Christina Thowsen-Baldey

People are at the centre of everything I strive to understand;
my career in technology is no different.

Access to equal technological opportunities is vital to every digital solution I create. I use my empathetic approach to user experience and digital accessibility to solve problems and amplify people’s voices by creating digital product designs for all people.

My diverse experiences in disability studies, teaching, real estate, and hospitality have enriched my journey as an inclusive UX designer. In collaboration with impactful organisations, I have worked on cutting-edge technologies that genuinely resonate with users and build futures that benefit businesses and humanity.

I welcome the opportunity to work on meaningful projects, and to be part of a community of professionals, that strive to make a positive impact on society.

Values

  • The inclusion of all users, regardless of individual differences, is an integral part of my process of creation, design, development and product delivery. Inclusivity involves including the user throughout the creation and development of the product, as well as ensuring their end user experience. My experience with collaborative design has shown that inclusivity goes beyond emphasising and making the design decisions for users. Bringing users, as well as a diverse team of talented designers and engineers, into the design and development process achieves innovative design that inherently includes users.

  • Access to equal technological opportunities is vital to every digital solution I develop. Accessibility addresses the extent to which UX challenges restrict users with disabilities and other marginalised communities from accessing the same opportunities that digital products provide in a technological society. Through my work in inclusive UX design and research, I am passionate about working with disabled and non-disabled stakeholders throughout the design process to develop digital solutions that are accessible to users often ignored in the design process.

  • The implementation of technology in context to create value to users is, to me, the essence of innovation. Innovation forces designers and researchers to stretch their perspectives of what is possible. I am continuously curious about cutting-edge technologies. Through my work in UX design and assistive technologies, I work to find how these developments can be leveraged to optimise user experiences and provide value to a market audience. I attach importance to staying keen and excited by progress and looking for opportunities to collaborate with top- field designers, engineers and researchers.

  • The experience of the user is a cornerstone of successful product development. Experience-driven design pushes teams to think beyond functionality, considering the emotional and practical impacts of their products. My commitment to enhancing user experience guides me to explore innovative solutions and collaborate with leading experts, ensuring that every product not only meets technical standards but also delights and engages its users. This approach underscores my belief that the true measure of innovation lies in its ability to improve lives and create meaningful connections.

Experience

Consultancy

I partnered with several impactful organisations to enhance the inclusivity and user-friendliness of critical digital solutions. I guided the creative design process from concept to prototyping to testing, collaborating closely with clients and developers to communicate the important of human-centred design and to ensure the best possible user experience.

MSc Disability, Design and Innovation

I developed the ability to blend user experience design, disability studies, and business strategy to create inclusive designs through innovation and design thinking. My experience includes working directly with individuals with disabilities, as well as both disabled and non-disabled innovators, to develop design artifacts and prototypes ranging from low to high fidelity, all informed by self-conducted user research.

Beyond IT

I have honed my ability to understand and empathize with different user needs and perspectives through a diverse background in care, teaching, real estate, and hospitality. This eclectic experience equips me with a unique, well-rounded perspective on creating exceptional user experiences through empathy, adaptability, communication and problem-solving.

Solving for real challenges and amplifying the lost voices

How might we support adults with ADHD better comprehend and engage on video conferencing platforms?

How might we guarantee that volunteers and leaders have seamless access to vital information about the organization?

How might we enable researchers to register their research data efficiently and effortlessly?

How might we empower assistive and augmented communication (ACC) users to engage in long-form conversations?

How might we reduce distractions caused by in-car and phone alerts to support drivers with attention disabilities?

Projects in collaboration with

Norsk Folkehjelp

Sikt

OsloMet

University College London

Soderberg & Partners

Ford Mobility

Universitetet i Bergen

Tietoevry

Norsk Folkehjelp Sikt OsloMet University College London Soderberg & Partners Ford Mobility Universitetet i Bergen Tietoevry