product design

UX design agency for digital products that ship.

Discovery, prototypes and design systems that translate into production code - backed by 60+ five-star Google reviews.

2005 Established
20 yrs Product software
350+ Projects shipped
60+ Five-star reviews
case studies

Interfaces that made it into code

AI PRODUCT DESIGN

An AI audit platform with human approval built into every send

Oditable
Oditable project
PRODUCT DESIGN

Kids' English education platform UX on SvelteKit

PlanetPop
PlanetPop project
ENTERPRISE PRODUCT DESIGN

Marketplace operations redesigned around the tasks retail teams perform

Virtualstock
Virtualstock project
ENTERPRISE SAAS UX

VR training workflows made clear enough for enterprise deployment

Immerse VR
Immerse VR project
SonyVodafoneSymantecXP PowerSonardyne
why product design fails

False certainty, handoff rot, research theatre

Established 2005, our UX has always had to survive shipping into product software - not slide-deck theatre. False certainty, handoff rot and junior research kill designs; we pin jobs and constraints before UI volume ramps.

[ 01 ]

Screens before the problem is true

UI arrives before users, jobs and constraints are pinned. Engineering inherits pretty guesses.

Map firstJobs and constraints pinned before UI volume ramps
[ 02 ]

Design that dies in engineering

Figma files that ignore edge states, empty data and system constraints. Handoff becomes rebuild.

Build-readyEmpty states and a11y in Harden, not in a backlog PDF
[ 03 ]

Junior-led research theatre

Surface interviews, no decision trail. Stakeholders cannot see why a pattern won.

Senior-ownedEvery consequential design call owned at senior level
business os

Production speed inside a senior design practice

Research synthesis, variant drafting, system upkeep and usability checks - seniors hold taste and risk, agents multiply coverage.

SAMPLE DATA
Marketplace OS · Live queue

Notes into decisions, not slide piles

Agents cluster interviews and audits into themes you can act on - seniors decide what the product does next.

Live queue
outreach console
Sent 128 Replied 34
agent.outreach · sequencing supply batch 04
Northfield Supply Sent
Harbor Procurement Replied
Cedar Lane Goods Queued
Atlas Facilities Sent
Vendor 19 · London Typing…
capabilities

Discovery through design systems

Product discovery

Workshops that pin users, jobs and constraints so the interface serves something true - not a moodboard guess.

UX research

Interviews, audits and usability checks aimed at the decision in front of you, tied to what ships next.

UX & UI design

Web and product interfaces with engineering in the room - empty states, edge cases and real data constraints included.

Design systems

Tokens, components and rules built to be implemented across pages and brands - not admired in Figma alone.

UX audits

A friction map on conversion, clarity and accessibility, with a fix list engineering can ship this sprint.

Prototype & validate

Clickable proof for the one question blocking the roadmap - answer it without burning the build budget.

typical capabilities

What a build-ready design engagement covers

Research synthesis, variants, design systems, usability checks, flows and handoff - craft that survives contact with engineering.

SAMPLE DATA
Insight index

Research synthesis

Themes, quotes and decisions pulled from the raw research pile.

48 notes
checkout drop-off · mobile · trust Query
Theme Segment Severity Source Flow
01
Trust copy missing at pay 7 mentions · high
Rank 97
Weight
94%
02
Shipping ETA unclear 5 mentions · med
Rank 88
Weight
76%
03
Guest checkout buried 4 mentions · med
Rank 81
Weight
62%

"We've recently completed Phase 1 of a bespoke business valuation tool with James at Code23, and I've been extremely impressed. He took the time to understand both the commercial and technical requirements, communicated clearly throughout, and delivered a well-thought-out system."

Jason Atkins Director, Lansley Commercial
Delivery model

Critique stays human. Production accelerates.

Senior specialists steer design agents across research, variants, systems and usability QA - taste and risk stay with the room.

Senior lead Directs · Decides · Signs off

Research synthesis agent

Turns notes into decision-ready themes

Variant drafting agent

Explores UI options under senior critique

Design system agent

Keeps tokens and components consistent

Usability QA agent

Probes flows, a11y and empty states

Every consequential decision and production release is signed off by a human.

How we work

Discovery that survives engineering contact.

Jobs and constraints pinned first. Engineering in the room so UI, empty states and a11y make it into the build.

Step 1

01 - Map

Users, jobs-to-be-done, brand constraints and the decisions the interface must make obvious.

Scanning market
51.4551°N / 0.9787°W 6 signals

Step 2

02 - Blueprint

Flows, information architecture and design principles - scope and success criteria written down.

Spec 02 / grid 8px
Scope locked 1390px

Step 3

03 - Build

UI and prototypes move in parallel with engineering. Seniors direct; agents accelerate production artefacts under review.

Sprint 03
Working software Week 2

Step 4

04 - Harden

Usability review, accessibility checks and design QA against the live build - gaps close pre-Launch.

Audit: release 2.4
0 critical 6 checks passed

Step 5

05 - Launch

Final visual QA, content fit and a named owner for post-launch design debt.

Deploy: production Live
Uptime 100.00% v1.0.0

Step 6

06 - Evolve

CRO, UX audits and system extensions follow usage data - design stays on the product, not in a finished PDF.

Release cadence
v1.0 v1.4 v2.0
Shipping weekly +340%
the offer

Free 30-minute product design scoping call

Discovery-vs-UI-first, phase shape and where agents belong in your design loop - a working session with a senior specialist, not an open-ended discovery invoice.

You leave with
01 A discovery-vs-UI-first recommendation
02 A scoped phase plan from workshops through system
03 A realistic research and design scope
04 Engineering and brand constraints flagged early
why code23

Engineering-grounded design, end to end

[ 01 ]

Twenty years around the design practice

Established 2005. Product software, not a standalone slide-deck shop - UX that has to survive shipping.

[ 02 ]

Variants at 5x under senior critique

Research synthesis, variants and system upkeep run under senior specialists with agents on the bulk. Same Harden bar; more options tested.

[ 03 ]

Design and build in one agency

No throw-over-the-wall handoff to another studio. Engineering sits in the room so UI stays honest.

[ 04 ]

Senior craft, direct

The people who run workshops stay through UI and system. No junior hand-off after the research week. Reading, UK.

[ 05 ]

Harden applies to design too

Edge states, accessibility and engineering feasibility get pressure-tested before Launch, not after tickets pile up.

[ 06 ]

60+ five-star Google reviews

Public UK proof across product and digital work - useful when choosing a ux design agency on shipped outcomes.

verified reviews

On the record, on Google

Real reviews from our Google Business profile.

Google 60+ reviews →

We've recently completed Phase 1 of a bespoke business valuation tool with James at Code23, and I've been extremely impressed. He has taken the time to understand both the commercial and technical requirements, communicated clearly throughout, and delivered a well-thought-out system with a high level of flexibility. The admin dashboard, in particular, gives us full control over the scoring and valuation logic, which was a key requirement. I'm looking forward to working with James on Phase 2 and would have no hesitation in recommending him to anyone looking for bespoke software development – Jason Atkins, Director, Lansley Commercial

Jason Atkins portrait
Jason Atkins Lansley Commercial

We couldn’t be happier with the service from Code23. They were a pleasure to work with—friendly, professional, and really took the time to understand our needs. They met our brief perfectly, delivering a website that looks great and performs exactly as we envisioned, all at excellent value for money. What sets Code23 apart is their aftercare. Knowing they are on hand to monitor and maintain our website means we never have to worry about its performance. Their ongoing support gives us complete peace of mind, and we’d highly recommend them to anyone looking for a reliable and skilled web development team

Dan Isterling portrait
Dan Isterling Premier Community

It has truly been a fantastic experience working with the Code23 team. Every part of the process from the scoping and onboarding down to the design and implementation of our website was handled excellently. The quality of service delivered by the team is globally top standard and I couldn't be more satisfied with the final outcome.

Samuel Elili portrait
Samuel Elili Redwire Group

I have worked with Code23 and their team for over 5 years across 3 different projects ranging from mobile app development to custom WordPress websites. Together the team bring a level of expertise and professionalism I have not seen anywhere else... The results achieved have really helped to grow our business. I highly recommend their services to anyone looking for a custom project to be completed on time and in budget.

Alexander Campbell portrait
Alexander Campbell EnjoyCBD

We worked with Code23 for a complete rebuild of our music related website. Excellent customer service and quality throughout and the build they have now completed is fantastic - exceeded all expectations across the board. Fantastic company with a dynamic and motivated team who are great to work with. Would highly recommend!

Nathan Fullbrook portrait
Nathan Fullbrook Jamma Music

Joe and the team at code23 have done a fantastic job helping us design and build our new website. I feel they really captured the quality of the Draks brand. Would highly recommend.

Louise Sellar portrait
Louise Sellar Draks

blogs

Design thinking

Discovery, prototypes, design systems and handoff that survives real databases.

View all posts
About Code23

Two decades. Build-ready craft.

Established 2005, with two decades of product software wrapped around the design practice. You work with the people shaping the interface: engineering in the room, 60+ five-star Google reviews behind the craft, and agents that multiply production under senior critique.

Meet Code23
Est. 2005 Reading, UK Hands-on senior team
The Code23 team working together in the Reading studio
Fig. 01 - The team, Reading studio 51.4551°N / 0.9787°W
James, founder of Code23
Fig. 02 - James, founder EST. 2005
A product review session at Code23
Fig. 03 - Product review WK 34 / 2026
faq

Product design questions, answered

Is UI/UX replaced by AI?

No. AI speeds production; it does not own taste, risk or accountability. Seniors run critique and own the direction - agents multiply variants and system upkeep inside that remit.

How much does product design cost?

Discovery depth, number of flows and whether a design system is included set the band. Blueprint defines the design scope, then current pricing is confirmed before the work begins.

How long does a UX design project take?

Timeline follows the Blueprint cut: audit-only work is shorter; full discovery through design system takes longer. Dates are agreed with the scope.

Do you hand designs to another studio to build?

No. Design and build sit in the same agency - that is how UI stays honest against real databases and edge cases.

How do AI agents sit in your design process?

Agents synthesise research notes, draft variants and keep design-system files tidy under senior direction. Workshops, critique and risk stay with humans - agents multiply production work inside a clear remit.

get started

Got users, constraints and a backlog of guesses?

Bring the problem. We'll bring senior craft, build-ready UI and a practice backed by 60+ five-star Google reviews.