You need experienced feedback
Gain independent advice on real design challenges.
Design Mentoring
One-to-one mentoring to help UX and product designers build confidence, improve decision making and accelerate professional development.
Hourly Support
£75 per hour
Designed for
- Individual designers
- UX and product designers
- Portfolio and project support
- Career development
- Flexible hourly sessions
Need something different? Longer-term mentoring or embedded support can be arranged where required.
What design mentoring actually is
The fastest way to grow a designer is through better feedback, not more theory.
Design Mentoring provides practical one-to-one support that helps designers improve confidence, strengthen decision making and develop the skills needed to progress their careers.
Rather than following a fixed curriculum, every session focuses on real projects, real challenges and practical guidance that can be applied immediately.
You’ll leave with greater confidence, clearer thinking and practical actions to improve your work.
Common problems
Confidence is holding you back
Develop stronger design decisions and communication.
You want to progress your career
Build the skills expected of senior designers.
You need support on live work
Use mentoring alongside real projects rather than hypothetical exercises.
Why work with me
Good mentoring creates better decision makers, not dependency.
I’ve spent more than twenty years helping designers develop their product thinking, communication skills and practical design capability.
Every session is tailored to your experience, goals and current challenges.
Is this right for you?
- 01
You’re developing as a designer
You want practical support as a junior or mid-weight designer.
- 02
You’re preparing for a senior role
You want to strengthen the skills and judgement expected of senior designers.
- 03
You want career progression
You need clearer feedback on your work, portfolio or development priorities.
- 04
You need practical project support
You want mentoring connected to real work rather than abstract exercises.
What you’ll receive
One-to-one mentoring
Focused support tailored around your experience, goals and current design challenges.
Portfolio reviews
Practical feedback on how your work is presented, structured and explained.
Design feedback
Experienced critique on live work, concepts, flows, interfaces or design decisions.
Career guidance
Support with progression, confidence, communication and senior design expectations.
Practical recommendations
Clear next steps you can apply immediately to your work or development plan.
Follow-up notes
Concise notes capturing key discussion points and agreed actions.
What’s not included
- Formal training course
- Accreditation or certification
- Recruitment or hiring decisions
- Ongoing line management
- Design production work
Example deliverables
01
Mentoring session notes
A concise record of the main discussion points, feedback and next steps.
02
Portfolio feedback
Practical guidance on how to improve the structure, clarity and impact of your portfolio.
03
Design feedback summary
Clear observations and recommendations based on the work reviewed during the session.
04
Development action plan
A focused list of practical actions to support continued professional growth.
Typical timeline
Session 1
Goals and review
Discuss your goals, current challenges and any work or portfolio material you want to review.
Follow-up
Feedback and next steps
Review progress, discuss live challenges and agree practical actions for continued development.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Design Mentoring designed for?
Design Mentoring is designed for designers who want practical feedback and career support. Typical examples include: • UX Designers. • Product Designers. • UI Designers. • Service Designers. • Designers preparing for senior positions.
Can we review live projects?
Yes. Most mentoring sessions are based around your current work.
Is mentoring remote?
Usually, although in-person sessions are available.
Can organisations book mentoring?
Yes. Many organisations use mentoring to support junior and mid-level designers.
Where are you based?
I’m based in Manchester, UK and work with organisations across the UK, Europe and internationally. Most projects are delivered remotely, although I’m happy to travel for workshops, stakeholder sessions and key project milestones where required.
Do you work remotely?
Yes. Most projects are delivered remotely using Microsoft Teams, Google Meet or Zoom. Working remotely allows me to support organisations across the UK and internationally while remaining flexible and cost-effective.
Will I work directly with you?
Yes. Every project is delivered by me. If additional specialist support is ever needed, I’ll discuss it with you first, but you’ll always work directly with me throughout the project.
Can you work alongside our existing team?
Absolutely. Many clients already have designers, researchers, developers or product managers in place. I can provide additional capacity, independent advice or senior support without disrupting the way your team already works.
Do you only work with large organisations?
No. I’ve worked with startups, SMEs, agencies, charities, public sector organisations and global enterprises. Every engagement is tailored to the size, complexity and goals of the organisation.
What if my project doesn’t fit one of your fixed engagements?
The fixed engagements are designed around the most common types of engagement. If your project requires something different, I’ll create a bespoke proposal based on your goals, timescales and scope.
How quickly can you start?
Availability varies throughout the year, but many fixed engagements can begin within one to two weeks. If you have an urgent requirement, let me know and I’ll always do my best to accommodate it.
Do you sign NDAs and work with confidential information?
Yes. Much of my work has involved commercially sensitive products, government services and confidential research. I’m happy to sign NDAs and regularly work with organisations where confidentiality is essential.
Related thinking
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LET'S WORK TOGETHER
Ready to improve your product?
UX, research and product leadership for teams tackling complex digital services.
Previous feedback
I had a fantastic experience working with Andy. One of his most impressive achievements during our time at NHS HEE was masterminding a deeply complex information architecture for a new platform that brought together a large number of legacy websites.
Will Parkhouse
Senior Content Designer
If you’d benefit from practical guidance from an experienced designer, let’s discuss whether Design Mentoring is right for you.