I'm a product designer with 15+ years of e-commerce and mobile app experience, from startups to large corporations.
Open to design roles in Vancouver
hi@mike-barker.com
Featured projects
Canadian Tire
I transformed mobile commerce through process change
Project
Mobile app redesign
Mobile app redesign
Timeline
2018–2019
2018–2019
Contribution
I led the end-to-end redesign of Canadian Tire's flagship mobile commerce app—overseeing both iOS and Android, defining the features & look, leading workshops, building the iOS prototypes & final iOS screens. I changed how the company approached product design development—I implemented a design sprint process, shifting the team from waterfall to iterative delivery.
I led the end-to-end redesign of Canadian Tire's flagship mobile commerce app—overseeing both iOS and Android, defining the features & look, leading workshops, building the iOS prototypes & final iOS screens. I changed how the company approached product design development—I implemented a design sprint process, shifting the team from waterfall to iterative delivery.
Problem
The mobile app needed to be replaced—built on an out-of-date web framework and lacking platform features including accessibility—the app had been designed to give an experience familar for both iPhone & Android customers but pleased neither. Typically outside agencies were contracted to deliever an entire app design in 6 weeks, and the development team expected all mockups before work could begin. There was also no accommodation for user testing or validation.
The mobile app needed to be replaced—built on an out-of-date web framework and lacking platform features including accessibility—the app had been designed to give an experience familar for both iPhone & Android customers but pleased neither. Typically outside agencies were contracted to deliever an entire app design in 6 weeks, and the development team expected all mockups before work could begin. There was also no accommodation for user testing or validation.
Impact
Delivered complete app redesign while maintaining rigorous user research and testing standards. Raised app's App Store rating to 4.8 from below 3-stars. Changed organizational capability—design sprints continue to be used internally.
Delivered complete app redesign while maintaining rigorous user research and testing standards. Raised app's App Store rating to 4.8 from below 3-stars. Changed organizational capability—design sprints continue to be used internally.
lululemon
I reduced e-commerce friction & drove revenue
Project
Back-in-stock Notifications
Back-in-stock Notifications
Timeline
2022–2023
2022–2023
Contribution
I designed the back-in-stock notification feature for lululemon's mobile app and website. Working with Product and UX research, I used the double-diamond process to take the competitivee user testing insights and foundational research to better define the core problem and constraints before crafting site-wide solutions that were narrowed down to a prototype for further usability testing, refined and delivered to the developers.
I designed the back-in-stock notification feature for lululemon's mobile app and website. Working with Product and UX research, I used the double-diamond process to take the competitivee user testing insights and foundational research to better define the core problem and constraints before crafting site-wide solutions that were narrowed down to a prototype for further usability testing, refined and delivered to the developers.
Problem
Captured in foundational research, guests couldn't purchase popular products as they were often out-of-stock, creating a dead-end shopping experience. Customers regularly called customer support asking when popular products would be back-in-stock.
Captured in foundational research, guests couldn't purchase popular products as they were often out-of-stock, creating a dead-end shopping experience. Customers regularly called customer support asking when popular products would be back-in-stock.
Impact
Partnered with Product to build tactical feature with broader retention strategy. Beat first year sales target months early, increased account engagement, and reactivated dormant accounts.
Partnered with Product to build tactical feature with broader retention strategy. Beat first year sales target months early, increased account engagement, and reactivated dormant accounts.
"I've been waiting all my life for this option from lulu thank f***in god"
— cinnamoncacao, reddit post
— cinnamoncacao, reddit post
Mountain Equipment Company
I defined a research-led mobile commerce strategy
Project
Mobile commerce UX strategy
Mobile commerce UX strategy
Timeline
2023–2024
2023–2024
Contribution
I led a comprehensive research initiative to understand customer mobile behavior and inform further mobile investment direction. I conducted usability tests and behavioural studies to identify the full end-to-end experience, pain points and a plan to correct them.
I led a comprehensive research initiative to understand customer mobile behavior and inform further mobile investment direction. I conducted usability tests and behavioural studies to identify the full end-to-end experience, pain points and a plan to correct them.
Problem
After migrating the e-commerce platform, MEC had a solid happy path experience but many modern features were missing, and future plans would mean we first needed to address all mobile experience paper-cuts.
After migrating the e-commerce platform, MEC had a solid happy path experience but many modern features were missing, and future plans would mean we first needed to address all mobile experience paper-cuts.
Impact
Delivered evidence-based strategy and feature recommendations that influenced mobile product roadmap. Provided leadership with customer insights to guide multi-year mobile commerce decisions. I began implementing the strategy and designed several new mobile features including save for later, back-in-stock notifications, and in-store availability.
Delivered evidence-based strategy and feature recommendations that influenced mobile product roadmap. Provided leadership with customer insights to guide multi-year mobile commerce decisions. I began implementing the strategy and designed several new mobile features including save for later, back-in-stock notifications, and in-store availability.
BC Transit
I built a public transit digital experience strategy
Project
Website audit and strategy
Website audit and strategy
Timeline
2023
2023
Contribution
I designed a comprehensive design strategy to improve website experience and accessibility for the provincial transit system. The 6-week project included research, user interviews, identifying insights & pain-points, early low-fi wireframes and high-fidelity mockups, and a phased improvement roadmap. Presented recommendations to executive leadership and development partners.
I designed a comprehensive design strategy to improve website experience and accessibility for the provincial transit system. The 6-week project included research, user interviews, identifying insights & pain-points, early low-fi wireframes and high-fidelity mockups, and a phased improvement roadmap. Presented recommendations to executive leadership and development partners.
Problem
Investment in the website had fallen behind leaving a site once cutting-edge now looking outdated and failing on basic accessibility. Internally they knew a redesign was needed but the two-year build meant accessibility and usability pain points wouldn't be addressed until then.
Investment in the website had fallen behind leaving a site once cutting-edge now looking outdated and failing on basic accessibility. Internally they knew a redesign was needed but the two-year build meant accessibility and usability pain points wouldn't be addressed until then.
Impact
Delivered strategic roadmap as foundation for website redesign. Demonstrated ability to navigate public sector requirements while maintaining human-centred approach.
Delivered strategic roadmap as foundation for website redesign. Demonstrated ability to navigate public sector requirements while maintaining human-centred approach.
About me
I'm a designer with 15+ years of experience—from solo designer at a startup to leading teams at scale—grounded in a formal graphic design education. I work end-to-end across the full design process, from discovery and strategy through to shipped product, and I adapt to new tools and constraints without losing sight of what actually makes something work.
Based in Vancouver, Canada
Get in touch:
Copy email address: hi@mike-barker.com
Connect on LinkedIn ↗
Side-projects
Over the years I've built a few experiments and side-projects in my spare time, often to follow an interest, or test my technical depth. Long before LLM tools have allowed experiments built by AI, I would design, code and ship. Below are a few example side-projects that I am most proud of.
IKEA Store Opening Visualization
Data visualization project featured in Buzzfeed & Hacker News, and recognized by IKEA
Dew coffee finder app
Designed & coded third-wave coffee discovery app to explore location-based UX patterns and modern development frameworks (Objective-C)
SwiftUI Protottyping ↗
Created educational resource teaching designers to build high-fidelity prototypes for better user testing