Projects
As Course Leader of MA Service Design (MASD), and now as co-lead of the Service Futures Lab, I lead the academic team in co-ordinating and delivering live projects which bridge teaching and learning, knowledge exchange and research. Between 2016 and 2021, we have delivered over 25 projects with partners from local government, charities, businesses, social enterprises and research institutes. These projects bring together students from MASD, other LCC MA and BA courses, and PhD students, as well as academics and alumni from across UAL, positively impacting students whilst generating income. I use the income to expand capacity in Service Design at UAL by employing researchers and lecturers; partners frequently donate time and expertise in-kind.
I developed extensive leadership experience through these projects, in which I decide strategy for engagement with particular topics; co-ordinate projects; lead initial scoping conversations with potential partners; negotiate and assess where in the curriculum these projects could fit; assemble the most appropriate team of academics, students and partners for each project; negotiate deadlines and outcomes; maintain partner relationships; keep the team motivated; and ensure the quality of work delivered and students’ learning experience. I foster communal leadership structures which embody the principles of knowledge exchange. This enables the team to contribute to decision-making; lead in their area of expertise; and initiate and lead projects. This is a collaborative process: whilst I have enabled team members to develop their careers and pursue personal goals, I have also learned from and been inspired by junior and senior colleagues.
Selected projects from the last 5 years
2021
Principal Investigator Vaccine Hesitancy Social Design Institute Seed Funding £5000
Type of project: research
This is a pilot project funded through the Social Design Institute seed fund, investigating the roots of vaccine hesitancy in Southwark Council. The project will provide qualitative interviews with stakeholders (including a range of views towards vaccination), service delivery staff, and experts; these will form the basis of a co-design workshop and a sprint with students. The sprint aims to create a range of service proposals, communication outcomes and policy guidelines to aid in Lambeth’s Covid vaccination effort.
This project would form the basis of a further funding bid about vaccine hesitancy.
2019-21
Co-Investigator (UAL Lead) on Co-Design Your Place Erasmus+, Knowledge Exchange
Type of project: Externally funded KE project
Partners: partners The Stable Foundation in Poland and Station in Denmark. 30 young changemakers from 3 countries were trained in the programme; 8 academics and facilitators
Funding: EU Erasmus+ UAL awarded €25000 of total €75000 budget (original award was 100K, revised down to account for Covid travel restrictions).
Outputs: 2 projects were implemented; created a publication, a toolkit, and a conference.
2021
Good Help for Camden Families During and After COVID.
Type of project: MASD curriculum project
Partners: Family Support services in Camden Council, as well as the Public Collaboration Lab (PCL) at UAL, 23 changemaker families; 4 family workers; SFLab; MASD and MADV students and academics (43 students; 6 academics), 2 MASD graduates employed as interns on the project.
Funding: Camden provided £5000 to pay interns, plus in-kind weekly organisational capacity and participation
Outcomes: 8 student projects, one overall report with policy recommendations
Impact: policy recommendations presented to senior council leaders for implementation
My role: Managed partnership & project; assembled teams; created brief & direction; taught; managed project reporting; supervised graduate interns
2020-2021
Service Design for Meanwhile Use in Chalk Farm and Euston
Type of project: MASD curriculum project
Partners: Camden Council High Streets Team; Euston Partnership; HS2 Ltd; PCL; Public Studio; 31 MASD students; 2 MASD academics; community organisations and charities
Funding: In-kind weekly participation by partners
Outcomes: 8 student projects proposals
Impact: Proposals will be brought forward towards implementation by the Public Studio
My role: Managed partnership, brief, and project; assembled teams
2020
Covid-19 Camden Council Response Food Distribution Project
Type of project: MASD non-curriculum project
Partners: 5 departments within Camden Council; PCL; UAL Digital Transformation; 1 Service Designer from Engine; 1 PhD student; 23 MASD students; 1 MASD academic
Funding: daily in-kind participation from partners
Outcomes: digital system for monitoring and assigning food deliveries
Impact: outcome was delivered and implemented and still in use 6 months later; this allows the delivery staff to change as and when people come in and out of furlough
My role: Collaboratively set up briefs and partnership; assembled teams; taught the project
Covid-19 Camden Council Response Volunteer Brokerage/Vetting/Training Project
Type of project: MASD non-curriculum project
Partners: 3 departments within Camden Council; 3 charities; PCL; UAL Digital Transformation; 1 Service Designer from Engine; 1 PhD student; 23 MASD students; 1 MASD academic
Funding: daily in-kind participation from partners
Outcomes: redesign processes for volunteer onboarding and modifications to online platform
Impact: online platforms were modified in line with suggestions
My role: Collaboratively set up briefs and partnership; assembled teams; taught the project
Volunteering Service for LCC
Type of project: MASD curriculum project
Partners: LCC Business and Innovation; 3 local charities; SFLab; 3 MASD academics; 39 MASD students; 15 students from other MAs at LCC.
Funding: Bi-weekly in-kind participation from LCC B&I, in-kind from charities
Outcomes: 5 service proposals for an LCC Volunteering Service
Impact: LCC B&I commissioned this piece of work to help shape a volunteering service
My role: Set up briefs; assembled academic team.
New Service Development for Sexual Health
Type of project: MASD curriculum project
Partners: SH:24, SFLab; 3 MASD academics; 39 MASD students; 15 students from other MAs at LCC.
Funding: £5000
Outcomes: 1 service proposal
My role: Set up the partnership; assembled academic team; set up brief.
2019
Tackling Transient Work & Homelessness
Type of project: MASD non-curriculum project
Partners: St Mungo’s; 20 MASD students; one MASD graduate employed on the project; 1 MASD academic
Funding: In-kind participation in the project; in-kind stakeholder management
Outcomes: student and graduate work contributed to St Mungo’s report
My role: Facilitated the student and graduate involvement in the project.
Southwark Over 65 Mobility Consultation
Type of project: MASD non-curriculum project
Partners: Southwark Council, SFLab; 20 MASD students; 2 MASD academics; SFLab
Funding: £5000 to pay students and academics for their work
Outcomes: Report with qualitative research
Impact: Influenced policy decisions in Southwark Council
My role: Set up the partnership; manged academic team; set up brief.
Resilient Ageing in Lambeth
Type of project: MASD curriculum project
Partners: Age UK Lambeth; 1 consultant; SFLab; 39 MASD students; 2 MASD academics
Funding: in-kind one day a week of consultant time plus two sessions with CEO
Outcomes: 7 student projects
Impact: Projects used as proof of concept within Age UK.
My role: Collaboratively set up partnership; manged academic team; set up brief; taught on the project.
London Design Festival Sprint on Ageing Better
Type of project: SFLab non-curriculum project
Partners: Design Council; Age UK; SFLab; 10 students from across LCC, 15 international and local participants; 3 MASD academics
Funding: internal LCC funding of £3000
Outcomes: service proposals, exhibition.
Impact: led to further in-depth project.
My role: Collaboratively set up partnership, collaboratively managed the project.
2018
Encouraging Take-up of Electric Vehicles (EV) in South London
Type of project: MASD curriculum project
Partners: Char.gy (EV startup) and Spotless (Service Design Consultancy); 30 MASD students; 2 MASD academics
Funding: in-kind participation: 2 senior service designers weekly workshops and CEO time
Outcomes: 7 service proposals, one exhibition
Impact: Service proposals are used as proof-of-concept by Chargy
My role: Collaboratively set up partnership; manged academic team; set up brief
The Future of Government 2030+
Type of project: MASD curriculum project
Partners: European Union Joint Research Commission; Social Design Institute; Camden Council; EU Policy Lab, UK Policy Lab.
Funding: £5000 for commissioned work by EU JRC
Outcomes: 6 speculative service proposals with artefacts, several exhibitions
Impact: student proposals used in the EU JRC report, presented at the Future of Government conference at EU parliament, exhibited at EU commission and in a touring exhibition. Student presentations involved elected council officials among others.
My role: Collaborated in setting up the partnership, some teaching and reporting activity
2017-18
Citizen-Scientist in Parenting Science Gang: Breastmilk Composition project.
Type of project: Research
Funding: £10000 from Wellcome Trust
Partners: Imperial College London; Hearts Milk Bank; citizen-scientists recruited through Facebook groups.
Impact: this has helped change national guidelines for milk donation to milk banks, lifting the maximum age from 1 to 2, increasing people who can donate, in turn saving more premature babies’ lives.
My Role: As part of the online group of citizen scientists I collaborated in designing the research, recruiting experts to advise and analyse the data, recruiting participants, gaining NHS ethics approval, organising sample donations.
2012-2013
Principal Investigator Experience of Giving Birth in Hospital Knowledge Transfer Fund
Type of Project: KE project
Funding: £7000 (internal)
Partners: 6 UCLH midwives, 6 families
Outputs: report with insights from qualitative research with staff and patients, designed service proposals, further design briefs and a digital app.