Callum Owen

Competencies

User-centred Design · Interaction & UX Design · User Research (Qualitative/Quantitative) · Co-design & Participatory Design · Rapid Prototyping & Iterative Design · Accessible & Inclusive Design · Agile Cross-functional Collaboration · Technical Communication · Full-stack Web Development

Technologies & Tools

Figma · Adobe · JavaScript · React · Next.js · Node.js · Vite · Python · TypeScript · HTML · CSS · Tailwind · Cursor · v0 · Claude · Llama · Git · CI/CD · Docker · AWS · Azure · Linux · TCP/IP

Research & Design Projects

• Solid Speculation

  Expected Summer 2026

  Newcastle University

  • Speculative Co-design through Civic Probes toward Interoperable, Ethical Web Futures — investigating how speculative design methods can surface civic values to inform personal data mental models for an ethical, interoperable web.

• AI Quest

  2026

  Newcastle University

  • Designed and built a tangible, mediated Human-AI Interaction video game console for schoolchildren, responding to emerging research on AI-induced cognitive stunting (Winthrop et al.). Powered by a self-hosted Llama 3.1:8B server, dynamically prompting a branching story through a retro 8-bit interface on a Raspberry Pi to foster holistic AI literacy: curiosity, independence, and critical reflection.
  • Led end-to-end project: co-design and ideation, iterative development, and user testing; built full-stack web application (React/Node.js) integrated into Linux hardware with local-first LLM architecture chosen deliberately to promote privacy, minimise environmental impact, and surface AI infrastructure as a tangible, comprehensible system.
  • Iterated on user feedback throughout — including implementing a "manual mode" minigame for increased engagement — leading a multidisciplinary team across design and engineering.

• Like-O-Meter

  2026

  Newcastle University

  • Critical review and speculative design process addressing transparency and user control of Instagram Reels' AI recommendation algorithm, co-authored academic paper: "From Opaque Algorithms to User Control: A Critical Review of Instagram Reels Recommendation Experience to Inform Prototype Design".
  • Designed the Like-O-Meter: a Figma prototype giving visual form to implicit algorithmic signals (watch time, long-term inferences) as a glanceable floating icon, plus a new transparency screen enabling users to understand and manually override recommendations.
  • Led focus groups and user testing to surface mental models; applied thematic analysis to synthesise findings. Key insight: effective AI transparency design must minimise cognitive load to drive adoption — clarity alone is insufficient without accessible, intuitive affordances for meaningful user action.

• Magic Disco Ball

  2026

  Newcastle University

  • Designed and built a delightful, situated local music venue explorer artefact for Newcastle, conceived as an antidote to algorithmic optimisation; wall-mounted, physically interactive spinner encouraging spontaneous community discovery of grassroots music venues.
  • Explored the full physical prototyping process: low-fidelity sketching, CAD, 3D printing, laser cutting, and embedded electronics.

• Twofold

  2025

  Newcastle University

  • Paired jewellery co-design project connecting loved ones at long distance through embodied wearable artefacts communicating ambient data, responding to the brief "living well with data" via Double Diamond iterative process.
  • Applied Responsible Research and Innovation framework for anticipatory ethical analysis throughout; methods included persona and scenario building, visual storyboarding, user journey mapping, bodystorming, expert appraisal, and usability evaluation.

• Public Service Social Media

  2022

  BBC R&D

  • Research-driven prototype exploring open web standards for ethical, decentralised social media; conducted literature review, technical data architecture analysis, and developer community engagement; built experimental MVP in React/Next.js/Solid.
  • Networked across industry and academia advocating for data privacy and web interoperability; presented internal sessions on Web3, Blockchain, and emerging decentralised web standards.

Experience

• Contribution Engineer

  2022 — 2025

  Warner Bros. Discovery

  Designed, integrated and delivered internet and cloud-based broadcast contribution systems for TNT Sports and Eurosport across EMEA, including the Paris 2024 Olympics, UEFA Champions League, and Premier League.

  • Built React/Next.js automation tooling, streamlining mass-configuration of Paris 2024 broadcast encoding infrastructure across distributed data centres, significantly reducing manual overhead for operational teams.
  • Led full engineering project cycle — requirements gathering, architectural design balancing cost, quality and latency, vendor and telco liaison, technical delivery, and documentation — across satellite, fibre, cloud, and LTE.
  • Linux/Windows systems administration; cloud VM troubleshooting; DMZ/firewall policy design; delivered technical training and documentation to EMEA operational teams.

• R&D Engineer · Research and Development

  Jan 2022 — Aug 2022

  BBC

  Contributed to BBC R&D's Public Service Internet research on Solid — an open web specification for interoperable Personal Data Stores — through literature review, technical architecture discussions, and developer community engagement; wrote dissertation prototyping a decentralised social web application.

  • Researched Human-Data Interaction, Ethical Web Architectures, and Digital Wellness & Integrity Design.
  • Presented internal sessions on Web3 and Blockchain; advocated for data privacy and interoperability across industry and academia.

• Software Engineer · Broadcast Systems Development

  Jun 2021 — Sep 2021

  BBC

  Took full ownership of architecting and delivering a full-stack web application to streamline broadcast graphics database management: React frontend, Node.js API, and BBC Login integration.

  • Automated deployment to BBC enterprise network via GitHub, Docker, AWS, and CI/CD pipeline with Jenkins.

• Project Engineer

  Nov 2020 — Mar 2021

  BBC

  Managed full project lifecycle for a studio renovation: stakeholder scoping, asset management, and delivery of new 4K-capable, IP-based studio infrastructure; operated safely within a live broadcast bureau.

• Broadcast Engineer

  Jan 2020 — Sep 2020

  CNN

  Supported launch of CNN's new IP-based European HQ; contributed to enterprise broadcast network installation and troubleshooting; collaborated with international engineers isolating Linux cloud server issues; produced stream monitoring documentation.

• Web Designer & Developer

  2020 — Present

  Freelance

  Designed and developed professional websites using React/Next.js for clients across graphic design and financial sectors.

  • Built social impact proof of concepts including a streaming service search engine and an apprenticeships platform presented to BBC directors and IfATE.

Education

• Newcastle University

  MSc Human-Computer Interaction · Projected Distinction · 2026

• Birmingham City University

  BEng (Hons) Broadcast and Communications Engineering · First Class · 2022

• IfATE

  Level 6 Broadcast and Media Systems Engineer · 2022

• Shrewsbury Colleges Group

  A-Levels: Mathematics A* · Further Mathematics A* · Physics A* · Computer Science A · 2019

Additional

• Young Talent Network Steering Group Member

  2021–2022

  BBC

  Contributed to decision-making within BBC's staff network championing diversity and inclusion; topics included career development, wellbeing, and representation of under-35s to senior leaders.

• Head Boy

  2015–2016

  Lakelands Academy

  Represented the school through meetings, events, and student leadership.