[About Me]
Hi there, I’m Gareth Shelbourne. I am a commercially minded and creative UX/Ui & Product design leader with years of experience driving user-centric innovation. Having led UX initiatives across B2B and B2C sectors, including technology, education, and sports, I bring a strategic mindset and hands-on expertise in shaping and implementing design solutions at various stages of product development.
I excel at leveraging design thinking and creativity to identify complex user challenges and craft intuitive, evidence-driven solutions. Working within cross-functional teams, I ensure that UX strategies align with clear business objectives, user needs, and project timelines.
I advocate for an iterative, insight-driven approach to UX & product design, moving beyond anecdotal decision-making to data-informed, research-led problem-solving. My approach balances analytical rigour with creative exploration, resulting in designs that are both functional and engaging.
As a collaborative and adaptable team player, I thrive in dynamic environments, bringing strong interpersonal skills and a proactive mindset. I enjoy mentoring, facilitating workshops, and fostering an open, user-first design culture while also being confident in working autonomously.
[Recent Experience]
Polytag
Lead UX/Product Designer
2026 - Current
I’m a lead UI/UX Product Designer currently working at Polytag, where I help shape scalable, data-driven products that support the transition to a more transparent and sustainable recycling economy. I work end-to-end across research, interaction design, and delivery—partnering closely with product and engineering to turn complex data and emerging requirements into intuitive, user-centred experiences that scale across multiple products. My focus is on designing clarity: clear user journeys, clear decisions, and clear value for both users and the business.
Operating with a high degree of autonomy, I take full ownership of UX outcomes—from conducting user research and usability testing through to building design systems, validating solutions with analytics, and supporting teams through delivery. Alongside hands-on design, I contribute to evolving Polytag’s design practice—establishing consistent patterns, improving UX quality, and embedding user-centred thinking across the product lifecycle.
Polytag
Lead UX/Product Designer
2026 - Current
I’m a lead UI/UX Product Designer currently working at Polytag, where I help shape scalable, data-driven products that support the transition to a more transparent and sustainable recycling economy. I work end-to-end across research, interaction design, and delivery—partnering closely with product and engineering to turn complex data and emerging requirements into intuitive, user-centred experiences that scale across multiple products. My focus is on designing clarity: clear user journeys, clear decisions, and clear value for both users and the business.
Operating with a high degree of autonomy, I take full ownership of UX outcomes—from conducting user research and usability testing through to building design systems, validating solutions with analytics, and supporting teams through delivery. Alongside hands-on design, I contribute to evolving Polytag’s design practice—establishing consistent patterns, improving UX quality, and embedding user-centred thinking across the product lifecycle.
Polytag
Lead UX/Product Designer
2026 - Current
I’m a lead UI/UX Product Designer currently working at Polytag, where I help shape scalable, data-driven products that support the transition to a more transparent and sustainable recycling economy. I work end-to-end across research, interaction design, and delivery—partnering closely with product and engineering to turn complex data and emerging requirements into intuitive, user-centred experiences that scale across multiple products. My focus is on designing clarity: clear user journeys, clear decisions, and clear value for both users and the business.
Operating with a high degree of autonomy, I take full ownership of UX outcomes—from conducting user research and usability testing through to building design systems, validating solutions with analytics, and supporting teams through delivery. Alongside hands-on design, I contribute to evolving Polytag’s design practice—establishing consistent patterns, improving UX quality, and embedding user-centred thinking across the product lifecycle.
Falmouth University
Masters (MA) UX Design
Sept 2024 - Aug 2026
Currently studying part-time (online) for a Master’s in UX Design. Balancing study with full-time work is challenging, but the course is helping me grow as a researcher and designer—pushing me to reflect, sharpen my skills, and deepen my knowledge across all areas of UX.
Falmouth University
Masters (MA) UX Design
Sept 2024 - Aug 2026
Currently studying part-time (online) for a Master’s in UX Design. Balancing study with full-time work is challenging, but the course is helping me grow as a researcher and designer—pushing me to reflect, sharpen my skills, and deepen my knowledge across all areas of UX.
Falmouth University
Masters (MA) UX Design
Sept 2024 - Aug 2026
Currently studying part-time (online) for a Master’s in UX Design. Balancing study with full-time work is challenging, but the course is helping me grow as a researcher and designer—pushing me to reflect, sharpen my skills, and deepen my knowledge across all areas of UX.
British Assiciation of Snowsport Instructors (BASI)
Alpine Trainer & Examiner
2017 - Current
As a BASI trainer and examiner, I create and deliver courses for training high-level ski instructors (part time). I have also represented BASI internationally, collaborating with the Chinese Association of Snowsport Instructors ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
British Assiciation of Snowsport Instructors (BASI)
Alpine Trainer & Examiner
2017 - Current
As a BASI trainer and examiner, I create and deliver courses for training high-level ski instructors (part time). I have also represented BASI internationally, collaborating with the Chinese Association of Snowsport Instructors ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
British Assiciation of Snowsport Instructors (BASI)
Alpine Trainer & Examiner
2017 - Current
As a BASI trainer and examiner, I create and deliver courses for training high-level ski instructors (part time). I have also represented BASI internationally, collaborating with the Chinese Association of Snowsport Instructors ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Sport Autonomy
Lead UX & Product Designer
2025 - 2026
I led the end-to-end product and UX strategy for an AI-driven sports coaching platform that combined real-time movement tracking with LLM-powered coaching agents. As the founding designer, I shaped the product vision, defined the research and design direction, and ensured decisions consistently balanced user needs, technical feasibility, and commercial goals.
I oversaw the full design lifecycle—from user research and opportunity discovery through to prototyping, validation, and product refinement—working closely with sports industry experts, AI specialists, and engineering teams. I drove strategic alignment across stakeholders, established scalable design processes, and ensured the product delivered intuitive, high-quality experiences for both learners and instructors.
Sport Autonomy
Lead UX & Product Designer
2025 - 2026
I led the end-to-end product and UX strategy for an AI-driven sports coaching platform that combined real-time movement tracking with LLM-powered coaching agents. As the founding designer, I shaped the product vision, defined the research and design direction, and ensured decisions consistently balanced user needs, technical feasibility, and commercial goals.
I oversaw the full design lifecycle—from user research and opportunity discovery through to prototyping, validation, and product refinement—working closely with sports industry experts, AI specialists, and engineering teams. I drove strategic alignment across stakeholders, established scalable design processes, and ensured the product delivered intuitive, high-quality experiences for both learners and instructors.
Sport Autonomy
Lead UX & Product Designer
2025 - 2026
I led the end-to-end product and UX strategy for an AI-driven sports coaching platform that combined real-time movement tracking with LLM-powered coaching agents. As the founding designer, I shaped the product vision, defined the research and design direction, and ensured decisions consistently balanced user needs, technical feasibility, and commercial goals.
I oversaw the full design lifecycle—from user research and opportunity discovery through to prototyping, validation, and product refinement—working closely with sports industry experts, AI specialists, and engineering teams. I drove strategic alignment across stakeholders, established scalable design processes, and ensured the product delivered intuitive, high-quality experiences for both learners and instructors.
Axon
Leadership Team & UX Lead
2022 - 2025
Technology company that specialises in B2B software. Within this role, I was responsible for leading & executing the product lifecycle strategy, including ideation, user research (e.g. interviews & observations), identifying customer pain points, data analytics, UI prototyping, & directing & overseeing the development team implementation & release of the product including collaborating with other internal functions such as sales & marketing.
I also sat on the management board, providing senior counsel on matters relating to product strategy & team performance.
Axon
Leadership Team & UX Lead
2022 - 2025
Technology company that specialises in B2B software. Within this role, I was responsible for leading & executing the product lifecycle strategy, including ideation, user research (e.g. interviews & observations), identifying customer pain points, data analytics, UI prototyping, & directing & overseeing the development team implementation & release of the product including collaborating with other internal functions such as sales & marketing.
I also sat on the management board, providing senior counsel on matters relating to product strategy & team performance.
Axon
Leadership Team & UX Lead
2022 - 2025
Technology company that specialises in B2B software. Within this role, I was responsible for leading & executing the product lifecycle strategy, including ideation, user research (e.g. interviews & observations), identifying customer pain points, data analytics, UI prototyping, & directing & overseeing the development team implementation & release of the product including collaborating with other internal functions such as sales & marketing.
I also sat on the management board, providing senior counsel on matters relating to product strategy & team performance.
Dynamiti
Product Designer
2020 - 2022
IT support software company specialising in Microsoft Business Partners & SMB MSPs entering the Microsoft Dynamics CRM space. Led product lifecycle strategy, including ideation, user research, pain point analysis, data analytics, UI prototyping, and overseeing development, implementation, and release while collaborating with sales & marketing.
Dynamiti
Product Designer
2020 - 2022
IT support software company specialising in Microsoft Business Partners & SMB MSPs entering the Microsoft Dynamics CRM space. Led product lifecycle strategy, including ideation, user research, pain point analysis, data analytics, UI prototyping, and overseeing development, implementation, and release while collaborating with sales & marketing.
Dynamiti
Product Designer
2020 - 2022
IT support software company specialising in Microsoft Business Partners & SMB MSPs entering the Microsoft Dynamics CRM space. Led product lifecycle strategy, including ideation, user research, pain point analysis, data analytics, UI prototyping, and overseeing development, implementation, and release while collaborating with sales & marketing.
Hi there, I’m Gareth Shelbourne. I am a commercially minded and creative UX/Ui & Product design leader with years of experience driving user-centric innovation. Having led UX initiatives across B2B and B2C sectors, including technology, education, and sports, I bring a strategic mindset and hands-on expertise in shaping and implementing design solutions at various stages of product development.
I excel at leveraging design thinking and creativity to identify complex user challenges and craft intuitive, evidence-driven solutions. Working within cross-functional teams, I ensure that UX strategies align with clear business objectives, user needs, and project timelines.
I advocate for an iterative, insight-driven approach to UX & product design, moving beyond anecdotal decision-making to data-informed, research-led problem-solving. My approach balances analytical rigour with creative exploration, resulting in designs that are both functional and engaging.
As a collaborative and adaptable team player, I thrive in dynamic environments, bringing strong interpersonal skills and a proactive mindset. I enjoy mentoring, facilitating workshops, and fostering an open, user-first design culture while also being confident in working autonomously.
