Innovation & Technology Product Design
Simone Singh
As a product and service designer, I am passionate about shaping thoughtful, human-centred experiences that respond to real-world needs. My practice is rooted in empathy, systems thinking, and co-creation, allowing me to navigate complex challenges and design interventions that are both strategic and socially impactful.
My work spans digital and physical touchpoints, with a particular focus on inclusive design and social equity. Through collaborative research, stakeholder engagement, and iterative prototyping, I strive to create services and products that are not only functional, but also meaningful and emotionally resonant. Whether working on public sector initiatives, community-led services, or future-facing design systems, I bring curiosity, clarity, and care to every stage of the process.
Projects
Collaborative Work
ConnectEd. – Digital Embrace Scotland
ConnectEd. is a self-initiated service design project I directed under supervision as part of my final year at the Glasgow School of Art. The project responds to the urgent need for digital inclusion among older adults in Scotland—particularly those aged 50–70—who are often overlooked in the fast-paced shift toward digital services.
In today’s world, digital access is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. From healthcare and banking to staying in touch with family, those without digital confidence face growing exclusion and disadvantage. My personal experience helping my own parents navigate the digital world sparked a deeper investigation into this issue and the systemic barriers that underpin it.
ConnectEd. is a 12-week in-store support programme, co-delivered by trained telecom staff and certified by the Scottish Government and Scotland’s Digital Inclusion Charter. The programme builds digital confidence through trust-based, human-centred support—reframing telecom retail environments as spaces for learning and care.
The project followed a full Double Diamond process, combining secondary research with rich primary engagement. I interviewed older adults, telecom sales teams, digital inclusion experts, and policy stakeholders to understand the realities and gaps in support. Co-design workshops with people aged 50–70 informed every touchpoint of the service—from language and tone of voice to emotional needs and motivation.
By centring empathy, lived experience, and collaboration, ConnectEd. demonstrates how design can meaningfully respond to social challenges. It invites telecom providers to be part of the solution—using their reach, spaces, and staff to build a more digitally inclusive Scotland.
This project has not only shaped my design practice by deepening my commitment to human-centred and socially responsive design, but has also allowed me to embody my own beliefs around empathy, equity, and the power of care in the design process.
Product Photograph: Playbook
Serene – Self Care Essential
Serene is a self-care brand envisioned in response to speculative research predicting a dramatic rise in anxiety by 2035, driven by increased online living and reduced social interaction. Designed to support future wellbeing, Serene blends ancient herbal wisdom with modern technology to offer holistic, accessible care.
At its core, Serene delivers personalised anxiety relief through sustainable, reusable pods infused with traditional herbal remedies. These are supported by a smart companion website powered by AI, which learns from users’ emotional patterns and preferences to tailor recommendations and products to individual needs.
Rooted in the belief that wellness should meet people where they are—physically and emotionally—Serene reimagines how care can be delivered in an increasingly digital world. The brand promotes mindful rituals, digital balance, and eco-conscious living, offering a calming counterpoint to the overstimulated environments of tomorrow.
Designing Future Experiences – The Pub 2035
As more people live their lives online, the absence of spontaneous, in-person social interaction and even basic human touch raises urgent questions about emotional well-being, immune resilience, and the future of public health. This project responds to a growing concern: by 2035, widespread digital dependency is predicted to intensify anxiety and reduce opportunities for physical connection.
Drawing from The Digital 2023 Global Overview Report by Simon Kemp, which reveals that over 64% of the global population is now online and nearly 60% are active social media users, we explored the long-term consequences of this shift. The erosion of “third places”—such as pubs, libraries, and community centres—has further deepened social isolation.Reduced exposure to diverse environments may lead to weakened immune systems and increased health vulnerabilities.
Rather than offering a definitive solution, we designed a provocation: a speculative future pub space that invites people to reflect on their drinking habits, lifestyle choices, and the role of social spaces in their wellbeing. This concept imagines the pub as a reimagined site of care, one that champions healthier behaviours, communal reciprocity, and a return to embodied, physical connection in a digital world.
By positioning the pub as a space of resistance to digital isolation, our project challenges visitors to reconsider how human relationships, touch, and shared rituals might regain value in the years to come.
