Philosophy
I believe great design starts with a simple question: will this actually help someone? In my view, the most enduring businesses are built on genuine human needs and desires. I think growth and profitability are essential for business today, but to me they're most meaningful when they follow from providing something people truly value.
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Service & Systems
With 10 years of SaaS and UX design for specialist technologies like Microchip design software (Dialpad 2016 – 2020, Calm B2B 2020–2022, Chipstack, 2025), I am always fascinated with learning how systems work and how I can apply service design thinking to making processes more pleasant and efficient for users.
Craft
Educationally grounded in typography (Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design 2006), I believe less is more. While not all businesses I have worked with share this belief, I’m always seeking ways to simplify in the most meaningful ways for customers.
Alignment
Internally aligning aa team with the business and customer goals is at the heart of the work I do. 15+ years working in tech has taught me the value of balancing velocity with customer satisfaction, to maintain a healthy product.
Mentorship
As an experience design leader, both as Head of Design at Dialpad (2016–2020) and Staff Designer at Calm (2020 – 2024), I am grateful for the opportunity to mentor designers in practice and politics.
Work
ChipStack – AI Action Bar
Role: Freelance Product Designer
Worked with CEO (Product) and Engineering team to translate a vscode-based, engineer-built UI into a user friendly interface with easy accessibility to key features.
Additionally, worked with engineering to execute various UX and information architecture projects to improve the user experience by building better HCI communication, consistent patterns across all systems and minor design system tweaks to modernize the experience without diverging from the vscode system too far.
Calm - Consumer
Role: Staff Product Designer
Worked with CPO, Product VPs, Product Design team, Calm Studio creative team on both shipping and experimental features and apps from traditional engagement tactics to new experiences.
Calm - B2B
Role: Staff Product Designer
Worked with a team of 3 engineers to bring Calm’s B2B offering from zero to one in under 2 months. Met with our account management team several times per week to research while building and shipping internally to them prior to launching to customers.
ChipStack – Brand Marketing
Role: Freelance Product Designer, continuing work from a freelance content designer.
Worked with CEO and CTO to expand the ChipStack website from a single informational page to a full website with product outlines, company information and resources page prior to their acquisition by Cadence in late 2025.
Red9 – Growth Products
Role: Freelance Product Designer
Worked in a subcontracting capacity with a growth consultant to create a health check dashboard to encourage website viewers to perform checks on their systems, find problems and in turn hire Red9 as their SQL Database consultants.
Spencer Holtaway
Designer
✼
Creative
✼
Mentor
Philosophy
I believe great design starts with a simple question: will this actually help someone? In my view, the most enduring businesses are built on genuine human needs and desires. I think growth and profitability are essential for business today, but to me they're most meaningful when they follow from providing something people truly value.
✼
Experience
Chipstack
Microchip Design Software
Freelance Product & Marketing
2025 – 2025
Red9
SQL Server Consultancy
Freelance Product & Marketing
2023 – 2024
Calm
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Staff Product Designer
2020 – 2024
Dialpad
Business Communications
Head of Design
2016 – 2020
Shuddle
Rideshare for Families & Kids
Sr. UX Designer
2014 – 2016
Zynga
Words With Friends, Boggle
Lead UI Designer
2010 – 2014
London Agencies
PR stunts, stage & events
Creative, spatial & print designer
2006 – 2010
College
Visual Communication
Central Saint Martins, London
2003 – 2006
Service & Systems
With 10 years of SaaS and UX design for specialist technologies like Microchip design software (Dialpad 2016 – 2020, Calm B2B 2020–2022, Chipstack, 2025), I am always fascinated with learning how systems work and how I can apply service design thinking to making processes more pleasant and efficient for users.
Craft
Educationally grounded in typography (Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design 2006), I believe less is more. While not all businesses I have worked with share this belief, I’m always seeking ways to simplify in the most meaningful ways for customers.
Alignment
Internally aligning a team with business and customer goals is at the heart of the work I do. 15+ years working in tech has taught me the value of balancing velocity and growth with true customer satisfaction, to maintain a healthy product and business.
Mentorship
As an experienced design leader, both as Head of Design at Dialpad (2016–2020) and Staff Designer at Calm (2020 – 2024), I am grateful for the opportunity to mentor designers in practice and politics.
Work
ChipStack – AI Action Bar
Role: Freelance Product Designer
Worked with CEO (Product) and Engineering team to translate a vscode-based, engineer-built UI into a user friendly interface with easy accessibility to key features.
Additionally, worked with engineering to execute various UX and information architecture projects to improve the user experience by building better HCI communication, consistent patterns across all systems and minor design system tweaks to modernize the experience without diverging from the vscode system too far.
Calm - Consumer
Role: Staff Product Designer
Worked with CPO, Product VPs, Product Design team, Calm Studio creative team on both shipping and experimental features and apps from traditional engagement tactics to new experieces.
Calm - B2B
Role: Staff Product Designer
Worked with a team of 3 engineers to bring Calm’s B2B offering from zero to one in under 2 months. Met with our account management team several times per week to research while building and shipping internally to them prior to launching to customers.
ChipStack – Brand Marketing
Role: Freelance Product Designer, continuing work from a freelance content designer.
Worked with CEO and CTO to expand the ChipStack website from a single informational page to a full website with product outlines, company information and resources page prior to their acquisition by Cadence in late 2025.
Red9 – Growth Products
Role: Freelance Product Designer
Worked in a subcontracting capacity with a growth consultant to create a health check dashboard to encourage website viewers to perform checks on their systems, find problems and in turn hire Red9 as their SQL Database consultants.
Spencer Holtaway
Designer
✼
Creative
✼
Mentor
Philosophy
I believe great design starts with a simple question: will this actually help someone? In my view, the most enduring businesses are built on genuine human needs and desires. I think growth and profitability are essential for business today, but to me they're most meaningful when they follow from providing something people truly value.
✼
Experience
Chipstack
Microchip Design Software
Freelance Product & Marketing
2025 – 2025
Red9
SQL Server Consultancy
Freelance Product & Marketing
2023 – 2024
Calm
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Staff Product Designer
2020 – 2024
Dialpad
Business Communications
Head of Design
2016 – 2020
Shuddle
Rideshare for Families & Kids
Sr. UX Designer
2014 – 2016
Zynga
Words With Friends, Boggle
Lead UI Designer
2010 – 2014
London Agencies
PR stunts, stage & events
Creative, spatial & print designer
2006 – 2010
College
Visual Communication
Central Saint Martins, London
2003 – 2006
Service & Systems
With 10 years of UX design for SaaS and specialist technologies like business telephony and microchip design software (Dialpad 2016 – 2020, Calm B2B 2020–2022, Chipstack, 2025), I am always fascinated with learning how systems work and how I can apply service design thinking to making processes more pleasant and efficient for users.
Craft
Educationally grounded in typography (Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design 2006), I believe less is more. While not all businesses I have worked with share this belief, I’m always seeking ways to simplify in the most meaningful ways for customers.
Alignment
Internally aligning a team with business and customer goals is at the heart of the work I do. 15+ years working in tech has taught me the value of balancing velocity and growth with true customer satisfaction, to maintain a healthy product and business.
Mentorship
As an experienced design leader, both as Head of Design at Dialpad (2016–2020) and Staff Designer at Calm (2020 – 2024), I am grateful for the opportunity to mentor designers in practice and politics.
✼
Work
ChipStack – AI Action Bar
Role: Freelance Product Designer
Worked with CEO (Product) and Engineering team to translate a vscode-based, engineer-built UI into a user friendly interface with easy accessibility to key features.
Additionally, worked with engineering to execute various UX and information architecture projects to improve the user experience by building better HCI communication, consistent patterns across all systems and minor design system tweaks to modernize the experience without diverging from the vscode system too far.
Calm - Consumer
Role: Staff Product Designer
Worked with CPO, Product VPs, Product Design team, Calm Studio creative team on both shipping and experimental features and apps from traditional engagement tactics to new experieces.
Calm - B2B
Role: Staff Product Designer
Worked with a team of 3 engineers to bring Calm’s B2B offering from zero to one in under 2 months. Met with our account management team several times per week to research while building and shipping internally to them prior to launching to customers.
ChipStack – Brand Marketing
Role: Freelance Product Designer, continuing work from a freelance content designer.
Worked with CEO and CTO to expand the ChipStack website from a single informational page to a full website with product outlines, company information and resources page prior to their acquisition by Cadence in late 2025.
Red9 – Growth Products
Role: Freelance Product Designer
Worked in a subcontracting capacity with a growth consultant to create a health check dashboard to encourage website viewers to perform checks on their systems, find problems and in turn hire Red9 as their SQL Database consultants.
✼
Contact
if you’d like to learn more about my creative pursuits, click here
Spencer Holtaway
Designer
✼
Creative
✼
Mentor