Human centered design thinking begins with empathy.
By engaging with empathy, we begin to deepen our capacity to take on another perspective, gain insight into human behaviour, and understand the people we are designing for. This is basis of good design.
In this article, we explore ways we can place empathy at the heart of our problem-solving and innovation processes.
Creative provocateur and Global Changemaker, Dr Hayley Linthwaite, is a program designer, facilitator and coach with Performance Frontiers. She empowers individuals, organisations and communities through creative collaboration, social innovation and practical exploration to envision and enable a better future. Hayley has extensive experience in theories, forms, and conventions of applied performance, behavioural and systemic change, strategic conflict analysis, and experiential learning honed within extensive roles as an arts educator, researcher, director and performer.
As Associate Professor and Programme Leader for Drama at the University of Northampton UK, she designed and managed bespoke tailored programs for international tertiary arts partnerships, corporate contexts and international communities. She received the 2016 Global Changemaker Award, University of Northampton, recognising her innovative and effective Imagination A Day Project (IADP) designed and conducted to foster cross-community social cohesion and justice among young professionals and emerging leaders. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Mission in Kosovo commissioned this project.
In-depth primary research and first-hand experience initiating change inform her work, including the following: Management and Leadership for Australia’s Defence Materiels Organisation; Sexual Health Education within Papua New Guinea; Peace and Conflict studies in Thailand and Nepal; IADP specifically adapted to diverse working environments in Australia, Brazil, Kosovo, and the United Kingdom.
Hayley remains focused on building and sustaining peace across community and corporate sectors. She disseminates innovation and progressive processes through national and international conferences and university programs.
Three words to describe you: Creative Provocateur and Changemaker
If you were a superhero your name would be? Agent Red Star
What gives you energy:
What would you like to be remembered for?
Future landscaping through imagination and play.
A dynamo designer and problem-solving prodigy, Kate applies her design expertise and passion for visual learning to our graphic, instructional and product design department.
At the heart of Kate’s work is the belief that smart design makes a big contribution to productive and sustainable workplaces. She understands that visual mediums afford a unique platform for storytelling, enhancing learning environments by clarifying complexity and making abstract concepts tangible. Through her work at PF, she enjoys the creative process of growing ideas. From concept development, right through to pressing the print button, Kate collaborates closely with our team and clients to develop interactive resources and tools that empower people and activate learning. For Kate, there is no better inspiration than seeing her work inspire” lightbulb” moments in people, and watching those moments spark whole system change.
Kate’s expertise is underpinned by a Bachelor of Design and qualifications in graphic facilitation, along with over six years of experience with our team, a milestone she celebrated after returning from a one year sabbatical traversing the Australian outback in 2016. Fuelled by her inquisitive nature, Kate continues to expand our design horizons through design innovation. She is currently investigating how to bring tactile qualities to digital spaces, the concept of art as a healing methodology, and the power of design to drive change.
Three words that describe you: Thoughtful, practical, adventurous
If you were a superhero your name would be? Maker, Baker, Mover-and-Shaker
What gives you energy?
What do you want to be remembered for? Advocating creativity to enrich people’s lives
As a principal, lead facilitator, process designer, writer and executive coach at Performance Frontiers, Dr Martin Challis is dedicated to utilising his creativity and insight as powerful catalysts for facilitating learning and transformational change in organisations, teams and individuals.
Martin specialises in co-creating high impact, experiential leadership development programs that enable individuals to develop self, team and whole system leadership. His human-centred approach to professional development has successfully enabled leaders to embody new cultural behaviours and strategies that strengthen and harmonise their teams and organisations.
As an executive coach, Martin creates conditions for insight and positive behavioural change through an artful balance of inquiry, diagnosis, reflection and action. He specialises in building capacity in the areas of leadership, communication, emotional and social intelligence and practical mindfulness.
Martin has worked with clients from a broad range of backgrounds throughout Australasia and leverages significant expertise in applied theatre modelling, psychological theory, applied communication, relationship dynamics and behavioural change. An awarded educator, a published author and lyricist, and a corporate leader in the retail and creative industries, and a dedicated family man, Martin is committed to living life authentically and inspiring others to do the same.
Three words to describe you: Authentic, curious, compassionate
If you were a superhero your name would be: Metaphor Man, ably assisted by Segue Boy
What annoys you: Bigotry and intolerance of diversity
What gives you energy:
What would you like to be remembered for? For words and deeds of compassion and strength that uplift, shape and heal when needed
Backed by over a decade of national and international experience in education, corporate management and consultancy, Taya’s work as an impassioned facilitator designer, educator and coach at Performance Frontiers expertly balances content and process to elicit powerful learning outcomes and cultivate meaningful change.
Taya applies an integrated approach to adult education, creating a stimulating and engaging environment that caters to many different learning styles. Her areas of expertise include leadership development, maximising team performance, communication, collaboration and innovation, presentation skills and facilitation skills. Her work is underpinned by a depth of knowledge in current neuroscience and the psychology of behaviour change.
Taya’s facilitation style is vibrant, energetic and empathic, enabling her to quickly build rapport and trust with the people she works with. Expertly balancing content and process, she facilitates an environment that supports both individual learning and collective wisdom in order to consistently elicit powerful learning outcomes for participants.
Taya’s corporate management experience both internationally and in Australia enables her to connect with the realities of the workplace environments of her participants. She draws on her experience as a performer and arts educator to develop and deliver programs that use creative forms to explore real-time issues.
Three words that describe you: Intense. Expansive. Sensitive.
If you were a superhero what would your name would be? Big Mama T
What annoys you? Slow drivers…
What gives you energy? Many things, to name a few…
What do you want to be remembered for? My epic engagement with life and my relentless pursuit of my potential in the service of a healthier and more conscious world.
Dr Georgia Seffrin is supported by over 15 years’ experience in transformational change and leadership in organisations. She has built a productive career in learning design and facilitation across a diversity of professional sectors including education, health, government, corporate and arts organisations.
In particular, Georgia’s professional practice focuses on the power of creative-thinking in leadership, leading in uncertain and complex environment, effective communication and navigating cultural change within organisations. She specialises in assisting leaders and teams to build their capacity in collaboration, high-level negotiations, and brokering partnerships across internal and external stakeholder groups.
Georgia is an open and adaptable facilitator. Her warmth, authenticity, and capability for artful engagement enable her to create constructive sessions of consideration, reflection and action. She is skilled at guiding conversations into uncharted territory, nurturing fruitful discussions and building collective insight. She encourages leaders to be aware of blind spots and have a solutions thinking mindset in order to seize opportunities and co-design plans for positive action.
Along with her work in professional development, Georgia’s skills are reinforced by her academic endeavours. She has worked extensively in the education sector as a as a lecturer, tutor, director and degree coordinator for QUT. She is involved in ongoing research into the field of culture after completing a PhD in cultural studies in 2009. She has published a series of papers in this field, and presented as a keynote both nationally and internationally.
Three words to describe you: Curious, inclusive and creative
If you were a superhero your name would be? The Fashionator
What annoys you: In myself: not backing myself; in others: arrogance and bullishness
What gives you energy:
What would you like to be remembered for? Being compassionate, encouraging and curious, especially when one’s instinct suggests otherwise.
As Performance Frontier’s lead graphic and instructional designer, Jason breathes life into complex theory and unlocks new ways of thinking through the production of captivating tools and designs.
Jason applies his expertise as a ground-breaking artist, designer and educator to the development of cutting-edge print resources and online learning tools. His career portfolio spans the fine-arts, design and arts education sectors. He has taught internationally and lectured in university settings, and has also worked in freelance, agency and in-house design contexts in the travel and health sectors. He understands the mechanics of learning and takes an active role in designing our engaging learning experiences by developing innovative, meaningful and interactive tools, resources and visual stimuli.
Jason never stops moving, creating, thinking and reflecting. He believes that smart design is essential to sustainable business practice, and his enviable design acumen helps us remain at the forefront of visual and interactive technologies.
Three words to describe you: Creative, Open-minded and Collaborative
If you were a superhero your name would be? The Energiser
What annoys you: If I had to name two things it would be wasting time and being idle
What gives you energy:
What would you like to be remembered for? Unlocking new and exciting ways of thinking through graphic design
Jocelyn utilises her expertise in relationship management, knowledge of integrated marketing communications and skills in word wizardry to establish, maintain and enrichen PF’s professional relationships.
Jocelyn skilfully juggles project management and client engagement, infusing all points of engagement with content that resonates. She is passionate about corporate sustainability and the power of communication, co-authoring a paper surrounding the use of rhetoric in recent corporate social responsibility movements, which was presented at the Annual ICA Conference in early 2016.
With a master’s in Public Relations and an undergrad in Creative Industries, Jocelyn has a deep understanding of the transformative effect that effective communication and arts-based practices can have in business. She has her finger on the pulse of up-to-the-minute conversations happening in our areas of expertise and she is constantly looking for fresh business insights to share with our team and clients.
Three words that describe you: Engaging, industrious, inventive
If you were a superhero your name would be? The scribbler
What annoys you? Ignorance, laziness and my ever-present Gen Y “FOMO”
What gives you energy?
What do you want to be remembered for? Hopefully, for being one of the mad ones…
Ed recognises the partnering role finance has in realising an organisation’s strategy. Over six years, Ed has responded to manifold challenges of our rapidly evolving business and has helped Performance Frontiers thrive. His skillful management and refinement of our financial processes and systems help to ensure that we remain agile, responsive and successful. His financial expertise has been built through decades of financial consultation, dedicated bookkeeping, financial reporting and accounting both locally and nationally.
Three words to describe you: Positive, Curious, Focussed
If you were a superhero your name would be: The Seeker of Truth
What annoys you: WASTE
What gives you energy:
What would you like to be remembered for? Helping make things, processes and businesses better and more efficient
Lowanna uses her 20 years’ experience as a program designer, facilitator, arts educator and academic to help our clients make meaningful change in a way than inspires transformational growth.
Lowanna’s expertise in contemporary leadership studies, arts-based practices, design-thinking, neuroscience, learning and psychological development theories enrichens all of our learning and development initiatives at PF. Her advocacy of experiential learning and a ‘hands on’, personal approach to learning enables participants to connect intellectually, physically and emotionally in the learning journey. She has a wealth of experience working with middle managers, executives and senior leaders to guide, monitor and motivate personal and professional development and the creation of healthy workplace communities.
Lowanna is highly skilled in bringing together a diverse group to form a cohesive whole. Her career history as an academic and facilitator at QUT has required her to navigate a diversity of groups including leaders, course and unit coordinators and student groups in order to successfully co-create and lead various experiential programs. This, coupled with 10 years working abroad has given her real insight into cultural diversity and communication, negotiating cross-cultural collaborations and the development of diverse groups of individuals.
Prior to joining Performance Frontiers, Lowanna led a number of large scale development initiatives with QUT, QPAC, Queensland Health and the Queensland Ambulance Services in the areas of leadership, attrition, healthy communication, change management, and personal development.
Three words to describe you: Energetic, empathetic, practical
If you were a superhero your name would be? The Co-creation Queen
What annoys you: Wasting time and wasted opportunity
What gives you energy:
What would you like to be remembered for? Creating a beautiful family, being kind and wise; and injecting a little fun wherever I go.
Kylie uses her high-level relationship skills, expertise in coaching psychology and facilitation prowess to co-create transformative learning experiences and build human potential.
Drawn to PF’s innovative work in 2017, Kylie has quickly carved out a niche as a gifted facilitator, designer and coach who builds strong partnerships that uncover deep insight to help our clients own their journey of positive change.
Kylie is a highly skilled program designer and facilitator with a strong track record leading cultural change and leadership development initiatives across organisations such as BBC Worldwide, ABC and the Australian Film, Television and Radio School. Her work is informed by her expertise in strategy and policy, which equips her with a unique understanding of how organisations should tackle modern challenges with intelligence, agility and creativity.
As one of our key executive coaches, Kylie’s warm, engaging and curious nature helps her create the conditions for trust, discovery, reflection and transformation for exceptional personal and professional client outcomes. Her expertise is supported by a Masters of Applied Science in Coaching Psychology, LSI accreditation and experience in mentoring and coaching individuals primarily within the media sector.
A self-confessed people person – Kylie is most comfortable having authentic conversations and challenging people to achieve their boldest ambitions.
Three words to describe you: Effervescent, people-oriented, inquisitive
If you were a superhero your name would be? WonderWoman
What annoys you: People using email as avoidance
What gives you energy:
What would you like to be remembered for? Changing the world, one person at a time. Being kind. Making people laugh. Serving a great meal. Bringing up two very lovely girls. A beautiful garden.
No one day is the same for Aylesha, and her juggling skills rival those of the most seasoned circus performer. Whether it be administration, program management, travel and event coordination, client liaison, database management – Aylesha takes it all in her stride and diligently applies her focus, professionalism and passion for a job well-done to traverse her mosaic of roles with ease.
With 18 years’ experience in administration and project coordination, top-notch logistical skills and a go-getter attitude, there is no better person for the job.
Three words that describe you: Consistent, committed, passionate
If you were a superhero your name would be? Sister-matic
What annoys you? When people don’t put any thought into their actions
What gives you energy?
What do you want to be remembered for? Giving my very best in areas of life. Whether I be playing the role of mother, friend, wife, or employee – I’d like to ace it across the board.
Dr Jane Austin brings over 20 years’ experience as a registered clinical psychologist to guide organisational and individual development in her work as a designer, coach and facilitator with Performance Frontiers team.
Her areas of expertise include executive coaching, leadership development, psychological assessment, mediation and conflict resolution, building resilience, and organisational and team assessment and development. Her areas of expertise include executive coaching, leadership development, psychological assessment, mediation and conflict resolution, building resilience, and organisational and team assessment and development.
Jane’s skills and expertise are supported by a lucrative career working both nationally and internationally with medium to large multinational organisations in variety industries including the resources and energy/utilities industries and government completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology and Clinical Neuropsychology in 2004 and holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Hons) and Pyschology. She is currently registered with the Psychology Board of Australia, a Member of the Australian Psychological Society and the College of Clinical Psychologists.
Olga is our office all-rounder and administration superstar. She applies her design acumen and super organisational skills to the task of designing efficient systems processes behind the scenes at Performance Frontiers.
Deftly migrating across from the creativity of the print room (when studying for her MDes Textiles Degree) into the world of architectural administration, Olga is now applying her skills in time management and her attention in the many roles she assumes on a daily basis, including resource creator, travel agent, receptionist, caterer and master scheduler.
Three words that describe you: Independent, unflappable, pragmatic
If you were a superhero your name would be? The Masked Coordinator
What annoys you? Inconsistency and sudden mind-changing
What gives you energy?
What do you want to be remembered for? Giving back to my friends, family and our community in a way that is meaningful
