Martin Gittins, design leader and strategic design practitioner

Hi, I'm Martin

I'm a product designer and strategic design leader with over 20 years of experience spanning interaction design, user experience, and user interface design.

Clients include:
BBC, British Red Cross, Cabinet Office, Citroën, College of Policing, Engie, Hays Travel, Hunters Estate Agents, KLM, Moorfields Eye Hospital, NHS, SEAT, Social Work England, Yorkshire Water

I've led multidisciplinary teams, mentored designers at every stage of their careers, and built learning pathways to support long-term growth in the profession.

My focus — and what drives me — is helping organisations level-up their design maturity — advancing design from a supporting role, such as visual styling, to a strategic role where design delivers business value, leads organisational change, and transforms users' lives.

DESIGN LEADERSHIP APPROACH

I often say that design is a team sport — the challenge is to get the best out of the team. That means stepping in at the right time to provide vision, motivation, and guidance.

INSPIRE

For me, leadership starts with vision. I believe people do their best work when they feel connected to the bigger picture and understand the impact of what they're creating. I try to inspire by showing what's possible, linking the design challenges to real user outcomes, and then encouraging the team to extend their creativity even further.

COLLABORATE

I've always believed the best design happens in collaboration. That can mean working closely across disciplines with design a key role in shaping decisions. Just as importantly, it's about building a culture where people feel comfortable sharing ideas, learning from one another, and experimenting together. When everyone contributes their insight and inspiration, the work is stronger.

EMPOWER

I see my role as creating the conditions for great work to happen. That means giving designers clarity, trust, and support — but also the freedom to bring their own creativity and perspective. Empowerment is about helping people grow in confidence as much as it is about achieving project outcomes. Success is when the team not only delivers, but feels proud of how they got there.

CASE STUDIES

Large-scale transformation projects are never a solo act — they happen when diverse teams of professionals work closely together. In these case studies, I've sought to recognise my contribution, while aware that the outcomes were only possible through intense collaboration.