Strategy
Discovery and product strategy
Framing the real problem before anyone opens a design tool, then holding the team to measurable goals rather than opinions.
End-to-End Product Designer
Purpose driven
problem solver
I simplify complexity while effectively connecting business outcomes with user needs in a way where both feel valued.
20+Years designing products
1M+ZOZOFIT downloads
27+Features shipped this year
1stDesign hire at ZOZO NZ
Core capabilities
Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt.
With well over 20 years crafting intuitive digital experiences for startups, enterprises, fintech, SaaS and beyond, I know that great products start by understanding people deeply. Human-Centered Design is at the heart of what I do, transforming problems into delightful, meaningful and measurable outcomes.
Systems
Design systems at scale
Building and rebuilding systems that survive team changes, keep engineering fast and stay usable by non-designers.
Leadership
Team leadership and mentoring
Standing up a design function from zero, hiring into it, and growing designers into people who no longer need me.
Research
Research to insight
Turning behavioural and sensor data into decisions a product team can actually act on, without overstating what it proves.
Craft
End-to-end delivery
Zero to one and everything after: concept, prototype, production design, launch and the unglamorous work that follows.
Tooling
AI-augmented workflow
Using AI where it earns its place in research synthesis, exploration and production assist, and keeping human judgment where it matters.
Featured project
Work that had to hold up after launch
ZOZO New Zealand
ZOZOFIT: 3D body scanning and AI body composition insights
1M+ downloads
iOS and Android
Design system rebuild
Sensor to insight
First design hire, building the UX function from scratch and leading a globally distributed team. The core problem: take a 3D scan and turn expert-grade body composition data into something a non-expert can trust, understand and come back to week after week.
My latest work is being fine-tuned behind the scenes. Can't wait? Let's connect for an early demo.
eCommerce
Foodstuffs
B2B grocery ordering for time-poor operators, where a wrong order costs a shift, not a click.
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Government
MPI inspector scheduling
Scheduling and task management for field inspectors working in high-stakes operational workflows.
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Marketplace
Takealot
eCommerce at national scale, plus hiring and scaling the design team behind it.
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My proven framework
Empathy. Explore. Execute. Evolve.
Simplify complexity for product, process and people.
Empathy
Understanding user and business needs through in-depth research. Defining measurable goals for design success.
Explore
Diverging widely before committing. Testing concepts against real behaviour rather than the loudest opinion in the room.
Execute
Shipping production-ready work alongside engineering, held to the goals set at the start rather than the ones we wish we had set.
Evolve
Measuring what shipped, learning from it honestly, and feeding the evidence straight back into the next cycle.
Experience
Twenty years, four industries, one approach
22 Nov 2022 – Present (3 years +)
Principal Product Designer, Team Lead
ZOZO New Zealand, NZ
Health & fitness tech
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UX/UI Design Mentor
Springboard (part-time)
Education
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Design Lead
Foodstuffs, NZ
B2B eCommerce
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Senior Product Designer
Provoke / Better NZ
Government tools
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Design Manager
Takealot, ZA
Marketplace
Word on the street
My endorsements
Jarrod was Head of the UX team at ZOZO NZ and also Principal Product Designer on the ZOZOFIT project. As our first design hire, he built the UX function from the ground up, establishing the team, practice, and design culture. He led major product initiatives across the company and owned the end-to-end design process. On ZOZOFIT, he took on many responsibilities typically handled by a product manager, bridging engineering and business teams and driving the work forward. UX improvements for internal engineering tools were another area where he made a clear impact, treating engineers as customers while improving their productivity. R&D efforts often began with him. He rapidly prototyped concepts, clarified direction, and helped teams rally around shared goals. Beyond design leadership, Jarrod brought energy, humour, and approachability that strengthened team culture and made the office a better place to be. Any team would be lucky to have him, and I’d be happy to work with him again in the future.
Adama MichaelsFormer CEO, ZOZO New Zealand
Jarrod is easily one of the best UX team leads I have worked with. Great attention to detail, decisive, teachable and always seeking to constantly improve the team around him. He is outgoing and has a great personality. He is someone I would recommend for any UX role in any organisation.
Calvin PedzaiNow Head of Experience, Takealot
Jarrod is a great team player, he thinks through things practically taking into account the scope and complexity of the project. His attention to detail and scenarios are always perfect, developing off these has always made my job easier. Solid problem-solving skills with a clear passion for mobile apps.
Niel BerrowSenior Engineering Lead, Takealot
Get in touch with me
Let's simplify something complicated
Open to product design leadership roles and fractional engagements. Auckland based, working with teams anywhere.