Bringing together social science and design to innovate, consult and educate on human-first digital strategies: inclusive, privacy-protecting, and sustainable

I am a creative explorer, seasoned design practitioner and educator – passionate about the persistently under-represented human side of technology: non-proto­typical “users” or contexts of use, inclusion and universal access, the interplay of (legal) norms and technology, privacy and the risks from its violations, and technologies’ impact on society and the environment at large.

I regularly write about these topics in my Journal and assemble curated sources in my “digital garden” under Resources. I provide an RSS feed and an email newsletter. You can also find me on the Fediverse/Mastodon.

My research-based creative practice of two decades is all about innovating at the intersection of sociological method, humane values and digital tinkering. Driven by the desire to develop critically con­structive, novel approaches to digital design, I strive for inclusive, data-minimalist and (socially as well as ecologi­cally) sustainable innovation – based on a strictly human-centred approach and considerate of syste­mic consequences: individually, socially, globally.

As an independent freelance professional, I am available for exploration, consulting and training in projects driven by human values: shaping processes and solu­tions that put people first, as well as fostering initiatives to increase digital literacy. I enjoy working with organisations keen on pushing boundaries in terms of inclusion, privacy, sustainability, equity, and kindness …approaching things differently than the “tech industry” mainstream.

Mostly providing consultation, research, and concepts, I greatly enjoy coding prototypes as well. However, I am not a “creative technologist”: software is just a means, not the goal of my work. Rather than churning out MVPs, my focus is about developing culture, changing perceptions, and planting seeds for a better tomorrow.

Selected project highlights:

• Design lead in an exploratory #legaldesign project promoting alternative dispute resolution (ADR), with the aim to provide easier access to justice for all
• Co-developing a qualitative assessment model to evaluate and advance the state of #a11y in a big corporation’s workflows
• Developing an inclusive design system for an information service aimed at broad audiences including low-literacy demogra­phics with low-end devices
• Assisting an educational NGO to establish their accessi­ble, privacy-respecting and performant website using #kirby
• Consulting various clients on data minimisation strate­gies for their web presence
• Eight years leading the #usability unit in a training program for communications professionals, developing it with a strong #a11y focus
• Developing a #privacyux approach that considers privacy a core pillar of user experience, presented at multiple conferences
• Co-authoring and facilitating an innovative GDPR workshop series that combined legal compliance, human-centred design, and agency practice
• “The Absent Peer”: award-winning sociological analysis on technology #nonuse and its role in designing for social interaction
• Developing multiple #opensource #petprojects; mostly CMS plugins for the open and accessible web

References and portfolio details are available on request.