Expertise
B2B Systems & Enterprise UX
During a significant portion of my career, I have focused on internal B2B systems and thoroughly enjoy the design challenges they present. At the BBC, I managed a team of designers responsible for a wide array of internal tools. My work included redesigning content management systems for managing articles, videos, images, and metadata, along with tools for scheduling and compliance. These are now successfully used everyday by thousands of BBC staff. I developed the BBC’s first internal design system and component library from the ground up, which is now used across numerous internal tools. Prior to this, I designed a whole white-label CMS from concept to implementation for Ericsson and spent several years working on fintech back-office systems at HSBC Insurance.
Strategic thinking & Service design
I’m a holistic thinker and always consider the broader organisational context, whether technical, business or political. I worked on a multi year project to reinvent the BBC’s metadata ecosystem. It started as a small data audit but my team managed to rally and align a large range of stakeholders from across the BBC to collaborate on something much more ambitious. Now Metadata is a top priority with a dedicated team and best in class tooling. BBC R&D has experimented with personalisation of media for years. I consolidated dozens of initiatives into a coherent UX vision and brought it to life through high fidelity concept UIs. This was central to getting an investment case approved to deliver it at scale to audiences over the next few years. The discipline of Service Design is about dealing with large scale problems. I led its introduction at the BBC and co-created the BBC’s Service Design training, teaching over a hundred designers how Design can be a force for change.
Design for emerging technology
Throughout my career, I have worked across various devices and formats, extending beyond web and mobile: TVs, game consoles, physical installations, wearables, and more recently, XR and AI. At BBC R&D, I designed a vision for XR and organised several small projects around immersive technologies, including a project to bring live music to a social 3D environment. These experiences have made me proficient in a variety of 3D design tools, which I am looking to explore further. I have also worked on projects utilising AI for content production workflows, benefiting journalists and content makers. I am passionate about interaction design, and I thrive on pushing the boundaries of design, whether for a voice-led AI agent, an immersive hand-tracked game, or a brain chip yet to be invented.
Team leadership
I have experience managing teams of 5-10 UX professionals and mentored many more through difficult projects, tricky stakeholders, reorgs, personal conflicts and career crises. I always strive to foster a creative, safe and diverse environment where everyone can produce their best work. A good team leader does more than allocate resources and manage workload: they instil passion and meaning into the work, getting stuck in when needed.
Toolset
I’m fluent in Miro, Figma, Jira, Slack, Paper, and now incorporating some CoPilot, CursorAI or Spline. Design tools are changing and I’m excited to try new design workflows. But nothing beats a whiteboard, a PowerPoint or simply a nice cup of tea i.e. the most powerful tool to engage stakeholders.
Experience
BBC R&D-Senior UX principal
2022 – 2025 (2.5 years) I provided general UX direction and strategy as well as direct contribution on specific projects. I managed a multi-skilled team of 5 designers, researchers & technologists. Key projects Flexible Media i.e. defining the future of personalised AV experiences Immersive live music for BBC Philharmonic AI tools for content makers Concepts for a BBC app on VR headsets
BBC UX&D-Creative director
2016 – 2022 (5.5 years) I oversaw a large portfolio of internal systems and managed a design team of 5-10 people and agency resources. I also led the Service Design discipline during its introduction to the BBC. Key projects Create a vision & design tooling to improving Metadata across the whole catalogue Design & roll out a new articles CMS to thousands of journalists Improve video and image delivery workflows
AllofUs - Lead UX designer
2008 – 2016 (8 years) At this boutique design agency, I worked on a variety of projects for many clients, from big companies to startups and institutions. I worked as part of a multidisciplinary team and mentored junior designers and trainees. Key projects VOD services for Sky, Canal+, Fox… across web, mobile and TV and console Interactive kiosks for museums and malls Mobile apps for reading, getting a mortgage or eating healthy.
Previous experiences
I started my career in Paris as a business analyst & product manager at HSBC and AXA bank. I worked for 3 years on internal systems & reporting dashboards. I studied computer science at top French engineer school Centrale-Supelec before specialising with a Masters in HCI & Ergonomics at University Paris V.
Hi, I'm Blaise
Design leader and innovator with 16 years of experience in enterprise systems and new forms of interaction.