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Xavier Akram, UX Freelance

Xavier Akram Not Available

Product, User Experience, Design, Technology

London, United Kingdom.

Image of Xavier Akram

I have been creating intuitive, usable, deliverable and commercially viable solutions for more than 15 years.

I immerse myself in projects while ensuring timely delivery with a strong focus on User Experience (UX). I am experienced in design, development, product management and business. During my work in the field, I have come to know that UX is a blend of the above expertise.

Offering full-service design, consisting of the following: exploring the customer's experience, data, analytics, research reports, conducting interviews, performing tests, formulating and implementing strategy and processes, technical solutions, requirements gathering, validation and audits, workshops, user experience design, information architecture, user journeys and customer mapping, prototyping and visual design.

Whether you need me to join a team, lead one; I have experience in establishing cross-functional product teams and focused digital / UX teams. I can take complete ownership, or, serve a specific function.

I have delivered and established digital teams for large companies and small companies across a number of industries including finance, fintech, eCommerce, B2B, B2C, travel, cellular, media, retail, sports, fashion, grocery, gas and oil, FMCG, social and lean startups.

Client's serviced

App Business
Asda
Barcardi
Barclays
Currencycloud
Deep Focus
Dotmailer
Dove
Dreamworks
Dunelm
Expedia
Glenlevit
Hotels.com
Low Cost Holidays
McDonalds
Mercury Holidays
Monsoon
Mvideo
Natwest
Next
Orange
RBS
RS Components
Samsung
Shell
Sky
Umbro
Victoria Secret
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Case Studies

Mercury Holidays
From analogue to digital - a complete transformation journey

Shell
Embedding customer centricity in an IT lead product

Currencycloud
Business is about people, and those people are users

RS Components
From bricks and mortar - to insights and pixels

M.Video
Western digital acceleration

References

Feedback

I had the pleasure of working with Xavier on a digital transformation project for a well-established company in the holiday industry. Xavier proved to be not only a brilliant UX and UI specialist, but also fantastic business and customer focused product lead. His extensive experience and technical knowledge, pragmatic approach and deep understanding of technical challenges and limitations allowed us to take the project to a whole new level, normally unseen in projects of this kind. I truly hope our paths will cross again in the future.

Reference by Peter Chermanowicz

Peter Chermanowicz

Lead UI Developer

Working with Xavier was a true pleasure. The work that Xavier produces is highly detailed, polished and consistent. Xavier has an interest in all aspects of UI and therefore outputs designs that are easily transferable into code.

Reference by James Gray

James Gray

Software Engineer

I worked with Xavier over a two year period at RS Components. Xavier is an extremely committed and highly dynamic UX designer who always produces high quality work on time. His ability to rapidly synthesis complex information and generate creative design concepts that solve complex problems sets him apart in the field. He shows a passion for understanding the customer and translating insights from research into his design work. His design skills are complemented with an impressive set of technical skills which allow him to delivery highly interactive prototypes - a dream for customer testing. Xavier is also a great team member who is transparent, inclusive and highly collaborative in his design practice. He’s also fun to work with :)

Reference by Gerard Oleksik

Gerard Oleksik

User Experience Research Manager

Xavier is an ideas machine. During Xavier’s time at RS he brought a broad range of skills to the UX team. The most notable of these was the ability to rapidly produce well thought out solutions that reflected the reality of complex design challenges. These concepts would often be efficiently developed into high fidelity prototypes which were then further iterated and improved in response to user research insights. In addition to this Xavier also helped the team be more effective through the introduction of new UX tools and methodology.

Reference by Nathan Sellars

Nathan Sellars

Head of User Experience

It was a pleasure working with Xav on a large e-commerce transformation project. Xav epitomises UX through and through (Jedi master). Xav always strives for the ideal solution that matches customer needs with business needs. Xav is superb at sharing his knowledge and experience with the team, as well as making sure he stays up to speed with the latest industry developments, which he will then share with his colleagues. I have no hesitation in working with Xav again on future projects.

Reference by Ahad Choudhury

Ahad Choudhury

User Experience Designer

Xavier is a great UI/UX professional. I was always surprised with the magic he can create in designs, and also implement with Web technologies. He was always challenging my skills to the very edge to achieve the best user experience possible. I could also always count on him. He was also learning other platforms development tools to better understand developers needs. He was always giving extra 10% more than he was supposed to.

Reference by Artur Tworzydlo

Artur Tworzydlo

Mobile Technical Architect

Xavier is a a great colleague to work with. He is motivated and always delivers on time. Xavier uses his initiative and is not afraid to work outside of his comfort zone to offer assistance where needed. Xavier is also an excellent team player. He effectively managed and mentored a team of UX consultants and creative designers and delivered quality training on process and creativity. It would be a pleasure to work with Xavier again.

Reference by Rachel Perlman

Rachel Perlman

Project Manager

Xavier is an experienced UI architect with passion for innovative approach to UI design. Working with me on an omni-channel program for a major retailer he demonstrated great aptitude for creating and driving UX vision in adherence with UI architectural standards and best practices. He also did a great job continuously evaluating and improving UX delivery process in a complex client/multi-vendor environment. I wish him all the best in his career pursuit.

Reference by Denis Mavreshko

Denis Mavreshko

Business Analyst

Xavier is an awesome guy with tons of experience and an incredible work ethic. He's one of those few creatives that can not only inspire people, but manage them towards producing exceptional work. I would not hesitate to work with Xavier again.

Reference by Michel Tjoeng

Michel Tjoeng

Digital Strategy Executive (CMO)

Xavier is one of the few UX people that I have met and worked with that has a firm grasp on the discipline and can get results. If you need your App, or website to be user centric and more successful, use him.

Reference by Simon Bird

Simon Bird

Co-founder, Technical Director

I have worked with Xavier on two separate projects where he delivered the design and interface for two dotMailer product features. He is fantastic at what he does and deeply understands how the clients interact with the system and the ergonomics between the two. He communicates UX concepts well, with those that don't understand the principles. I enjoy working with him as is always eager to share his ideas.

Reference by Lili Boev

Lili Boev

Director of Client Success

Xavier was critical in guiding me through the design process so that the end results were as beautiful as I needed them to be. Always willing to take on my ideas, pushing back when needed, taking them on board when they were spot on. Xavier is a quality hire - you know that the work will be top notch and you trust that it will be done on time.

Reference by Andres Olave

Andres Olave

Tech Cofounder, CTO & Chief Architect

We hired Xavier to re-architect the interface for a very complex data project at dotMailer. He grasped the complexity of the data exceptionally quickly, and enabled us to build something that was aethsetically pleasing, commercially viable, and intuitive (and got us the user testing data to prove it).

I hope to hire Xavier for future projects and would definitely recommend hiring him for your UX/UI work.

Reference by Stuart Gill

Stuart Gill

Product Manager

I have hired Xavier as a UX Architect on a contract basis several times now, and will certainly be hiring him again in the future, when my next project comes around. I have found him to be an excellent communicator with industry leading skills, who was able to add value to our business in a very short space of time. I would highly recommend him to anyone seeking an experienced UX practitioner.

Reference by Graham Kent

Graham Kent

CIO

Xavier is a tenacious UX designer: he does whatever it takes to deliver the best solution. He can deliver on the details without losing sight of the big picture stuff, and is well-rounded in his skill-set - he's visually orientated but 'gets' the technical aspects of projects . A great guy to work with.

Reference by Micheal Duxbury

Michael Duxbury

Head of Product

Xavier is one of those extremely rare people who is able to deliver a combination of UX, UI and Build, all to a very high standard.

He listens, takes the initiative, understands objectives and is able to run with concepts and designs under his own steam without constant direction. Furthermore, the end product is of a consistently high standard. Xavier works extremely quickly and efficiently, and takes feedback with complete professionalism.

I would definitely recommend Xavier for UX/UI work and will be hiring him again.

Fraser Robinson

Co-Founder & CEO

Xavier has a natural talent for design and UX. His ideas are fresh and his designs clean and effective. He has a good grasp of what's needed for today's fast moving digital landscape. He works well with developers (both front end and back end) and has a good understanding of mobile development and web based interface design. He's likeable personally and is confident in his own abilities but is also willing to compromise and seek advice during the course of his work.

Reference by Jon Finch

Jon Finch

Software Developer
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Tools

Axure RP
Adobe Illustrator
Invision
Adobe Photoshop
Sketch
Principle
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Experience

Mercury Holidays

Head of Product & User Experience

Feb 2019 - July 2019
Mercury Holidays

Selling holidays for 40 years Mercury has been rather successful and managed to avoid digital disruption due to their customer demographic. I was hired to help transform the organisation, build product teams, reposition the company digitally and achieve digital proficiency.

Royal Dutch Shell

Lead User Experience Architect & Product Enthusiast

Apr 2018 - Feb 2019
Shell

MarketHub a mission critical oil, fuel and specialities ordering platform, servicing tens of thousands of customers and generating billions in monthly revenue. I was originally hired to improve the user experience of their customers, which morphed into a full transformation, technical overhaul and acting head of user experience role.

Currencycloud

Lead User Experience Architect

May 2017 - April 2018
Currencycloud

Currencycloud is one of the leading fintech payment companies, servicing businesses with their easy to use API and individuals with their trading platform. I was hired to address their customers experience with the business, specifically focusing on the pre-sales and post-sales journeys.

RS Components

Lead User Experience Architect

Aug 2014 - May 2017
RS Components

RS Components the largest B2B electronics retailer globally, focusing specifically on the maintenance, servicing, manufacturing and engineering industry. I was hired directly by RS Components to help build a digital function within their business and refocus their online store.

mVideo (м.видео)

Lead User Experience Architect

Oct 2013 - Aug 2014
mVideo

M.Video the largest consumer electronics chain in Russia had grown substantially but identified gaps in their digital expertise and experience. I was hired as the lead for their website rebuild, to support and train their digital team.

dotMailer

Senior User Experience Architect

Jul 2013 - Oct 2013
dotmailer

Expedia (Hotels.com)

Senior User Experience Architect

May 2013 - Jul 2013
expedia

dotMailer

Senior User Experience Architect

Jan 2013 - May 2013
dotmailer

Orange

User Experience Architect

Dec 2012 - Jan 2013
orange

Various clients

User Experience Design, User Interface Design and Development Roles

Aug 2006 - Nov 2012

Contact Xavier

xavier.akram@gmail.com

LinkedIn

Not Available