Coaching and mentoring for product and design people
Hey, I'm Alastair
I've been developing digital products and services in one way or another for 25 years.
I spent my early career in product management roles at the BBC and Time Out. In 2013 I became a freelance consultant doing user research, strategy and design.
I've worked with organisations as diverse as Zurich Insurance, The National Trust, The Royal Navy, Octopus Energy, Bristol City Council and The Cabinet Office - as well as startups and scale-ups in travel, fintech, proptech, energy and health. If your interested here's a full list of my projects.
I now run Panda - a digital product and service design firm, where I bring together teams of experts from my network to work with clients.
My role on Panda projects often involves coaching and mentoring in-house product and design staff as they adopt modern design and development practices.
I really enjoy it and the feedback has been great. So I have decided to offer coaching and mentoring as a stand alone service.
Do you think you might benefit? If so, hit the button below and let's have a conversation.
I can help when...
You're feeling overwhelmed and need help to prioritise and find your focus.
You've come up against a problem you've not solved before and need input from someone who's been there.
You've decided it's time to take your career to the next level and need a plan of action.
You're struggling to make the case for your ideas and need tools and techniques to help you win people over.
You just need someone to talk to that's on your side, listens carefully and can help you order your thinking and achieve your potential.
I can help by...
Coaching - asking questions to help you find the right answers.
Mentoring - introducing you to frameworks, concepts and techniques that I have found helpful in similar situations.
Training - providing bespoke training for teams and individuals on topics like, defining a product vision, interviewing users, mapping opportunities and collaborating with stakeholders.
Consulting - offering recommendations tailored to your situation.
Acting as a 'fractional' leader - Often startups and scale-ups have one or two designers and product people, but no one representing their discipline(s) at the leadership level. I can fill that gap in as little as 0.5 days per week.
Don't take my word for it...
Emma Wilson
UX Researcher - Evora
How do you work with Alastair?
I’m still in the early stages of my career in UX design, so I’ve found it invaluable to come to Alastair with various challenges - from process issues, to prototyping methods, to how to best articulate my design decisions. His many years of experience make him a fantastic sounding board for design and product related challenges.
What value does he bring?
Alastair's excellent at helping me figure out what the core problem might be, asking questions to help me see the situation from a different perspective, and suggesting extra reading and resources, so that I can work towards an appropriate solution.
Lots of coaches out there, why choose Alastair?
Something that really sets him apart is he actively asks for and implements feedback. He listens, reflects and tailors his sessions to his learners, so they can get as much out of them as possible.
Liz Roberts
Product Manager - GripAble
How do you work with Alastair?
I had recently joined a startup and was new to working with a technology product. I needed a crash course in user experience and product management, and how to establish and grow those functions within the company.
I was overwhelmed with the amount of work and wasn’t sure where I should start. Plus we had a number of issues that we wanted to address within the product, but lacked a clear understanding of where we wanted to go and what to prioritise.
What value does he bring?
Alastair gave me more confidence to take on more responsibility. He helped me learn the basics of Product Discovery and how to put user needs at the centre of a strong product process.
I use what I learned from Alastair everyday - whether it is leading user interviews, running ideation sessions, or simply prioritising the backlog.
As the company has grown and our product ambitions have expanded, the insight and experience I've gained from working with Alastair has helped me ask the right questions, advocate for our users, and approach complex problems with confidence and empathy.
I’m now working with two junior product managers, and not a week goes by where I’m not passing on some piece of wisdom or insight Alastair shared with me.
Lots of coaches out there, why choose Alastair?
He is incredibly experienced, has a breadth of resources he happily shares, and is always available for a conversation.
I felt comfortable asking basic questions, going to Alastair for guidance on issues related to work and my personal career trajectory, and even sharing book and show recommendations!
I always felt like Alastair was in my corner, even when I got something wrong or needed a couple of tries to grasp a concept.
I’m so grateful I got the opportunity to work with Alastair. I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without his support.
Could I help you?
Let's find out in an informal, no commitment, conversation.
We'll discuss your situation, your goals and what you want from a relationship with a coach or mentor. We'll also go through potential ways of working together, fees and practicalities.
Links
Follow me on LinkedIn (recommended) or Twitter
See examples of my consulting work at Panda.Associates