About Me
Hi, I'm Christiana (a.k.a. Narnia). I'm a London-based Design Researcher with 7 years of experience leading and facilitating digital and service design projects for clients across Fintech and Financial Services, Edtech, Travel, Energy & Utilities, and Fashion.
Before this, I was working in Human Resources in a NASDAQ listed unicorn, getting mega burnout. During that time, my UX friends would talk about their work and it sounded like they were actually helping people solve problems - which is what drew me to HR in the first place.
I started experimenting with Design Thinking in Employee Experience Design, then made the jump - starting as an intern, then getting my Masters in Human-Computer Interaction Design whilst working as an Experience Designer.
My UX career has been mostly digital design agencies, using a wide range of research methods on service design, product design and product strategy projects.
Outside of work, I like to experiment with creative projects that are out of the computer. I play bass guitar and piano, embroider internet memes, and more recently, I make risographs.
Experience
Senior User Researcher
Flagstone
London · Apr 2025 – Jun 2026 · Contract
Flagstone is a Savings Fintech scale up. Joined the Research team to provide research expertise across 3 products, managing stakeholders and project delivery for 3 squads simultaneously at a cadence of 1 major research study per month. Delivered discovery and iterative testing that directly influenced design, product strategy, comms and content for 2 new products: the Mobile App and Cash ISA.
Consultant Service Designer
Hammerson (via The Brick Coach)
London · Nov 2024 – Feb 2025 · Contract
Hammerson is a multinational retail real estate company. Led service mapping of an existing event production process across 15 event types and 6 locations, unifying them into one simplified service map. Facilitated co-creation of an improved events production process with 20+ stakeholder teams.
Senior Experience Designer
Reason
London · Oct 2018 – Oct 2024
Reason is a design and technology agency. Starting as a Junior and promoted through Midweight and Senior roles, I took on a full stack role spanning User Research, Product Strategy and Service Design — pitching proposals, delivering qualitative and mixed-method studies, and facilitating workshops for discovery, prioritisation, ideation and alignment.
- Led service prototyping, testing and implementation of a new pollution response program in 3 months — achieving a proven 61% reduction in false priority callouts (potential £450k savings p.a.)
- Led research that shaped the mobile app features, user journeys and product strategy for a new pension Fintech start-up, which launched in 2022 and holds over £400m in assets as of 2025
- Led investigation into an app with high downloads but low retention, articulating a new product purpose and vision for an Edtech client
- Proved the value of research to a sceptical client by delivering a 1-week just-enough-research sprint before an AI app build
- BIMA Top 100 winner, 2021 — professionally recognised as a Designer by the British Interactive Media Association
HR Business Partner & HR Specialist
Various employers
London, Berlin, Hamburg, Brisbane · Aug 2009 – Oct 2018
A decade-long career in HR, Operations and Employee Experience Design across start ups and scale ups in AdTech, Blockchain and e-Commerce.
Education
MSc Human-Computer Interaction Design (HCID)
City, University of London
Postgraduate Certificate, Creative Industries: Interactive & Visual Design
Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Bachelor of Business Management
University of Queensland, Australia
Skills
Let's Connect
I'm always up for a conversation about research, design and product strategy.
Get In Touch