Kel Smith
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Kel Smith

Impact Technologist | Design Thinker | Consensus SeekerPhiladelphia, United States
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Kel Smith
Available

Kel Smith

Impact Technologist | Design Thinker | Consensus SeekerPhiladelphia, United States
About me
I once was introduced at a conference as a "barrier remover." I've had a number of job titles, but that one feels the most natural to me. For nearly twenty years, I've removed barriers as an entrepreneurial digital channel leader across multiple industry verticals: technology, product strategy, user-centered design and business development. I consider it a privilege to anticipate that rare opportunity when industry trends align with my social conscience. I'm the author of Digital Outcasts: Moving Technology Forward Without Leaving People Behind, published by Morgan Kaufmann in 2013. The book received very nice reviews and attracted "Book of the Week" mentions on GoodReads, Amazon and ACM. I've assumed C-suite and practice-leadership positions overseeing teams of up to 25 members, managing revenue streams of $2mm US. I've commercialized products across multiple verticals, submitted IRB documentation and filed two patents. Along the way (and most importantly), I've mentored and been mentored by numerous colleagues who have become lifelong friends. Barrier removal is more successful as a group effort.
Projects
  • Aisle Won
    Aisle WonTo address the growing problem of food scarcity among low-income populations, Anikto launched Aisle Won to connect at-risk residents with locally-grown sources of healthy and affordable food. First introduced in 2013, the program today serves 14,000 customers in 35 pickup locations and was named a "Future of Food Innovation" at SXSW. The first pilot of Aisle Won achieved a 540% increase in food assistance (SNAP/WIC/Double Dollars cash-matching) sales within the first eight months. https://www.a
Work history
    Anikto LLC logo
    Anikto LLC logo
    Founder/PrincipalAnikto LLC
    Philadelphia, United StatesFull Time
    Named after the Greek word for "open," Anikto (pronounced ah-NEEK-toh) provides design solutions that reduce limitations for everyone—no matter who they are, what they can afford, or what their bodies are able to do. Today's business climate calls for a new category of design thinking, one that fuses social responsibility with economic viability. Whether it's a blind person applying for a job online or a patient who cannot access her medical records, Anikto is committed to solving the big problems. To address the growing problem of food scarcity among low-income populations, Anikto launched Aisle Won to connect at-risk residents with locally-grown sources of affordable food. First introduced in 2013, the program today serves 14,000 customers in 35 pickup locations and was named a "Future of Food Innovation" at SXSW.
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    Director of Experience DesignEnergage
     - Philadelphia, United StatesFull Time
    Heads design-thinking efforts in collaboration with product owners and client-facing business leads. ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Established digital design operations to support SAAS product delivery of pattern libraries, persona generation, prototyping and version control. Harmonized engineering practices among in-house and offshore teams, resulting in a 36% increase in productivity my first year (measured by points achieved per two-week sprint). Created algorithm to track usability improvements. In my first six months, users experienced a 37% reduction in frustration signals (rage clicks, dead clicks, errors and abandonments) across 10.6 million events, coupled with a 29% increase in overall user volume (NPS and FullStory data).
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Skills
  • Product Innovation
  • Product Strategy
  • Financial Accountability
  • Account Management
  • Creative Arts
  • Operations Management
  • Product Design
  • Audio Technology
  • User-centered Design
  • Experience Design
Education
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    Master of SciencePhiladelphia University
     - Philadelphia, United States
    MS studies in Digital Design/Cognitive Science
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    Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)The Maryland Institute College of Art
     - Baltimore, United States
    BFA Photography