RMIT University

Faculty Member, MCD Studio

Senior Lecturer and researcher

School of Media and Communication, College of Design and Social Context

About

The experience of living and working in various countries including Australia, Japan, UK and US, has provided me with a global network, perspective and a broad cultural understanding.

My 15 years of professional design practice and experience has focused on designing communication outcomes to engage the public on social issues. I have worked with many Non-Government Organisations in UK and Australia, which has given me grounded insight on design’s role in the public service.

Through various activities of research, teaching and professional design experience, I have developed skills in leadership, listening, communication, teamwork, problem solving, organisation and project management. I am a good facilitator and my well-developed interpersonal skills and empathetic sensibilities are central to establishing trust in a working relationship. My skills in using visual language is a powerful tool in helping others to understand complexity without oversimplifying the issue.

I have many years of experience teaching various undergraduate and postgraduate levels within various courses and programs. I am a practitioner of student-centred learning and I encourage discussion, reflective practice and critical thinking as a way to facilitate learning. My professional design experience and research activities have been instrumental in informing my teaching practice.

I care deeply about participation and empowerment. My design and teaching experience has reinforced these values, and I continue to explore how design can support and facilitate these values through my research activity. My research focuses on human-centred design practices of exploring design artefacts, language and processes, and their role as ‘scaffolds’ in facilitating the communication and engagement among people. These explorations have been investigated through the projects below:

I am currently researching a project funded by the Bushfire CRC in Australia. The aim of the project is to strengthen networks within communities to enable more agile and resilient management of bushfires through facilitated design interventions. It explores how various design ‘scaffolds’ can initiate engagement, prompt thinking and discussion, facilitate awareness and reveal tacit knowledge among the community related to bushfire planning. The project is in partnership with the Southern Otways Landcare Network and Otway Health. This is continuing throughout 2010, with more funding from the Bushfire CRC and the Design Research Institute.

I am also working with researchers from the Information Environments, London College of Communication, University of the Arts London. The Aylesbury Estate is a council housing commission in South East London. The project aims to preserve the oral histories, transitions and sense of place of its residents as the Estate goes through a process of regeneration. Various design methods were explored to facilitate engagement and documentation of the stories. I was awarded a British Council Design Researcher Award, which enabled me to undertake a research residency in the UK 2009.

Collaborating with a colleague from Swinburne University of Technology and the Australian Graphic Design Association, I am leading a project called 'Exploring the diversity of graphic design'. This project aims to capture the diversity of individuals, practices and contexts that comprise Australian graphic design as a complement to the image portrayed by more visible, client-focused work. The aim is to develop and evaluate research tools and processes that capture designer’s perceptions of their individual and creative identity, revealing the breadth, distinctiveness and vibrancy of the Australian graphic design community to the public.

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