Human-centred solutions
How well are you connecting with your people?
Your communities, your stakeholders, your employees — do you really know what makes them tick?
When you’re working with people, broadcast information just doesn’t cut it. You need to meet them where they are and engage with authenticity, transparency and respect. Meaningful interactions build trust, inform design, and influence behaviour — all essential for successful projects, services and change.
The Big Speakeasy helps organisations engage with clarity, navigate complexity, and design for inclusion. Whether it’s involving communities in decision-making, helping people make sense of change, or ensuring accessibility is built in from the start, I bring a human-centred approach to every challenge.
I’m at my best when I’m helping people understand each other. The Big Speakeasy exists to create inclusive spaces where connection and collaboration lead to better outcomes.
- Engagement: Facilitating participation, dialogue and shared decision-making..
- Change communications: Supporting people with empathy, clarity and consistency during times of uncertainty.
- Human-centred design: Co-designing solutions that reflect the needs, insights and lived experience of real people.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Embedding inclusive thinking in strategy, policy and practice.
Engagement
Purposeful, collaborative problem solving.
From infrastructure to service design and technology implementation, success is dependent on authentically involving people in the decisions that affect them. I develop strategies to identify the right people, bring them together and keep them involved.
I design and facilitate engagement that builds trust, surfaces fresh perspectives, and leads to better-informed decisions.
- Engagement strategy
- Co-design and facilitation
- Stakeholder mapping and analysis
- Inclusive practices that connect with the hardly-reached
Communication
Helping people make sense of the world.
Good communication isn’t just pushing out newsletters and emails — it’s multi-directional. I activate dialogue that shapes meaning, builds trust, and creates connection in times of uncertainty.
Cutting through jargon and clarifying the complex I bring stakeholders into the conversation to foster transparency and shared ownership.
- Communication strategy and planning
- Change communication
- Accessible formats and WCAG compliance
- Facilitation
Human-centred Design
Designing with — not for
My work is grounded in the principles of human-centred design. Communication and engagement don’t happen in a vacuum — every team, community, and individual brings their own experience, knowledge, and perspective.
Without connection and empathy, even the best ideas can fail to land. Grounding engagement in HCD means:
- Co-creating with stakeholders, end users, and community groups
- Embedding accessibility from the outset
- Recognising people as experts in their own lived experience
- Being curious, reflective and always open to learning
Collaborations
I’ve worked with organisations of all shapes and sizes.
Behind the name
From content to connection
The Big Speakeasy began as a way to help people communicate more clearly. Over time, it’s evolved into something broader — and deeper. These days, my work is less about clever messaging and more about creating space for people to connect, contribute, and navigate change together.
I come from a communications background, but I lean into the messy middle — where engagement, co-design and change intersect. I’ve worked with technical experts, project teams, executives, and people with lived experience — and I love helping them find common ground.
If you’re looking for someone who can help people collaborate more effectively (and keep things human along the way), let’s chat. I’d love to help your teams, stakeholders and communities speak a little easier.
Speak [spēk] (verb)
To convey thoughts, opinions, or emotions … ; to express oneself; to make a statement in writing.
Easy [ē’zē] (adjective)
Capable of being accomplished or acquired with ease; posing no difficulty; relaxed in attitude.
Speakeasy [spēk’ē’zē] (noun)
A place for the illegal sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks, as during Prohibition in the United States.
Let’s chat!
Achievement Unlocked
Like the plumber with leaky taps and the painter with peeling walls, I’m the writer who has sadly all but deserted my blog. But I’m taking a moment to interrupt this program of consistent neglect to acknowledge a milestone: The Big Speakeasy celebrated its 10 year anniversary last month! And I totally missed it ……
This is not a ‘Reflection on 2016’ post
It will likely be the last post that I write in 2016, but this is not one of those philosophical reflections of what I’ve learned and achieved over the last twelve months. I will not be spruiking my successes, nor sharing with you the mistakes I’ve made. You won’t be reading about the wins and the…
Finding the Essence
One of my clients is going through the process of redeveloping their website. I’m quite fortunate to be involved at ground level, working alongside their Communications Manager to provide input to the scope and also the design brief. This is kind of remarkable in itself, as often I’d be brought in after the design was…
See more of my writing
Get in touch
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Keen to chat?
If you’re ready to dive in — or just curious to learn more — let’s grab a coffee (virtually or IRL). I’m based in Brisbane but have worked with clients all around Australia.
I’d love to hear about what you’re working on — and explore how I might help.