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 process

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, Schema
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.
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.
Riley Hoonan
Designer
Riley is a designer and technologist with an emphasis on storytelling, interaction design, and data analysis. Prior to working with Schema, he worked in a variety of design and technology roles, most recently helping launch a soil analytics product for an agriculture startup. Riley earned his BA in Design at Western Washington University and his MS in Data Visualization at Parson's.
Miguel Inuretta
Designer
Miguel's enthusiasm for graphic design lies in an uncompromising commitment to a conceptual process that is both purposeful and utilitarian. His primary areas of interests are print, interactive design, identity and typography. Prior to joining Schema, Miguel lived and worked in Los Angeles, California. He holds a BA in Graphic Design from Art Center College of Design.
Sergei Larionov
Design 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.
Andre Lindquist
Software Engineer
Andre has experience building web applications as well as Biochemical Research. Andre holds a BS degree in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from University of California, Santa Cruz. While working in Biotechnology, he discovered his fascination for programming and has been building applications ever since.
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 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.
Can Zhao
Designer
Can is an interaction designer with a passion for research-driven business solutions. She holds a master’s degree in Human-computer Interaction and Design (University of Washington), and an MA in comparative literature, cinema and media (University of Washington). With a research background, she aims to synthesize context, behaviors, and constraints into actionable design decisions.

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
  • GE
  • Google
  • Henry Art Gallery
  • Kargo
  • Knoll
  • Maana
  • Microsoft
  • Outkast
  • Priceline
  • Rhodium Group
  • Scanadu
  • Twistle
  • University of Washington

Collaborators