10 questions with… Rebecca Goss — UX & Service Design Lead at John Lewis

Here I am at the seaside

1. Please introduce yourself, your role and include a quick ‘for dummies’ introduction of what it is you do.

I am the Experience & Service Design Lead here at John Lewis, my role is leading a team of UX, Service Designers and UX Writers within the OmniChannel team and pushing for user centricity within the business. If we make life easier for customers and partners, the money will follow!

2. What did your route to this job look like?

I’ve worked for the Partnership for 5 years and joined as a Senior UX Designer and have been lucky enough to progress to lead the team, something I am incredibly proud of. Previously I worked as a Senior UX Designer at BT and Head of Web at Rapha. I have managed teams throughout my career and it’s something I really enjoy. I studied photography at University but realised pretty quickly that I wasn’t cut out to be a rich and famous photographer, shame as I always fancied having my own private view parties.

3. How do you like to start your day?

I like to set at least three alarms and then ignore every single one. Eventually I have to get up because my dog and husband are morning people and we all go out for a walk before work. I went on an American road trip last summer and ever since I have a black filter coffee every morning, it’s my first priority and something I look forward to after the walk. I don’t eat breakfast and as a result I am ready for lunch at 12 on the dot.

Jon & Maude on a miniature train

4. How would you describe your approach to design in 3 words?

Considered, Pragmatic & Honest

5. What do you enjoy most about being in the Experience Design team at John Lewis?

I am so proud of the team and what we have achieved over the years, I love working to try and create the right conditions for everyone to thrive. Sometimes its the most simple change that can have the biggest impact and its great to see when the team use constraints to their advantage.

6. What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve faced in this role?

When I took over the role 3 years ago we had been through a restructure and only a handful of people had stayed on. I rebuilt the team, spent a year hiring, building the culture and working on my relationships with the leadership team to raise the team’s profile. It was a challenge but the most rewarding thing I have done and I am beyond proud of the team we have today and the culture we’ve all created.

7. What’s a product/experience you wish you had worked on?

Working at Braun with Dieter Rams, that’s the stuff that dreams are made of. I would have also liked to work at GDS, the principles they hold, making services easy and available to everyone is something that really resonates with me.

8. Where do you look for inspiration?

I’m always surprised to find inspiration in the most random places. I pay attention to how things work around me and I’m always delighted when something has been well considered from a garlic press to a checkout. I’m also easily annoyed when something simple like withdrawing money from the bank can be unnecessarily arduous, or to get a doctor’s appointment you have to fill out a form online with no thought to how that might be a barrier to those in need.

Pay with you palm at Whole Foods USA

9. How do you switch off from work?

I am a bit bad at looking at my messages and emails after work or on holidays, I don’t really know why I do it — habit probably. I am someone that loves a project or having something to research or learn. I have recently been welding in my back garden to make an upright bbq smoker, combining my love of a project with my love of food. So if you want to borrow a welding machine, you know who to ask. I am looking forward to it being finished so I can do some slow cooked lamb and ribs, sorry if you are a vegan.

Doing a spot of welding in the garden

10 Best thing you’ve watched, read or listened to recently?

I am currently reading Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead, it’s about a decent guy that gets sucked into a bit of a shady underworld. What really interests me is that to cope with this double life he starts having two sleeps, doing his dodgy stuff in between — something I might try out! Next on the bedside table is The Nobel Rot Book: Wine from Another Galaxy. I am listening to Boygenius a lot, which is slightly sad indie for those who aren’t familiar.