LOU MILLAR MACHUGH
UX-Focused Digital Lead
At Sano Pizza, as the Digital and Communications Executive, leading front-end marketing and customer experience efforts. In this role, I optimise digital and print materials to ensure a consistent brand presence across platforms. I focus on enhancing UX strategies, driving engagement, and improving website accessibility and SEO. I also manage social media, internal communications, and customer feedback while creating scalable systems.
I design solutions for complex human challenges, combining user-centered approaches with technical innovation to create meaningful impact. Driven by a commitment to accessibility and inclusive design, I transform research insights into practical solutions that enhance people's daily lives.
My design process follows the double diamond framework, emphasizing research in psychology and social sciences. I focus on moving beyond manipulative design to create real connections with users. Collaboration is key in developing inclusive solutions, with accessibility and autonomy guiding my work. I see myself as an enabler, using co-design and service design processes to help people discover their own solutions rather than just fixing problems.
My journey in design began with a first-class degree in Digital Media and Interaction Design. Alongside my degree, I completed an internship at GlaxoSmithKline, collaborations with Sky TV, and various freelance projects. My passion for accessible and inclusive design has led me to work on meaningful projects, such as leading UX design for a charity website through the Scottish Tech Army and developing educational initiatives about social media literacy.
UX Lead for a website redesign with the Scottish Tech Army, partnering with Fortune Works charity to create an accessible site for adults with learning disabilities, based on prior user research.
Comprehensive website redesign project that transformed a multi-location restaurant's digital presence through iterative design, user-centric solutions, and data-driven decision making. The project addressed complex business requirements while elevating brand storytelling and user experience through sophisticated information architecture and strategic focus on key business objectives.
After joining Sano Pizza full-time as Digital & Comms Exec, I redesigned and implemented a new website to better showcase the brand story and product quality, informed by my deeper, firsthand understanding of the brand.
The applications of UX are much more far-reaching than just building websites. In my work with Sano, I have leveraged my understanding of how people interact with the digital to craft a digital presence that connects with our customer base in a unique way.
Creating a blended learning experience, helping teenagers understand persuasive design techniques on social media.
Playing a pivotal role in a company-wide rebrand initiative, and enhancing UX methods within the tech delivery process.
Creating a platform that helps Digital Media and Interaction Design students understand their future career path and make steps towards their aspirations.
Supporting a local pilates instructor in launching a mobile app that advocates a less sedentary lifestyle for those who work from home.
Send me an email at irrational.technology@gmail.com if you're interested in collaborating. Share as much or as little detail as you'd like—I'm happy to schedule a discovery call to brainstorm ideas before starting any official projects.
Through authentic storytelling and hands-on demonstrations, I help ethical tech platforms like Sublime reach conscious users seeking alternatives to mainstream social media. My approach combines platform tutorials with my perspective on how these tools can reshape our digital future—a strategy that drove 675+ saves on TikTok by focusing on quality engagement over viral metrics.
I was invited by UX Glasgow to be their first GenZ speaker, and give a talk on my Honours Project, and my related work in advocating for social media literacy. I also speak about how this influences my design practice.
I participated in a panel titled 'Igniting your Creative Career' at the D&AD New Blood Festival. Together with Unibeez and Rachel Irvine, we discussed various topics, including how to secure internships and balance work and studies. It was a great opportunity for me to share my experience of breaking into the industry and getting my first work experiences.
Unibeez invited me to speak on this panel as an ambassador for their brand. I used Unibeez throughout my time at university and, by sharing my story on this panel, effectively encouraged people to sign up for their platform.
I participated in a panel at Voxburner Youth Marketing Conference about attracting engaging, and retaining Gen Z talent. Unibeez invited me to speak on this panel as an ambassador for their brand. I used Unibeez throughout my time at university and, by sharing my story on this panel, effectively encouraged people to sign up for their platform.
I've had the privilege of applying this knowledge in real-world settings. Some examples of my consultancy work include:
For my Honours project, I focused on addressing how teenagers interact with social media and the challenges they face. I designed a teacher-led, digitally-enabled program to teach "social media literacy"—a curriculum aimed at giving teens the skills and insight to understand social media design and make empowered choices online.
I've written a short guide for anyone who works with, or looks after, a teenager. This guide takes you through the basics of my approach to social media, and what the evidence says is best for young people.
My educational initiative, IRRATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, takes my research and interest in helping people understand their relationship with social media & technology one step further. I post bite-sized information and tips on tech literacy, write longer form essays exploring specific topics in more detail, and post long-form interviews with interesting people in the ethical technology space.
