Bio & Resume | Chelsea Watson, UX Designer

Hello! I’m Chelsea Watson. I’m a UX leader, product designer, design thinker and human-loving optimist. I really love what I do.

I’m an established design leader with over a decade of experience. I oversee diverse interdisciplinary teams, fostering relationships with both designers and stakeholders to establish design practices that people want to work with and be a part of.

I approach both design and leadership with a focus on people, establishing empathy for the people who make and the people who use the products and services I help bring to life. Throughout my career I’ve collaborated with a diverse set of brands including IBM, Walmart, AT&T and Visa, leading design teams to create insight led, human-centred experiences that ensure both business and user needs are met. My UX practice combines product design, service design, design thinking, research and experience strategy, all with a relentless focus on the end user.

I’m currently the UX Director at Havas CX, overseeing the Toronto experience design, strategy and research team.

Product Design Director
Turtle
Toronto, ON / remote
May 2023 - June 2024

Design Director
Normative
Toronto, ON / remote
May 2022 - May 2023

As Turtle’s first Product Design Director, I worked closely with the executive leadership team to refine processes to better coach, manage and retain a team of over 20 product designers, researchers and strategists. I also provide strategic oversight on key projects across multiple lines of business to ensure we delivered value to both our stakeholders and their users.

Select Projects: Nike Run Club Safety Feature Design, Eventbrite App Vision, Uniswap Site Redesign

I joined this strategic innovation firm at a time of significant restructuring, supporting my design team and maintaining trusted client relationships throughout. I partnered with Engineering and Strategy leaders to create a plan that laddered up to the new company vision and focused on delivering valuable work, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and furthering user-centered design.

Select Projects: UCB Digital Patient Experience Vision, Janssen Innovation Program Development

Service Design Director
& Senior Manager (contract)
TD Bank
Toronto, ON / remote
Oct 2021 - May 2022

During my time at TD I oversaw experience strategy, UX/UI design and design delivery for products across the insurance journey, building relationships with VP level stakeholders to understand their objectives and demonstrate the value of human-centered design. I also established myself as an inclusive leader, focusing on hiring, onboarding, mentoring and retaining top design talent.

Select Projects: TD Insurance Digital Servicing Strategy, TD Design Center of Excellence Employee Onboarding

Associate UX Director &
Head of Experience (Canada)
Publicis Sapient
Toronto, ON / remote
Apr 2020 - Oct 2021

I balanced strategic design work with team oversight and client management, leading product design across various IBM Sterling platforms and Walmart Canada’s e-commerce experience. I also supported hiring and growth for a team of 30 designers.

Select Projects: Walmart Canada E-Commerce Product Design, IBM Order Management System Modernization, Chewy Customer Research & Digital Strategy

Experience Lead
Publicis Sapient
Toronto, ON
Sep 2018 - Mar 2020

I honed my strategic design skills while leading cross-discipline teams and managing direct reports. I led the product design program for Freedom Mobile and collaborated on a digital vision that would transform transit for millions of Canadians.

Select Projects: Freedom Mobile Member Experience & Design System, Metrolinx Customer Journey & Digital Transformation Roadmap, RBC Client Management Journey, Shaw Service Design Blueprint

UX Program Director
Miami Ad School
Toronto, ON
Sep 2018 - Sep 2019

I led a cohort of students and instructors through this three month program, revising curriculum and materials to reflect the industry.

UX Instructor
Mount Royal University
Calgary, AB
Mar 2017 - Aug 2018

As an instructor with my alma mater, I combined marketing theory with real-world application of concepts to develop course materials, assignments, presentations and lectures for the Marketing & Strategic Communications Certificate program.

Nomadic Graphic Designer
Aesthetic of Lostness
2011 - 2012

A few months after graduating university I quit my job, sold my apartment, and bought a one way ticket to London as the start to a solo trip around the world. I funded my travels by picking up freelance design jobs and kept a collection of my work, inspiration, recommendations and stories on my (now kind of dated, but still pretty fun to look at) blog, Aesthetic of Lostness.

In-School Mentor
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary
2016 - 2018

Director of Entries
Ad Rodeo Association
2013 - 2016