About Gemma Helyer Senior Product Designer and Social Media Educator.

Inclusive & accessible

For all abilities, identities, and backgrounds.

Strategy-driven

Big picture with research, hypotheses, and testing.

Collaboration

To bring diverse ideas through Design Thinking workshops.

Analysing pattern

Predict outcomes and supporting product development cycle.

Passion for Design

My journey into product design wasn’t planned, but it’s been incredibly rewarding. Here’s how it all started:

Creative Beginnings: I’ve always had a passion for drawing, crafting, and imagining. In my teens, I was introduced to HTML and CSS through MySpace, which sparked my love for web design.

Inclusive & Accessible Design: Today, I focus on creating meaningful, accessible experiences. I believe UX professionals have a responsibility to design for everyone, drawing from my personal experience with dyslexia to fuel this passion.

Dyslexia as a Strength

What was once seen as a challenge is now my greatest asset in product design.

Embracing Dyslexia: Reading and writing were once difficult, but now I see dyslexia as a gift that enhances my creativity, empathy, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Skills for Product Design: These traits allow me to connect dots, spot patterns, and make informed decisions in my design process.

Sharing Knowledge & Mentorship

I’m passionate about helping aspiring designers break into UX without the barriers of expensive education.

Free Learning Resources: During lockdown, I started an Instagram account to share my UX knowledge. It grew to over 20K followers, leading me to launch a YouTube channel where I continue to share free educational content.

Mentorship & Community: These platforms give me the opportunity to mentor upcoming designers and offer accessible, one-on-one guidance.

Inclusive digital professional 2024

I was honoured to receive the Inclusive Digital Professional Award at the 2024 Diversity & Inclusion Awards.

Award Recognition: Awarded the Inclusive Digital Professional Award at the 2024 Diversity & Inclusion Awards for contributions to accessibility and inclusivity in the digital field.

Celebrating Digital Professionals: Honoured alongside four outstanding finalists, highlighting the vital, yet often unseen, roles digital professionals play in promoting diversity and inclusion.