Marianne Markowski

I am a passionate user centred design practitioner and strategist. I’ve had significant experience delivering a wide range of User Centred Design (UCD) and accessibility research projects for both clients and agencies. My project experience has enabled me to work across all stages of the digital delivery cycle, resulting in a strong ability to advise and conduct the most appropriate UCD method.

I’m well versed and experienced in AGILE development, across both web and mobile platforms achieving the most intuitive user experience (UX). Having completed my PhD research around older people and online technology 8 years ago, I am currently working as a Senior Research Fellow for the University of Greenwich on projects addressing my passion for health care and workforce development. Alongside this, I have been keen to maintain a bridge to transfer knowledge between the practice world (freelance UX) and the academic world and vice versa by staying involved in both worlds.

April 2016

to PRESENT

Research Fellow, at the Institute for Lifecourse Development (ILD), University of Greenwich

Work remit

• Assigned Research Fellow for the Centres: Centre for Professional Workforce Development and Centre for Chronic Illness and Ageing 
• Since sept 2023 lead researcher in the ARC KSS project, carrying out rapid synthesis reviews
• Lead researcher on the Collaborative Learning in Practice (CLiP) Project 

• Engagement in all ILD research support activities: ILD review panel, research café, ECR network
• Supervision of PhD and EdD students
• Supervision of MSc students (Global Health & Advanced Clinical Practice)
• Contributions to development of funding bids, cross ILD centres and faculties
• Engagement with international, national or regional public / cultural sectors / business, industry / professional bodies in relation to research of enterprise
• Recruitment and supervision of RAs depending on project/ research context 

May 2016

Freelance UX consultant

My clients: Serco Usability Services, DNA, Foolproof, new experience, Webcredible, Tribal, CX partners, Spotless interactive, RNIB

• UX Projects covering a range of interfaces: websites, mobile phone browser portals, desktop applications, multi-media kiosks, apps for their clients in retail, banking and government
• UX Projects included the use of the eyetracking software TobII and recording software Morae

September 2007 – May 2009

Webcredible

Account manager – part time (Oct 08 – May 09)

Overall responsibility for a number of key client relationships, ensuring proactive business development, scoping of projects and ensuring quality deliverables. Accountable for all forecasting, project budgeting and invoicing.

User experience consultant (Sept 07 – Oct 08)

Overseeing and conducting UX research programs e.g. full cycle user-centred design from requirements collection to wireframes, prototyping and after-launch feedback. Responsible for client management, on-site consultancy and running of workshops to achieve stakeholder consensus.

August 2004 – September 2005

Usability Specialist at Hutchison UK, ‘3’

Responsible for conducting internal and external usability studies on mobile products, handsets and web, employing various techniques also in conjunction with handset manufacturers. Key in streamlining the user-centred design process between information architecture, visual design, IT and usability by forming a customer champion link in products & services, handset and market research departments.

• Set up and managed the in-house usability lab and usability road-map.
• Significantly improved the overall user experience 3’s mobile portal service through varied UCD techniques, resulting in an increased uptake in content services e.g Music, Games and News.
• Redesigned the user experience and Information Architecture of 3’s blogging product (My3 Gallery) resulting in an increase of new subscriptions by 200%.
• Set up a Global Usability Forum for all 3 regional operators to efficiently exchange research findings and best practice for user experience of all propositions. 

Usability and Accessibility Consultant at Serco Usability Services

Responsible for selling, preparing, running and delivering usability and accessibility projects. Prepared and delivered training courses and mentored junior consultants. As an ‘accessibility champion’ participated and presented at conferences and universities.

• Conducted contextual accessibility research for T-Mobile’s website to be DDA compliant. 
• Scoped, planned and facilitated user research in France, Germany and UK for taxonomy in cross-jurisdictional legal software. 
• Championed the ‘Designers into school’ initiative by the Design Council. 

Responsible for system and user requirements collections to create storyboards, user flow diagrams and line layouts. Conducted usability reviews and accessibility audits and established best practice guidelines.

• Developed an accessibility strategy i.e. EasyAccess for Ukonline.gov.
• Set-up a health information kiosks for two aboriginal communities in Australia.
• Developed Laura Ashley’s made to measure mail order system.

1998-1999

2008-2016

Middlesex University, London

MA Design for Interactive Media

Middlesex University, London

PhD research at the Lansdown Centre for Electronic Art (LCEA), School of Media and Performing Arts

Thesis title: Designing online social interaction for and with older people

Involves constructive design research with people over 65years and conducting in-the-wild design experiments

• Development of my research tool - the ‘Teletalker’ - to create a discussion around the role of technology in older people’s lives (see more: teletalker.org)
• Development of the TTapp and TTconext (a weblink), which is presence software with a bell