Human-centred design

I’m an experienced consultant and bring a human-centred approach to reimagine and redesign services, working directly with users all the way through the process.

I help frame complex challenges and design approaches to arrive at workable solutions.

I bring empathy and humanity to research and engage with people. (And a bit of fun.)

Creative Place-making

In 2022/23 I developed community-led planning for my home town, Stranraer and co-created the town’s Place Plan - a 10 year, multi-million pound vision for the future.

In 2023/24 I designed and delivered public engagement for the £20 million Solway Coast & Marine Project (SCAMP) to improve and restore the 200 mile coast and marine environment.

I’ve designed and delivered other wide-ranging projects for very diverse user groups:

• transforming Paisley through a £100 million investment in its cultural infrastructure.

• evaluating the impact of the arts in Edinburgh hospital settings.

• supporting Macmillan and health and social care partners to support people who are dying, know they are untreatable and want the best from services.

• talking to children who’ve experienced loss to design emotional support services in school settings.

Listening to people, we can get to the heart of what’s going on for them and work together to rethink and improve services.

I’ve developed a process, RESCUED by Design, to put user experience and co-design at the heart of change and planning in organisations. I’ve put this to good use to engage communities from Inverness to Stirling and Stranraer.

Creative producer

I’ve acted as Creative Producer leading artists and working with communities to co-design outcomes… like this film capturing the 30 year ‘herstory’ of Scotland’s first women’s samba band, Beat That; a celebration of Pride for the LGBTQ+ community and the power of creative engagement to create community.

Collaboration

I work with skilled collaborators to deliver, depending on the task. Regular collaborators are:

- Gabby Morris, Feeldwork Futures
- Lorna Young, Indigo Words
- Charlotte Wilson Charlotte Wilson Research Services
- Eddie White Eddie White Creative Services

Strategic planning

I’ve helped with strategy and planning for many large-scale organisations from Scottish Government to Scotland’s biggest arts organisations and been involved in multi-million capital projects.

I help with:

• Scoping what needs done and planning change.

• Commissioning a range of support eg Economic Impact Analysis, specialist consultants, eg Food & Beverage, Market Research, Business Analysis.

• Carrying out user research.

• Developing Feasibility Studies, Business Cases and Business Plans.

• Capacity building for CEOs to let them breathe by taking on planning and facilitation with the team.

• Developing policy and strategy to support change.

Culture, change, values

I’ve helped organisations come together to reimagine their future at times of major change as well as for positive ongoing growth.

I’ve helped transform toxic cultures and tired organisations and helped energise flagging organisations.

I work with Boards, teams and staff to create conditions for success, facilitating discussions, nurturing a positive culture, making it clear ‘how we do things around here’ and building values into day to day work.

I’ve been a team player on major change projects, from modernising government to multi-million capital projects that drive change.

See my LinkedIn page to see what I’m up to now.