My name is Lew Collins. I'm a designer currently based in Pōneke (Wellington), Aotearoa New Zealand. Creativity has always been central to how I engage with the world, and I'm drawn to art, architecture, design, technology, and fashion. Over time I've found myself wanting to build a career around the things I'm genuinely passionate about, and design is where that's led me.
In the field of design, I'm particularly interested in interface, interaction, product, and graphic design, and I'm especially drawn to the research and human side of user experience work. My path here hasn't been a straight line. Before design I completed degrees in Law and Commerce, which gave me a way of thinking analytically and structuring complex problems that I carry into every project.
I've worked overseas as an AI content writer, where I spent a lot of time assessing experiences from a user's perspective and identifying where things weren't working and why. Since returning I've been working at Xero as a CX specialist, supporting accountants and bookkeepers who use our ever-changing core product. My role has genuinely shaped how I think about empathy in design. Watching users struggle with a product you can't immediately fix teaches you a lot about the gap between how something was intended and how it's actually experienced. That tension is what I find most interesting about UX, and what I most want to work on.
Outside of work, I can talk all day about music, movies, and comedy. I love interacting with new people and sharing my sense of humour with them. In my spare time you'll find me exploring the city and hunting out new cafés, sifting through bins of knick-knacks to litter my house with, or putting my seemingly endless well of useless knowledge to use at a quiz night.
University of Canterbury — Bachelor of Laws
University of Canterbury — Bachelor of Commerce
Yoobee College of Creative Innovation — Diploma in Digital Design
Supporting accountants and bookkeepers in resolving complex issues within Xero's platform. Work involves diagnosing multi-layered problems, communicating clearly with users under pressure, and collaborating closely with internal product teams to surface and escalate recurring issues. Requires quickly adapting to product changes and translating technical information into practical guidance for a wide range of users.
Produced high-quality written content to support the training and evaluation of large language models. Work demanded close attention to detail, clear and precise communication, and a strong ability to assess content from the perspective of an end user — identifying where responses missed the mark and articulating why.
Interviewed members of the public seeking legal assistance, gathering and synthesising relevant information before briefing duty solicitors to enable meaningful advice. Required active listening, empathy, and the ability to distil complex situations quickly and accurately under time constraints.
Delivered a consistently high standard of customer service across a busy retail environment, alongside administrative and inventory responsibilities. Developed strong interpersonal skills and a practical understanding of how to read and respond to different customer needs.