About Us
Let us help you solve real-world problems while keeping the human experience at the heart of every design innovation. We are a dynamic design thinking consultancy that specializes in approaching challenges from a uniquely human-centered perspective. Our team of passionate and creative problem-solvers thrives on reimagining the status quo and finding solutions that improve experiences and services in everyday lives.
We collaborate with industry partners to identify deep unmet needs discovered through health care systems analysis and human centred research of individuals who experience care. Our approach is rooted in cognitive empathy, ensuring that every solution we create supports peoples functional, emotional, and social motivators. We use evidenced informed methods in behavioral and learning psychology, ethnography, foresight and strategy.
What is Design Thinking?
Design thinking is a problem-solving and innovation methodology emphasizing a human-centred approach to solving complex problems and generating creative solutions. Design thinking typically consists of the following fundamental principles and stages:
1. Empathize: This stage involves understanding the problem from the perspective of the people, end users, or customers. Design thinkers engage in empathetic research, such as interviews, observations, surveys, and 'jobs to be done' to gain insights into the needs, desires, and challenges of the people for whom they are designing.
2. Define: In this stage, the insights gathered during the empathy phase are synthesized to define the core problem or challenge to be addressed. It involves framing the issue in a way that is clear and actionable.
3. Ideate: During the ideation phase, diverse teams brainstorm and generate creative ideas and solutions to address the defined problem. It fosters and embraces innovative thinking without judgment.
- Prototype: In this stage, rough, low-cost, quick prototypes are created to visualize and test potential solutions. Prototyping can take various forms, from sketches and physical models to digital simulations, and it helps bring ideas to life for testing and refinement.
- Test: Prototypes are tested with customers or key stakeholders to gather feedback. The goal is to understand how well the proposed solutions meet customer needs and whether adjustments are required. The testing phase often involves iterations and improvements to the prototypes.
- Implement: The final solution is developed and implemented after successful testing and refinements. This phase may involve collaboration with various stakeholders and adapting the solution to real-world constraints and requirements.
Services
About You
Learning Workshops and Keynote Speaking
What Are Our Capabilities/Tools?
Our Team
Sylvia MacSpadyen
Founder & Chief Creative Officer
For over 25 years, Sylvia has remained radically curious and passionate about developing a deep understanding of people. Her graduate degree, MDes (Strategic Foresight and Innovation), enables her to take a designer's lens to strategy development and healthcare innovation. She is a certified CME Practitioner and uses COM-B Frameworks for behavior change. Her clients are in the United States and Canada, and would agree that her enthusiasm toward her work is infectious. She is frequently requested to be a keynote speaker or guest lecturer at the university or facilitate learning workshops.
Courtney Facca
Designer and Illustrator
Courtney is a human- centred designer, illustrator, and concept artist with a minor in science. Her creative and imaginative thinking helps clients in foresight and scenario planning. Radically curious and empathetic, she seeks to see the world through people's perspectives. She loves spending time with her dog Charlie, exploring astronomy through her Dobson telescope, and working on new game design concepts.
Deborah Cotton
Project Manager, Events
With a degree in commerce and a diploma in interior design, Deborah approaches work with a passion for creating meaningful spaces for people to convene with consideration of the financial and sustainable aspects important to our clients. She takes time to listen and understand client needs (in French and English) and is present at meetings for onsite support. She aims to work with vendors to select meeting spaces where people feel comfortable and inspired. She spends time on the country trails walking her two dogs or riding her mountain bike.
Maria Hajigeorgiou
Experience Recorder and Medical Writer (Freelance)
With her medical writing and creativity expertise, Maria excels at listening, gathering, and skilfully summarizing valuable insights. Her passion lies in capturing people's diverse experiences and stories. In collaborative work with patient groups and healthcare providers, she ensures that individuals are not just treated as subjects but, instead, recognized as valuable contributors to a deeper understanding of the design process. Her background in improvisational theatre also equips her with exceptional skills in active listening and fostering creative partnerships.
Michael Reynolds
Finance
As a CA /CPA, Mike supports the financial side of Design Health. He spends time-sharing gastronomic adventures with his family, walking his dog, cycling for sick kids' hospital fundraising, and innovating new $#@$ words on the golf course!