“Rhys provides the highest standard of care and clarity for the three interconnected enterprises necessary to make all great things. He is the master custodian for the well-being of designers, the daily ritual of designing, as well as the culture and history of Design itself. Our field is better for having him at the front.”
Charlie Sutton / Vice President Design / Facebook
Design demands Optimism.
Building great products is hard. Holding on to the vision of a yet-to-be-built or proven product takes optimism. Creativity is by definition an optimistic act.
Over 20 years leading multi-disciplinary design teams, Rhys has crafted the art of prioritizing healthy and optimistic internal cultures. His unwavering belief and sensitivity for creating these conditions, has proven that it is not only critical to the creative design process and creative culture but intrinsically tied to the quality and success of the work.
Whether success is measured in NPS, IP, Retention, Engagement Survey Results, or Design Awards, Rhys is a true leader of both hearts and minds. But it all starts with optimism.
Design the Designing.
What is Design and what does it do? You'd be surprised, Rhys often asks this question.
Rhys understands that the role of Design in any organization is fundamentally different, and no one process or methodology works for all. Design and designing need to be relevant and appropriate to the context.
He also understands and believes that Design in itself is evolving, always embracing new techniques, new processes, new disciplines.
Rhys is an orchestrator. He effortlessly brings his experience and flexibility to build the best of design and designing for any project or organization.
Mind the Gap.
Great products define great brands, and great teams build great products.
Rhys' ability to develop products, unify organizations, and subsequently help build world-class Brands is a result of his obsession with 'gaps'; Specifically, closing the gaps that can appear during product development, that ultimately erode what a brand promises and what it delivers.
Rhys knows how to translate a company's vision and mission into actionable decision-making filters and guidelines.
Defining a lens/framework is important, but communicating it to teams and broader organizations in a compelling, and simple way ensures teams have a singular unified vision, a collective responsibility, and an enthusiasm to bring it to life.
Rhys is a master of both definition and articulation. [Maybe it's a Welsh thing.]
Great Design reveals the Truth.
Empathy is the start of all good design.
Rhys has an acute sense of empathy. It not only makes him a natural leader, but he understands how to gain insights into how people think and feel, what really matters, and what makes truly exceptional products.
He has a knack for revealing or finding the essence of things. The intangible details or quality that elevates a product beyond mere function. That evoke value, meaning, delight, and even love from a user.
Rhys’ insights can change your relationship with the mundane.
“The role of Design in large organizations is evolving, and the transformation of Design within Nokia was due in part to Rhys' willingness to experiment with process, technique, and approach.”
Nick Foster / Head of Design / Google X.