Unleashing innovation with design thinking

…who understand their users and prioritise their customers’ needs. Even in unconventional spaces, like revolutionising how we interact with money, it’s evident that design thinking has become a game-changer. Design is not just about making things look good, there’s process behind design and rigour to our methodology. It’s about ensuring that the product adds real value to people’s lives. My role involves immersing myself in the initial ambiguity of a project, digging deep to uncover the core problem that needs solving. It’s about framing the challenge, understanding motivations and ensuring everyone is on the same page, laying the groundwork for successful solutions.

…with some ‘aha’ moments along the way. All the projects we work on are a journey, and we strive to reach a point where our clients are not just satisfied but genuinely excited about the direction we’re taking. The moments of revelation often happen when we produce something tangible and place it in front of them. Whether it’s a clickable prototype, a sketch or a video depicting someone interacting with a concept, these elements have a huge impact. It’s always really rewarding seeing a client’s reaction, the genuine exclamation of: “Wow, this is amazing, how do we make this happen?!” It’s something that spills into my personal life too because I love to make things for friends and family. For example, when I’m hosting, I like to make it a proper experience. When I host all my friends for Christmas I make actual paper invites and packing lists – it’s a full weekend extravaganza!

…is genuinely wanted and valuable to the people using it. It’s about delving into the minds of people, understanding how they'll use a product and ensuring it adds tangible value to their lives. The focus on users and the sheer joy of making things are the two big aspects of design thinking that I love most. One of the most important parts of the job is uncovering what the core problem is. We often find the problem clients come to you with isn’t actually the thing that’s wrong, that’s why our framing phase is so important because we articulate the scope, understand the context and people’s motivations. The other aspect I relish is the hands-on creation. From messy first drafts to discussions around prototypes, there’s a magic in those early stages of a project where we discuss ideas and start to physically make things. And it’s even better when we’re including customers or end-users in those early discussions.

…which means I’ll sometimes bring an unconventional perspective to the table. But that’s helping me solve clients’ challenges. Being able to look to the future and understand the end user sets the tone for my approach. It’s about challenging the status quo, asking the tough questions about who will use a product and why. The methodology we follow, rooted in design, means we’re not just addressing a specific business or customer aspect but thinking about bigger challenges. I’ve worked across industries and consistently find a common struggle: it takes more than just a great idea. Providing the space for both the idea and the people behind it to grow is the true challenge – and it’s one that I love.