS itself was managed by a separate team responsible for maintaining a global portal with multiple country sites. However, the content was created externally: by in-house content teams and creative agencies. Their input needed to be web-friendly, compliant, and in line with CMS technical constraints, accessibility requirements, and brand guidelines.

To ensure the standards actually worked in practice, I took the same approach that had worked for me before: observing real users in action. I analyzed how content creators and agencies interpreted the guidelines, identifying points of confusion and misalignment. This allowed me to refine the documentation, ensuring it was structured in a way that was easy to understand and apply. It wasn’t just about writing rules - it was about ensuring that everyone had a shared understanding of what made a digital experience consistent and effective.

Growth: From Standards to Design Systems

At the time, the term "Design Systems" wasn’t widely used... we simply called them "standards" or "guidelines". But as digital experiences became more complex and multi-platform, the need for a more structured, systematic approach became evident. The shift was happening rapidly, and I found myself right in the middle of it.

My role naturally evolved from managing scattered standards to creating structured, reusable frameworks that ensured consistency across digital experiences. I started developing centralized standards websites, documenting everything from brand guidelines to technical requirements. These weren’t just static documents - they became living resources that adapted as digital needs changed.

Over time, what we were doing started to resemble what we now call a Design System. We were creating a foundation for scalable, cohesive experiences - one that didn’t just dictate how things should look, but how they should work across different platforms.

Through rebranding initiatives, omni-channel strategies, and cross-team collaborations, I saw firsthand that UX (work) wasn’t just about designing individual screens - it was about designing systems that supported seamless, intuitive experiences across an entire digital ecosystem. I spent countless hours iterating on standards, testing implementation, and refining processes - not just to meet business requirements, but to create real value for users.

This experience shaped how I approach UX to this day. It was never just about pixels or layouts—it was about creating frameworks, tools, and guidelines that empower teams to build better experiences at scale.

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Beyond digital: Seeing UX everywhere

One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is that UX isn’t confined to digital experiences—it’s about how people interact with the world around them. I once noticed that my building didn’t have a ramp for wheelchair access and pushed for one to be built. It’s small things like this: whether in a website, a physical space, or a service - that make life easier for people. And that, at its core, is what UX is all about.

The more I’ve grown in UX, the more I’ve realized that the best ideas don’t always come from UX experts. They come from listening, observing, and being open to feedback.

Great ideas can come from anyone. After all, UX isn’t just about designing for users...it’s about designing with them.

My journey into UX has always been driven by a passion for improving experiences for the people who use them. From design systems to experiences beyond digital spaces, my focus has always been on understanding users, solving their problems, and crafting interactions that feel intuitive and human.