Carra Santos
Designer, Researcher & Learning Advisor

I help programme and innovation leaders work out what to do next when the way forward isn't clear.

You have good people and good intentions behind your project, but something isn't working as expected, and you can't quite see why or what to do next.

I work with universities, innovation hubs, public-sector organisations and mission-driven businesses on place-based action across climate, health and social innovation.I help you step back and understand what's happening - researching the context, connecting perspectives, testing assumptions and identifying what's missing.Then we work out what will move things forward.

How I work

I diagnose what's getting in the way, then design what the situation needs.

When something isn't working as expected or the next step isn't obvious, I don't assume we already know why or what the answer should be. I help you step back, understand the wider situation, identify what's missing and work out what needs to happen next.That might involve researching the local context, talking to people involved, reviewing existing research or data, mapping different perspectives, testing assumptions, or bringing in a different disciplinary lens. The response emerges from what we find.Once we understand the situation more clearly, we design the appropriate response together - whether that's further research, a learning programme, curriculum intervention, workshop, framework, toolkit, coaching or something else.It's useful when...

  • The people you're trying to engage aren't responding as expected.

  • Everyone seems to have a different idea of the problem.

  • Your research isn't translating into action.

  • Your team is going round in circles about what to do next.

  • A promising project has stalled, or the original plan no longer fits what you're finding out.

  • You suspect something important is missing, but can't yet see what it is.

I can come in at different points - while a challenge is still taking shape, when something isn't working as expected, or when a project has stalled and needs course-correcting.

1. Diagnose
Find what's missing

I bring together research, systems thinking, design research, stakeholder insight, learning and creative practice to investigate the situation from different angles.

2. Design
Work out what will move things forward

Once the picture is clearer, I draw on the most appropriate tools and work with you to develop the next step according to what the situation requires.

What people say

"She pushed participants to think deeper about the work they were aiming to deliver, and ultimately created a more meaningful process. This, in turn, led to longer-lasting outcomes."

— Emily Whyman, Senior Programme Manager, Design Council

"Rigorously creative, in that she combines systems thinking and critical thinking with the spontaneity needed for new ideas. Not many people can do this."

— Darren Evans, Strategic Designer and Design Council Expert

"She approaches complex challenges with care and intellectual rigor, always seeking to understand the deeper dynamics at play. At the same time, she brings real joy and warmth to a team."

— Dr Hebe Gouda, Project Officer, World Health Organization

"You have a lovely ability to take people with you. It's a rare talent."

— Simon Clark, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Lumsden Design

Project snapshots

Different challenges, different responses, but the same starting point: finding what's missing.

Here are some brief examples of what that has looked like in practice - contact me to discuss them or other examples.

Course-correcting from a parklet to a more connected community response

Design Council · UK · Climate Action

Context Hounslow Borough Council's Net Zero team was developing a parklet design - a parking space turned into a community green space - to encourage climate-positive community, but there were concerns about whether it would actually be used.
Diagnosis The proposed intervention did not consider local people's lived realities, behaviours and basic needs.
Intervention Design research strategy & implementation support
Outcome A project course-correction, shifting the brief towards an evidence-led, community-relevant intervention addressing social and environmental needs simultaneously.

Uncovering a new research opportunity in global health messaging

World Health Organization · Global · Public Health

Context Feedback indicated that graphic health warnings on cigarette packets were becoming less engaging, and the Tobacco-Free Initiative wondered what else was possible.
Diagnosis Existing messaging naturally focused heavily on the adverse health effects. Non-health motivations for tobacco cessation were potentially being overlooked.
Intervention Cross-disciplinary data analysis
Outcome Analysis of 574 warnings from 37+ countries revealed fresh research directions for country-level practitioners based on local context and culture, contributing to the 10th WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic and implementation of WHO FCTC Articles 11 & 12.

Reframing sustainability-as-limitation to sustainability-as-opportunity

Lumsden Design · International · Regenerative Enterprise

Context An international interior design practice wanted to respond more confidently to growing client expectations around place-based social and environmental impact.
Diagnosis The practice had learned about sustainability through an operations-focused 'eco' lens, and so were unable to see connections to existing strengths across design, materials, communication, place and social value.
Intervention Leadership consultancy & education
Outcome What was previously perceived as a constraint became an untapped creative opportunity, revealing specific areas to research and develop for positive impact, and a stronger basis for communicating their value.

Understanding what engages young people in climate action

Design Council · UK · Climate Action

Context Essex County Council was developing a Youth Climate Ambassador Network, but early research suggested limited interest in climate action among students.
Diagnosis The council team needed to understand what young people actually cared about and explore where climate connected with those priorities, rather than assume climate was everyone's starting-point priority.
Intervention Participatory research & co-design
Outcome Ten student-led themes emerged - from Circular Communities to Future of Work - giving the council evidence-based priorities for youth climate engagement alongside a reusable workshop design.

Creating a shared starting point for Doughnut Economics engagement

University of Bath · UK · Economic Development

Context Interest in Doughnut Economics was growing across Bath, UK, but early attempts at engagement revealed tensions across sectors and groups.
Diagnosis People from different backgrounds needed opportunities to spend time together and explore the framework in a relaxed, accessible way before trying to apply it locally.
Intervention A multi-format learning programme - including a nine-week readalong, 24 workshops, a public lecture, an urban photo walk and an online community.
Outcome The programme created shared spaces for participants to learn, question and discuss the topic, contributing to greater consensus around a previously divisive approach to social and environmental priorities.

Finding sustainability's place inside a luxury interiors curriculum

The Interior Design School · UK · Design Education

Context The school was receiving growing questions from prospective students about sustainability, but leadership wanted to understand how it genuinely connected to expectations within the luxury interiors market before deciding how to bring it into the curriculum.
Diagnosis The question wasn't about teaching sustainability as an add-on, but how it connected with the school's existing identity, strengths and expertise.
Intervention Curriculum research & opportunity-mapping
Outcome Sustainability emerged as much closer to the school's existing interests and expertise than leadership had expected - something that could strengthen its identity rather than become an add-on agenda - with clear directions for future curriculum and business development.

About

I bring together design, research, systems thinking and learning to understand what's really going on.

I look past the stated problem to identify the underlying questions, assumptions and dynamics that may be getting in the way - then bring in the perspectives and tools needed to understand the situation more fully.Over the past fifteen years, I've worked across public, private and social innovation contexts, from global institutions to grassroots communities. My experience includes the World Health Organization, Design Council, University of Bath, local authorities, mission-driven businesses and community initiatives.My toolkit draws on design research, systems thinking, sustainable development, learning design, behavioural insight and creative practice. I don't use these as a fixed methodology; I draw on them according to what the situation requires.Before focusing on learning and research, I spent over a decade founding and leading an independent innovation and design practice, creating ways for people to engage with complex systems through products, spaces and public installations.I have an MSc in Sustainable Development in Practice (Distinction), alongside 15+ years of experience working across disciplines, sectors and audiences.

Independent research

Alongside client work, I develop two ongoing research projects exploring how people, place, meaning and understanding connect, and what needs to be noticed and understood before action.Civic Sketchbook
A creative ethnography practice exploring how photography, observation and visual research can capture the character of people and place.Pre-Collaborative City
A developing collection of research and learning resources exploring what needs to be understood before place-based collaboration can work.

Contact me

Start with the problem

If you're working on a programme or innovation challenge and the way forward isn't clear, let's talk about it.

You don't need to arrive with a defined brief or know what kind of intervention you need. We'll start by talking through what's happening.From there, the work might be research, a workshop, learning programme, framework, toolkit, coaching or ongoing thought partnership - depending on what the situation calls for.Email me or use the form to send me a message, and I'll be in touch to arrange a call.

Carra is UK-based and works internationally.
© Carra Santos. All rights reserved.