Gavin, a Chief Design Officer at Scrumconnect, leading user-centred design across major government and private sector projects, including the £19m MHCLG account. Previously, he was Senior UX Manager at Shopify, overseeing multiple UX teams and driving key product launches such as Domains and Hydrogen 2.0. Before that, he headed UX at UKHSA, directing design for the NHS Covid-19 app and related services during the pandemic’s recovery phase. At DWP, he rose from Interaction Designer to Head of Service Design, leading over 70 designers across 40+ projects including Universal Credit. His career also spans Traveljunction, Sky, UserZoom, and Stats Perform, alongside founding the Industry Conf design conference — all built on an unexpected early foundation as a British Army mechanic and gaming editor.
In this conversation, we explore themes ranging from AI and the future of design to the more personal side of the industry - mental health and the importance of support. Gavin highlights the often-overlooked need for personal and professional care, especially for those just starting out.
We also discuss how to build environments that foster growth and make the design industry more sustainable for everyone.
Gavin Elliot
Web - https://gavinelliott.co.uk/
LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-elliott-x/
Danny Hearn
Substack - https://deeplyhumandesign.substack.com
Web - https://www.dannyhearn.me
LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyhearn/
