Brent Neave

Brent Neave

UX Design in New Zealand, He/him

About

I’m a highly adaptable designer and developer with more than 20 years of diverse experience. During that time I’ve worked on public-facing, wide-reaching websites and technical products. What motivates me is collaborating with others in the creation of effective and usable digital product user interfaces. I’m comfortable in both hands-on and leadership roles, and enjoy both.

Projects

2024

Over the years, and a few different stints at the company, I’ve designed and redesigned data management, discovery, acquisition and consumption workflows; as well as designing and maintaining a design system.

2023

The McLeavey Gallery is a New Zealand art institution and has operated since 1966. I freelanced for the gallery between 2009–2023. During that time I designed, and twice redesigned, their website; produced countless email campaigns; designed a logotype, signage, stationery and exhibition catalogues for them; and won two DINZ Best Design Awards for website redesigns.

2022

Contracted remotely for Stedi for several months to help wrangle a set of diverse set of early product interfaces into a cohesive and accessible experience. Directly contributed to the design system codebase daily. Wrote React components. Created pull requests into product team repositories updating the design system dependency.

2021

I worked as a Design Systems lead at BNZ, collaborating closely with designers, product people, developers and researchers to expand and maintain an accessible cross-platform design system.

2015
Kiwi Wealth at Kiwi Wealth

Early research and concept for helping customers onboard digitally into a KiwiSaver fund (New Zealand’s retirement savings scheme).

2014

NZ On Air is an independent government funding agency that invests in public media for many different audiences. I worked on the IA, content mapping and visual design for a major overhaul of their website.

Work Experience

2016 — 2024
Remote

Koordinates is a suite of geospatial data management and distribution tools. Researched, conceived and developed user workflows and interfaces, shipped and evaluated their impact and iterated on them to improve the software over time and help grow the Koordinates customer base. Designed and maintained a user interface design system. Recruited designers and developers.

2022 — 2023
Remote

Stedi is a SaaS company focused on simplifying EDI integrations. Collaborated with remote, distributed designers and engineers to design, build and implement a design system for web apps. Contributed to multiple front end code repositories daily. Improved the accessibility and consistency of Stedi’s products, and the productivity of multiple teams designing and building user interfaces.

2018 — 2021
Wellington, New Zealand

Worked across teams and reporting lines with researchers, developers, designers, writers, accessibility experts, product owners and business analysts to expand and maintain a multi-platform design system and documentation for digital retail banking products. Improved the accessibility and consistency of BNZ’s products, and the productivity of multiple teams designing and building user interfaces.

2013 — 2016
Wellington, New Zealand

Springload is a digital agency. Led design of web and mobile projects for high profile clients including NZTA, NZ On Air, REANNZ, Kiwibank, and KiwiWealth. Ensured projects were delivered profitably and to a high standard of design. Contributed to four Designers Institute Best Design Award winning projects. Mentored and recruited designers.

2011 — 2013
Wellington, New Zealand

Trade Me is an auction site and marketplace. Designed first iterations of the Trade Me iPad app, and the Trade Me Property universal iOS app for iPad and iPhone.

2010 — 2011
Wellington, New Zealand

DNA is a digital agency. Designed the first versions of BNZ (Bank of New Zealand)’s iPhone, Android, and mobile web retail banking applications.

2009 — 2010
Wellington, New Zealand

SilverStripe is a content management system. UI design for the beta release of SilverStripe Dawn, a site monitoring tool aimed at server administrators and site owners.

2007 — 2009
Wellington, New Zealand

NV Interactive is a digital agency. Designed and art directed websites, games, and applications for clients including NZ Fire Service, Cloudy Bay Vineyards, NZ Police, Telecom, M&C Saatchi, Clemenger BBDO and Touch/Cast Next.

2005 — 2007
Interactive Designer at SecondSphere
Wellington, New Zealand

SecondSphere was a digital studio. Designed (and often built) websites, games, and applications for clients including Toyota, Mitsubishi, Telecom, Wild Rock Wines, V (Frucor) and 42 Below Vodka.

2003 — 2005
Designer at Design + Print Direct
Whangarei, New Zealand

Design + Print Direct was a design studio and print shop with its own vintage Heidelberg presses. Design and development of web sites, multimedia, and print work from consultation and planning stage to finished product.

2001 — 2002
Dunedin, New Zealand

Tutored papers in digital design, drawing, and colour theory whilst completing postgraduate studies.

Contact

LinkedIn