Creating ‘SIMON’: A data and knowledge sharing platform for Coca-Cola
COMPANY: Coca-Cola ROLE: Strategic Product Lead, Service Designer, Researcher TEAM: UX Designer, Developers, Product Owners, Analysts
Problem
Coca-Cola had a common problem – staff we’re struggling to find the data and insights they needed to perform their daily tasks. Requests for data were stuck in a long pipeline, these requests were repeated each month, and our data analysts were stuck pulling simple data instead of working on high value projects. We needed a streamlined process, an ‘always on’ data source and improved data literacy amongst our marketing teams. Introducing…SIMON.
SIMON was our solution to change the data and insights service at Coca-Cola. We designed user friendly reports, built harmonised data models, created metrics that made sense to our core audience and branded our solution ‘SIMON’. We created a welcoming and fun brand to make insights accessible and allow our users to make data-driven business decisions.
What is SIMON?
2020 >
I launched SIMON in Western Europe in 2020. Later that year I scaled the product to Central Europe and shortly afterwards it became the #1 used data solution across Coca-Cola Europe, with over 90% of marketers adopting the platform.
2022 >
In 2022 I was asked to launch the SIMON brand globally. I continued to add to SIMONs value proposition by developing new services, building new digital products and extending the SIMON target audience by partnering with other internal teams.
2025
SIMON continues to be the most successful data product at Coca-Cola globally, with over 2000 monthly users, 15+ integrated data sources, and a website providing personalised insights, reports and training materials.
My Process
01
Strategic Vision
I shaped SIMON’s strategic vision by continuously refining the product and brand to align with business needs and user expectations. Through design thinking, stakeholder alignment, and competitive benchmarking, I ensured SIMON remained a best-in-class solution. I led design workshops, gathered and analysed user feedback, and developed roadmaps to guide its evolution
02
UX Design
I applied UX design principles to ensure SIMON was intuitive and accessible for all users. Collaborating with UX designers and developers, I continuously tested, iterated, and refined the tool based on user feedback—enhancing both usability and data comprehension. I ensured consistency across all SIMON products by creating brand guidelines and a design system.
03
Research & Testing
I ran continuous research and testing to ensure SIMON met user needs, combining qualitative and quantitative methods. This included a large-scale service design study, user interviews, persona development, alongside card sorting, A/B testing, and usability studies. These insights drove ongoing improvements, ensuring SIMON remained intuitive, effective, and aligned with user expectations.
04
Stakeholder Management
Effective stakeholder management was key to SIMON’s success. I worked closely with leadership and cross-functional teams to align on the product vision, secure buy-in, and demonstrate SIMONs value. By collaborating to onboard new teams, I expanded SIMON’s user base and strengthened its role as a vital decision-making tool.
Pictured: The SIMON website where users can create a personalised profile and SIMON will recommend relevant reports based on their preferences.
Results
I saved the company over £1.2 million per year.
Our previous data and knowledge sharing platform was not utilised and there were too many usability constraints that didn’t fit with our needs. I scrapped the platform and built my own; with personalisation and search capabilities designed to fit exactly with the Coca-Cola business and our teams.
I successfully built a global brand that continues to evolve.
SIMON is widely recognized across our target audience, with nearly 100% internal awareness. Every marketer at Coca-Cola has used SIMON to drive business decisions, and 80% would recommend it to a colleague.
An evolved service proposition has lead to improved data literacy.
By leading the strategic vision for SIMON, I developed a brand and suite of products that evolved alongside the business and its users. SIMON transformed the daily experience of Coca-Cola colleagues, empowering them to access data with confidence and use it effectively.
