Oliver is a Melbourne-based Creative Director and a multi-discipline designer, with particular specialisms in digital design, web accessibility and responsive design.
He has helped lead, create and deliver award-winning websites, iOS apps, interactive kiosks, brand projects, creative campaigns and strategic design thinking for some of Australia’s foremost clients including the Australian Football League, Telstra and the State Government of Victoria. Oliver’s experience includes working for the UK’s most prestigious cultural institutions including Historic Royal Palaces, English Heritage and the National Trust of Scotland.
Implementing a data-driven design approach, Oliver brings a unique brand of creativity, a passion for user-focussed experiences and a pragmatic approach. The result is original, memorable and influential work with proven outcomes that achieve their goals for relevant audiences.
RECOGNITION
Finalist, AGDA Best in Digital Design, 2015
Winner, AWIA ‘Best in Show’, 2015
Winner, AWIA National Best in design for Government, 2015
Winner, AWIA State of Victoria Best in design for Government, 2015
CSS Design Kudos Award, 2015
Finalist, AIMIA Best of Smartphone, 2014
Finalist, State Government of Victoria, App My State Awards, 2012
Twice Finalist, Australian Publishers Association (APA) Book Design Awards, 2008
CREATIVE PROCESS
Oliver’s approach to design in his digital lead roles can be broken into three parts:
design planning, client facing and team facing.
DESIGN PLANNING
As a design planning Creative Director Oliver can:
Produce and direct outstanding design and interface work that is well considered; whilst balancing business and user objectives
Be a creative lead and be responsible and accountable for the quality of design deliverables across every project.
Exhibit a tactile, hands-on approach, shape a concept and see it through to implementation across a variety of devices and platforms.
Be an advocate for the value and power of design aesthetic, UI and UX.
Demonstrate how design and UX combine to help and/or excite the viewer, and how to articulate these strengths to clients.
Approach projects with a solution driven mindset, solving problems with a can-do attitude.
TEAM FACING
As a team facing Creative Director Oliver can:
Art direct, manage and lead a team of designers with a high attention to detail and quality assurance to create standout work.
Enthuse his team with a detailed understanding of the core design components that should be integrated into projects, including: user research, the importance of business in design, technology and graphic design.
Mentor the design team at a molecular level, imparting his knowledge in design tools including Sketch, InVision and the Adobe suite; HTML, CSS and open-source Content Management Systems; the UX process, and the value of user research, testing and wireframing.
Define project roles, communicate responsibilities and expectations to each team member on each project.
Instill in his team confidence to explore innovative design solutions while respecting client brand guidelines and deadlines.
Create design briefs based on project proposals, client and strategic requirements.
Collaborate with management teams to define project scope, goals and deliverables.
CLIENT FACING
As a client facing Creative Director Oliver can:
Use creative facilitation techniques and lead workshops, presentations, brainstorms and external design events.
Establish strong relationships with client stakeholders.
Work client-side, on design sprints with agile project methodologies.
Collaborate with the Project Manager to manage changes in scope and devise contingency plans.
Alert the Business Development Manager to new opportunities that may arise from projects.
THAT LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA
As my side hustle (love that phrase), I curate an online vintage, collectible art emporium – Posh Prints. Having scoured the world’s antique markets on my travels, I built up a sizeable collection of interesting prints. Recognising that there is a market for people that want quality one-offs without the inflated price tag, I now attempt to sell my framed wares.
Inspired by recent speaking slots and crits at Billy Blue School of Design, I completed a Training and Assessment course. Originally with the intent to teach, I’m using my newly acquired skill and knowledge to construct a course on Accessibility in Web Design for General Assembly, hopefully to run later this year.
In another life I would have been an explorer and cartographer, travelling and mapping the world’s new found lands. Arguably two centuries late for this pursuit, I’m still an adventurer, most recently looking to collaborate with author Jamie Maslin to travel from Darwin to Indonesia by sea to join the dots on an epic overland journey from my hometown Oxford to my adopted home Melbourne.
CONTACT
oliver.newbery@gmail.com
Insty @olinewbery
LinkedIn olivernewbery
COLOPHON
Oliver wishes to acknowledge that project artwork is the property of the agency or client listed.
All creative direction, art direction and design by Oliver Newbery.
Additional design production assistance by Rochelle Macdonald, Selena Kearney and Andy Lewis; motion graphics production by Taylor Curry.