Full size prototyping

Commercial reality

Evidence + intuition

Diverse collaboration

In my design approach, I always keep in mind that the human condition doesn’t always fit neatly into perfect data points. I recognise the limitations of relying solely on numbers and embrace a more intuitive side in my work, understanding that some of the best design decisions come from blending evidence and facts with years of experience as a designer and a lifetime as a human. Data is critical, but over reliance on it is crippling.

Having full awareness of the commercial realities for a product you are developing is crucially important to me. It ensures the feasibility of a project by addressing cost constraints and market dynamics upfront and helps to avoid potentially redundant design hurdles before you have even arrived at them. Ultimately, I believe it is always the designers responsibility to fully understand their project in order to maximise the chances of success.

Good design is not a singular pursuit, the output of many minds with a variety of backgrounds and experiences to draw on will usually arrive at a better conclusion than the lone designer working in a silo. As such I always aim to build diverse teams with a receptive and collaborative spirit that will ensure that no one is left working in isolation. In my experience this awareness results in a collective performance that is usually far in excess of the sum of its parts.

I firmly advocate for the necessity of fullsize physical prototyping during design development. The hands-on experience of holding, spinning and breaking your work mirrors the experience of your intended users and provides the first-hand insights that you need to build a truly great product. Modern 3D CAD CAM software is incredible, but it must be complement to, and not replace, the craftsmanship of physical creation.

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Some insights into how I work: the double diamond is at the core, and I rely on these four rules for the basics, they have always kept me on the right track for the best result.