About Karl

Karl A L Smith — short bio

Karl Smith works globally as a consultant and thought-leader, helping enterprises of all sizes — from startups to multinational organisations — to transform how they work by combining technology, design and human-centred thinking.

He sees himself not merely as a technologist, but as someone dedicated to solving everyday human problems — using new digital concepts, research-based methods and emerging technology to improve customer experiences and organisational effectiveness.

Background & Education

Karl began with a background in design, followed by postgraduate work in design education.
In 2006 he completed a master’s in computer science to formalise his long-standing technical and enterprise technology work.
He started his professional journey in usability (from 1998) — what was then more diagnostic — and evolved into what is now widely called User Experience (UX), service design, and strategic UX/organisational design.

Areas of Expertise & What He Does

Karl’s work spans a wide range of fields and types of projects. Key areas:

User Experience (UX) & Customer Experience (CX): He has played a pioneering role in evolving usability into full UX — combining research, design thinking, service design and strategy.
Enterprise & Organisational Transformation: He helps companies and institutions design and implement future-proof operating models, combining digital and non-digital cultural change, process automation, self-service systems, and customer-centric strategies.
Consultancy, Advisory & Transformation for Financial Institutions, Corporations, Startups: He works with a wide range of organisations — from venture capital / private equity–backed companies to large banks and global enterprises — advising on transformation, strategy, digitalisation, UX, compliance and governance.
Innovation through Technology: He has invented several research methodologies and digital concepts (see below), and worked on advanced topics like AI, blockchain and platform thinking to support “smart living” and customer-driven enterprise transformation.

Key Inventions & Methods

Karl developed a number of original methods and frameworks used in UX, design research and organisational transformation:

Ethnographics — a simplified, contextual-usability version of ethnography, for real-world user-experience research.
Contextual Usability — usability testing and analysis using actual user context (home, work, usual environment).
UCD Innovation Method (also known as Innova8™) — a process for rapid, user-centred innovation for products, services and business processes.
Pathway Analytics — a method inspired by information scent theory to analyse navigation and content pathways in information systems.
Brand Recognition Testing — a method combining interview and ethnography studies designed around media and targeted user groups, later enhanced with mobile eye-tracking.
Customer Agility Framework (launched 2023) — a structured framework combining AI, analytics (ML, NLP, Bayesian networks, etc.), UX research, market sentiment, ESG/PRI, and stakeholder feedback to drive organisational change and customer-centric transformation.

Career Highlights & Clients

Karl has worked with many major organisations — across banking, finance, government, retail, media, healthcare, consumer goods — helping them to redefine digital services, customer experience, operating models and enterprise transformation.

Some notable engagements include:

Launching and leading UX/digital design strategy at global consultancies such as Wipro Digital and Accenture.
Working with large banks and financial institutions on agile operating model design, digital transformation and process change (e.g. NatWest Bank, HSBC, and others).
Advising governments and public-sector organisations (e.g. benefit-system redesign for the government) on system and service design.

Philosophy, Approach & Personal Ethos

Karl emphasises human-centred design and the value of people’s experiences: he believes that an engaged customer is a result of good experience — and aims to design systems, services and organisations around that principle.

He values critical thinking, simplicity, creativity and respect for people — applying these not only to design and technology, but also to leadership, team building and organisational culture.

He combines polymathic interests — design, technology, business, humanities — believing that interdisciplinary thinking is essential to solving complex modern problems.

Summary / What Karl Smith Represents

Karl Smith is not just a consultant or technologist — he is a strategist, inventor, and human-centred thinker. Over decades, he has built an unusual portfolio: blending UX/design, enterprise transformation, technology innovation, consulting, and thought leadership.

His work revolves around helping organisations become more adaptive, customer-centric and future-proof — using a combination of research-driven methods, digital technologies and human insight.

Old Version Karl A L Smith Biography

Karl Smith has worked globally with directors, stakeholders and customers of multinational enterprises across all verticals and technology stacks whose focus is on new concepts and capabilities that drive customer engagement, interaction and retention.

Karl is dedicated to finding solutions to everyday human problems and would not describe himself as a technologist. He has invented several research methodologies and new digital concepts now in common use including Ethnographics as a short form version of Ethnography but for contextual usability. He has also invented Artificial Intelligence and Twin Blockchain technologies for the UbiNET Platform a ubiquitous platform and system to deliver Smart Living, for humanity.

He is currently working on a start up All me the secure anonymous social media (Development Blog), without advertising funded through micropayments. The operating company Me Social has been setup in Edinburgh.

Karl was a consultant working though Agile World Inc. from 1989 to 2025 incorporated in 2006 that is focused on augmentation of existing companies or helping startups mature, he is also a specialist consultant to financial institutions, venture capital and private equity funds in the USA, UK and EU and is one of the four founders of Wipro Digital.

In 2023 he launched the Customer Agility Framework that he created and then refined through fellow Founders. This framework adopts Artificial Intelligence (Machine Learning, Neural Networks, Natural Language Processing & Large Language Models, Fuzzy Logic, Expert Systems and hidden Bayesian Networks for Advance Analytics) along with CSAT/NPS, ESG/PRI, Market Sentiment/Analyst Community, Shareholders filtered through UX Research to drive Customer Requirements into a structured way to deliver Change and Transformation.

https://customeragilityframework.com/enterprise-agility/enterprise-agility-high/

Education and Early Career

He started out with a degree in design, post graduate in design education and in 2006 completed a master’s in computer science to validate his existing highly technical (but self taught) enterprise technology knowledge and experience. Starting in Usability in 1998 the diagnostic aspect of what was later called UX he has a wide knowledge of design techniques and methodologies including service design, design thinking, UX, CX, product design (physical, digital and services), target operating model design, organisational design, design strategy etc.

Experience

He is considered one of the founders of UX as someone who made the early move from Usability (diagnostics) to UX (researching and defining solutions), UX Strategy (for ecosystems) now called Service Design and Strategic Research (with executives) now called Design Thinking.

He has worked across all the key verticals and focused on change that involves complex non-digital and digital cultural change, high volume transaction processes, self-service systems, customer centricity and automation. He has specific experience in complex regulatory environments and has delivered compliant master strategy, customer engagements, process change, digitisation, target operating and governance models into national and global organisations.

I experiment by launching out into the shallows, if I fail there I don’t go down with my ship.

He is a highly competent, personable, creative and motivated person with a keen insight and definition ability. He is a critical thinker and able to rapidly discover the essence of problems then define, communicate, create buy-in and deliver end to end digital and process solutions. He positively motivates those around him and is able to engender a great team dynamic by leading from the front. He has business experience since 1989 at comparable levels in fields including defence, industry, energy, pharmaceutical, biomedical, construction, fashion, finance, banking, FMCG, property, publishing, healthcare, travel, policing, crown office, local and central government. He has specialist banking experience with investment, private, commercial, business, trading, wealth and asset management in Europe, USA, China, Australia, Japan and Russia.

Recent organisational design roles include launching HCD Agile at scale in NatWest Bank and HSBC.

He has a wide experience in management consultancy and digital technology including business management, strategy, innovation, marketing, advertising, governance, change management, project management, definition, design and delivery. He has been honoured by the British Computer Society for his eminence in IT leadership with a Fellowship.

He mainly focuses on customer experience engagement and management in both B2B and B2C sectors.

The difference between an engaged customer and an enraged customer is their experience, which customers would you prefer to have?

He works with directors and stakeholders whose focus is increasing efficiency, transaction frequency and accuracy through the provision of knowledge driven, context focused, user-centered and responsive, future proofed (IoT, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence), progressive interactive organisational change, innovative business processes and technology systems.

As a customer experience expert, I have no opinion, I wait and get the opinion of the customer as they are the subject matter experts and combine it with business strategy to create solutions that meet both the business and its customers expectations.

He is involved in defining new business concepts, strategies, requirements, governance (ISO/IEC 38500) and solutions that support businesses and organisations involved in transforming themselves to be adaptive and future proof themselves for market disruption.

Clients (sample list)

Karl has worked with several companies to define for launch or redefine their service offerings, business structures or digital presence including;

Admiral Insurance (2024) – Designed portfolio-level operating model integrating data, AI and agile delivery for underwriting, claims and digital channels.
All.me (2023) – Product strategy leadership across full lifecycle including funding, architecture and platform intelligence.
HSBC (2022) – Led AI-enabled engineering and portfolio platforms for 200,000+ users; delivered ML-driven knowledge, workflow and API ecosystems supporting 45,000 engineers; established AI patterns and governance for enterprise reuse.
Scottish Government (2021) – Designed national-scale service and data platforms using AI-ready architectures for benefits administration.
Customer Agility Framework (2021) – Developed AI-first operating model incorporating ML, LLMs, NLP, neural networks, expert systems, fuzzy logic and big-data analytics.
NatWest Group (2019) – Defined AI and Automation Centre of Excellence; embedded pattern-based delivery for ML, decisioning and intelligent process automation across Retail and Commercial Banking.
Decision Point AI® (2016) – Product Owner for commercialisation of Bayesian Network and Five-Eyes intelligence platform.
Private Investment Portal (2015) – IBM Watson large data set pattern analysis in transactions
Zoopla Property Group (2008) – IBM Fuzzy Logic data cleansing and web scraping core function
Private Telco VoIP (2007) – Dynamic support system
Innova8™ (2001-8) – Rapid Innovation method used to relaunch Accenture and Wipro
Accenture – Launch of Enterprise User Experience, Digital Services Launch, M&A Fjord – 2012
Pearson Publishing – Digital Services Restructuring – 2011
Deutsche Bank – Self Service Paradigm Shift – 2011
RBS – Investment Banking, Daily P&L Risk Management – 2010
The Oxford University Press – Mobile First Digital Strategy – 2009

Other clients include; Argos, M&S, New Look, Vertu, Diageo, Cooperative Stores, Oxfam, Edinburgh University, Bradford University, The Roundhouse Trust, Microsoft, Apple, US Bank, Chase, Experian, Unilever, Wood Mckenzie, RBS, Khol’s, JP Morgan, Lloyds Banking Group, Allied Irish Bank, Bank of China, Santander, Vodafone, Carphone Warehouse, ABN, Tesco Bank, GE Money, Deutsche Bank, Learn Direct, TFL, What Car, City Index, Etihad Holidays, ONS, NISRA, Discovery Network, Pfizer, Novartis, TJX, EE, ICI, BNFL, Rohm and Haas, Petrobras, Aramco, Shell, BP Group, BP Exploration.

Founder and Thought Leader

He is directly involved in central government policy in The House of Commons and The House of Lords through a number of committees including;

Associate Parliamentary Group for Design and Innovation
The British Computer Society has acknowledged him for his contribution to User Experience as a discipline with a Fellowship – FBCS

Recent Interviews and Conferences

AI Effectiveness and Human Eminence by Karl A L Smith

Interview with the founder of All me

Feb 11, 2025 Agile World ®

A new perspective with Karl A L Smith

Aug 16, 2024 XTech Podcast

Future of the Agile Movement

December 2022. LeadersHum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVlX4IEKebI no longer available

Customer Experience in the 21st Century and Beyond

August 2022. InfoBeans: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/customer-experience-in-the-21st-century-and-beyond/id1610970882?i=1000575636298

Agile ERP Transformation & Enabling New Ways of Working

May 2022 Nestell & Associates: https://nestellassociates.com/podcast/episode-59-agile-erp-transformation/

On YouTube

The Agile Confessional – Episode 14, Karl Smith

February 2022. The Agile Confessional: https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-icyrc-fb45f1?

Agility in Business

December 2021. Engati:

Agile is for Everyone

September 2021. Agile World:

HCM Software and “Agile” versus “Ways of Working”, with Karl Smith

April 2021. Human Capital Innovations, LLC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEarGmgn23o

Karl Smith, Polymath, Influencer, Authority UX UI, AI, IoT

November 2020. Dinis Guarda

Thought Leadership

Karl Smith’s motivation

That’s the pitch over, beyond the above I really love doing my job, it’s the best job in the world

making other peoples experiences good ones

beats anything else I can think of.

I have been privileged to have been mentored by several clear thinking Scottish, Irish and American business people. They have fundamentally affected my perceptions of business, people management and leadership, knowledge that I could not have gained expect through their life experiences. In addition to their skill sets I work from a bases of learning, I do not assume that I know in absolute anything (Ref: Charles Woolworth), but maintain the skill of

asking stupid questions to avoid doing stupid things
Karl Smith, 1989

a sensible approach that people who know me will recognise. Leadership is not a title it’s behaviour, someone is a leader because people follow not because they proclaim themselves but most importantly you cannot lead others if you cannot lead yourself first.

When I work with others I consider them before myself and actively work to make them look good, an unpopular activity in modern society, but it is simply the right thing to do (Ref: Andrew Carnegie). People will do what they must to survive, to excel takes an environment where credit is allocated in a balanced way. Teams are built from moment to moment, not through grand gestures but through consideration and respect.

From a social side I have twenty two years experience of voluntary youth work and actively support several charities with time and money. I am an oil painter, sculptor and silversmith with a constant flow of creative and design concepts.

Some Projects

Design Studio Magazine of Enterprise Projects

https://vimeo.com/182718212

Client Projects

Founder of Several Organisations

Founder and CTO All me and Founder and CEO of Me Social Limited from 2023 to present.

Co-Founder Agile World and Agile World Broadcast Media from 2021 to present.

Founder of Agile World Inc. involved from March 2006 to November 2025

Founder of UbiNET Inc. involved from June 2001 to 2024

Founder of UCD UK Conferences Organisation involved from Feb 2011 to 2016

Research and methods created by Karl Smith

Customer Agility Framework in 2022 by Karl Smith

The Customer Agility Framework ™ contains two missing links in organizational lifecycle firstly what work should be done and secondly how can work be qualified as impactful. As Artificial Intelligence becomes pervasive is it serving your organisation or your competitors?“ Deciding where to use unique human capabilities and focus artificial intelligence is the next great business evolution” The Customer Agility Framework ™ provides a way to build upon the unique skills and knowledge in your organisation by optimizing through a new way of working using artificial intelligence, customer (user) experience and agile. Marketing site Customer Agility explains the benefits.

Diagnostic research and review a method created in 2004 by Karl Smith

Diagnostic methods operate through a problem-solving process the forms various hypothesis from interaction. These hypotheses form a picture of the interaction which can then be diagnosed from known activities or be reviewed to discover new or modified types of activity.

Reflective review a method created in 2004 by Karl Smith

Reflective methods are based upon the concept of reviewing data from a retrospective viewing point and reflecting upon the initiators, nodes and pathways of activity.

Contextual usability method created in 2002 by Karl Smith

A usability testing and analysis method to understand website or a product by target users in their own usual environment; work, home, school with their normal distractions present.

UCD Innovation Method (2001), updated 2003, 2008 by Karl Smith. Trademarked as Innova8™ in the USA Oct 2016.

A method to create rapid user centric innovations for products, customer services and business processes.

Innova8™ by permission at Wipro Digital

Innova8™ used by permission at Accenture

The Innova8™ Process

UCD Innovation Process Invested by Karl Smith in 2001, updated in 2003, 2008 Copyright 2001 Karl Smith — UCD Innovation Process Invested by Karl Smith in 2001, updated in 2003, 2008 Copyright ©2001 Karl Smith

Ethnographics a method created in 2001/2 by Karl Smith

Ethnographics is an interpretation of ethnography and an extension of Brand Recognition testing was created by Karl Smith as a digital enactment method to scope and determine group behaviours for interaction design and user experience research.

Pathway analytics a method created in 2001 by Karl Smith

Pathway analytics is a method that uses data patterns to determine active pathways through information, navigation and content and was inspired by information scent (P. Pirolli).

Brand recognition testing a method created in 1999 by Karl Smith

A brand testing method carried out using a mixture of interview and ethnography studies designed around media and targeted user groups. Mobile eye tracking was added to this group of processes in 2006 to facilitate a cognitive assessment.

Politics

I see my role as a Pragmatist and Problem Solver.

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