My research philosophy

As the quote above from David Graeber illustrates, design is about choices. Creativity, yes, but ultimately teams need to make decisions about how their product looks, feels and works.

And that’s why I feel research is so valuable, as it helps teams to make better choices.

That’s not to say that teams should slavishly adhere to research data; rather, that research can help them to make more informed decisions, which, in my experience, also end up being better decisions.

That’s also why I believe that, despite the challenges currently assailing research, good research has never been more needed.

But I also believe that we - as a discipline but also as a business function - need to be more flexible in how we do research - in our methods, in our outputs, in our ways of working. 

It’s therefore more important than ever that we turn our ‘ethnographic lens inward’ and focus on the needs, values and behaviours of our clients and stakeholders.

We can then make more informed decisions about the research - just as we ask teams to do with their products.

About me

I began my career in market research, which not only gave me a solid grounding in research techniques, but also helped me to understand the commercial imperatives that shape business’s decision-making.

Since transitioning to design research six years ago, I believe that this has helped me to balance the needs of the user with the needs of the business, and identify opportunities that ideally satisfy both parties.

Day-to-day, I try to be a clear communicator, a proactive problem-solver, and a low-ego leader who values the collaboration and feedback of others.