Richard Shed 
D
esign, Research & Strategy

Hello, I’m Richard, a user experience strategist and service designer with over 15 years experience designing products and services across a range of industries.

Placing an emphasis on creativity and innovation, I bring together design, research, service and strategic methodologies to solve complex design challenges and realise new opportunity spaces.

My cross-disciplinary experience helps me to explore challenges from multiple perspectives – I’ve designed for healthcare, mobility and travel, compliance and HR systems in all formats from web, mobile, hardware and physical environments.


I’ve worked both agency and client side, mostly in UK and NZ for a range clients including Air New Zealand, Xero, Hasbro, HP, Microsoft, Fonterra, Bowers and Wilkins, Frucor/Suntory and Artemide.


Full portfolio available on request

Older work: 2000-2012



Roles:

2015 - 2020 & 2023 - Current
Design Lead @ Thoughtfull Design

I’ve been lucky to work with the lovely people at ThoughtFull for a number of years now. My role at ThoughtFull is to lead internal and client teams through end to end design projects, from undertaking user research, through to translating insights into the design and development of new products, services and experiences. Some of which I’m able to share on this site, but lots of it is confidential.

About ThoughtFull:
ThoughtFull is a customer-centric design and innovation group that helps organisations large and small re-envision their future.. Clients include: Air New Zealand, Xero, Fonterra, Airbow, Frucor / Suntory, Ngai Tahu Tourism



2020 - 2023
Principal Product Designer @ Xero

As a Principal Designer my primary role at Xero was to lead and support cross-functional, complex strategic initiatives. I worked across the Xero product, but was predominantly focused on consolidating and growing our emergent people management suite of tools.
Other responsibilities include;
  • Supporting and enabling our design teams across the organisation, developing our craft and capability.
  • Partnering with engineering, architecture and product teams on product strategy, vision, standards and prioritisation initiatives.
  • Championing customer driven outcomes through quality research and design.

About Xero:
Xero is a global small business platform with 3.5 million subscribers which includes a core accounting solution, payroll, workforce management, expenses and projects. Xero also has an extensive ecosystem of connected apps and connections to banks and other financial institutions helping small businesses access a range of solutions from within Xero’s open platform to help them run their business and manage their finances



2013 - 2015
Service Design Lead @ NZTE
As Service Design Lead at NZTE, my role was to establish and lead service design projects, from gathering insight through to ideation, prototyping, testing, refinement and implementation. In addition to developing services for NZ exporters, I led an number of internal strategy and innovation projects.



2009 - 2013
Strategic Research Lead at Native Design London
I led projects across service, product and digital design. I was responsible for planning and conducting wide ranging research activity and its integration into immersion and creative direction.

About Native:
Native Design creates exquisite, experience design for the world's most successful companies and brands, specialising in design, strategy and innovation. Clients included: Coloplast, Pernod Ricard, HP, Microsoft and Bowers and Wilkins.



2002 - 2013
Richard Shed Studio
Established around 2002, my own practice provided consultancy, design and realisation of products and spaces for a range of global clients. Over time it evolved from product and furniture design to exhibition design and into interaction and human centered design. Our approach always aimed to be conceptually and technically innovative. I still work on personal projects.

We worked with a number of respected clients in the UK, Europe and the US: Hasbro, British Council, Westfield, Native Design, Mother, onedotzero, Thorsten van Elten, The Victoria and Albert Museum, Reed Exhibitions, Artemide & Interaction Design, Institute Ivrea (IDII) (IT), Droog Design & IDII (NL), Valli&Valli (IT), Worldwide Fred (USA), ID Magazine (USA)



Teaching

I’ve been a visiting tutor at all these wonderful establishments;

2006-2012
Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design link

2009 - 2013
Kingston University (Product and Furniture Design) link

2003-2005
Interaction Design Institute Ivrea, Milan link

2006-2010
University of the Arts London, St. Martins and Camberwell

© Richard Shed