The Associates

Steve Potts

Steve graduated from Manchester University with a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Computing.

His work to date has involved hundreds of applications in defence, handheld devices, smartphones, mobile internet and the web. Being meticulous, he is an accomplished technical editor having worked on Java, XHTML, PHP, and Wireless publications including the award winning “Son of Web Pages That Suck”, and more recently “Building Online Communities with Drupal, phpBB and WordPress”.

As Chief Technology Officer at Hawdale Associates, Steve applies valuable experience in such wide-encompassing areas as Web Standards, Accessibility, Search Engine Optimisation, Wireless Applications, Location Based Services, Quality Procedures and Product Management.

Simon Roberts

A financial services customer experience champion and eCommerce professional.

Simon has spent the last 12 years with Lloyds TSB, most recently as Customer Experience Manager for both the telephony and eCommerce channels. With a detailed understanding of key business measures in both channels, and an attitude of not accepting anything less than success he has delivered outstanding business results during his time at Lloyds TSB Insurance.

Over the last 7 years Simon has been able to successfully shape the online direction of Lloyds TSB Insurance, playing the pivotal role of “specialist” in online marketing , sales process design & customer experience, industry leading website personalisation, strategy shaping and new business start ups.

Many companies designing business solutions online are making wrong assumptions about what customers really want and need. You have to get out into the real world, get your hands dirty, and get real customers to help design the experience that they would really value, no matter what the channel – and that’s where we can help!”

Simon Crosbie

Simon has nearly 20 years practical experience in the design industry, from the dark ages of scalpels and spraymount to today’s digital environments.

He has a history of developing ‘the right solution’ quickly and with an almost obsessive attention to detail.

Past happy clients include CMI, UPC (United Pan-Europe Communications), Lloyds TSB, WarnerLambert Consumer Healthcare, Littlewoods, NESTA, EFI, Adobe Systems, totesport, ICL, Oxford Instruments, Channel 5 Television

Alison Hawdale

Alison is a Biological Sciences graduate with a Masters degree in Science and Technology Policy.

She has been employed as a university researcher in Science and Technology Policy, lecturing in Technology Assessment, and working with a wide spectrum of people across industry, education and the Civil Service. Her main involvement in this area was with the Public Understanding of Science and Technology.

She has worked as a manager in the NHS, championing Patient and Public Involvement and is a currently a member of the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Technology Appraisal Panel.

Across Alison’s wide-ranging career, the thread running through all her work has been, “Making technology work for people, not people for technology”.