Design Under Pressure: Lessons From a Decade in Contracting
I spent over 10 years as a contractor in London, designing web and app experiences across finance, telecoms, retail, and more has taught me how to design under pressure, adapt fast, and deliver work that balances business goals with real human needs.
Contracting as a designer in London means working on short to medium-term projects for a websites, apps or tools for digital agencies or directly with large organisations. You are brought in to solve specific problems, such as redesigning a feature, launching a product with teams you have just met. This exposed me to a wide range of industries, from finance and retail to telecoms and consumer apps, and helps you build a versatile skill set while expanding your professional network.
You show up on Monday with a laptop and a decent shirt, and nobody knows your name yet but they all expect you to fix something. You sit drink coffee and listen. You learn fast because you have to. The project is always behind, the stakeholders always louder than the users, and the deadline is always yesterday. You work late, you ship it anyway, and you leave knowing that the thing you built might never have your name on it, but it made someone’s day a little easier. That’s the deal.
Every place had its own rhythm. At the big multinationals, you’d spend your mornings navigating acronyms and politics before you ever touched a screen. At the scrappy digital agencies, you’d sit elbow-to-elbow with the CEO and the developers, pushing pixels until midnight. You learn to read the room and to speak their language, and to deliver what they didn’t know they needed. Every job has taught me somethings I take into the next job.
See the career journey here http://linkedin.com/in/abdijnoor/
Five Lessons From Ten Years on the Road
Clarity beats complexity.
When you step into a project, your value comes from simplifying what others have overcomplicated. Make it clear. Make it actionable.Listen before you speak.
Every client, every team has context you don’t yet understand. Ask good questions, listen fully, and only then offer solutions.Deliver value fast.
You’re there to make an impact, not to warm a seat. Focus on what you can improve now rather than waiting for perfect conditions.Collaboration is the real skill.
It’s not enough to be good at your craft. You also have to align with others, build trust quickly, and bring people along with your vision.Leave a system, not just a design.
When you finish, the work should live on without you. Create frameworks, documentation, and processes the team can keep building on after you’re gone.
Some interesting Projects
📱 Orange Bank — Apple Pay at European Scale 2016
The Challenge:
Orange was under pressure to deliver Apple Pay across multiple EU markets — fast. Each country had its own laws, expectations, and technical quirks, but the experience had to feel seamless and trustworthy everywhere.
What I Did:
Redesigned the businesses Android mobile for the iOS platform to support Apple Pay rollout.
Worked and travelled on-site in London, Paris & Munich, and payments app to support across the EU.
Created a visual system that was both scalable and adaptable.
Balanced the competing needs of legal, engineering, and marketing teams.
Takeaway:
I learned how to balance the needs of a telecom business and a financial services under intense timelines.
🔒 HSBC — Turning GDPR Into Usability
The Challenge:
With GDPR2 looming, HSBC needed to overhaul its web and mobile banking experience for individuals and bauinfses such as Nike, Uber and others. The compliance requirements were rigid, but the app still had to feel usable and safe.
What I Did:
Designed compliant, accessible flows that fit naturally into the customer experience.
Worked with legal teams to translate regulations into simple interfaces.
Delivered detailed prototypes and clear documentation for engineering.
Takeaway:
I learned about fintech and how to balance the need of llegacy banking with the demands of new fintech.
🛒 Team Knowhow (Dixons Carphone) — Retail Under Pressure 2017
The Challenge:
Team Knowhow needed to refresh their £5M responsive site before peak shopping season. The company was juggling old infrastructure, a large inventory, and rising customer expectations.
What I Did:
Delivered comprehensive wireframes and flows covering every customer journey.
Updated and expanded the design system to future-proof the experience.
Worked closely with business, tech, and customer service teams to align priorities.
Takeaway:
In retail, speed and quality aren’t mutually exclusive. You just need to prioritise ruthlessly, keep the customer front of mind, and deliver clarity at every turn.
🍕 Domino’s Pizza — Competing With Uber Eats 2018
The Challenge:
Domino’s was facing fierce competition from food delivery newcomers like Uber Eats and Deliveroo. The apps needed to feel more modern, competitive, and customer-centric.
What I Did:
Conducted deep competitor research and feature mapping.
Streamlined ordering and tracking flows for iOS and Android apps.
Balanced brand personality with the efficiency customers were coming to expect.
Takeaway:
Even in crowded markets, small improvements can make a big impact. Here I learned the value of market research and how to weave competitive insights into practical, meaningful design changes.
What I Learned
That decade taught me to thrive in unfamiliar environments, align fast with new teams, and deliver impactful design under pressure.
Some lessons that still guide me today:
Design under pressure — deadlines focus the mind; clarity wins over perfection.
Design with constraints — limitations are a gift if you know how to use them.
Build trust quickly — people listen when you speak their language and deliver value.
Adapt fast — every sector has its rhythms; learn them quickly and contribute early.
Focus on impact — good design solves the right problem, not just the obvious one.
By the time I stepped into games, I already knew how to design for complexity, at scale, with care.
I still think of those years fondly.