Ben Spear is a strategic, user-centered designer with experience in software development, branding and web design, and leadership. After earning his BFA in Graphic Design from Boston University in 2002, he worked at a small studio designing and producing books, catalogues and websites. For the next few years, he ran Thinkside, a solo design studio working with small- to medium-sized businesses and nonprofits, delivering brand-driven print and digital work.
His first design leadership role was with Lighter, a software startup that helped people transition to a vegan diet. He also taught at the tech bootcamp General Assembly.
After Lighter, he joined HubSpot’s marketing department as director of design, leading a team of six to produce analytics-driven web experiences. After a couple years consulting as a designer, coach and advisor, he joined Geode Capital, a small and sophisticated investment firm managing over a trillion dollars in assets. He hired and managed a team of three (one UX researcher and two product designers), and within a year they shipped a small suite of new fund management tools.
Today he consults, coaches and teaches, with a focus on green technology.
Courses
Fall 2024 Courses
CTC 1547-01 - UI/UX DESIGN
LevelUndergraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Computation,Technology, and Culture
Period Fall 2024
Credits 3
FormatSeminar
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
CTC 1547-01
UI/UX DESIGN
LevelUndergraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Computation,Technology, and Culture
PeriodFall 2024
Credits3
FormatSeminar
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2024-09-04 to 2024-12-11
Times: F | 1:10 PM - 6:10 PMInstructor(s): Benjamin SpearLocation(s): Center for Integrative Technologies, Room 217Enrolled / Capacity: 15Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
U/I - U/X interfaces are applied towards several digital graphic formats: smart phone ios/Android; tablet/watch; Windows OS/Mac OS; or custom sized interfaces for products like ATM machines or car dashboards. The instructor's professional design practice currently focuses on UI/UX design and future forecasting towards corporate strategies to best take advantage of the digital transformation many large corporations are being faced with at this time. Students learn methodologies and tools around smartphone app design development. Areas of design process include: research and app concept definition; conduct low-fidelity brainstorming and exploration around the users; future forecasting through speculation of user stories; journey mapping explorations; develop app aesthetic, develop navigation systems; develop app branding; and at the end build high-fidelity prototypes incorporating app navigation interaction. No prior knowledge of UI/UX development is required. Students build working prototypes of cellular interfaces that function and navigate. Coding experience is not necessary for this course and will not be taught. Students that have coding experience that may use those skills for app prototypes developed along with Adobe XD.
Requirements: a laptop running Adobe Creative Suite and a RISD student Adobe Cloud.
Elective
Spring 2025 Courses
CTC 1547-01 - UI/UX DESIGN
LevelUndergraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Computation,Technology, and Culture
Period Spring 2025
Credits 3
FormatSeminar
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
CTC 1547-01
UI/UX DESIGN
LevelUndergraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Computation,Technology, and Culture
PeriodSpring 2025
Credits3
FormatSeminar
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2025-02-13 to 2025-05-23
Times: W | 1:10 PM - 4:10 PMInstructor(s): Benjamin SpearLocation(s): Center for Integrative Technologies, Room 217Enrolled / Capacity: 15Status: Closed
SECTION DESCRIPTION
U/I - U/X interfaces are applied towards several digital graphic formats: smart phone ios/Android; tablet/watch; Windows OS/Mac OS; or custom sized interfaces for products like ATM machines or car dashboards. The instructor's professional design practice currently focuses on UI/UX design and future forecasting towards corporate strategies to best take advantage of the digital transformation many large corporations are being faced with at this time. Students learn methodologies and tools around smartphone app design development. Areas of design process include: research and app concept definition; conduct low-fidelity brainstorming and exploration around the users; future forecasting through speculation of user stories; journey mapping explorations; develop app aesthetic, develop navigation systems; develop app branding; and at the end build high-fidelity prototypes incorporating app navigation interaction. No prior knowledge of UI/UX development is required. Students build working prototypes of cellular interfaces that function and navigate. Coding experience is not necessary for this course and will not be taught. Students that have coding experience that may use those skills for app prototypes developed along with Adobe XD.
Requirements: a laptop running Adobe Creative Suite and a RISD student Adobe Cloud.
