Designing Experiences That Matter: Career Lessons from Lisa Richardson

In today’s digital-first world, businesses compete not just on products but on customer experience. The way users interact with an app, a website, or a service often determines whether they stay loyal—or switch to a competitor.

To understand how great experiences are designed, Brandsnug spoke with Lisa Richardson, Product Design Leader at Epsilon, who has over a decade of experience shaping customer journeys at Fortune 500 companies. From her years at Fidelity Investments as VP of User Experience to her current role leading product design at Epsilon, Lisa has built a career dedicated to making digital experiences seamless, human-centered, and impactful.

Lisa’s Journey into Product Design Leadership

Lisa began her career as a Senior Designer at Publicis Sapient, working with major clients like CVS, Southwest Airlines, and Staples. These early roles gave her exposure to high-impact design projects where creativity met business goals.

She later joined Fidelity Investments, where she spent more than a decade driving digital transformation:

• As Principal Designer, she worked across institutional and direct-to-consumer products.

• As Director of User Experience, she enhanced digital funnels for robo-advisor products.

• Eventually, as VP of User Experience, she led teams to improve financial wellness and customer engagement.

Today, as Lead Product Designer at Epsilon, Lisa continues to innovate in loyalty products, leveraging research, journey mapping, and process design to create meaningful customer experiences.

“I’m passionate about finding creative ideas that actually work—solutions that make life easier for customers while also delivering business results,” she explains.

What Does a Product Design Leader Actually Do?

For beginners curious about product design, Lisa clarifies the role:

• Understanding users deeply: through research, journey mapping, and testing.

• Translating insights into design: creating experiences that solve real problems.

• Leading teams: empowering designers to collaborate, innovate, and deliver.

• Balancing creativity with business goals: making sure design aligns with strategy.

“Good design isn’t just about making something look nice—it’s about making it useful, intuitive, and valuable,” Lisa emphasizes.

How Beginners Can Enter a Career in Product Design

Breaking into UX and product design may feel daunting, but Lisa believes everyone can start somewhere small. Her roadmap for newcomers:

1. Learn the basics – study design principles, UX research, and tools like Figma or Sketch.

2. Build case studies – don’t wait for a job; redesign an app, improve a website, or create your own project.

3. Focus on process, not just visuals – employers want to see how you think, not only the final product.

4. Seek mentorship and feedback – connect with designers online and ask for critique.

5. Stay curious about business impact – design works best when it drives both user satisfaction and company goals.

“Don’t underestimate small projects. Every piece of work you do is an opportunity to learn and showcase your thinking,” Lisa advises.

The Role of AI in Product Design Careers

With AI tools becoming mainstream, many beginners wonder if design jobs are at risk. Lisa offers perspective:

Q: Will AI replace product designers?
“No. AI can speed up tasks—like generating wireframes or testing ideas—but creativity, empathy, and strategy remain human strengths. Designers are still the ones who connect technology with real human needs.”

Q: How should beginners use AI?
“Use AI as an assistant, not a replacement. It can help brainstorm, prototype faster, or analyze data. The real value comes when you combine AI efficiency with human creativity.”

Q: Should students learn AI alongside design tools?
“Yes. Understanding how to use AI responsibly will make you future-ready. But don’t forget the fundamentals of design thinking and empathy—that’s what makes a great designer.”

Key Skills Every Aspiring Product Designer Should Build

Lisa highlights three essential skills for anyone starting their journey:

• Research Methods – know how to gather insights directly from users.

• Process Design – show that you can structure problems and solve them step by step.

• Storytelling – explain your design decisions clearly to stakeholders and clients.

She also emphasizes collaboration: design leaders thrive by creating a culture of trust and creativity within their teams.

The Future of Customer Experience Design

Looking ahead, Lisa sees three major trends shaping the industry:

1. Personalization powered by AI – experiences tailored to individual users.

2. Seamless omni-channel journeys – bridging online and offline touchpoints.

3. Ethical, inclusive design – ensuring accessibility and fairness for all users.

For beginners, this means careers in UX and product design will only grow—as long as they combine technical fluency with human-centered thinking.

Lisa’s Final Advice for Beginners

When asked what advice she would give her younger self, Lisa says:

“Focus on learning, not just titles. The best careers are built step by step. Stay curious, keep experimenting, and remember that design is ultimately about helping people.”

Conclusion

Lisa Richardson’s career, from designing for Fortune 500 clients at Publicis Sapient to leading product design at Fidelity and now Epsilon, shows the power of creativity, research, and leadership in shaping customer experiences.

For beginners, her story is both inspiring and practical: start small, focus on process, embrace AI as a tool, and always keep the human at the center of design.

In a world where digital interactions define brand loyalty, leaders like Lisa remind us that the future of product design belongs to those who blend creativity, empathy, and strategy.