This breadth of experience has shaped his philosophy – the best solutions emerge when you challenge assumptions early, ask difficult questions, and look beyond individual products to their potential. It’s an approach that’s helped clients overcome challenges they once thought impossible, delivering products that don’t just work brilliantly – they create lasting value for businesses and the people who use them.
Walk us through a typical day in your role at Realise
There’s no such thing as a typical day – and that’s why I love what I do. In a consultancy environment, adaptability is everything. We might be solving complex technical challenges on industrial equipment one moment, then shifting to strategic planning with a startup the next.
My mornings usually start with catching up with the team. We’re reviewing costs, brainstorming concepts, and solving problems together. It’s brilliant because I see four or five projects daily and provide input, then our talented designers implement that feedback.
I focus on strategic work in the afternoons – client calls, new enquiries, and planning sessions. I love discovering emerging technologies and innovative ideas, from medical devices to massive industrial printing equipment. Working with clients to transform their vision into a practical roadmap is exciting.
How did you first become interested in product design?
I’ve always been hands-on, taking apart products to understand how they worked, though I broke more laptops than I fixed as a teenager! My parents both ran businesses and were incredibly practical.
At school, I gravitated towards design and technology rather than traditional academics. These subjects spoke my language. What drew me to design was its position at the convergence of business, finance, marketing, engineering, creativity, and art. You don’t need expertise in one narrow field – design connects everything, which makes it endlessly exciting.
How does your work contribute to creating “Positive Products”?
The biggest impact happens during the scoping phase, working closely with clients to understand their challenges and shape product direction.
Positive design extends far beyond recycled materials – it’s about asking difficult questions and finding paths through complex challenges.
Designing a sustainable lamp is straightforward, but sustainability becomes exponentially more complex when working on mission-critical equipment with thousands of parts and strict performance demands. My role focuses conversations on high-impact decisions: Can this product replace less efficient units? Can it improve output to reduce runtime? Can it enhance safety or working conditions?
These benefits come from asking the right questions early and making bold decisions that shape both the product and the company creating it. For instance, when working on industrial printing equipment, we might discover that improving the maintenance access design reduces downtime by 40%, saving operators thousands in lost productivity whilst also reducing strain on maintenance teams. That’s a win for people, profit, and ultimately the planet through more efficient operations.
What’s been your most interesting project?
Two projects stand out. First, Earswitch – incredibly technically challenging with a fantastic team. Despite sensitive subject matter, tight budgets, and multiple stakeholders, we created something amazing.
We’ve enabled this company to build upon their technology, and in 10-20 years, this will become much more accessible. Being part of those foundational days is why you get into design.
Second, our work with Fujifilm. They arrived with an open brief and genuine willingness to embrace our advice. Their investment in design and appreciation for its value was refreshing. Their product performed brilliantly but needed usability improvements. Working with their experts and factory team, we became their industrial design department. That perfect working triangle, built on trust and feedback, produced some of my best work.
What excites you about design in the marine and print sectors?
These sectors rarely produce unnecessary products. Everything must perform a specific job – if it doesn’t outperform existing solutions, it won’t succeed. You always aim to improve someone’s work, ease their life, or save money.
As a practical designer who needs to see things function, I know these industries offer real impact. You can raise standards and witness the change happening immediately.
Can you describe a recent challenge that pushed you to think creatively?
Product design presents unique challenges because we’re constrained by physics. Something might look perfect on screen, but when you prototype it, the ergonomics feel wrong, or the mechanisms don’t function as expected.
Often the subtle adjustments make the biggest difference – moving something slightly, scaling elements differently, simplifying mechanisms. These refinements are the hardest to perfect because users notice them immediately.
How do you keep the end-user at the heart of what you do?
User research starts from day one. Our concepts stem from real opportunities identified through user conversations. Regular prototype testing validates our designs throughout development.
Context matters enormously. A marine communications device might function perfectly in our studio, but on a boat in cold, wet conditions with users wearing thick gloves, the experience transforms completely. We immerse ourselves in actual use environments and engage experienced users to create genuinely human-centred designs.
What advice would you give someone interested in building a career in industrial design?
Design evolves rapidly. The traditional industrial designer role changes as software, electronics, and digital interfaces become integral to physical products. Versatility is essential.
New tools and software appear constantly. In consultancy work, you’ll shift between startups with informal processes and corporations with extensive protocols and specialised terminology. Flexibility and continuous learning are vital.
Use modern tools to streamline time-consuming tasks, freeing yourself to focus on creative problem-solving and innovation. Stay current with trends while maintaining core design principles.
Outside of work, what keeps you busy?
Family time is essential – disconnecting from design to be present with my daughter. Though she’s young, we do creative activities together: painting, building, making things. It keeps that hands-on creativity flowing in different ways.
I’m also deep into renovating our Bristol house. It’s been an enormous project – every room back to brick while balancing family life. Teaching myself everything from electrical work to plastering and plumbing channels my creativity differently.
With another baby arriving soon, life revolves around family and renovations. The house should’ve been finished years ago, but kids changed those plans! When it’s complete, it’ll represent a different kind of design achievement – though knowing my luck, we’ll probably move just as I finish the last room.
