Thies Schneider
Interim Head of Product
Experience
Aug 2024 - Present
11 months Hamburg, Germany
Interim Head of Product
Humanitarian Logistics Organization e.V.
- Leading the development of a tailored SaaS platform for Malteser International to manage, observe, and document international humanitarian project progress (still to be published)
- Contributing to the digital transformation of humanitarian projects, including those in rural areas
- Ensuring the platform is user-friendly, efficient, and meets the unique needs of Malteser International
Jun 2024 - Oct 2024
5 months Munich, Germany
Interim User Experience Lead
ADAC e.V.
- Optimized ADAC application routes for better opt-in and conversion rates (still to be published)
- Conducted workshops to identify improvements
- Delivered insights and recommendations for ongoing optimization
- A/B Test Setup
Jan 2024 - Dec 2025
1 yearProduct Specialist (Contract Application Routes)
ADAC
- Optimizing the different application routes at ADAC with regard to opt-in and conversion rates. Conducting Workshops and delivered A/B Tests
- This project is currently in testing phase, no results yet
Jan 2024 - Dec 2025
1 yearProduct Strategy (MyBMW App)
BMW
- The MyBMW App is built by silos, which leads to inconsistency in design and usability of the application. I did several assessments and workshops to emphasis possible solutions.
- Produced a consistent prototype
- Managed expectations of stakeholders
- Analyzed design language and UX
- Categorized achievable tasks
- Proposed long term path for continuous development
Jan 2024 - Dec 2025
1 yearUser Experience Lead (Mobile Application)
BurdaForward
- BurdaForward wanted to rebuilt a well known publisher app. Therefore they were searching for a strategy how to release it without driving away existing users and ensure good UX while integrating several AI features.
- Provided a way to release a parallel application
- Led the design team
- Stakeholder expectation management
- AI Product Design
- This project is currently in internal beta test
Jan 2024 - Dec 2025
1 yearHead of Product (Saas Logframe Integration)
Malteser International
- The team and I are building a tailored Saas platform to manage, observe and document the progress of international humanitarian projects. This software is part of the digital transformation even in rural areas of humanitarian projects.
- Build on headless odoo
- Managed design and tech team
- Implemented Scrum
- Payed attention to user needs from different focus groups around the world
- Managed Business Stakeholder
- Provision of competitive and lean development environment
Oct 2023 - Jul 2024
10 months Munich, Germany
Interim User Experience Lead
BurdaForward
- Led the creation and strategy of mobile applications (still to be published)
- Integrated complex AI innovations in meaningful userjourneys
- Ensured the value of user experience while integrating the business-needs
Jan 2022 - Dec 2023
1 yearHead of Product (JoynMe App)
Seven.One
- JoynMe connected linear television through live interactions with user generated content. My responsibility was to create the application, scale and integrate it with the given enterprise infrastructure.
- More than twelve shows integrated
- Perfectly synchronised interactions via Shazam Kit integration
- More than five interaction types
- Daily livestreams with thousands of users
- Leaderboards
- Tailored games per format
- Ad integration
- Raffle integration
Feb 2022 - Sep 2023
1 year 8 months Munich, Germany
Interim Head of Product
Seven.One Entertainment Group
- Led strategy, creation, and product management for the Interaction Ecosystem at Seven.One, including the experimental JoynMe app which replaced the existing ProSieben App
- Led different teams in special projects, equivalent to a fast-paced startup environment
- Planned tech architecture and designed a backoffice system for editorial staff to manage interactions
- Oversaw the connection, design, and UX of SDKs for web, iOS, and Android platforms used by end users
- Built in A/B testing infrastructure from the beginning
- Managed the conception, planning, and execution of live and VoD show integrations (e.g., The Masked Singer, 1% Quiz, The Voice (Kids), GNTM, Zervakis and Opdenhövel, Joko & Klaas)
- Focused on delivering an excellent user experience with personalization, ad integration, conversion optimization, and fun user interactions
- Design system for backoffice system
Jan 2021 - Dec 2022
1 yearHead of Product (Interaction Ecosystem)
Seven.One
- The Interaction Ecosystem is the backoffice management system for interactions and synchronizing the linear television with the digital assets from Seven.One. My role included planning and development of a comprehensive platform consisting of backend, integration SDKs for mobile, TV and web as well as editor management instances. I managed stakeholders, editors and producer teams.
- Product Management
- Technical architecture
- Regular trainings and iterations
- High pace development with hard deadlines
Jan 2020 - Dec 2021
1 yearUser Experience Lead (Multi-Brand & -Platform Streaming Service)
Seven.One
- Leading an UX-Team to build a whitelabel multi tenant streaming service as foundation for multiple B2C and B2B AVoD and SVoD products for mobile, TV, HbbTV and web. Managed the entire lifecycle of the product from conception to implementation and stakeholder management in the Team and as UX representative in the product triad
- Consistent token driven design system over all platforms
- Achieved different KPIs for different tenants
- Boosted the overall usage by magnitudes
- Integration of specific business-features like radio-player, shoppable TV etc.
Jan 2020 - Dec 2020
1 yearUser Experience Lead (SSO 7Pass)
Seven.One
- The SSO 7Pass has more than 20 million users. The team and I rebuild the login experience from the ground up. We managed to boost the conversion with a conversational identifier-first flow. Development of customer centric identification access management central with netID.
- Converted ~13 million users
- Onboarded more than 10 new client parties
- User-journey dependent, contextual and platform-specific clients
- netID integration
- Integrated a custom made, IAB certified CMP with more than 15% above average conversion rate
- Ensured user safety with OAuth standard while keeping good UX
Sep 2019 - Jan 2022
2 years 5 months Munich, Germany
Interim User Experience Lead
Seven.One Entertainment Group
- Built and led high-performing design teams
- Head of User Experience for seamless, multi-brand streaming system; holistically, from research to implementation
- Led, integrated and managed the design system for more than seven brands
- Focused on ensuring smooth operation, interoperability, and optimal user experience for all products
- Led the development of enterprise core products such as 7pass (SSO), cross-platform media player, and SDKs for interactive elements and CMP
- Developed easy-to-use, intuitive experiences across web, apps, and smart TVs
- Shaped the overall user experience strategy, ensuring products were useful, intuitive, and fun across multiple platforms
- Managed Testing infrastructure with quantitative A/B tests and qualitative user tests
- Pushed boundaries of user experience in a large corporate environment, aiming for innovation and excellence, always in sync with engineering
Jun 2018 - Aug 2019
1 year 3 months Munich, Germany
Senior User Experience Consultant
MediaMarktSaturn
- Led the establishment of a cohesive design system for the company as a UX designer and design systems specialist
- Structured and built the UX team, creating an immersive model to contribute to the design system
- Delivered a multi-brand design system, ensuring a seamless and consistent user experience across two brands
- Developed no-code tools to streamline asset creation for marketing, enabling more efficient and effective campaigns
- Leveraged expertise in design systems, UX design, and marketing to improve customer experience and drive business growth
Sep 2016 - May 2018
1 year 9 months Munich, Germany
User Experience Architect
Sinnerschrader | Accenture
- Led the creation and implementation of design systems for diverse clients
- Directed the redesign of clients’ digital platforms to improve user experience
- Assisted in developing omnichannel e-commerce concepts, ensuring seamless and consistent user experiences across all channels
- Delivered successful, user-friendly digital solutions tailored to specific industry requirements
Jul 2013 - Jun 2016
3 years Essen, Germany
User Experience Researcher & Product Creator
Folkwang University of the Arts
- Conducted research on user behavior to gather insights for product development
- Identified key design principles to guide the invention of new mechanisms and products
- Focused on fulfilling users’ needs while ensuring usability and overall satisfaction of the products
- Provided valuable insights and recommendations based on research findings to the team
- Contributed to the development of successful, user-friendly products through data-driven design decisions
- Gave lectures in psychology
Summary
Hi, I am Thies and I am driven by my deep passion for innovative, data-driven products that excite users and make a difference for customers. With over a decade of experience in industries such as telecommunications, automotive, and e-commerce, I have developed concepts and ready-to-use products, ranging from complex B2B2C platforms to lean startup applications. My background in psychology and Human-Machine Interaction drives my user-centered approach, which I have successfully applied in my work.
I have a proven track record of combining holistic strategy with hands-on execution, whether it is delivering innovative solutions for large enterprises or introducing agile practices to startup environments. There I have driven creation, maintenance, and governance of robust design systems and UI frameworks. I am driving excellence and a best-in-class process for the team, because I believe that the best products come from strong, autonomous teams where each person can contribute their best.
My exceptional communication skills enable me to articulate and evangelize concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. I explore trends, and emerging technologies to bring impulses to my work.
Languages
German
Native
English
Advanced
Education
Sep 2010 - Aug 2013
TU Darmstadt
M.Sc, Occupational and Engineering Psychology · Psychology · Darmstadt, Germany
Sep 2007 - Aug 2010
TU Darmstadt
B.Sc. · Psychology · Darmstadt, Germany
Max-Born-Gymnasium
General university entrance qualification · Heidelberg, Germany
Certifications & licenses
Product Owner PSPO I
Scrum.org
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