Digital Lead
Shelter Scotland October 2022 - October 2024
As Digital Lead at Shelter Scotland, one of the UK’s foremost homelessness charities, I was responsible for managing the charity’s digital real estate and ensuring its alignment with our mission to advocate for the universal right to a safe home. Leading a multidisciplinary team of eight—including a UX designer, senior developer, user researcher, and five content designers—I oversaw all aspects of digital strategy, delivery, and performance. A key accomplishment was making the website more inclusive, ensuring improved accessibility for diverse audiences and empowering users to easily access essential housing advice and support.
Key responsibilities:
Developing and maintaining a comprehensive digital roadmap to balance competing priorities across fundraising, housing advice, campaigns, and other stakeholder demands.
Advising on and providing feedback for design and user testing, with a focus on enhancing inclusivity and accessibility.
Managing Shelter Scotland’s design system to ensure consistency and usability across all platforms.
Organising training sessions to upskill the team and improve operational efficiency.
Effectively managing budgets to deliver impactful digital solutions within resource constraints.
Communicating and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to align digital initiatives with organisational goals.
Recommendation
Andrea was invaluable during her time as Digital Lead at Shelter Scotland. Her UX knowledge is top-notch, and she always found the right balance between business goals and technical realities. She’s super dedicated, efficient, and great at keeping projects on track. On top of that, she’s a clear and constructive communicator, making collaboration easy and enjoyable. She juggled multiple high-pressure projects at Shelter Scotland and always kept the quality consistently high. In my opinion, anyone working with Andrea will have the opportunity to learn from her exceptional approach to digital design and delivery.
Amanda Collins, Head of Communications & Engagement, Shelter Scotland
Senior User Researcher
NHS National Services Scotland August 2021 - September 2022
As a Senior User Researcher in the Service Design Hub at NSS, I applied years of design experience from both the public and private sectors to improve health services through user-centered approaches. I have a strong passion for behavioral design and social innovation, which I used to address complex challenges in public health. Through my work, I made a meaningful social impact, addressing health inequalities and ensuring user needs were central to service design.
Key responsibilities:
Conducted Inclusive Research: I designed and led user research initiatives to tackle cervical screening inequalities, focusing on minority groups and users with access needs.
Collaborated with Multidisciplinary Teams: I worked closely with other user researchers and teams to ensure research insights informed service improvements and policy decisions.
Advocated for Innovation: I used research findings to promote equity in healthcare delivery, driving systemic change through evidence-based design solutions.
Senior User Experience Designer
Shelter March 2020 - August 2021
Key responsibilities:
Led UX design efforts for the Fundraising and Cross-Org teams, ensuring user-centered solutions aligned with organizational goals.
Managed and mentored a Junior UX Designer, fostering their growth and development.
Played a key role in establishing and maintaining a robust pattern library and design system as part of Shelter's rebrand.
Conducted thorough testing of UI designs to meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards and initiated the creation of an accessibility working group to promote inclusive design practices.
Supported the scale-up of Shelter's web shop during the pandemic, driving increased online income as physical charity shops remained closed.
Recommendation
I had the pleasure of working with Andrea when she was my line manager at Shelter. She was an invaluable mentor, teaching me a great deal and helping me significantly enhance my design skills. Her proactive support and leadership was really crucial in my development - ultimately helping me secure a higher position. It was fantastic to be able to learn from such a talented, supportive and knowledgeable designer.
Lizzie Nightingale, Senior Interaction Designer, Government Digital Services (Former Junior UX Designer, Shelter)
User Experience Designer
Shelter Scotland July 2019 - March 2020
As sole UX designer for the Scotland team, I had broad responsibilities, from conducting user research to crafting intuitive UI designs.
Collaborated closely with the Digital Manager, Senior Developer, and freelance developers to launch impactful campaigns and digital initiatives.
Played a key role in the migration to a headless CMS, ensuring user-centered design principles guided the transition.
Designed and developed a new microsite for the Empty Homes Team, improving accessibility and user engagement.
Facilitated design critiques with the England team and established processes for adding new patterns to the organisation’s design system.
Achieved promotion to Senior UX Designer within six months, joining the England team to take on expanded responsibilities.
User Experience Designer
Dentsu Creative (Whitespace) December 2017 - June 2019
I was responsible for the creation of successful digital user experiences and the delivery of client satisfaction. In my role I demonstrated a good understanding of user-centred design, wireframing and prototyping techniques, experience using various content management systems, as well as good knowledge of browser and server web technologies for quality assurance testing.
Clients included:
Business Gateway
VisitScotland
Scotland.org
Business Stream
Sustrans
Food Standards Scotland
Key skills:
User experience design
Requirements gathering
Wireframing, sketching and prototyping
Facilitating and running workshops
Accessible design and testing
Broad understanding of web languages - HTML5, CSS, JS
Quality assurance
Agile methodologies
Recommendation
Andrea is a smart, strategic thinker who I've had the pleasure working with on several complex web build projects at Whitespace. She is a great problem solver with sharp attention to detail, applying her knowledge and experience in user centred design. And, this blends fantastically well with an appreciation for visual aesthetic. A great combination! She's a great communicator, in the internal setting with her team and externally with the client. And, always goes above and beyond to make sure every job is completed to the highest standard. I hope we have an opportunity to work together again in the future!
Sarah Ormerod, Account Director, Whitespace and founder of Thryve Nutrition
Design & Digital Coordinator
Carbon Trust June 2015 - December 2017
As the only in-house digital designer, I gained broad ranging responsibilities and skills. I was the right hand to the Web Manager in the research and redesign of the website to a more user-friendly and responsive interface. I assessed and improved user experience across our main website by carrying out user research, and producing wireframes with appropriate design changes. I maintained the CMS (Umbraco), as well as helped with the development of microsites.
Design and creation of online content and marketing collateral
Website management: reporting on web stats and re-design of website to a more user-friendly interface
Development and maintenance of the CMS (Umbraco)
HTML emails
Assess and improve user experience across the main website and microsites
Recommendation
Andrea worked on a wide variety of design & digital projects at the Carbon Trust, producing high quality work for both internal and external clients. Andrea is very dedicated, efficient, and used her initiative to manage and deliver high profile projects with great results. It was a pleasure to work with her.
Susan Poupard, former Digital & Web Manager, Carbon Trust
Communications Assistant
Designit February - August 2014
Whilst at Europeʼs largest strategic design firm, I was part of a team developing a communications strategy across the companyʼs various channels. I enhanced my copywriting capabilities, gained experience in project management and conducted research. This role emphasised the value of streamlining activities across a multidisciplinary team, from designers to copywriters, to ensure that deadlines were met and that we delivered impeccable results.
Recommendation
During Andrea’s time at Designit, we worked together very closely to develop communications materials across Designit’s various channels. Andrea’s communication skills are very versatile and she demonstrated that she is able to write clearly and effectively whether for a post on Linkedin, or a full-feature article in a print magazine. Andrea takes a very strategic and detail-oriented approach to her work, which clearly shines through all that she does. Through our professional relationship, I have to come to know Andrea as a flexible and optimistic employee who easily adapts to change and loves taking on a challenge. A part from producing quality communications content, Andrea also proved herself to be quite adept in research, project management and office administration. It has been quite enjoyable and effortless to work with Andrea and I know that Designit’s Chief Visionary Officer, Mikal Hallstrup also echoes these sentiments through his close collaboration with her.
Chloe Deanna Williams, Senior Communications Specialist, Designit
Thesis ‘Purchasing as Identity’
AIAYU September - December 2013
My thesis focused on sourcing strategy as brand identity and the obstacles and benefits such a strategy presents using AIAYU as a case study. I conducted primary research through a 3-month work placement. Further qualitative and quantitative research was conducted through interviews with the founders, clients and by surveying consumers. Additional tasks included:
Assisting in DANIDA project
Website content management
Miscellaneous Excel and InDesign tasks
Sales overview
Communications Intern
INDEX: Design to Improve Life® March - September 2013
Researching sustainability trends and innovative design solutions
Social media strategy and management
Press releases
Day-to-day press contact
Recommendation
She solves tasks with overview, care and accuracy, handling demanding projects that should, in principle, be delegated to far more experienced employees due to their size and complexity. Andrea has a keen eye for where in the organisation a helping hand is needed and is always eager to give her support and input. Her motivation and dedication creates strong relationships and is what makes her a much valued colleague. Andrea Elisabeth Dahlén carries out her duties skilfully, independently and with an eye for the greater picture, to fit the overall context in great detail.
Kigge Hvid, former CEO of INDEX: Design to Improve Life®
Sales and Merchandising Assistant
Chalayan June - August 2012
Marketing material preparation
Ad hoc support to production team
Graphic design
Order processing
Managing sample traffic to all agents and distributors
Volunteering
Rowan Alba February 2018 - Present
CARDS (Community Alcohol Related Damage Service) Volunteer
Creative Corners October - December 2011
Creative teacher at Cocles Public Elementary School
Designs for Sea Heart Kindergarten
Education
London College of Communication
Certificate in User Experience (UX) Design, October 2017
Lean UX and agile process
Competitor research
User research techniques
Site audits
Data walls
Personas
User journeys
Interaction design principles
Designing user interfaces
Goldsmiths, University of London
Design & Environment MA, Distinction 2014 - 2015
Digital Fabrication I & II
Designing for a Political Scene
Sustainability
Ecologies
Methods and Processes
Materialities
Copenhagen School of Design & Technology
Design & Business BBA, 11/12 GPA 2012 - 2014
Tools to work both practically and theoretically with a comprehensive knowledge of CSR and sustainability throughout the supply chain and value chain as a whole.
Parsons The New School for Design
BBA Candidate in Design Management, Dean's list for academic performance 2009 - 2012
Digital Skills & Composition
Design in the 21st Century
Marketing
Managing Creative Organisations
Finance
Business Ethics
Trends Forecasting
Chelsea College of Arts 2008 - 2009
Foundation Diploma in Art and Design: 3D/Spatial Design
Copenhagen International School 2001 - 2008
International Baccalaureate Diploma: 38 Point Total
Higher Level: Visual Arts, English A, Social Anthropology
Standard Level: Danish, Math, Biology
Skills
Languages
English, Swedish, Danish, and basic HTML