About
I’m a strategic pragmatist who's stayed in the craft. I believe design is a strategic advantage - when embedded without ego, aligned cross-functionally and shaped by teams committed to excellence.
👋 I’m Stu Collett, a Product Design Director working at the intersection of UX, strategy and AI. I help SaaS teams shape product direction, improve delivery and grow internal design capability.
With 20+ years in design and tech, I’ve led work across insurance, HR tech, analytics and enterprise SaaS. I embed directly within product teams to align design, engineering and business goals, improve outcomes and move faster without compromising quality.
What I believe
Design is a strategic lever
When championed by leadership, design unlocks speed, competitive advantage and alignment. It forms a defensive moat that others struggle to replicate.
Brand & emotion matter, even in B2B
Workplace tools shouldn’t feel cold or transactional. A clear, thoughtful brand experience builds trust, transparency and makes complex products feel more human.
Great teams build great products
I care as much about how teams work together as what they produce. Clear communication, shared context and trust make all the difference.
AI is a new creative partner
AI should be seen as a new creative material. I use AI to prototype faster, test ideas sooner and help teams close the gap between concept and code. The goal isn’t automation, it’s smarter collaboration.
How I work
I operate as a player-coach, combining hands-on design with leadership that helps teams grow in maturity and momentum. I’ve helped clients scale from zero to functioning design systems, shift from scattered UX to unified product experiences and adopt AI tooling in a way that enhances how they deliver.
What I'm open to
I’m open to strategic embedded roles, senior IC or fractional leadership - especially with product-led SaaS teams adopting AI or scaling design capability. Remote or hybrid (UK-based).
As a player
Product Design Direction
AI-Augmented Prototyping & Coding
UX Strategy
Product Design
Front End Tech Strategy
Workshop Facilitation
Research & Insights
Design Systems & Languages
As a coach
Design team growth & development
Mentoring junior to senior designers
DesignOps, tooling & scalable workflows
AI-driven ‘vibe’ prototyping
Scalable design system strategy
Tools I use regularly to prototype, collaborate and deliver.
