Hello, I am Christian Kessler
I'm a creative person with an insatiable interest in the often overlooked — and undervalued — intersection of emerging (technological) trends on the customer experience.
Take mobile banking, for example, and its de facto requirement for any bank worth its salt. Today, innovation in that arena is hard, expensive and usually requires long development times. But the banks that took the first plunge got great praise for delivering simple, almost crude products — and reaped tremendous rewards for their relatively simple investments in time and energy.
Professional Objectives
To work in a small (internal) skunkworks on projects that focus on low-risk, high-reward R&D - a group that focuses on both radical product development as well as iterative improvements.
And — in the long term — to grow a lean yet critically acclaimed laboratory for technical innovation in the customer experience arena.
Best In
Iterative Design
The best products are the ones that properly define their MVP (minimally viable product) requirements, quickly launch, and then offer frequent, real-time updates of features and capabilities.
Mobile (user) experience
Mobile is more than responsive design, it's about creating a transactional environment that focuses on frequent, high-impact user experiences.
Emerging Technologies
Emerging technologies are particularly suited for SMBs and often offer rich opportunities in client retention and engagement - at low costs.
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
A fascination with trends and an economist's love of underlying causes gives me a sharp skill-set in understanding the minimally visible product nature of projects.
Technical Skills
Experience
Present
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
Business Intelligence Specialist | Web Development Analyst
Consults on enterprise analytics strategy; develops and maintains applications to analyze data. Leading role in developing innovative kiosk, web, and mobile-based technologies for (airport) customer engagement.
December 2014
Architect of the Capitol
Innovation Evangelist and General Technologist (Management and Program Analyst)
Provided support and guidance to the Architect (and leadership team) as a member of the Business Transformation Division and Performance, Strategy and Innovation teams. Core member of the strategic planning team with a heavy focus on leveraging technology for performance measurements and customer-centric innovation. Lead designer/developer and project manager for the launch of a real-time, multi-platform customer "partnering" tool and environment (U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives).
April 2008
Corporate Executive Board
Business Analyst, CLC Solutions
Worked with clients and their unique analysis/data needs -- throughout the problem solving life cycle, from issue definition, to outreach communication. Managed research and benchmarking for multiple client organizations (incl. both retail and corporate environments), through both traditional and non-traditional methods
April 2007
McIntosh & Associates
Consultant
Provided customer relationship management (CRM) research and analysis, concentrating on user experience and satisfaction and self-service interactions. Evaluated self-service channels from the user perspective, analyzing user data to identify areas for improvement and increased utilization. Coordinated feasibility and marketing studies to evaluate potential adoption rates for various technology channels.
Education
University of London (Birkbeck College, London School of Economics)
(2003 – 2004)
ABT, MSc Corporate Governence and Ethics
Fellowship, Institute for Philanthropy; UCL Student Union; Holburn Philosophy Society
University of Pristina (Kosovo)
(2003)
Cert., Conflict Resolution
Sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia
University of Oklahoma
(1999 – 2003)
BBA, Management
Crimson Club; Editor-in-Chief, What Possibilities Project
Interests
3D Printing
I share everyone’s enthusiasm with 3D printing's potential to usher in a golden age of on-demand manufacturing, but I believe the real revolutionary magic is going to come from the dramatically shrunken capital requirements needed for the next Jobs and Wozniak.
Mobile-ization
Third Screen or Radical New Paradigm?
I no longer scribble notes on what I want to do when I get to a computer, I start the work on my mobile phone. But it's no longer simple thoughts scribbled in the notes apps. I code on my computer. I watch TV on my computer. I FaceTime on my computer. But I read, write and manage my life on my phone.
Gadget Economics
Uniqueness or Capability?
I wear a Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA) and everyone invariably says the same thing, “It’s amazing what technology can do today.” There’s always a gentle nod in agreement, but what I’m really thinking is how the design’s flawed, the code’s juvenile, and price point makes it an absurd comparison (in terms of being awed) with the latest iPhone (or Apple Watch). That’s not to say the BAHA isn't a decent piece of technology, it’s more that the iPhone is a testament for the amazing power of market-driven innovation.
Hobbies
DIY (Hobby) Electronics
An interest (and hobby) that marries my love of technology with my desire to continuously tweak — from my own alarm clock design to a beautiful, yet useless, robotic pet. Few things rivals the stimulation (and excitement) of a physical prototype coming to life for the first time.
Airports
It’s Odd, I know. But I’ve always loved airports. It’s the technology, the economics, and the closed environment that makes it so fascinating. Plus who doesn’t like airplanes!
Social