Teaching and Mentoring at Glasgow Caledonian University
Year • 2022 – Present
As a student at Glasgow Caledonian University, I was thrilled to take part in a UX Design module run in partnership with the BBC. It gave me my first chance to present to industry professionals – a pivotal moment that helped shape my career.
Now I’m a UX Designer at the BBC, and I'm co-leading that same module. I teach parts of the syllabus, give feedback on student work, and provide one-to-one mentorship. It’s extremely full-circle and rewarding to return as someone who once sat in those same lectures, now guiding the next wave of designers.
Full Case Study
Working in the BBC's Account team, I’ve led the creation of the Account Design System, centralising design components, guidance, and documentation for Sign In, Registration, Verification, and Settings.
The project included auditing existing designs, structuring the system, leading a team of designers in migrating assets to Figma, working with developers to align our documentation and component structure, and communicating our process and updates to a range of stakeholders.
This Design System has improved efficiency, consistency, and collaboration while serving as a foundation for additional Account team projects.
As a student at Glasgow Caledonian University, I was thrilled to take part in a UX Design module run in partnership with the BBC. It gave me my first chance to present to industry professionals – a pivotal moment that helped shape my career.
Now I’m a UX Designer at the BBC, and I'm co-leading that same module. I teach parts of the syllabus, give feedback on student work, and provide one-to-one mentorship. It’s extremely full-circle and rewarding to return as someone who once sat in those same lectures, now guiding the next wave of designers.
As a student at Glasgow Caledonian University, I was thrilled to take part in a UX Design module run in partnership with the BBC. It gave me my first chance to present to industry professionals – a pivotal moment that helped shape my career.
Now I’m a UX Designer at the BBC, and I'm co-leading that same module. I teach parts of the syllabus, give feedback on student work, and provide one-to-one mentorship. It’s extremely full-circle and rewarding to return as someone who once sat in those same lectures, now guiding the next wave of designers.
As a student at Glasgow Caledonian University, I was thrilled to take part in a UX Design module run in partnership with the BBC. It gave me my first chance to present to industry professionals – a pivotal moment that helped shape my career.
Now I’m a UX Designer at the BBC, and I'm co-leading that same module. I teach parts of the syllabus, give feedback on student work, and provide one-to-one mentorship. It’s extremely full-circle and rewarding to return as someone who once sat in those same lectures, now guiding the next wave of designers.
As a student at Glasgow Caledonian University, I was thrilled to take part in a UX Design module run in partnership with the BBC. It gave me my first chance to present to industry professionals – a pivotal moment that helped shape my career.
Now I’m a UX Designer at the BBC, and I'm co-leading that same module. I teach parts of the syllabus, give feedback on student work, and provide one-to-one mentorship. It’s extremely full-circle and rewarding to return as someone who once sat in those same lectures, now guiding the next wave of designers.
In 2020, during the pandemic, I was studying remotely for a BSc in Digital Design. The BBC-led UX module stood out. We were challenged to create a new BBC product that aligned with its public service mission.
I focused on the closure of theatres and performance venues during lockdown – an area I identified as being underserved by digital media. I proposed BBC Box Office, a platform to showcase new theatre productions, offering a space for performers to reach audiences online.
The project earned me the opportunity to present to the BBC’s UX&D team, laying the groundwork for my future career.
My Student Experience
In 2020, during the pandemic, I was studying remotely for a BSc in Digital Design. The BBC-led UX module stood out. We were challenged to create a new BBC product that aligned with its public service mission.
I focused on the closure of theatres and performance venues during lockdown – an area I identified as being underserved by digital media. I proposed BBC Box Office, a platform to showcase new theatre productions, offering a space for performers to reach audiences online.
The project earned me the opportunity to present to the BBC’s UX&D team, laying the groundwork for my future career.
Before this project, our team struggled with design and engineering inefficiencies due to the absence of a centralised component library.
Designers repeatedly recreated common elements, leading to duplication and inconsistency, while developers referenced multiple, out of sync libraries, and in some cases styled components completely locally.
We were in the process of migrating from Sketch to Figma, which left our work scattered across different software formats. Our guidelines, mostly stored in text documents, often went overlooked.
As a result, the Account experience became fragmented for users—some areas adhered to modern, accessible GEL design standards, while others relied on outdated legacy patterns. This inconsistency risked eroding user trust and causing further issues.
In 2020, during the pandemic, I was studying remotely for a BSc in Digital Design. The BBC-led UX module stood out. We were challenged to create a new BBC product that aligned with its public service mission.
I focused on the closure of theatres and performance venues during lockdown – an area I identified as being underserved by digital media. I proposed BBC Box Office, a platform to showcase new theatre productions, offering a space for performers to reach audiences online.
The project earned me the opportunity to present to the BBC’s UX&D team, laying the groundwork for my future career.
In 2020, during the pandemic, I was studying remotely for a BSc in Digital Design. The BBC-led UX module stood out. We were challenged to create a new BBC product that aligned with its public service mission.
I focused on the closure of theatres and performance venues during lockdown – an area I identified as being underserved by digital media. I proposed BBC Box Office, a platform to showcase new theatre productions, offering a space for performers to reach audiences online.
The project earned me the opportunity to present to the BBC’s UX&D team, laying the groundwork for my future career.
My Student Experience
My BBC Experience
Year One
After joining the BBC as a UX trainee, I volunteered to help run the same module. I collaborated with colleagues to deliver the course as it had been taught to me — introducing the brief, reviewing student progress, and offering formal feedback.
This collaboration between industry and education is something I care about deeply, especially as someone from a working-class background without existing industry connections.
Year Two and beyond
The following year, I worked with a small group of colleagues team to evolve the module – reshaping the brief, adding interactive workshops, and aligning the project more closely with the BBC’s real-world UX practices.
Having recently made the jump from student to professional, I had a good sense of the skills students needed to transition into their first career roles.
I also began mentoring a final-year student one-on-one, helping him build a portfolio and prepare for job interviews – something I would’ve hugely valued myself.
Year One
After joining the BBC as a UX trainee, I volunteered to help run the same module. I collaborated with colleagues to deliver the course as it had been taught to me — introducing the brief, reviewing student progress, and offering formal feedback.
This collaboration between industry and education is something I care about deeply, especially as someone from a working-class background without existing industry connections.
Year Two and beyond
The following year, I worked with a small group of colleagues team to evolve the module – reshaping the brief, adding interactive workshops, and aligning the project more closely with the BBC’s real-world UX practices.
Having recently made the jump from student to professional, I had a good sense of the skills students needed to transition into their first career roles.
I also began mentoring a final-year student one-on-one, helping him build a portfolio and prepare for job interviews – something I would’ve hugely valued myself.
Year One
After joining the BBC as a UX trainee, I volunteered to help run the same module. I collaborated with colleagues to deliver the course as it had been taught to me — introducing the brief, reviewing student progress, and offering formal feedback.
This collaboration between industry and education is something I care about deeply, especially as someone from a working-class background without existing industry connections.
Year Two and beyond
The following year, I worked with a small group of colleagues team to evolve the module – reshaping the brief, adding interactive workshops, and aligning the project more closely with the BBC’s real-world UX practices.
Having recently made the jump from student to professional, I had a good sense of the skills students needed to transition into their first career roles.
I also began mentoring a final-year student one-on-one, helping him build a portfolio and prepare for job interviews – something I would’ve hugely valued myself.
Teaching & Storytelling
I co-delivered presentations that introduced students to our team and core UX concepts. I focused on building a narrative around my own career journey to help students connect the dots between university and industry.
As a student, I went to great lengths to reflect the BBC’s public service values in my project. Now, working within the organisation, I’m able to offer students deeper insight into how the BBC’s mission to inform, educate, and entertain can drive their design thinking.
Advocating for the BBC
Since 2021, I’ve helped plan our monthly Studio Day — an all-hands UX&D showcase across the BBC.
In 2023, I led an initiative to invite four standout students to present their projects to over 200 BBC designers. It gave them a rare and exciting opportunity to get direct feedback from the industry.
Studio Day Playback
Teaching & Storytelling
I co-delivered presentations that introduced students to our team and core UX concepts. I focused on building a narrative around my own career journey to help students connect the dots between university and industry.
As a student, I went to great lengths to reflect the BBC’s public service values in my project. Now, working within the organisation, I’m able to offer students deeper insight into how the BBC’s mission to inform, educate, and entertain can drive their design thinking.
Advocating for the BBC
Since 2021, I’ve helped plan our monthly Studio Day — an all-hands UX&D showcase across the BBC.
In 2023, I led an initiative to invite four standout students to present their projects to over 200 BBC designers. It gave them a rare and exciting opportunity to get direct feedback from the industry.
Studio Day Playback
Teaching & Storytelling
I co-delivered presentations that introduced students to our team and core UX concepts. I focused on building a narrative around my own career journey to help students connect the dots between university and industry.
As a student, I went to great lengths to reflect the BBC’s public service values in my project. Now, working within the organisation, I’m able to offer students deeper insight into how the BBC’s mission to inform, educate, and entertain can drive their design thinking.
Advocating for the BBC
Since 2021, I’ve helped plan our monthly Studio Day — an all-hands UX&D showcase across the BBC.
In 2023, I led an initiative to invite four standout students to present their projects to over 200 BBC designers. It gave them a rare and exciting opportunity to get direct feedback from the industry.
Studio Day Playback
"Sam demonstrated everything a great design lecturer should be. A creative mind, an eye for detail to help and guide student designs and utilising his fantastic communication skills to convey guidance and feedback clearly."
Lecturer, Glasgow Caledonian University
"Sam demonstrated everything a great design lecturer should be. A creative mind, an eye for detail to help and guide student designs and utilising his fantastic communication skills to convey guidance and feedback clearly."
Lecturer, Glasgow Caledonian University
Teaching & Storytelling
I co-delivered presentations that introduced students to our team and core UX concepts. I focused on building a narrative around my own career journey to help students connect the dots between university and industry.
As a student, I went to great lengths to reflect the BBC’s public service values in my project. Now, working within the organisation, I’m able to offer students deeper insight into how the BBC’s mission to inform, educate, and entertain can drive their design thinking.
Advocating for the BBC
Since 2021, I’ve helped plan our monthly Studio Day — an all-hands UX&D showcase across the BBC.
In 2023, I led an initiative to invite four standout students to present their projects to over 200 BBC designers. It gave them a rare and exciting opportunity to get direct feedback from the industry.
Studio Day Playback