Our team
Our strength comes from our considerable experience working with leading commercial and public sector organisations, and the highly complementary skills of the individual team members.
Our core consultants are:
Chris Rourke, Managing Director & Founder
Chris has over 20 years commercial experience in usability, accessibility, human factors consultancy and training. Chris has worked with a range of clients including Hewlett Packard, Dell Computers, NCR, Houses of Parliament, Emirates Airline, DirectGov and many other commercial and public sector clients in the UK and abroad. His particular user experience interests include web accessibility, the application of Rich Internet Applications such as AJAX and Flex, remote usability testing, eye tracking and persuasion architecture.
Chris is Founder and Past President of the Scottish Chapter of the Usability Professionals' Association and the UPA’s regional coordinator for Europe. He is a member of various professional organisations, including the British Human-Computer Interaction Group (BHCIG), and the Computers and Human Interaction Group of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM-SIGCHI).
Chris is a Board Member of ScotlandIS, the trade body for the software, IT and creative technology industries for Scotland. He is also on the Steering Committee for the world’s first Master’s degree in Design Ethnography at the University of Dundee which is helping train the ethnographers of the future.
Chris holds a BSc. in Engineering Psychology from Tufts University and a MSc. in Ergonomics from the University of Michigan.
In his spare time Chris enjoys travel and sport, particularly ultimate Frisbee.
Emma Kirk, Strategic Director
Emma has over 16 years experience in Strategic Marketing and Internet fields. Her career spans a wealth of blue chip organisations predominantly in the financial services sector. She also has digital agency experience having established the digital service for Scotland's largest direct marketing agency.
Emma brings a strategic yet common-sense approach to User Vision, making usability an understandable and jargon-free experience for our clients. She holds a BA (Hons.) Business Studies with Marketing and the CIM Diploma in Marketing.
Emma loves nothing more than to “bag a few Munros” in her time off – a great way to unwind (unless it's raining).
Ross Philip, Principal User Experience Consultant
Ross has over 10 years experience in the commercial application of user-centred design process and methods in software and web development. Since joining User Vision in 2002, Ross has led and managed a very large number of high profile usability and accessibility projects for many of User Vision's clients.
He has particular interests in Strategic Usability, Usability Maturity , User Centred Design , Information Architecture Analysis and Training .
Acting as a Liaison between the BHCIG and the British Standards Institute (BSI) on the committee responsible for usability standards, he has had previous input into the development and refinement of usability related standards including ISO 23973 (now ISO 9241-151) – "Software ergonomics for Worldwide Web user interfaces". He has also previously been involved with the development of an international accreditation scheme for usability professionals and is a member of the Scottish Usability Professionals’ Association.
Ross holds a MSc. (distinction) in Information Systems from Napier University where his passion for usability and user-centred design was first lit.
His career has also included posts as medical researcher, financial consultant, direct marketer and professional musician prior to switching to Information Technology and the specialist field of usability.
He often has his hands full with his three young children, still loves playing bass in his band and likes nothing better than a contemplative days fishing and a top curry, ideally one after the other.
Mark Westwater, Senior User Experience Consultant
Mark is qualified with a BSc. (Hons.) in Applied Biological Sciences from Napier University in Edinburgh, an MSc. (Eng.) in Work Design and Ergonomics at the University of Birmingham.
Mark has over 15 years experience applying User Centred Design (UCD) methodologies to product developments. Prior to joining User Vision Mark worked for NCR, the world leader in Automated Teller Machines (ATM) Research and Development. His primary focus was to plan and support both hardware and software developments including both mobile and voice recognition projects.
Since joining User Vision Mark has worked across a variety of sectors for a diverse list of clients. He has worked extensively in Financial Services and across the mobile platform as well as conducting more product based research. As well as his user-centred project roles, as a Senior Consultant Mark has responsibility for project management, presentation to board level, business generation and delivering training courses in mobile usability. Marks client list includes the BBC, Autotrader, Sainsbury’s Bank, Channel 4 and iBAHN.
He has been a Registered Member of the Ergonomics Society for the last 15 years and is currently the membership secretary of the Scottish Ergonomics Forum. Mark is also a Member of the Usability Professional’s Association (UPA). He has published a number of research papers and has several filed patents in both the security and accessibility fields. In 2001 Mark won the ‘Eureka’ award for innovation for a visual PIN concept for ATM security.
Mark enjoys DJing and also plays golf regularly and was a county team member. Today, unfortunately, Mark hacks his way around a golf course with little purpose.
Stephen Denning, Senior User Experience Consultant
Stephen has over 12 years experience in delivering user-centred solutions across a variety of industries and sectors, helping organisations deliver products and services that meet the needs of their users in a usable and compelling way. His User Experience (UX) knowledge is complimented by years of experience of project management and systems/business analysis, as well as being underpinned by a solid technical background.
Before joining User Vision Stephen was a Principal Consultant with PA Consulting, working with a range of well-known clients, including Nissan, BBC, Egg, NHS and HMRC. In 2007, Stephen took a career break to undertake a post-graduate degree in Boston, Massachusetts and while there also worked as a Research Associate at the Bentley University Design & Usability Center, undertaking UX projects for clients such as Nokia, Salary.com and Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Since joining User Vision in 2009 Stephen has worked with a number of clients, including Tesco Bank, English Heritage, Autotrader and NHS24, providing valuable insight at crucial points in their service development and helping them to realise the benefits of delivering an excellent user experience.
Stephen has a Bachelors degree in Computer Science from Heriot-Watt University and a Masters in Human Factors in Information Design from the Bentley University Graduate School of Business. He is a member of the British Computer Society and the Usability Professionals Association.
In his free time, Stephen can be found perusing the technology magazines, playing with his young son or grabbing a pair of skis and hunting out some snow.
Jonathan Marshall, Head of Interactive TV
Jonathan Marshall is one of the key technical strategists in the field of interactive TV, having led the development of the BBC's first ground-breaking services on DTT and Digital Satellite.
Jonathan started his career at the BBC in 1991 as a recording engineer for BBC Scotland. He then left to complete a degree in Electronics and Music followed by a Masters in French and Management. By combining these skills he worked in Paris for IRCAM designing and implementing Digital Music Workstations for contemporary composers and performers to use.
Jonathan rejoined the BBC in 1996 working firstly on DAB and then Digital Television for the Research and Development department at Kingswood Warren. It was here that he developed the world's first interactive TV broadcasts in MHEG. In 1999 Jonathan joined the newly-created BBC Interactive TV department at Bush House, where he worked with the technical team in delivering a whole raft of services in the interactive TV field. Jonathan went on to become BBC Interactive TV's main technical interface for all third party software providers, testing and appraising their products, and giving him an unrivalled knowledge of the interactive TV tools market.
Laura Farrant, Senior User Experience Consultant - User Vision MENA
Laura is an experienced usability research and consultant who has applied her skills to a wide variety of business domains including public sector organisations, broadcasters and publishers, financial services and market research. She has led the planning, execution and reporting of lab-based remote (moderated and unmoderated) research, eye tracking, expert evaluations and focus groups for leading organisations both in the UK and in the Middle East.
As part of our Middle East and North Africa team, Laura has valuable regional experience from leading user centred design and market research activities for Yahoo! (Maktoob Research) and Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC).
Laura has worked with many leading organisations including Emirates Airline, Barclays Capital, the FSA, the National Archives, TK Maxx, Zurich, and the Department of Education.
Ali al-Azzawi, Senior User Experience Consultant - User Vision MENA
Ali started his career as a physicist and electronic engineer at the University of Oxford and Dartmouth College (USA), and then eventually as an Application Scientist with a medical and research equipment manufacturer, servicing clients around the world. He then got involved in computing, and eventually founded a UK-based web development company in 1999, with clients from public sector, academia, and industry; from various parts of the world, including the Arabic speaking part, as he is fluent in Arabic.
His keen interest in making sure technology works well for people led him to undertake a psychology PhD, focused on "Experience with Technology: Understanding the dynamics of User Experience and consumption of portable media devices." His ability to have a deep understanding in both the technical and psychological aspects of technology gives him a unique opportunity for contributing to both aspects of design, and to bridge the gap between the users and the technology. Ali uses his experience and expertise to conduct usability, industrial user research, and design, working with clients such as American Express, Qatar Airways, BBC, NHS, MBC, Booking.com, Abbott Labs, and Saudi Post. He is also currently Visiting Research Fellow in the Digital Research Centre at the University of Surrey, where he is finishing his book on a practical theory of User Experience.
Ali holds a BSc in Applied Physics with Laser Technology from the University of Hull, UK, and a PhD in Psychology, from the University of Surrey, UK.
He is a licenced pilot and a sailing instructor, but now spends his time learning to play the oud, an ancient ancestor to the guitar. He has four sisters, is married with four daughters (running a music quartet), who have one guinea pig, and two chickens.
Jamie Sands, User Experience Consultant
Jamie qualified in 1999 with a BSc. (Hons.) in Psychology from Edinburgh University and completed his PhD. in ‘Usability of Stereoscopic Augmented Reality’ from the School of Computing at Napier University in 2007.
Jamie has also spent 2 years working within the Advanced Technology and Research department of NCR, the world leader in Automated Teller Machines (ATM) development, as part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) between Napier University and NCR, Dundee. This challenging assignment encompassed the full project life-cycle, from initial project space investigation, through user testing and prototype development. This work included the development of the largest multi-national investigation of user opinions on banking behavior and personalization.
During his time at User Vision Jamie has worked with clients such as the BBC, DirectGov and the Student Loans Company and has taken a particular interest in the application of eye tracking as a means to gather further understanding of the user experience.
This has also included emotional response testing using sophisticated eye-tracking technology to measure the immediate, instinctual, psycho-physiological reaction to visual stimuli.
Outside of work Jamie has an interest in music and film, on both sides of the camera. In particular he has an interest in short film competitions, including 8mm films, of which his first three entries have been accepted and premiered in various London screenings.
Alan Blackwood, User Experience Consultant
Alan has over 10 years experience in user-centered design roles in large commercial and public-sector organisations.
During that time he has co-coordinated and led user-centered design input into major web developments in the financial services and higher education sectors, utilising his practical knowledge of the skills and techniques required to help businesses meet the varying demands of diverse user groups.
Alan completed a BA in English Literature at the University of Sheffield before discovering the wonders of the emerging technology of the web and subsequently completed an MSc in Human Computer Interaction at Napier University in Edinburgh.
When not spending far too much time staring at some form of screen, Alan enjoys travel, reading and various sports.
Shane Walsh, User Experience Consultant
Shane has a B.A in English and a Higher Diploma in Applied Psychology from University College Cork. While studying Applied Psychology Shane became interested in the field of Human Computer Interaction and subsequently obtained an MSc (Distinction) in Human Computer Interaction with Ergonomics from University College London.
Shane has experience of utilising a broad range of user centred design tools and techniques and has applied these in work with clients in the public and private sector.
Shane has a keen interest in emerging human computer interaction paradigms, completing his MSc dissertation on the area of Gestural user interfaces. Since joining User Vision Shane has worked on large scale projects encompassing all facets of experience, particularly prototyping and usability testing.
Shane is a member of the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors.
Anna Basista, User Experience Consultant
Anna qualified in 2009 with a BSc (Hons) in Psychology from Edinburgh Napier University. After a brief break she decided to focus on bringing her geek nature together with her psychology interests and entered into the field of the User Experience. She qualified with MSc in User Experience - Interactive Systems (distinction) from Edinburgh Napier University in 2012.
She is a keen explorer of new technologies and since joining User Vision has carried out projects using eye–tracking glasses and emotional response testing software. Anna’s experience is cross-platform, having worked on projects involving website usability, gaming interaction and in-store experience, and given her psychology background she enjoys employing a wide range of user research and design techniques, including focus groups, usability testing and rapid prototyping.
Since joining User Vision, Anna has carried out projects for well-known clients such as Visit Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, and Jumeirah.
When not working Anna spends her time dinghy sailing, shooting some arrows with local archery club or mountain biking.
Amy McInnes - User Experience Consultant
Qualifications – Amy graduated in 2007 with a BSc (Hons) in Psychology and Business from Stirling University.
Prior to joining User Vision Amy worked in Sales for two years before deciding to embrace her passion for psychology further and joined one of Europe’s leading digital agencies where she was a key player in the development of the usability department, introducing Conversion Rate Optimisation, and ensuring the continual integration of usability across all the digital media offerings.
She has experience in conducting expert evaluations, user testing, user journey mapping, wireframe design, landing page reviews and conversion optimisation with a combination of analytics analysis and her insight into media services.
She has worked with a range of leading companies around the world including Disney, M&S, Rezidor Hotel Group, Jumeriah, Emirates, Harley Medical, Bupa, Admiral, Shoosmiths, RBS, Barclaycard and various governmental projects.