Reserching Ply and Human AI Cnnectin
My work, in motion
7+ years researching how people play and understanding AI–Human Interaction. Untangling ambiguous 0→1 products, turning AI and the Metaverse into strategy at Meta's Reality Labs, and taking LEGO's first new brick in 90 years from concept to production.
My career
2025 – 26
Meta — Reality Labs · UX ResearcherFirst strategic papers on AI co-creation · unlockables research → +10% MAU on Horizon Mobile
2022 – 25
The LEGO Group — Creative Play Lab · Experimental ResearcherSMART Play™ System from concept to production · Pokémon, LEGO's largest 2026 release
2022
On Device Research · Senior Research Executive (freelance)40+ studies across digital brand campaigns
2020 – 22
Streetbees · Senior Research ExecutiveGSK across all emerging markets · Kellogg's · landmark Gen Z studies
2019 – 20
Adylic (Omnicom) · Digital StrategistJunior → Lead in 9 months · EasyJet +38% conversion uplift
What my Colleagues Say
"Ian immediately and expertly organized UXR studies that defined our AI feature content and quality bar. These insights directly influenced our product strategy, helping us develop a feature that drove a 6x increase in retention this year."
Katie Hughes
Senior Product Designer · Meta
"Ian was an amazing partner, helping to bring clarity and direction to all of our new product launches through his user research. He answered core questions we had, resulting in several successful launches."
Cecilia Wong
Product Design · Meta
"What makes Ian really stand out is his pairing of competency with people skills. A charismatic yet grounded colleague able to tackle challenging briefs with a thoughtful and considered strategy."
James Gard
Producer (CPL) · The LEGO Group
Ply is alive in all we do!
Case Studies and Projects
The problems behind the products
Internal Chat Dev Feature
Placeholder — Ian to add details.
Placeholder — Ian to add details.
Placeholder — Ian to add details.
The first new brick in 90 years
Could a LEGO brick become digital without killing what makes it play?
Research from first concept to production — IDIs, concept testing, a 15+ person pod, and a first-of-its-kind motion-capture facility.
The brand's first major brick innovation in 90 years shipped as the SMART Play™ System.
How people actually create with AI
Meta needed to know how people want to create with AI — and where human control matters.
Foundational mixed-method research; published Meta's first strategic papers on AI co-creation for text and game generation.
Cleared the concept gate into production and became the blueprint design and engineering built against.
Bridging millions into Horizon
How do you move Facebook and Instagram users into Horizon — and make them stay?
Lead pathfinder on unlockables (80% of all bridged users); rapid IDIs on rewards pointed the team to Non-Avatar Stickers.
+10% monthly active users on Horizon Mobile; mobile MAU doubled over a critical 3-month window.
Small Apps That Help Humans
Check out my personal catalogue of apps
Never forget a date again
a bishop bouncing in moon dust
Turn networking into a system
replied · call booked 📞
sent · day 2 follow-up
Never blank on a name again
likes climbing · from Oslo
Outrun the storm that eats the forest
A tiny creature that grows when you do
Doodle it. Sticker it. Send it.
Salon stock counts in seconds, not Sundays
My Thoughts on AI
Every piece starts with a real study and ends somewhere human
The AI Paradox: Burning Energy to Save the Planet
Could AI's power hunger make nuclear the most profitable choice — and accidentally save the climate? Read →
Cognitive Elasticity: An Innovator's Case for Sci-Fi
Why science fiction beats your last market report at training you to dismantle assumptions. Read →📬 New pieces land here as they publish.