What we’ve been working on recently

Despite the constraints of the pandemic, Jim McCool, the Director of Design Futures Australia, has been busier than ever over the past two years. Working on a wide range of high-profile government projects, often confidential and sensitive in nature, Jim McCool has helped to deliver multiple successful outcomes, using remote working methodologies to the advantage of both public service stakeholders and marginalised client and user groups.

Folk

It’s been great to work with those lovely people at Folk, the award winning strategic design agency. Working with Folk, as consultant (contract) Experience Design Lead or Research Lead, in fast-paced, digital transformation environments, Jim has helped deliver (on time, and on budget) major projects for:

  • Dept of Health (Federal Government) – including two prestigious projects that will have major impacts on the delivery of health care right across Australia (these remain confidential until official public release). Jim was responsible for planning and leading all research activities right throughout the design lifecycle, from early discovery research through to concept development and prototyping. Jim was also responsible for planning, designing and facilitating critical stakeholder workshops, developing and presenting research reports, and developing research-based personas and customer journeys. Primarily, Jim’s key role was to lead the human-centred design approach of these critical projects and to instill confidence in the key stakeholders that the outcomes would not only meet the needs of the varied range of audience groups, but also deliver key organisational benefits.
  • Dept. of Health, Aged Care (Federal Government) – multiple projects. Leading Experience Design and Research in this very sensitive area. Working under the particular constraints of the sector is a particular challenge, but Jim was able to deliver on a range of projects, which often included managing the conflicting needs of a wide range of stakeholder groups. Jim was responsible for leading the human-centred design approach, planning and facilitating (often very sensitive and confidential) research on a range of areas in Aged Care, developing personas, user journeys, concept development and prototype research, presenting key recommendations.
  • Dept. of Planning, Industry and the Environment, NSW Government – multiple projects, including major projects highlighting the scope of government investment in precinct development right across NSW, (including a precincts map) and a major new initiative on Asbestos.
  • Fintech Company – confidential project with a major new Fintech company, researching possible market demand for potential products and exploring the optimal ways in which these products might be brought to market. Jim led human-centred approach, presented findings of successful research to CEO and key stakeholders.

NSW Dept of Customer Service

Service Design project with this award-winning government agency. Working as Senior Consultant (Contract).

  • Leading research on a sensitive Service Design project exploring how the NSW government could best meet the needs of parents with under-school age children. Planned and facilitated (remote) research in three phases with 70+ parents, helped develop service blueprint, research report. Research presented at major government conference.

And previously….

Jim McCool has been working in the field of human-centred design (see LinkedIn profile) for more than fifteen years. He has won plaudits in the fields of finance, insurance, media, health, state and federal government and many others. He has worked with some awesome people and led human-centred design teams on prestigious projects for organisations such as:

  • ABC
  • AMSA
  • Commonwealth Bank
  • IAG Insurance
  • Eurobank
  • Service NSW
  • NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT)
  • TfNSW
  • Dept of Employment

Not to mention…

Jim also managed to finish his three-year Master of Design Futures MA postgraduate degree course from RMIT, despite the pandemic. With his keystone project ‘the challenges of bringing human-centred design to government’ in which he interviewed veteran HCD practitioners and industry thought leaders, he finished his MA with a distinction.