Designing The Gap

Who am I?

Hello, I’m Ben.

I’ve worked in design for over 16 years, leading teams for 8 of those. My experience spans product, marketing, brand, and content design—across Fortune 100 companies, small businesses, and tiny agencies, including one that operated out of what can only be described as a portacabin on stilts.

I’ve led content design for one of Google’s biggest advertising brands, the design system for one of the most popular email marketing tools in the world, and even the stock order forms for a furniture manufacturer in rural England.

Having worked in design at varying levels, I’ve learned a lot about both the craft and the job of design. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I HAVE had to answer a lot of questions; about craft, leadership, and the messy in-between.

Who is this for?

Over the course of my diverse and, at times, disparate career in design, I’ve noticed that most UX and design leadership content falls into two broad categories:

• Practicable and tactical: Hands-on advice about execution e.g., improving Figma components, running workshops, user testing, accessibility best practices, etc.

• High-level and apsirational: Leadership insights that provide great inspiration but don’t always translate directly into day-to-day work.

This leaves a critical gap for those navigating the space between strategy and execution, often referred to as the “messy middle.” Designing the Gap is my attempt to explore that intersection.

Designing the Gap is intended to support those balancing hands-on work with higher-level decision-making, spending as much time in Figma files as in slide decks. With it, I aim to provide:

• Practical, experience-based insights – Real-world guidance from the trenches.

• Help with bridging execution and strategy – Making smarter decisions at the intersection of craft and leadership.

• Career-focused guidance – Navigating growth, influence, and impact without losing touch with the work that matters.

I hope that sharing my experience and perspective helps provide some clarity and confidence for designers and leaders like me: people looking to grow in their careers without losing what makes them great.