Consultancy and research

What can you help us with?

We help organisations understand what’s really getting in the way of progress. That might mean understanding your users, improving an existing product or service, exploring a new opportunity, or bringing clarity to a complex business challenge. We bring together research, design, business thinking and a strong understanding of technology to help you decide what to do next – and make sure it can actually be delivered.

We know we have a problem, but we’re not sure what’s causing it. Can you help?

Yes. That’s often where we’re most useful. We work with your team, users and existing data to understand what’s happening, uncover the underlying issues and identify where to focus your time and investment. We look at the whole picture, including user needs, business priorities and any technical challenges or constraints.

What kind of research do you do?

We carry out user and customer research, stakeholder interviews, usability testing, competitor research, discovery and other research tailored to the challenge. We focus on finding useful insights that lead to better decisions, rather than research for research’s sake.

Can you help us understand what our users actually need?

Yes. We speak directly to users and customers to understand their needs, behaviours, frustrations and motivations. We turn what we learn into clear insights and practical recommendations, considering both the experience people need and what is realistic to deliver.

When should we bring you in?

Ideally, before you’ve decided on the solution. Bringing us in early means we can help you understand the problem, challenge assumptions and consider user, business and technical needs from the start. But we’re just as comfortable joining an existing project when something isn’t working as well as it should.

Can you review an existing product, service or customer experience?

Yes. We can look at what you already have, identify friction and missed opportunities, and recommend practical improvements. This could include user research, UX, accessibility, customer journeys, content and the wider experience around your product or service.

Because we understand how digital products are built, we can also consider the technical implications of our recommendations rather than designing in isolation.

Can you help us explore new ideas and opportunities?

Yes. We help teams look beyond the obvious solution, explore new opportunities and test ideas before significant time or money is invested. We balance creative thinking with user needs, business goals and technical feasibility, so good ideas have a realistic route to becoming real products and services.

Do you run workshops?

Yes. We facilitate workshops to help teams explore problems, share knowledge, challenge assumptions and make decisions together. They can be used for discovery, strategy, idea development, prioritisation or bringing different teams together around a shared challenge.

Can you help different teams get on the same page?

Yes. Complex projects often involve people from product, design, technology, marketing and leadership, all with different priorities and perspectives. We’re used to working across those disciplines and creating a shared understanding between them, helping teams make decisions together rather than working in silos.

Can you help us turn research into a strategy?

Yes. Research is only useful if you know what to do with it. We turn insights into clear priorities, recommendations and practical next steps, connecting what users need with your business goals and the realities of delivering it.

Can you support product strategy from the beginning?

Yes. We can support the full journey, from discovery and research through to strategy, roadmaps, validation and go-to-market planning.

Our experience working closely with developers and technical teams means we understand the decisions and trade-offs involved in bringing a product to life. We consider feasibility alongside user experience and business value from the start, rather than treating technology as something to think about later.

How do you validate ideas before we invest in them?

We use research, prototyping and user testing to understand whether an idea meets a genuine need. We also consider technical feasibility and business viability early, helping you identify potential constraints before significant time and money have been committed.

Do you work on digital products only?

Digital is a core part of what we do, and we have years of experience working alongside developers and technology teams to design products that work in the real world. But our thinking isn’t limited to screens. We can also research and improve services, customer experiences and hybrid physical/digital experiences.

Do you join existing teams or lead projects independently?

Both. We can work alongside your existing team, bring different disciplines together, or lead a piece of work independently. We’re comfortable working directly with developers, product teams, designers, marketers and senior stakeholders, which means we can bridge gaps between teams and keep projects moving.

What types of organisations do you work with?

We work with start-ups, scale-ups, SMEs and larger organisations. What matters most is having a challenge to solve and being open to understanding the problem properly before jumping to a solution.

What happens after the research?

We don’t just hand over a report and disappear. We turn what we learn into clear priorities and recommendations, and we can continue working alongside your team to put them into practice. Because we understand design and technology as well as research, we can help carry that thinking through into delivery rather than losing valuable insight along the way.

Do you offer ongoing consultancy and support?

Yes. We often work with organisations over the longer term, providing ongoing research, strategic thinking, design and product support. This gives us the context to understand your organisation, users and technology properly, and support better decisions as your needs evolve.