About me

I’m a web and product designer, writer, multimedia artist and musician.

Hello, I’m Simon. I used to begin with the professional stuff but I got older, and I think the things I love define me better than a list of old clients. Know first that I’m obsessed with music, and that I make my own as Site Nonsite. Know next that I love art and books, long runs and big hikes, and have way too many favourite cities. Birds and coffee make me happy. I’m married to illustrator Geri Coady, and we live in my hometown of Nottingham with (until recently) an old cat named Bearface.

Ok, now some work stuff. I’ve twenty years experience leading design at companies such as Fictive Kin, Erskine, and Agenzia. Along the way I’ve assisted govs, banks, airlines, tech giants, record labels, publishers, and charities. My client history includes Samsung, HSBC, The Libertines, and Frieze. I’ve spoken at events all over the world, and I used to run the New Adventures conference.

I enjoy writing about pretty much anything. I wrote a bestseller about CSS when CSS was easier, and I’ve contributed to numerous books and mags. I’m happiest when weaving sentences about design, tech, music, art, travel, the natural world, and speculative futures. I’m eager to spend more of my professional life stringing words together, so let me know if I might be useful to you.

I believe strongly that designers should care for the arts and humanities, and draw from a vast array of diverse inputs and experiences. I also think digital tools can be a force for good; that they have much to offer in connecting us to the beauty all around us.

Selected books

• Author
• 2006 — Beginning CSS Web Development
• Co-author
• 2011 — The Manual
• 2010 — The 24 Ways Annual
• 2009 — CSS Mastery (Second Edition)
• 2007 — Web Standards Creativity
• 2005 — Blog Design Solutions

Selected interviews

• 2022 — Designer Discs podcast interview
• 2018 — Net magazine Q&A interview
• 2018 — Pixel Pioneers interview
• 2013 — Net magazine feature interview
• 2012 — An Event Apart speaker spotlight
• 2010 — The Pipeline with Dan Benjamin
• 2010 — Net magazine Q&A
• 2009 — Boagworld podcast no.175
• 2009 — Net magazine profile (Erskine Design)
• 2007 — Net magazine short interview
• 2006 — Digital Web Design magazine
• 2006 — Three short magazine features