Designing an AI-powered safety and operations platform for infrastructure from the ground up
Role: FOUNDING PRODUCT DESIGNER / HEAD OF DESIGN
Mobile + Web | Seed → Series B | 35k+ users | 8 industry verticals
I joined FYLD as its founding designer at seed stage, leading product design from early discovery through to a global AI-powered operations platform used by 35,000+ people, while building the design capability needed to scale through Series B.
The problem
Frontline teams in utilities were managing safety-critical work through a fragmented mix of paper forms, phone calls and disconnected systems. Working in remote, high-risk environments, this left managers with limited visibility of risk, compliance and operational performance. I needed to design a product simple enough for frontline teams to adopt in demanding environments, while giving managers real-time visibility of work, risk and compliance, and organisations the insight needed to improve safety and productivity.
Shaping the product through field research
I began by conducting extensive research with fieldworkers and managers alongside our founding partner and anchor customer, SGN. Through ethnographic research on site, I observed real working practices, identifying key user groups, pain points and limitations in existing processes. These insights shaped the initial product direction, including video risk assessments, evidencing and job blockers, which I designed, tested and rapidly iterated with users.
From the outset, I championed a user-centred culture, encouraging product and engineering teams to spend time on site and experience challenges our users faced first-hand.
Turning field insights into design decisions
On-site research showed frontline teams needed an experience designed around high-pressure and challenging working conditions, digital confidence and limited connectivity.
Working with gloves and in poor weather informed large touch targets, high-contrast interfaces and simple interactions.
Varying digital confidence informed guided flows with clear steps and simple, plain-language instructions.
Poor or intermittent connectivity due to remote working locations made offline working and clear upload/sync feedback essential, so users could understand what had been saved and what still needed uploading.
Principles that shaped the product
A core set of product principles guided the development of the product from the outset.
The product
FYLD connected frontline teams and managers through a single platform, digitising safety-critical workflows and providing real-time visibility of work in the field. Over time, AI was embedded into these workflows to identify risk and support better decision-making.
AI-assisted video risk assessments
A core feature of the app that replaced a paper form or digital checkbox, video risk assessments allow fieldworkers to capture site conditions before starting work. FYLD uses NLP, computer vision and 3rd party data sources to identify potential hazards and suggest relevant controls for users to review and confirm.
Completed assessments are shared with the team on a job timeline, allowing managers to review and sign them off remotely.
Customer feedback shaped ongoing improvements, including digital sign-on so team members could confirm they had reviewed the assessment.
Key screens from the fieldworker Video Risk Assessment flow
The manager experience
The desktop platform gives managers real-time visibility across their operations, surfacing live jobs, emerging risks and safety insights in one place. Jobs requiring attention are automatically prioritised, with clear, accessible data visualisations helping managers identify issues and act quickly. Consistent interaction patterns across the platform reduce complexity and make the experience easy to learn and use at scale.
We implemented an AskAI feature that allowed managers to query there data in realtime.
Brand and product design guidelines
I consistently worked to ensure FYLD embeds world-class standards for accessibility and usability. The colour, typography, and iconography choices outlined below helped form the foundation of the company’s visual standards and design system.
Scaling the product
FYLD’s initial design system unified colour, typography, and components into a single, accessible framework across mobile and desktop experiences. Oversized buttons have been used in mobile app to ensure reliable use while wearing gloves and in poor weather conditions. Over time we built out separate detailed design systems for both web and mobile.
Key outcomes
Six years of product design helped FYLD improve frontline safety for customers, simplify complex workflows and scale from seed to Series B.
8
Industries
Including water, construction and mining
35,000+
users worldwide
Across the UK, North America, Central America and South America
50%
fewer safety incidents
Reported by a key customer over a 12-month period
8+/10
CSAT score
Maintained as the platform scaled internationally
