Ben Fraser
benfraserdesign.co.uk • benfraserdesign@gmail.com
I'm a UX/Interaction/Product designer based in Sheffield, UK, with over 15 years experience. I design, facilitate & code clean, intuitive, accessible products and services. With experience in government, start-ups and the charitable sector, I am a versatile designer, an accomplished team leader and a proficient front-end developer.
My aim is the creation of products and services that work seamlessly for all users. It is my way of distilling my creative drive towards helping people lead better lives.
Employment history
Aug 2025 - present
Lead Interaction Designer
Leading a team of 15 interaction designers across 15 different services in Probation Digital - freeing up probation staff to support people on probation, and better protect the public.
Feb 2024 - Aug 2025
Lead Interaction Designer (consultant)
- Leading a team of interaction designers within the Public Sector UCD team.
- Working as a consultant interaction designer at HMRC, taking a new design for a personal tax account through a successful Alpha assessment.
Feb 2023 - Feb 2024
Principal Designer (consultant)
- Leading a team of UCD consultants.
- Working as consultant interaction designer at Defra, leading the design of the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme - a vital Windsor Framework-related service allowing traders to easily move goods from GB to NI.
Jan 2022 - Jan 2023
Senior Product Designer
Leading Product Design for SaaS participatory democracy platform, sold to cities around the world.
DWP
Feb 2020 - Jan 2022
Senior/Lead Interaction Designer
- Leading a UCD team in the design of the DWP's Online Identity Verification service from discovery through to a successful alpha GDS assessment.
- Implementing the official DWP training docs on using the GOV.UK (GDS) Prototype Kit.
April 2015 - Feb 2020
UX Lead / Senior Front-end Developer
- Leading user-centred design for digital inclusion work, notably with Google and assisted digital with HMCTS.
- Product management of e-learning platform Learn My Way: leading a cross-disciplinary team and leading the UX/UI design of a platform that has since been adopted by Google to deliver basic digital skills training.
- Designing and implementing the organisation's design system.
WANdisco
Oct 2012 - Mar 2015
UI/UX Engineer
UX/UI design and front-end development for Big Data applications - sold to FTSE 100 companies.
WANdisco
Dec 2011 - Sep 2012
Web Developer / Graphic Designer
Design and build of the website for the company's £18 million IPO.
Freelance
May 2007 - April 2011
Web & Graphic Designer
Website design, branding and image manipulation.
Skills
Design
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UX/UI/IxDExpert
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Prototyping tools / FigmaExpert
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GOV.UK Prototype Kit / HerokuExpert
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GDS StandardsExpert
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Design leadershipExpert
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Workshop facilitationAdvanced
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Adobe Creative SuiteAdvanced
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AccessibilityAdvanced
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Content designProficient
Dev
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HTML / CSSExpert
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JavaScriptProficient
Other
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FrenchFluent
Conferences and awards
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Jan 2026, AI Digital Professions Conference'Beyond vibe coding' presentation
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Nov 2024, Government Transformation AwardsShortlisted in the 'Citizen Experience' top 100
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Nov 2021, virtual eventPresentation at Think Digital Identity for Government
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Nov 2017, LondonLeading a usability workshop at Mozilla Fest 2017
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Nov 2016, LondonPresentation at Digital Evolution conference
Education
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May 2021, GDSGovernment Digital Services (GDS) assessor training
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April 2018, ILMLevel 3 Award in Leadership and Management
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2009 - 2011, University of SheffieldWebsite Design / Advanced Web Scripting
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2007, SheffieldTeaching qualification: BTEC Level 4 Preparing To Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTTLS)
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1998 - 2001, University of SheffieldBA (Hons) Architectural Studies