We create content-rich experiences for evolving organizations.

The Schema team in our offices in Capitol Hill, Seattle

About Us

Schema is a design firm for the information age. We design for impact, focusing on information platforms that scale and evolve with organizations.

We are experts in the areas of interaction design, visual design, and data visualization, and approach every project from a human-centered perspective. We work across a broad spectrum of media, from web and mobile applications to publications and media installations. Our tools are data and information. Our mission is the creation of knowledge.

Our Process

Our process is collaborative and hands-on. We engage deeply with our clients — innovative startups, progressive cultural and government organizations, as well as corporations who value design. We emphasize dialogue and prototyping as methods for inquiry, discovery and validation.

Our projects begin by exploring the space and defining the problem (Discovery). The next step is making solutions tangible so they can be evaluated (Prototype/Evaluate), before implementing and testing them (Build).

We believe that design is iterative — an ongoing process of creating and learning. We value ongoing relationships with our clients, where we combine our expertise in the pursuit of knowledge and the best possible outcomes.

Team

Christian Marc Schmidt

Founder/Principal

Christian’s experience spans the fields of information design, interaction design, and media installation. Prior to founding Schema, Christian was a senior-level designer at Microsoft, an Associate Partner at Pentagram, and an interaction designer at IDEO. Christian holds a BFA from Parsons School of Design in New York, and an MFA from the Yale University School of Art.

Austen Blokker

Software Engineer

Austen is an experienced digital designer, as well as a website and web application developer, with a focus on thoughtfully designed, interactive experiences, mobile responsive design, web standards compliant and cross-browser compatible code. Austen holds a BFA in Web Design and New Media from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where he studied design and digital production techniques for print and interactive media.

Caprice Carstensen

Senior Creative Technologist

Caprice's passion for building beautiful and intuitive data visualization solutions has shaped her career across multiple industries. Prior to Schema, she was designing, developing, and managing data visualization at Condé Nast. She also has experience managing investment portfolios at Casey Family Programs. Caprice has earned her CFA and FRM designations and holds a BA in Economics from Westminster College.

Rachel Connelly

Visual Interaction Designer

Rachel is a recently graduated designer with a background in both visual communication and interaction design. She believes design is integral to making a more accessible, enjoyable world to live in. During her free time, she loves to create experimental posters, typography, and visual systems for local musicians.

Veronique Demers

Creative Technologist

Veronique is a software engineer with experience in fullstack and mobile development, as well as branding and product design. She is passionate about design and projects that are at the intersection of technology and art. Veronique earned a B.E in Software Engineering from Polytechnique Montreal, Canada and a BS in Architecture from McGill University, Canada.

Dwayne Franco

Designer

Dwayne is a designer fascinated with bettering our understanding of the world. His passion is creating highly engaging interactive experiences that tell a story and make an impact. An environmental researcher turned designer, he is able to synthesize complex problems and turn them into clear, meaningful results. His previous experience includes interaction, user experience, and visual design, both in-house and at agencies.

Ian Gilman

Software Engineer

Ian has been bringing innovative user interfaces to life for over three decades. He works at the intersection of art, technology, and society. At Schema, he has worked on projects ranging from the Airbus Visitor Experience media installation, the Henry Art Gallery website, a data visualization of corruption in China for the Asia Society, and internal data visualization tools for Amgen.

Joseph Gray

Senior Creative Technologist

Joseph works at the intersection of new aesthetics and technologies particularly in the area of experiential installation. His past positions include lead creative technologist at Superfad, senior interactive art director at Publicis and independent consultant. Joseph holds a BFA from Cornish College of the Arts and interned at Microsoft Studios.

Erin Kendig

Communications Manager

Erin helps guide Schema’s communications and marketing efforts and works with clients on content strategy. Prior to joining Schema, she was the managing editor at ARCADE, a Seattle-area nonprofit that explores design and culture. In addition to her editorial and communications experience, Erin has also worked as a visual designer. She holds a BA in English Literature from the University of Washington.

Qingyue Li

Designer

Qingyue is a cross-disciplinary designer specializing in data visualization. She received her bachelor's degree in architecture from Virginia Tech and her master's degree in information design and visualization from Northeastern University. Her architecture background helps her deal with complexity and find common ground between designing for physical and digital spaces, and her design approach blends empathy with creativity.

Sergei Larionov

Creative Director

Sergei is a multidisciplinary designer with a passion for information design and data visualization. He values work that is conceptually compelling, empowering, and meticulously refined. Sergei earned his BA in both Digital Arts and Business Administration from University of Oregon, and his MDes in Interaction Design from the University of Washington.

Jeff MacInnes

Director of Technology

Jeff is a creative technologist who specializes in building visualizations that communicate complex data, spark curiosity, and invite exploration. His projects span static information visualizations to web-based interactive applications to large scale physical installations. He holds a PhD in cognitive neuroscience from Duke University.

Miguel Nóbrega

Creative Director

Miguel is a designer working across digital and print media, ranging from branding and type design to UX design and creative coding. Previously, Miguel has worked as Design Director at Hello Design in Los Angeles and had experience running his design studio in Brazil. Miguel holds a BA from ESDI in Brazil, and an MFA from UCLA Design Media Arts in Los Angeles.

Rebecca Ojala

Operations Manager

As operations manager, Rebecca plays an integral role in overseeing the daily workings at Schema, anticipating the team's needs and ensuring projects are organized. Rebecca holds a BA in English with a minor in Film Studies from the College of Charleston. Before joining Schema, she worked in special events at the Film Society of Lincoln Center.

Jeff Paletta

Designer

Jeff aims to communicate complex stories and information through simple, rewarding experiences. He received his BFA in Graphic and Communication Design from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan, and his experience includes design research, interaction design, user experience design, and branding.

Quinton Teas

Software Engineer

Quinton is a software engineer with experience in web development, and machine learning. He received his BS in Computer Science from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. At Schema, he’s excited to use his experience to make Gist a reliable and collaborative platform for everyone.

Clients

Actively Learn

ACM

Amgen

ARCADE

Airbus

Asia Society

Bloomberg

Cannaroma

Capital One

Citi

City of Seattle

Design in Public (AIA)

Ennead

FiftyThree

Frye Art Museum

Google

Henry Art Gallery

Kargo

Knoll

Maana

Microsoft

Outkast

Priceline

Rhodium Group

Scanadu

Twistle

University of Washington

Collaborators

Jonny Ashcroft

Nathan Selikoff

Jonny Sikov

Pentagram

Small Stuff