Ben Heath

Works in the messy space between design, people and the world.

I help organisations bring strategic design, creativity and empathy to what they do and how it shapes the world around them. I have worked across all sorts of roles and sectors through my journey and love to apply these experiences and a curious mind to new contexts and challenges.

My primary areas of practice:

Strategic Design

Bringing people together to share ideas, unpack experiences, and find opportunities. Using design informed methods and a systems thinking mindset, I guide teams to create strategies and effective solutions that work in real life.

Narrative Thinking

I love turning disparate data into insights and narratives people engage, understand and act upon. This work has included investor relations, design, strategy and brand communications.

Emerging Technology

Exploring how emerging technologies augment human creativity and experience. I play a connecting role between the people who use technology and the teams who build it. Helping to translate, question, and shape what’s possible in ways that are safe, ethical, and effective.

What I'm interested in (right now)

AI (of course...) > beyond generating Ghibli inspired images of my pets, I'm exploring how AI might create better work experiences (possible now), support deeper thinking and learning (arriving fast), and design better for better (showing promise, still learning...).

Neurodiversity > I’m on a path to understand my own particular flavour of this, and how different kinds of brains can better navigate, and shape, a neurotypical world.

Evolving education models and mindsets > I’m learning (and unlearning) what meaningful secondary education might be. For many kids, self-directed and non-traditional approaches offer a better path, especially when their way of learning runs counter to the system’s preferred rhythm.

Nature Aquariums > who knew a glass container filled with water and organic matter could teach you so much about systems, balance, and life itself? This one’s a proper rabbit hole.

Experience

The Salvos – Strategic Design Lead (2023 - now)
Milo & Co. – Consultant, 2020–2023
Luna Tractor – Consultant, 2019–2023
ANZ Bank – Various roles, 2002–2019

Contact - LinkedIn

Melbourne, Australia