Ethan Carter
About

I’m Ethan, a product designer who likes the difficult, detailed problems.

I help teams make complex digital products clear, usable and ready to build, working independently from London with clients across the UK and Europe.

Portrait of Ethan Carter

Most of my work sits where business goals, technical constraints and real customer needs meet. That’s where products tend to become complicated — and where careful design makes the biggest difference.

Before going independent, I worked in in-house product teams and design studios, on everything from early-stage products to established platforms used every day. That mix taught me to value clear thinking over decoration, and working software over polished slides.

Today I work with a small number of clients at a time, usually as a senior designer embedded in the team or as a consultant helping shape direction. I work closely with product managers and engineers, so decisions are made together and designs arrive in production as intended.

Approach

A straightforward way of working.

  1. 01

    Understand

    I start by learning how the business works and what customers are trying to do, through conversations, existing research and time spent with the product.

  2. 02

    Define

    Together we agree the problem worth solving, what success looks like and the constraints we are working within.

  3. 03

    Design

    I explore options quickly, test them with real people and refine the strongest direction into detailed, accessible designs.

  4. 04

    Deliver

    I stay close to engineering through build, adjusting details as needed so the finished product matches the intent.

Capabilities

What I help with.

Product strategy

  • Discovery and problem framing
  • Experience audits
  • Roadmap and prioritisation support

Research

  • Customer interviews
  • Usability testing
  • Research synthesis

Design

  • Information architecture
  • Interaction and interface design
  • Prototyping

Systems & delivery

  • Design systems and component libraries
  • Accessibility (WCAG 2.2)
  • Developer handover
Working together

Flexible, depending on what your team needs.

Projects
A defined piece of work, such as a new product, a redesign or a key journey, from discovery to handover.
Embedded
Joining your team as a senior product designer for a period of time, working inside your rituals and tools.
Consultancy
Experience reviews, design direction and support for in-house designers when a second perspective helps.
Next step

Have a product that needs to be clearer?

Tell me a little about the project and where it’s stuck. I’ll reply personally.

Start a conversation