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 Design Director at Turtle Design, leading a team of over 20 product designers and researchers.

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

I joined this strategic innovation firm to lead the design practice during a time of significant restructuring. I oversaw strategic discipline planning, built client relationships, and supported my team of product, service and visual designers as the organization went through multiple rounds of layoffs. My practice plan centred around individual and discipline OKRs that laddered up to the new strategic vision for the company as they rebuilt, focusing on delivering high quality work, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and pursuing evidence-based innovation.

Select Projects: UCB Digital Patient Experience Vision, OpenStock MVP Delivery, Janssen Innovation Program Development, Normative Design Practice Plan

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

During my short time at TD I established myself as an inclusive design leader and strong user advocate. Overseeing experience strategy, user research and UI/UX design for products across the TD Insurance journey, my focus was on demonstrating the value of human-centered design to VP level business stakeholders. I also played a significant role in hiring, onboarding and retaining top design talent to further establish TD’s Design Center of Excellence.

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 in this senior leadership position, notably leading the IBM Sterling product design team to modernize the UI of their Order Management software, and contributing to numerous new business proposals. Additionally, as Head of Experience for Canada, I led the hiring, staffing and growth of our team of over 30 remote designers and was involved with the North America-wide Early Careers program.

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 had the opportunity in this management position to hone my skills in experience strategy and design thinking, leading cross-discipline teams to collaboratively and creatively solve problems. Key projects included leading a seven person design team to reimagine the Freedom Mobile digital experience, which included overseeing the creation of their design system, and collaborating with data and tech to establish a strategic digital roadmap for Metrolinx that would significantly improve the door-to-door transit journey for millions of Canadians.

Select Projects: Freedom Mobile Member Experience & Design System, Metrolinx Customer Journey & Digital Transformation Roadmap, Royal Bank of Canada Client Management Journey, Shaw Communications Service Design Blueprint

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

During my time in this role I worked closely with the MAS leadership team to plan and grow their UX Bootcamp, culminating in the oversight of a group of students and instructors for the duration of the three month course. This contract allowed me to provide thought-leadership and mentorship to emerging designers while reworking the curriculum and materials to better reflect student goals and industry standards. Additionally, I introduced live client projects to the program, leading students to create and present real work based on real briefs for Walmart and Air Canada.

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, while providing feedback and career guidance for over 60 continuing education students. Courses included Intro to Marketing & Strategic Communication and Digital Research.

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. This year of travel and self-discovery took me to over 15 countries throughout the UK, Europe and Africa. 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.

Select Projects: PARK Anniversary Campaign, Deville Coffee Website Design, CJSW Concert Series Posters, Pure Technologies UX Audit & Design

Educator
Créateurs Z Digital Media Camp
2019 - 2020

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

Director of Entries
Ad Rodeo Association
2013 - 2016