Hi, I'm Alex. I turn bold ideas into innovative products and moving experiences.
I am also an avid storyteller and educator, a lover of travel and cuisine, and I know how to mix a dangerously good cocktail.
CORE OFFERINGS
Design & Creative Direction
Design Education & Mentoring
Qualitative & Quantitative Research
Design Strategy & Systems
Rapid Prototyping
Visual/UI Design & Animation
Design Culture & Management
CLIENTS SERVED
RECENT WORK
The Web 3.0 future of the Happy Meal & more...
FROG • FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGY • 2023
I led a multi-disciplinary team of creatives on an adventure envisioning a McDonald’s innovation strategy to capitalize on emerging Web3 tech-enabled commercial models and shifting consumer behaviors.
A new and improved experience for sellers on eBay
FROG • ECOMMERCE WEBSITE • 2023
I was part of a team to work in close collaboration with eBay to communicate and clarify a new product vision for sellers, bringing to life new concepts and features in a realistic, tangible way.
A convenient new way to shop for frames and prints
FROG • WEB APPLICATION • 2023
As the design leader within a larger product innovation team, we were tasked with expanding the home decor value proposition through an innovation strategy and validated concept that would guide future growth.
A massive co-op sandbox experience offering authentic WWII gameplay
HEAVY ORDNANCE WORKS • VIDEOGAME • 2023
My most recent "side hustle" was creative direction for Spearhead 1944, an official Creators DLC for Arma 3, the hit military simulator game for PC from Bohemia Interactive. Charged with maximizing player immersion, I worked across multiple departments to make this labor of love a reality.
A next-gen credit card onboarding experience
FROG • OMNI-CHANNEL CX • 2022
Our large cross-disciplinary team had the opportunity to define the next generation of credit card onboarding (EMOB) experience for one of the most beloved rewards cards on the planet, crafting a bespoke, holistic omni-channel CX.
WINNER OF MULTIPLE INNOVATION AWARDS
Transforming a brand to become an adventure gateway
FROG / FAHRENHEIT 212 • WEB PLATFORM • 2018 - 2023
We partnered with BRP, the company behind Can-Am, Lynx, Ski-Doo, and Sea-Doo recreational vehicles to prototype, validate, launch, and scale a groundbreaking new platform for booking unforgettable outdoor adventures.
Optimized online experience for a growing economic movement
FROG • RESPONSIVE WEB • 2022
I led a team of designers and strategists working to increase engagement and personalize Vanguard's unique value proposition to investors of every type, boosting the online customer experience on the public website.
Expanding from HCM into fintech from the ground up
FROG / FAHRENHEIT 212 • MOBILE APPLICATION • 2019 - 2021
Our team of innovators worked with Ceridian to design and launch the Dayforce Wallet mobile app, unlocking exponential growth while empowering workers with faster, easier, more transparent access to their earned wages.
Tapping into insights from kids & parents to invent a new craft
FROG / FAHRENHEIT 212 • GAMES & PLAY • 2021
We got our hands dirty digging into the craft of casting to design a study that would reveal a new category of play with the potential to be, "the next slime" - you can now purchase and enjoy what eventually resulted from the insights we gathered.
From a hot insight to a working proof of concept in two weeks
FAHRENHEIT 212 • SOFTWARE • 2019
Working together with executive strategists, technologists, and my team of designers, we brought to life an idea for an EV portfolio management solution that is now a product under development.
A tool for finding products and services for small business
FAHRENHEIT 212 • RESPONSIVE WEB • 2018 - 2021
Over the course of a multi-year engagement, I worked from insight to pilot and the ultimate launch of a tool now used by small business owners everywhere to find banking products and services from Wells Fargo.
Mayors Challenge: Immersive tech for civic inclusion in city planning
FAHRENHEIT 212 • COACHING • 2017 - 2018
As an innovation coach working with the mayors' offices of Washington, DC and New Rochelle, NY, we explored, prototyped, tested, and scaled programs designed to benefit the maximum number of city residents.
A playbook for retail innovation and in-store service design
FAHRENHEIT 212 • RETAIL / SERVICE DESIGN • 2018
Working closely with Dick's Sporting Goods, I took a deep dive into the world of retail innovation as we travelled the country, testing ideas in-store, and building an agile prototyping playbook for evolving the omni-channel customer experience.
Transforming a tools company into a downsizing partner
FAHRENHEIT 212 • WEB PLATFORM • 2017
Working with Stanley Black & Decker's innovation team to explore potential new offerings for senior consumers, we conducted research and validated a concept to dramatically improve the downsizing experience.
Building a UX design immersive for a global audience
GENERAL ASSEMBLY • DESIGN EDUCATION • 2015 - 2017
I personally trained and mentored over 250 designers while contributing to the early iterations of a globally-recognized UX design curriculum. Many of my former students have gone on to do some of the coolest things.
Empowering a nationwide response to the gun violence epidemic
PURPOSE • BRAND & WEB PLATFORM • 2014 - 2015
Against the harrowing backdrop of mass shootings and political gridlock, our team brought the Everytown brand to life, united three separate organizations under a single banner, and gave over 3 million people a way to take action.
Taking action in the face of inconceivable darkness
PURPOSE • CAMPAIGN PLATFORM • 2015
In response to the growing crisis that was taking place, we were tapped to build a movement dedicated to civilian relief. I helped design and launch a series of deeply moving campaigns that raised awareness from the grassroots all the way up to the UN.
A mobile application for fostering better food communities
PURPOSE • MOBILE APPLICATION • 2013 - 2015
As an internally-incubated venture with a mission to change the discussion around food and what defines "good," I was part of a team to build and launch the app's MVP. The app would go on to be acquired by a major healthcare and insurance company.
Retrospective: Interfaces for musical exploration and discourse
PARSONS MFA D+T • THESIS • 2010 - 2012
While pursuing my master's degree in design and technology from Parsons, I focused my thesis on exploring the question: how might we organize the genres and subgenres of popular music in a way that is always accurate and always relevant?
Favorite Project: Redesigning the NYC Subway Map
PARSONS • TRANSIT MAP • 2011
One of the coolest experiences of my career was learning about subway map design from a legend in the field: Massimo Vignelli, creator of the 1972 NYC Subway Map. I took many important lessons from that course that I still apply in everyday practice.
Retrospective: Album artwork created for various musicians
MOODGADGET / GHOSTLY / SMASH HIT MUSIC • ALBUM ART • 2008 - 2013
I got my start as a professional designer working for some of my favorite record labels. Using my sense of color synaesthesia, I took each project as an opportunity to collaborate with the musician and/or label to extend sonic art into a visual form.
Retrospective: Selected Works from the Archive
H/34 • MULTIMEDIA • 2008 - 2011
During the golden age of blogging, I was an active participant in numerous design circles, including ISO50, Typcut, and Designspiration. This community of talented creatives provided an ideal environment to collaborate, experiment, and grow.
BIO
Alex Koplin
Alex is a design director and educator with over fifteen years of experience who works tirelessly to make interacting with big, tech-driven companies feel more human. As an experience design specialist, Alex’s process encompasses research, strategy, design, and technology, ensuring the continuity of empathy while pulling the future into the present. He has led design teams on numerous strategic innovation programs, omni-channel experience initiatives, and community outreach touchpoints.
Alex holds an MFA in Design + Technology from Parsons. As an educator, Alex has taught design and provided mentorship to hundreds of learners, ranging from middle-schoolers to post-graduates and professionals. He believes firmly in applying design thinking to enlighten, empower, and affect positive outcomes.
Professional Experience
frog (2021-2023)
Fahrenheit 212 (2017-2021)
General Assembly (2015-2017)
Purpose (2013-2015)
The Lathe (2012-2013)
Digitas Health (2009-2010)
Moodgadget (2008-2018)
Electronic Ink (2007-2009)
Teaching Experience
Junior Achievement (2018-2020)
Year Up (2013-2020)
SVA (Student Mentor) (2019)
Black Girls Code (2015-2017)
NYU (Protothon) (2016-2017)
General Assembly (2015-2017)
K&P Partners (2013-2017)
Parsons (Bootcamp) (2011)