About Steve Woodward, the Mind Behind Radically Useful

I’ve spent 25 years where people and technology meet
Whether it's a digital product, a team process, or a well-timed phone call, I believe great solutions come from empathy, not ego - and relentless focus on the user. After years building for a global tech giant,

I started Radically Useful to bring that same human-centred, high-impact thinking to the teams who need it most. The ones buried in slides, drowning in tools, and hungry for clarity.

The Journey: How I Got Here

My career in tech began unexpectedly. Like many, I was swept into the world of IT by the manic panic surrounding the Millennium Bug. I landed at one of the "Big 4" accountancy firms and, to my surprise, I settled in. This became my proving ground for the next two decades.

I didn't stay in one place. My curiosity led me on a journey through a variety of critical roles, giving me a unique 360-degree view of how businesses and products really work:

  • Software Testing: Learning how things break and the importance of quality.

  • System Analysis: Understanding the logic and structure behind the technology.

  • Project Management: Mastering how to get things done on time and on budget.

  • Business Analysis: Bridging the gap between business goals and technical execution.

An Accidental Start in a Big 4 World

Finding My Sweet Spot: The Power of User Experience (UX)

Seven years ago, everything clicked. I found my professional home in UX Design. In this role, I became a passionate champion for the user. I pushed to ensure we considered the human experience in everything we designed; from complex software to a simple telephone script or an instruction leaflet (and yes, I know most of us men tend to ignore those!).

From Silos to Synergy: Building a Design-Led Culture

My proudest professional achievement was building a successful UX capability from the ground up. I united individual designers who were working in silos with their own tools and templates. By fostering a collaborative environment and implementing a Design Ops model, we transformed into a high-performing, unified team that put the user at the heart of the business.

When I'm Not Fractional UX'ing...

A collage of six images: a tennis match with a player hitting a ball on the court, two dogs sitting on a kitchen floor with a small toy between them, a person wearing snorkel goggles and a wetsuit underwater, a soccer stadium with people and a large banner, a man holding a large trophy and smiling indoors.

You'll find me at home with my family. Most weekends involve watching some form of sport—I'm a big fan of Football, Rugby league, and Tennis. And, of course, my day usually starts and ends with a walk with my two energetic dogs.