A little more about me
I’m Michael James Clarke, a Staff Designer who works at the intersection of design and strategy. I’ve been lucky to work with great people and tackle some genuinely exciting projects throughout my career. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned along the way, it’s that a winding path is more valuable than a straight one.
Early on, I used to think my diverse background was a drawback, that I should focus on mastering just one thing. But as I’ve grown, I’ve realized every hobby, passion, and side project has shaped the way I approach problem solving. Whether it’s design, woodworking, photography, or even my (very bad) golf game, each experience brings a fresh perspective that makes me a better designer and a more well rounded thinker.
At home, life revolves around my family. My wife, my son and daughter who keep me on my toes and remind me to appreciate the small moments. I have a love for photography, especially polaroids, because there’s something special about capturing a fleeting moment in a way that feels tangible.
All of these things, design, craftsmanship, storytelling, and problem solving are what I bring to every project I work on.
Working with other designers
Some of my favourite parts of design happen outside of the work I’m actually responsible for. I like sitting down with another designer, looking at what they’re working on, and talking through a problem together. Sometimes it’s a small suggestion, sometimes it’s just another perspective. I’ve been fortunate to learn from a lot of generous designers throughout my career, and I try to be that person for others when I can.
Pulse came out of noticing something fairly ordinary. Design at HelloFresh runs across nine brands, and good work kept disappearing into Figma files and Slack threads nobody could find a week later. So I built somewhere for it to live: a feed where designers post work-in-progress, get feedback, and see what other brands are shipping. There’s a learning hub in it too, including a guide I wrote on getting usable photography out of AI tools.
What people I’ve worked with say
Michael has a real knack for turning complex ideas into beautiful, user-friendly designs. What really sets Michael apart is how well he works with everyone. He always made sure to get feedback from product managers, engineers, and marketing folks, relentlessly iterating on designs that met both user needs and business goals.
An incredible product designer who always nailed understanding the technical side of our products. He worked seamlessly with developers and product managers, making sure our designs hit the mark for our users. He consistently offered invaluable feedback, tactfully suggested necessary tweaks, and explained the reasoning behind them.
Both left on LinkedIn in 2024. Read them in full ↗