When it comes to disrupting entire industries and building transformative customer experiences, you have to have an exceptional team that can build these products at pace.

Our team at gravity9 is just that: highly skilled, driven, passionate, and fun to work with.

We continue our Meet the gravity9’ers series with the introduction of Paul O’Shaughnessy!

What is your role at gravity9? 

I’ve worked as a UX designer at gravity9 for a year and a half. My job is to make sure that I deliver the best user experience to the people who will be using the applications that I’m designing.

I do this using rapid research methods to best understand, frame and analyse the problem that faces these end users. I then iterate on wireframes until I find an appropriate solution that will enable them to achieve whatever goal they’re trying to achieve.

What advice would you give to someone looking to excel in your line of work? 

Ask as many questions as you can – all the time. Don’t be afraid that you might be asking something silly; it’s through these questions that you will learn and grow as a designer.

You should also make as many connections as you can when you’re starting off. These connections will allow you to gain the support of experienced people in the field. Develop your LinkedIn and attend as many UX design meetups and events as possible.

What do you enjoy most about working at gravity9?

There are many reasons why I love working at gravity9. Firstly, the work culture is a huge plus. Everyone on the team is super positive and enthusiastic about the work that we do. I feel that I’ve learned so much while working alongside everyone here.

Secondly, the work is very interesting. It’s a dynamic and fast-paced environment. No two weeks are the same, so it keeps me on my toes. The client that I’m currently working for has a lot of trust in gravity9. With that comes the freedom to be creative, try new things and explore solutions to find the best user experience for the customer.

Tell us about your hobbies and interests. What do you do in your spare time?

I’ve always been quite keen (more like obsessed, to be honest!) about music. I have recently picked up a pair of turntables and have finally started to collect records. There is something really exciting about having a physical copy of an album that you like.

The design of the sleeves can look fantastic, you can sometimes get a little backstory to the artist or album that you’ve just picked up, and the sound of that crackle at the beginning of a record is such a lovely warm sound.

What would be your dream vacation?

I did the Camino walk when I finished school many moons ago, and it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. It’s a funny holiday, as it’s obviously a bit of work to have to get up at 5 am every morning and walk 30 to 40km to get to your next destination. It was a super therapeutic trip. You get to see breathtaking landscapes all day long every day, eat amazing food, drink delicious wine, meet so many different types of really interesting and lovely people and just completely forget about whatever’s going on in the outside world while you’re on the road. I’m really keen on doing this trip again in the future.

I previously did the French route, but next time, I would like to do the Camino Norte, which follows the Spanish northern coast!

What really grinds your gears (your pet peeve)?

I don’t really have any pet peeves. Actually, you know what? I guess there could be one…

I really hate when you try to open the packaging for a food product, and the thing just tears on you, and then you have to get scissors or a knife out.

Poorly made products… There’s nothing worse!

What’s your favourite Quote?

“Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened.” – Dr Seuss.

What’s your favourite book, movie, or TV series (and why do you love it)?

I’m not the biggest reader, so I will go with a TV series. It’s impossible to call out a favourite, but if I were to mention one of my favourites, it would probably be a show from Channel 4 from about 10 years back… Utopia.

I loved this show because it had a really unique and well-written story, the soundtrack was fantastic, the cinematography was phenomenal, and it dealt with a space that I love: conspiracy theories!

Amazon Prime did a remake a few years back, and I would recommend that you absolutely DO NOT watch that one – go for the original!

Visit our Careers page to learn about current vacancies at gravity9 and the opportunities for joining our global team, and check out our Insights page for more “Meet the gravity9’ers” plus lots more team and tech discussion!