12+ years making digital products and experiences more exciting, more usable, and more human.

Design Strategist with 12+ years experience creating award-winning digital experiences, products & services.

I have experience working with agile teams in a leading role within innovation, agency and corporate contexts, with clients like The BBC, Innovate UK, The National Trust, Mozilla, Nokia & Adidas.

I also teach, hold workshops, and create artwork related to the internet and our digital relationships.

My work has been featured by the V&A, Creative Review, VICE, Wired, & Tate Modern.

 

email: simantall@gmail.com
linkedin: /simon-allen
instagram: @simantall

 

Bio / CV

 

Design Strategy Consultant | Berlin

  • Working with EOS, the world’s largest 3D printing machine manufacturer to develop, build and launch an e-commerce product in Europe.

  • UX consultation for European Film Academy in Berlin to improve their youth programme positioning online.

  • Ideation workshop for Adidas in Herzogenaurach helping the customer acquisition team to design a new enterprise tool.

 

Koerber Digital Innovation Lab | Berlin

In April 2018 I joined a growing product design team with a mission to align business vision, user needs, and technical capabilities across a range of complex data, industrial IoT, and digital transformation initiatives for the Koerber Industrial Engineering Group in Germany.

  • Led the design and development of the Cousteau Data-mining Tool, helping engineers surface connections between symptoms and root causes of industrial machines faults. 

  • UX Strategy & Design for a Smart Factory digitalisation drive for Koerber companies.

  • Developed an internal ‘best practice’ digital transformation resource aligning tools and experience.

  • Co-led a strategic drive to develop a working cross-functional product organisation, clarifying team responsibilities values and ambitions across the organisation.

 

UX Strategy & Design, Freelance | London

  • Commissioned by The BBC to design the UX for a new online interactive documentary format.

  • Designed an interactive heritage experience online and at Somerset House for The National Trust.

  • Designed and produced everal Interactive learning experiences for the Royal Collection Trust at The Queen’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace, London. 

 

Co-founded Digital Agency 'The Swarm’ | London

in 2010 I co-founded a digital agency in London working in the arts and cultural sector to design and produce new digital products and innovative interactive content. 

I lead a team of 3 designers working on various projects, with work praised in The New York Times, Wired, and Creative Review:

  • Designing new interactive media formats with the BBC R&D department.

  • "New American Noise" website; collaboration between The Sundance Festival & Nokia to highlight US underground music scenes online.

  • "Deadline Athens" - award-winning first person journalism game for Save the Children.

  • Relaunching TeleSur News Portal - South America’s leading news broadcaster.

  • Working with the Technology Strategy Board of the UK Government to develop and design workshop materials to support the development of innovative technologies and products.

  • Mentoring applicants for a £7 million Digital Development Fund for the Arts, hosting over 15 workshops nationwide on behalf of Nesta UK and The Arts Council England.

 

Creative Beginnings | Dublin & London

  • Graduated in 2005 in BA Hons in Communications at Dublin City University, with a focus in visual media.

  • Won the Hybrid Media Award for Best Photographic Work.

  • Exhibited my photography internationally with Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst.

  • Worked as a freelance creative with clients such as Diageo, LVMH, Fidelity and Universal Music.

  • I directed several music videos, including one for Peter Andre.