Hi, my name is Jay Michael Heal and I am a UX Designer and Service Designer based in Cambridge, England. I am a passionate technology enthusiast and problem solver. I began as a teenage developer, learning languages such as C, C++ and Visual Basic before getting into web and multimedia design around the time just before the millennium.

After learning early User-Centred Design principles during my University of East London degree in New Technology and Multimedia, it established a foundation in which has shaped my career. Although I spent many of my years after graduating unsuccessfully pitching the idea of User Experience design, I remained working within the industry as a web / Flash designer, front-end developer and print designer. As the term ‘UX’ gained popularity, my academic skills also became more in demand as I shifted back towards working in a way that suited my design beliefs.

I have been incredibly fortunate that I have been able to work for some great organisations, such as the BBC, Transport for London, Ministry of Justice, Just Eat and the NHS to name just a few. Each providing me with a diverse range of experiences and new knowledge. I believe great design begins with a humble approach to finding the right problems to solve for users. Once there is a deeper understanding of the problem space, I feel it it is important to test ideas as early as possible and as often as possible. By approaching the design process in this way allows us to validate assumptions before any emotional attachment has had time to settle in with any one solution. This empathy for the users and the validated learning is the point when great experiences can be designed for.

Away from work I am a proud father to three children (Dennis, Yasmin and Max) and a husband to Josie since 2012. I am keen public speaker about technology and have helped write a book on Experience Mapping. Music is a real passion of mine since a young child, which lead me on a DJ career for some years ago and I still produce House music with tracks signed to Deeptown Records and Subiendo Records. My Spotify artist page is where you can find my latest releases.

To relax, I like to run outdoors and you can find me running at 5k, 10k, half marathons and marathon events at least a few times a year. Coming from a childhood spent in my parent’s Thai restaurant, I have become a self-confessed foodie and can be often seen taking photos of my food (yes, I am that guy). Japanese, Korean and burgers are my current cravings for food. In my spare time I am also a keen TV and movie fan, with current addictions to Walking Dead, Mr Robot, Homeland, Grand Designs, Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares and Peaky Blinders.