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Welcome to
David Deskin .Com

Portfolio, Case Studies, Skillsets, Background & Blog

About Me

I passionately believe the best designs emerge from a deep understanding of the people they aim to serve. My work is driven by the maxim that user empathy is not just a tool but is the foundation of all successful design initiatives - and it's always served me well. I'm masterful at achieving business objectives too, in ways that are win-win for all.

While leading digital design at Bell Canada, Virgin Mobile, and Lucky Mobile for the last 12 years, and at Aeroplan, Air Canada's loyalty program for 5 years before that, I've spearheaded hundreds of complex yet highly successful research, design and delivery projects, while amassing a wealth of experience and skills.

So welcome to my site. Explore a sampling of the case studies in my portfolio. Review my accomplishements, skills, talents, and approach. And then I hope you'll be in touch. I promise it'll be a good conversation.

 Design Leader

With a dynamic blend of strategic vision, creative design leadership, and superior communication skills, I excel in spearheading innovative user experience and product design initiatives that not only captivate users but also often exceed business objectives.

I lead by example, empowering design and cross-functional teams to stay sharply focused on user needs and strategic objectives. Together, we continuously push the boundaries of creativity and technology, consistently delivering exceptional and transformative solutions.

 Skilled Communicator

I'm highly effective communicating and collaborating with stakeholders at all levels. I possess a particular adeptness in working with senior executives and strategic partners to elevate project visions and ensure stakeholder alignment.

My communication skills, coupled with my technical experience, effectively bridge the gap between complex design concepts and overarching business strategies. This facilitates consensus and drives successful project realizations that energize the entire delivery team.

 Team Leader

I have a motivational leadership style that cultivates the diverse talents of my team, fostering a collaborative environment ripe for innovative solutions to complex design challenges.

Recognized for my capacity to promote inclusivity, mentorship, and professional growth, I guide teams to perform efficiently and effectively, even under the most demanding circumstances.

 Good Guy

Character is the cornerstone of both my personal interactions and professional collaborations. I prioritize respect, integrity, and kindness — traits that have earned me the reputation of being a 'Good Guy'.

Committed to ethical practices and fostering positive workplace dynamics, I ensure that these fundamental values are embodied in all my professional endeavors.

Skills & Experience

UX RESEARCH

  • Extensive expertise in diverse UX research methodologies such as moderated and unmoderated usability testing, empathy and journey mapping, mental modeling, and behavioral change design.
  • Proficient facilitator of design thinking workshops, adept in crafting comprehensive user stories and leading design sprints.

UX DESIGN

  • Specialist in impactful UX/CX design, leading complex projects in both B2B and B2C sectors.
  • Expert in crafting sophisticated information architectures, strategic content plans, and seamless interaction designs to create compelling digital experiences.
  • Highly skilled in information architecture, content strategy, and interaction design.

Accessibility

  • Pioneered accessibility-first design methodologies that prevent barriers at the source rather than remediate them.
  • Created accessibility-embedded design systems and component libraries ensuring compliance across product portfolios.
  • Established accessibility governance, training, and advocacy programs across organizations.

Branding & Identity

  • Proven excellence in developing and maintaining B2B and B2C brand identities that foster long-term customer loyalty and trust.
  • Expert in creating cross-channel design guidelines and managing cross-platform design systems.
  • Skilled in large-scale editorial and language translation workflow management.

Strategy & Delivery

  • Directed high-stakes projects with annual budgets in the tens of millions, while overseeing the evolution of diverse product roadmaps.
  • Skilled in strategic planning and precision execution, surpassing project deliverables and maximizing efficiency.
  • Proficient in end-to-end delivery with effective coordination across cross-functional teams, stakeholders, and external agencies.

Collaboration & Leadership

  • A strategic leader fostering collaboration and shared success across organizational boundaries.
  • Expert at securing cross-functional team buy-in, including C-suite, transforming innovative ideas into business-accelerating realities.
  • Respected mentor and team leader with extensive experience in both in-class and online education and course design.

Testimonial 1 of 3

I had the pleasure of working with David for over a decade at Bell Canada, where he served as Senior Manager of Digital Experience Design. In this enterprise-level role, David successfully led strategic design initiatives across multiple brands serving 10M+ customers, consistently delivering exceptional business results.

David is particularly skilled at: • Developing and executing transformative digital strategies • Building high-performing design organizations • Establishing enterprise design governance and accessibility frameworks • Driving measurable business impact through strategic design leadership • Creating strong partnerships across executive, business, and technology teams.

His combination of strategic vision and hands-on leadership made him particularly effective at enterprise-scale digital transformation. David's deep understanding of business objectives, combined with his design excellence and technical acumen, enabled him to consistently deliver results that exceeded expectations.

I highly recommend David for senior design leadership roles. His ability to align design innovation with business strategy while building and mentoring strong teams makes him an exceptional candidate for organizations seeking transformative design leadership.

Alain Dadoun, VP Digital Sales and Service, Bell Canada

Testimonial 2 of 3

I worked very closely with David for many years at two major Canadian organizations. David is a brilliant Digital Strategy and User Experience expert, a strong team leader, an effective communicator, and an astute business professional.

I first hired David as a Senior Manager and Lead UX Designer at Aeroplan (Air Canada) where he built and led the first UI/UX design team and was responsible for major projects across all digital platforms. He laid the foundation for our user-centered design approach which transformed all future digital projects at Aeroplan.

When I moved to Bell (BCE), I asked David to join my team to design, build and lead the first UX/Digital Experience team in the Customer Operations division. It was a challenging mandate, coming into a largely IT/Operations environment, but he approached it with enthusiasm and positivity. His expertise, professionalism, eloquence and business savvy were instrumental in getting our senior executive team aligned on our Digital Strategy and fully supporting our major initiatives to transform the digital experience for our millions of customers. David expertly led the design teams and was responsible for the Digital Experience elements of major, enterprise-wide projects that led to tens of millions of dollars in annual realized benefits.

Not only is David a seasoned business leader with deep expertise, he is also a genuinely great guy who is appreciated by everyone who has the privilege of collaborating with him. It was an absolute pleasure working with David and I would hire him again in a heartbeat if the opportunity arose.

Marc Fares, former leader at Aeroplan and Bell

Testimonial 3 of 3

I’ve had the privilege of working with and learning from David at Bell on a variety of projects. He has a deep understanding and passion for Design and Accessibility. His leadership and willingness to collaborate on top of his wealth of knowledge and experience makes him a valued team member and leader. I've learned a lot from David and he would be a great asset to any team.

Alicia Jarvis CPACC, Senior Technical Product Manager at Bell

Let's Connect

Call
(514) 795-5144
LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/david-deskin/
Email
contact@daviddeskin.com