AUSTEN SHAND

I design digital learning experiences.

Serious games, behavioural simulation, digital learning strategy and creative direction.

SERIOUS GAMES · BEHAVIOURAL SIMULATION

Ethical Edge™

Behavioural simulation designed to let people practise judgement when the answer is not obvious. My work at CDS Defence & Security includes product vision, learning and experience design, creative direction, prototyping and scenario development.

Serve to Lead, developed with the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, is an application of Ethical Edge. I led the creative and learning design. It won the 2025 I/ITSEC Serious Games Showcase Government Audience Award and generated more than £200,000 in commercial opportunities before launch.

Ethical Edge™ is a CDS Defence & Security product.

Police Stop and Search behavioural simulation

DIGITAL LEARNING AT SCALE

Humanitarian learning

Six years with Save the Children UK and the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, supporting a global learning ecosystem used across more than 120 countries.

More than 50 digital learning programmes designed around accessibility, mobile use and low-bandwidth environments. The work ranged from scenario-led learning to platforms, learning campaigns and global programmes.

PROTOTYPES · CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY

Make it. Test it. Learn from it.

I use prototypes to explore interaction, visual communication, AI-assisted production and new ways of presenting learning before committing to a full build.

ABOUT

Design first. Technology second.

My career spans more than 25 years across creative design, multimedia and digital production, with more than 15 years focused on digital learning and training technology.

Today I lead work across behavioural simulation, serious games and digital learning for Defence and government. Before that I spent six years with Save the Children UK and the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, designing learning for global humanitarian audiences.

2026