Led the full lifecycle of marketing email journeys, from strategic mapping and UX to content, code and deployment
Merged strategy, storytelling and technical craft to deliver measurable impact in a fast feedback loop
Brief
- Five-month secondment with a US B2C brand
- Full-cycle ownership: strategy → design → code → deployment
Problem
- Email templates were creaking
- 12 broken journeys → users dropping mid-flow
- Brittle templates → broke across devices
- Trust eroding → engagement slipping away
Process
- Audits + prototypes aligned 12 journeys → gave stakeholders their first shared view of the ecosystem
- GenAI copy + user testing to validate fast
- Scalable Figma + code system that held up in Outlook
Path
Map
Audits + workshops to map and align 12 journeys
Prototype
Prototyped fast, tested early, validated ideas with real users
Spark
Used GenAI to spark new copy + concepts
Build
Built unified design system in Figma + SFMC patterns
Refine
Each sprint layered automation + A/B testing for continuous improvement
Breakthrough
Clicks were low, but why? I joined the journeys myself. The verdict: broken rendering, timid CTAs, and benefits buried. Painful for users, but definitely fixable
"Ian brought true design leadership — raising the quality of our work, guiding the team with clarity, and pushing us to think more strategically about the user experience."
Deliverables: mapped cross-team content flows to support personalisation and faster delivery
Scalable system
Streamlined 45 monthly emails across 12 journeys with a unified approach
Design consistency
Aligned Figma and SFMC patterns to reduce dev time and errors
Smart automation
Dynamic link generator and real-time basket tracking streamlined ops
Continuous optimisation
A/B testing revealed what worked, from motion to message and offer
Results
Templates became scalable, accessible, and faster to ship
+28% CTR
Clearer calls-to-action above the fold → boosted engagement on mobile
+11% CTR
Concise, snappier headlines → more clicks across campaigns
41% CTOR
Smarter personalisation → significantly higher click-to-open rates
Learnings
Clarity, placement, and personalisation weren’t just design moves: they shifted behaviour
Quirks
Outlook continues to work in mysterious ways, but there’s (usually) a fix
Content
Personalisation and real-time content don’t just inform, they charm
Formats
Animated GIFs still earn their place, sparingly used, they delight
Process
A healthy backlog isn’t admin, it’s momentum
Tools used
