Hello.hi.hey.yo.sup.

Adam Brace
Born – 1990, Coventry, UK 
Resides – Toronto, CAN

Education –
BDes Graphic Design
OCAD University
Adam portrait wearing a hoody and a plant in the background
Portrait by Becca Gilgan

With over 10 years design experience I enjoy solving complex problems using the power of human centred design, strategy and technology. I have experience growing, guiding and leading teams in high growth internal enterprise environments as well as fast-paced digital agencies.

I’m currently Product Design Lead at Loblaw Digital, guiding a team of designers working on our Helios Platform and Personalization initiatives.

My team is responsible for developing platform capabilities for business lines and teams across the Loblaw enterprise. Our mission is to deliver personalized customer experiences with composable reusable tools. We work across our services delivering capabilities for our customer and colleagues. Our work helps our product teams ship new customer experience faster with modular front-end components leveraging a multi-brand design system. Gives our back office staff confidence with supportive storefront management tooling. Whilst empowering our marketers to scale personalized interactions with customers using dynamic personalization capabilities.

Previously to my platform role at Loblaw Digital, I helped scale our online grocery business PC Express, grow our UX team and develop my product design practice from Product Designer to Product Design Lead.

I have experience guiding the full-arc human centered product design process from discovery and research, interaction and UX design to design execution, creative direction, developer handoff and continuous iteration.

As a design leader I coach, mentor and manage designers embedded on teams across the organization. I aim to empower designers through autonomy and transparency, direct communication and individual attention to their unique ambitions.

Before Loblaw Digital I worked at Saatchi & Saatchi Canada designing digital experiences for Toyota Canada across the Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands. I earned my design degree at OCAD University majoring in Graphic Design.

Outside of work you can find me watching football ⚽️, hanging with my dog, running, at concerts or enjoying time with friends and family at one of Toronto's amazing restaurants or bars. I have a passion for creativity beyond design with interests in music, fashion and photography and an obsession with sneakers and hats.
Adam sat with fellow designer Kristina in a modern office space discussing work in front of a laptop.
Adam sat on a vintage orange chair smiling wearing a baseball cap, Nike airman sneakers, jeans and a long sleeve Nike T-shirt

Experience

Speaking

Skills

Product Design

  • UX & Interaction design
  • Design systems
  • Micro-interactions/animation
  • Websites
  • iOS & Android app design
  • Vision & roadmapping
  • Service design thinking
  • Accessibility

Visual Design

  • UI design
  • Brand identity & positioning
  • Typography
  • Creative direction
  • Graphic design
  • Photography

Research & Strategy

  • Design Sprints
  • Customer journey mapping
  • Storytelling & presentations
  • Usability testing
  • Heuristic evaluation
  • Qualitative research
  • Experimentation & A/B testing
  • Workshops & facilitation

Design Leadership

  • Coaching & mentorship
  • Career development planning
  • Stakeholder management
  • Recruiting & hiring
  • Team operations
  • Practice advocacy

Values

Stay human focused


I believe as a designer I’m a dot-connector, I facilitate ideas, I tell stories and I connect with people. I strive to build empathy not only with users and customers but also with the teams I work with, by authentically showing up, deepening relationships and supporting great work by being great to work with.

Be insight driven


I use research and data to inform the work I create. Uncovering new insights to help frame up problems, better articulate customers intentions and empower teams through confidence of learnings.

Align for growth


My practice is shaped by working with passion, determination and grit but I never forget to show up with curiosity. I approach each week with openness to learn, willingness for self reflection and an appetite to expand my practice.

Candid transparency


I love building relationships grounded in trust and authenticity. Using thoughtful candid feedback, encouraging guidance and welcoming open critique to shape cohesive teams.

Lead by serving


I believe leading a team means jumping into the trenches together. I use banter and humour to keep teams grounded but offer my time, empathy and experience to find moments where we win together. All whilst finding space to celebrate, elevate and encourage individual growth.

This website was designed in Figma, built in Webflow and hosted by Mediatemple. The type is set in Neue Machina by Pangram Pangram, Aeonik by CoType Foundry and Relative Mono by Colophon Foundry. Powered by IPA’s and whiskey.

Come on you Reds, play up Sky Blues, Football’s coming home.