I am here to build a world of empowered, connected and conscious designers.
When I use those word designers, I’m speaking to those of you who realise that the work they do creates a part of the world we all share. Whether that’s a pixel on a screen, a service in a bank, a Nation’s economic recovery plan, or a chair.
Whether you identify as a designer or not, if you are responsible for making decisions that change the way others experience their world, you are creating it.
How you show up in that work matters.
Who you are in that work matters.
Every action, by every person, creates our world.
I am here to help you have more potency in the work you do.
Work
I've spent my life captivated by the human condition, yearning to understand it. Initially, I delved into neuroscience, specialising in brain research and publishing papers on brain imaging. Yet, the more I explored, the more I realised that using my own brain to comprehend the complexities of the brain itself was an endless cycle.
A shift in perspective became necessary, leading me to pursue a PhD in Human Factors with the Defence Department. Focusing on situational awareness in fighter pilots, I designed auditory displays to reduce their visual workload.
In this process, I discovered a deep passion for designing for the human condition, rather than analysing and describing it.
For the past two decades, this has become my focus. I've worked with governments, businesses of all sizes, and various sectors, striving to help organisations recognise the significance of embracing the human experience within their products, services, and systems—both internally and externally.
In 2009, Huddle was born to instil this understanding within organisations. We sought to make a difference, not just within our own organisation, but in the world at large.
Hence, Huddle Academy emerged, a platform to share our knowledge and empower more organisations to understand the profound impact of prioritising the experiences of others.
To keep the ripple effect going, I launched this human community. This is a platform that connects creative, committed and conscious designers from all around the world, together. The people in this community are equipped with shaping our future. They are busy doing the hard inner development work to become unstoppable in the face of drastic change.
And now, here we are. This year (2023) in April, we unveiled Design Character as Book 2 in the this human series, following the foundational aspects of meaningful design practice covered in the first book. Design Character delves deeply into the essence of ‘how’ you show up as designer and leader. It serves as both a text and a workbook—an essential companion for those committed to becoming extraordinary designers and leaders.
Research
I always have an active body of research and currently it is about exploring a new tradition of design, therapeutic design. My question is, how might design practice change if we were to take a stance of healing rather than problem solving?
Many of the design traditions that inform human centred design come from industrial design, communication design or architecture. All are focussed on creating something that addresses a need.
- What would a design process look like that was more akin to therapeutic models?
- How might this tradition of design be applied to healing organisations, nations or the planet?
Stay tuned on this as well, it is a work in progress in collaboration with Professor Ingo Karpen.
Continued inner development
I practice what I teach, so I am constantly at work on my own personhood. Currently I am doing this while also becoming qualified as a somatic psychotherapist. There is no escaping your own self discovery, while learning how to guide others in theirs.
