Eewei Chen
UX, creative direction and design leadership
+44 (0)7850 134 768 me@eewei.com
Skype: eeweichen Twitter: ultraman Blog: eewei.com
I have had fun working in the new media creative industry since 1993 with many ‘firsts’ in my professional career including designing the first secure online musical distribution service (before itunes!), launching the first online music publication (nme.com) and setting up the design department for the first truly integrated design agency (Conchango, now EMC Consulting). At MSN International, I successfully delivered online social experiences to over 550 million users worldwide. Previously as Creative Director at ThoughtWorks UK, I managed teams to successfully deliver innovative digital products to clients and end-users. I still love being hands on as I feel the need to practice my trade not just direct it!
Now as Solution Design Director at BSkyB, I continually strive to challenge the status quo and match business success criteria to real customer needs in order to deliver truly useful and delightful customer experiences. I basically get to spot trends and come up with cool ideas, create rapid prototypes, test them with real users, get feedback and improve ideas continually till they are awesome enough to launch!
I also speak and run workshops in the design, start up and agile community. Most recently at the Future of Web Apps Conference in London and at the 10 year anniversary celebration of the signing of the agile manifesto at Agile 2011, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Please have a look at my cv to see how I may offer value to your company and your clients.
Solution Design Director, BSkyB
September 2011 – Current
- Define solutions for Sky to increase channel shift to their digital channels focusing on web, mobile and interactive TV.
- Deliver a compelling experience for customers across and within each digital channel measured by outstanding user experience, high levels of customer take-up satisfaction and reduction in customer effort.
- Ensure consistency in application of brand, look and feel and usability across all digital channels.
- Ensuring that Sky is at the leading edge of innovation in digital design.
- Oversea a team of Creative Directors, Graphic Designers, User Experience, PMs, development, branding and marketing specialists to deliver user-centered design solutions that meet business requirements
Principle Consultant / Creative Director, ThoughtWorks
August 2009 – September 2011
As a principal consultant, I lead a team typically made up of a tech lead, 4-6 developers, a business analyst, a front end developer, DBA, user experience designer, graphic designer, project manager, domain experts, marketing manager, site analytics engineer
- Principal consultant and Creative Director, Compare the Market web site
- User Experience and Creative Director, SkyScanner, e-commerce travel web site
- Principal consultant and envisioning lead, MDA business digital roadmap
- User Experience and Creative Director, SearchFlow B2B Property e-commerce site
- User Experience and Creative Director, Which? Consumer, end to end home moving site
- User Experience and Creative Director, EDF Energy website
- User Experience and Creative Director, Which? Mobile phone e-commerce website
Managed and led the design delivery of a new mobile phone e-commerce website backed by the UK’s most recognized independent consumer advice brand. The product has a unique user interface that allows users to visually define their needs to save them both time and money, backed up with thorough phone testing information not available anywhere else in the world to help them with their decision making. - Creative Directior, WGSN Fashion Trend prediction subscription website
Defined a new user experience and the information architecture for the largest Fashion trend forecasting company in the world, including it paid for subscription service. Managed the creative direction to ensure correct look and feel and delivery of assets. Worked closely with the core editorial and production team to get content and create templates.
User Experience Lead, MSN International, Microsoft
September 2006 – August 2009
As UX Lead, I defined User Experiences for all MSN International sites. I delivered design solutions based on user centric principles. I worked closely in partnership with International Markets, Editors, Vendors and Development teams to deliver usable and cohesive design solutions for MSN home page, vertical channels (including travel) and applications. I was asked to head up a team to design the next generation of MSN sites.
I was instrumental in worked with program managers, product planners and senior development teams to prioritise product features based on their importance on being able to affect key business site metrics. My championing of the use of analytical data to understand user behaviours across MSN International sites has now been widely adopted.
I helped create the first global UX team, which now covers all areas of the world outside of the USA and Australia.
Design Team Lead, Touch Group PLC
October 2003 – September 2006
I was asked to create designs and experiences to improve e-commerce site revenue, traffic, and user retention for the UK’s 2nd largest local business e-commerce online search directory. Planned and executed online and offline design and marketing projects. I went on to create a small design department that managed website and email design, direct mail campaigns, exhibition designs, advertising, photography commissioning and brochure designs.
New Media Creative Director, Mabox
January 2002 – October 2003
Initially brought in to work on Telstra Europe as creative lead at Mabox, I quickly established the need for a new media department, which did not exist at Mabox. I went on to win new media marketing and website work with new and existing clients and managed a team of developers and designers to create compelling web sites and viral marketing campaigns.
Projects worked on included Telstra Europe web site, Emap Glenigan web site, Carnival Cruises web site and online marketing, Reed Employment web site and the Telegraph banner advertising campaigns.
Senior Design Lead / Creative Director, Conchango
June 2000 – January 2002
I was head hunted and brought in to help start up the first Creative Design Department at Conchango. This made Conchango into one of the first fully integrated agencies in the UK. They became number one in the space a year later. I led projects where he worked with teams of graphic designers, information architects and user experience designers. Other department duties included interviewing for new employees, defining new work processes and ideas. I was invited to run the creative team in New York in 2001.
Projects worked on included Debenhams e-commerce site, Virgin Atlantic online booking system Kraft Foods International Corporate Intranet
Design Director, East 2 West
August 1999 – June 2000
I started up new media design company, East 2 West after leaving IPC Media. My role included, new business development, client management, graphic design and development management.
Online websites were launched for Loaded magazine, Scholastic Children’s Books, ITV, Lowe Broadway, New Scientist
Design Manager, IPC Media
June 1996 – August 1999
I designed and launched the first online music publication for IPC Media, NME.com. I was then asked to head up the design team for IPC Media and ended up managing a team of designers, content publishers and programmers.
Websites worked on included NME.com, Loaded, Now, Muzik, Country Life, Yachting & Boating World
Graphic Designer, Cerberus Sound and Vision
December 1994 – June 1996
Cerberus Sound and Vision were the first secure digital music distribution service in the world. Sony tried to buy them in 1995. I was asked to design the web site and application to market and advertise Cerberus brand and products online. This was my first foray into what was then little known as the ‘internet’.
Graphic Designer, Mellor Design
September 1994 – December 1994
I created a poster for the London Symphony Orchestra then realized he was better than my creative director so left as he wasn’t going to learn anything more from him.
TV producer, MTV Asia
I created my first TV advert for MTV back in 1993. My idea highlights how the lack of tradition makes things you take for granted, false. I shot the film, edited it, put it through the postproduction studio and aired it on prime time TV in 4 weeks.
Skills:
- Innovative business transformation
- Creative Direction
- User Experience techniques and processes
- Graphic design: Visual look and feel creation, documentation, photography
- Leadership: graphic design and UX team management
- Relationship management: stakeholder/client, 3rd party agency
- Facilitation: Workshop and ideas generation
- Customer research: site usage data analysis, competitor analysis, ethnographic studies
Education
- MA User Experience Design (Kingston University)
- MA in Digital Arts (Camberwell College)
- BA Hons, Graphic Design (London College of Communications)
