About Me
who i am
I’m originally from South Africa and have always loved art, music, and playing outside. These passions continue to shape my perspective and creativity.
My design philosophy has evolved to focus on building impactful solutions that genuinely benefit users and the world. My approach is rooted in empathy and iterative design, ensuring every solution is tailored to the needs of real people. Whether collaborating with teams or working solo, I strive to create experiences that resonate and inspire.
With over a decade of experience, I’ve helped companies like Lyft, Hagerty, and LA Metro. I’m passionate about sharing knowledge, fostering collaboration, and always pushing for high-quality, data-driven, and user-centered results.
What I bring
Collaborative Problem Solver:
I thrive working individually and in team environments, bringing ideas to life through storytelling, systems thinking, and empathy.
Versatile Design Expertise:
From responsive web design to mobile apps and complex UX challenges, I've led projects like the Pilot Flying J app, always balancing user needs and business goals.
Agile and Holistic:
Yes, I’ve worked on “0-to-1” products and “scalable ecosystems” (we’ve all heard the buzzwords), but at the heart of it, I design with purpose. It’s about creating experiences that truly solve problems and delight users—not just following trends.
kind words
"Nick has an intuitive empathy for users and a passion for designing experiences that work for actual human beings. He is prepared, humble, and at ease with clients, the team, and users."
Neille Illel | CEO of The Glue
"Nick takes an empathy-first approach and aligns product teams through persistence and passion. His human-centered design and drive to deliver at the highest caliber make him a game-changer for any company."
Alan Shen | User Experience Design Leadership at Riot Games
"Nicholas was consistently thoughtful, quickly understood technical data problems, and spun up smart design solutions. A great team communicator, too!"
Anita Lillie | Sr. Staff Designer at DataBricks
"Nick excels at finding the sweet spot between business interests, design thinking, and research findings. His drive for knowledge and sharpening his skillsets had a direct, positive impact on our projects."
Naveen Dass | UX Manager at McGraw Hill Education
"Nicholas distinguished himself through his exceptional empathy for user experience. He was instrumental in achieving top WCAG/511 compliance levels, which led us to win several web awards for Los Angeles Animal Services."
Christopher Arendt | Sr. Front End Developer at The Glue
"Nick is solution-oriented and presents several options to solve a problem. He rapidly evolved from intern to UX designer, delivering with perfection and no fuss."
Paula Campos | Director of Creative at Fanatee
Reach Out.
nicholas.swardt@gmail.com
(714) 472-6252