POLYGLOT DESIGNS

Designing context-specific solutions across places, systems and communities to drive real-world change.

Turning complex challenges into real-world interventions that work.

We help public and mission-driven organisations design and test interventions in real-life settings — combining co-creation, spatial thinking and rigorous evidence to deliver practical, fundable solutions.

How we work

What we do

From strategy to tested solutions.

Many organisations develop strategies, policies or concepts that are never tested in real conditions. We work with organisations to move beyond planning — designing and implementing small-scale interventions that can be tested in practice, generating evidence on what works, for whom, and in which contexts.

Observe

Read the place before proposing the plan.

Test

Use small interventions to learn quickly.

Build evidence people can act on together.

Why this matters

Better decisions, grounded in reality.

Complex challenges such as climate adaptation are not only technical — they are spatial, social and context-specific. Without testing in real-world conditions, it is difficult to know what will work in practice.

Reduce uncertainty

Build credible evidence

Strengthen funding proposals

How we work

A structured, real-world approach.

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Co-creation

Working with communities and stakeholders to understand lived experience and ground interventions in real needs.

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Co-creation

Working with communities and stakeholders to understand lived experience and ground interventions in real needs.

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Design and testing

Designing small-scale interventions that can be implemented and tested in real-life conditions.

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Design and testing

Designing small-scale interventions that can be implemented and tested in real-life conditions.

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Evidence and evaluation

Generating robust qualitative and quantitative evidence to inform decisions and future investment.

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Evidence and evaluation

Generating robust qualitative and quantitative evidence to inform decisions and future investment.

Selected Work

Examples of previous work across government, international development and applied research.

Policy & Systems

Foresight for long-term policy and investment

Context — Decision-making required longer-term perspectives in uncertain global contexts.

Role — Led development of a futures and foresight function within government.

Approach — Designed scenario planning processes and translated insights into practical tools.

Outcome — Supported more forward-looking and resilient policy and investment decisions.

Foresight for long-term policy and investment

Context — Decision-making required longer-term perspectives in uncertain global contexts.

Role — Led development of a futures and foresight function within government.

Approach — Designed scenario planning processes and translated insights into practical tools.

Outcome — Supported more forward-looking and resilient policy and investment decisions.

Evidence systems across multi-country programmes

Context — Programmes lacked consistent and usable evidence across countries.

Role — Led monitoring, evaluation and learning functions.

Approach — Introduced structured frameworks and embedded evidence into programme cycles.

Outcome — Improved decision-making and programme adaptability.

Evidence systems across multi-country programmes

Context — Programmes lacked consistent and usable evidence across countries.

Role — Led monitoring, evaluation and learning functions.

Approach — Introduced structured frameworks and embedded evidence into programme cycles.

Outcome — Improved decision-making and programme adaptability.

Social & Public Systems

Child poverty interventions

Context — Limited evidence on effectiveness of interventions in real-world settings.

Role — Led evaluation of pilot interventions.

Approach — Applied mixed-method evaluation combining data and lived experience.

Outcome — Generated evidence to inform policy and programme decisions.

Child poverty interventions

Context — Limited evidence on effectiveness of interventions in real-world settings.

Role — Led evaluation of pilot interventions.

Approach — Applied mixed-method evaluation combining data and lived experience.

Outcome — Generated evidence to inform policy and programme decisions.

Support systems for vulnerable Universal Credit claimants

Context — Barriers in how vulnerable claimants experienced the welfare system.

Role — Contributed to research and analysis on claimant experience.

Approach — Identified system friction points through mixed-method research.

Outcome — Informed more responsive policy and service design.

Support systems for vulnerable Universal Credit claimants

Context — Barriers in how vulnerable claimants experienced the welfare system.

Role — Contributed to research and analysis on claimant experience.

Approach — Identified system friction points through mixed-method research.

Outcome — Informed more responsive policy and service design.

Environment & Place

Human–elephant coexistence in Namibia

Context — Human–wildlife conflict affecting communities and elephant populations.

Role — Worked with a conservation NGO on community-based approaches.

Approach — Combined local knowledge with practical interventions.

Outcome — Contributed to improved coexistence strategies.

Human–elephant coexistence in Namibia

Context — Human–wildlife conflict affecting communities and elephant populations.

Role — Worked with a conservation NGO on community-based approaches.

Approach — Combined local knowledge with practical interventions.

Outcome — Contributed to improved coexistence strategies.

Place-based approaches for environmental and social impact

Context — Difficulty translating environmental goals into local interventions.

Role — Contributed to development of locally grounded initiatives.

Approach — Used participatory and spatial methods.

Outcome — Improved relevance and implementability of interventions.

Place-based approaches for environmental and social impact

Context — Difficulty translating environmental goals into local interventions.

Role — Contributed to development of locally grounded initiatives.

Approach — Used participatory and spatial methods.

Outcome — Improved relevance and implementability of interventions.

Enterprise / Applied Work

Forestsoul: forests, livelihoods and fashion

Context — Need for sustainable economic models aligned with conservation.

Role — Co-founded and developed the enterprise.

Approach — Linked sustainable production with market access and storytelling.

Outcome — Demonstrated alignment between conservation and livelihoods.

Forestsoul: forests, livelihoods and fashion

Context — Need for sustainable economic models aligned with conservation.

Role — Co-founded and developed the enterprise.

Approach — Linked sustainable production with market access and storytelling.

Outcome — Demonstrated alignment between conservation and livelihoods.

About

Strategy, foresight and evaluation.

I am a strategy, foresight and evaluation specialist with over 15 years of experience working across government, international development and research. I have led research and evaluation functions at national and international level, supporting decision-making across complex systems and multi-country programmes. My work focuses on strengthening how organisations use evidence — not only to inform strategy, but to design, test and refine interventions in practice.

Contact

Bring a real-world question.

We work with organisations developing projects, pilots and funding proposals in areas related to place, climate and social outcomes. Get in touch to explore collaboration or partnership opportunities.

Get in touch

Polyglot Designs — Designing context-specific solutions across places, systems and communities.