Marjan Angoshtari

Marjan Angoshtari

Mobile phone: +44 7752 663912 

Most recently the Head of Design at a product development consultancy, Marjan is an accomplished Design Lead with over two decades of experience in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and new product development, renowned for transforming complex challenges and research insights into innovative Human-Centric solutions. Adept at leading multidisciplinary design and research teams and delivering strategic initiatives for global leaders, Marjan is an experienced User Researcher, User Experience Designer and Design Strategist with a passion for crafting cutting-edge products, services and experiences that can make a real difference in people’s lives. She brings two decades of success in collaborating with multidisciplinary teams on transformative research and development projects. Her key areas of expertise lie in Design Research and New Product Development, utilising a User-Centric Design approach. Marjan has driven numerous successful initiatives with global organisations and teams across various countries, including Vodafone, Airbus, Guzzini, Unilever, Brother Industries Ltd., ArjoHuntleigh, the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre, Brunel University London, NHS Scotland, Merck, Cepheid, Illumina and Roche Pharmaceuticals.

Key Competencies and Expertise 

Extensive Expertise in Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methodologies:

• Extensive experience and expertise in planning, undertaking, synthesising and supervising Qualitative and Quantitative Research using a range of research methodologies such as contextual inquiry, observation, interviews, focus groups, usability testing, ethnography, surveys, tree testing, card sorting, heuristics evaluation, etc. 
• Experienced in working on Government projects and Government Digital Service standards (GDS).
• Expertise in planning and executing qualitative and quantitative research activities and methodologies. These include but are not limited to: formulating high-quality objectives and research questions, conducting literature review, selecting appropriate research methodologies and sampling strategies, designing the interview questions and structure, participant recruitment, comprehensive data collection and analysis methods, prototyping and testing, etc.
• Extensive experience in translating research insights into key features and requirements of meaningful solutions.
• Proven track record of designing and implementing effective qualitative and quantitate research methodologies at large organisations.
• Extensive experience in building the capabilities of Human-Centred Design and Research at global organisations such as Roche Pharmaceuticals, Illumina, etc.
• Extensive experience in the successful delivery of research programmes and unique research insights leading to the creation of innovative solutions for various organisations and teams over the course of 20 years.
• Successful leadership and supervision of strategic research and UCD initiatives e.g. a global Digital Medical Product Knowledge Base and a visionary roadmap for over 100 people at Roche Pharma International based on extensive research and analysis. Developed a successful digital product with a global team, supporting the medical knowledge access and organisation at Roche for potentially 100,000 users. 
• Successful delivery of complex research initiatives, high-quality insights, reports and deliverables for large life silences and pharma companies, including Roche Pharmaceuticals, Cepheid and Illumina, delivering value to users, clients and business stakeholders in various organisations.

Leadership and Management:

• Successful management, mentorship and leadership of multidisciplinary Research and Design teams (User Researchers, UX Designers, UI Designers and Service Designers). Oversight of complex research and development projects, developing and delivering Research Programmes for global clients, ensuring high-quality research outcomes and impactful user-centric solutions across a wide range of projects.
• Successful management and leadership of high-performing, globally dispersed Research and Design teams as well as large Programmes over the years (e.g. the Design team at Roche as well as Head of Research and Design at Wyoming).
• Extensive expertise in building the capabilities of Human-Centred Design within large organisations.
• Years of experience working on high-profile projects.
• Strong track record of successfully navigating diverse cultural landscapes in complex, global organisations in England, Wales, Scotland, USA, Switzerland and Japan.
• Successfully integrated User-Centred Design within the Agile framework to optimise product development.

Experience

October 2023 – November 2024: Head of Research and UCD Design at Wyoming, Digital Product Development Consultancy, U.K. Successful management and leadership of a high-performing Design and Research Department consisting of User Researchers, UX Designers, UI Designers, and Service Designers. Management of complex and global research projects. Responsible for the development of Department’s vision and strategy to ensure the delivery of meaningful and evidence-based user experiences to users and customers based on high-quality research outcomes. Providing strategic guidance, mentorship, research supervision and oversight across complex projects, building the capabilities of UCD and enhancing the effectiveness of the Design function. Successful management of projects and research plans, product development, client and stakeholder management and business development. Successfully identified areas for improvement, setting targets and ensuring KPIs are met, while developing solutions in an iterative manner to ensure value delivery, have been integral parts of my responsibilities in my role as Head of Research and Design. Successful development and delivery of high-quality research insights, evidence-based solutions and deliverables on multiple projects for a range of large global U.S. based companies, resulted in repeat business from clients and a robust pipeline of upcoming projects.  

March – September 2023: Senior Consultant in User Experience Design – Digital Health & Healthcare Product Development, U.K. Successfully worked on various projects with a range of different global clients. 

November 2021 – February 2023: User Experience Design & Research Lead at Roche Pharmaceuticals, U.K. – Consultant. Successfully established and built the capabilities of User-Centred Design and Research at Roche Pharma International. Successful leadership and supervision of a global Design function, across the U.K., Poland and Switzerland. Developed and delivered the visionary roadmap for over 100 people at Roche Pharma based on comprehensive qualitative research, data collection and synthesis. Successfully integrated and implemented the User-Centred Design process within an Agile framework, leading the design development cycles grounded in research and users’ needs. Integrated and aggregated medical data through machine learning systems to provide the best outcomes for patients, HCPs and affiliates based on different disease areas. Successfully delivered a detailed Product Vision, Evidence-based Roadmap and Strategy for a Global Digital Medical Product Knowledge Base for Roche Pharma International in alignment with Roche Pharma International's Vision for the future, setting a new direction with a focus on value delivery. Co-led the development of a user-centric Global Digital Medical Product Knowledge Base for Roche Pharma and delivered a proof-of-concept and working software based on real data in only 6 weeks. 

August 2017 – November 2021: Senior Lecturer & Lecturer in User-Centred Design, Industrial Design and Design Innovation at Brunel University London, U.K. As a lead, I managed, mentored and coordinated around 130 students per year and over 500+ students over the course of 4 consecutive years on multi-year, multi-disciplinary research and design projects to develop and deliver the User-Centred Design and Design Innovation programmes at Brunel. Successful Module Leadership and Management of challenging final year BA (Industrial Design & Technology) / BSc (Product Design Engineering) Design Innovation Projects, and MSc modules as well as Supervision of a wide range of final year MSc, BA and BSc projects with a focus on global challenges. Managed and supervised large groups of students (500+) on large UCD initiatives and complex projects through different stages of Research and New Product Development. Successful management of people and projects over four consecutive years, led to various User-centric products, experiences and design strategies for the future of a range of existing companies. During this time, a range of projects received national and international recognitions and awards.

April 2019 – September 2020: Design Director – Uovo Technologies, England, UK: Worked with an experienced team of professionals in the Medical Technology sector as Design Director, providing support on the New Products Development frontend with a mission to help shape the development lifecycle for medical technology and IVD businesses to quickly and effectively bring new medical devices to market in the EU & US.

April 2018 – 2020: New Products Development Mentor – Central Research Lab (CRL), England, U.K. Provided New Product Development mentorship and supervision to a range of start-ups through different stages of development cycle. As a member of the CRL team, I provided NPD guidance and strategic advice to help start-ups transform their ideas into successful businesses.

January 2015 – August 2017: Innovation Designer, Researcher and Project Lead at the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre, Scotland, U.K. Worked extensively as an Innovation Designer and Project Lead as part of the DHI Experience Labs’ Design Team on a range of complex health and care challenges across Scotland. Worked very closely with clinicians, patients and NHS members of staff on a range of projects; translated key insights drawn from research into a range key features for a series of new product / service ideas with full awareness of existing and emerging technologies. The Design Innovation process undertaken in these projects led to a range of successful outcomes, including a successful project run in collaboration with the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS). Proposed idea for the SNBTS went live in Scotland in Feb 2020.  

2013 - 2015: Freelance User Experience & Industrial Design Consultant  

2013 - 2015: Visiting Lecturer, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. Coached and Supervised various projects for Master’s Course students of Industrial Design. 

June 2012 – Jan 2013: Industrial Design Engineer Consultant at ArjoHuntleigh; a Global Medical Technology Company in South Wales, U.K. Worked as one of the key members of the New Products Development Team on creating and developing new medical and electromechanical products in the company’s R&D Department, Therapy & Prevention Products Division. Constantly generated innovative solutions for a range of medical products with a focus on user research and market analysis. Created and developed a range of innovative product ideas including a brand-new wound assist as well as a various range of handsets for a smart hospital bed and mattress system in about one month and ahead of schedule. Streamlined and redesigned a product’s full usage cycle. Was offered contract extension.  

December 2011 – July 2012: Ideator and Design Fellow in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Design Course (IE&D) at Design London and Imperial College Business School, London, U.K. Worked extensively with a team of MBAs on an innovative, user-centred design project. Built a viable business plan based on the initiative. Ran workshops with users and my team to identify and eliminate barriers to adoption. Was selected for the InnovationRCA Entrepreneurs’ Summer Launchpad Programme 2012 during which the project went through a whole new phase of development. Gained interest from one the largest supermarket chains in the U.K.  

Summer 2011: Industrial Designer; Brother Industries Ltd.; Nagoya, Japan. Worked as part of the Design Department’s New Technologies Team. Generated and developed ground-breaking concepts based on the R&D department’s new technologies development; worked extensively with Japanese designers and engineers during this period; completed two projects in two months.  

April 2010 – 2013: Freelance Design Associate; Laughing Onions Ltd. Generated and developed a range of ideas through sketches, mock-ups and works-like / looks-like prototypes, worked on concept demonstrations and proof-of-concepts for various clients and presentations.

Summer 2010: Designer - Future of Manufacturing - Reverse- Disrupt, i-School Workshop, Tokyo University, Tokyo, Japan. Ran a one week workshop as part of the Innovation Design Engineering Team to explore the future of products through extreme innovation using sustainability challenges as the main guiding factor. The 25 participants were from Tokyo University’s i-School, a cross disciplinary activity through which students experience design and innovation approaches. Was selected as the winner amongst 8 teams.

2004 – 2009: Freelance Experience & Industrial Designer 

Awards

2012: Selected for the InnovationRCA Entrepreneurs’ Launchpad Programme; Selected for the Mayor of London Event 2012 Business Programme.

2011: Winner of the James Dyson Foundation Bursary; Received the Commendation for the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design Awards; Selected project and Ideator for the Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Design Course (IE&D) in Imperial College Business School, London.

Professional Qualifications

• Master’s Studies in Innovation Design Engineering

Royal College of Art & Imperial College London.

• MA: Master’s Degree in Industrial Design (Distinction)

College of Fine Arts – University of Tehran.

• BA: Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design (Merit)

College of Arts & Architecture – Azad University.

Professional Qualifications

• Master’s Studies in Innovation Design Engineering

Royal College of Art & Imperial College London.

• MA: Master’s Degree in Industrial Design (Distinction)

College of Fine Arts – University of Tehran.

• BA: Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design (Merit)

College of Arts & Architecture – Azad University.