Catherine manages a team of designers and researchers and directs a range of design innovation projects that apply design thinking to explore complex issues, leading to user-focused and practical solutions for products and services in the public and private sectors. Current projects include the Design Innovation Support Programme for SMEs in partnership with Scottish Enterprise; the Future of Scottish Public Libraries pilot funded by Creative Scotland and in partnership with Argyll and Bute Council, Glasgow Life and South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture; Re-Imagining Workforce Development and Planning for the Scottish Social Services Council and Climate Change Communications with Glasgow City Council.

Catherine is also the founder and Managing Director of Journey Associates, a dynamic innovation and design management consultancy offering user-focused research, analysis and strategic consultancy services. She has been involved in the fields of design and innovation for 19 years and has managed a range of national and international projects relating to design, innovation and sustainability. An experienced researcher and project manager, Catherine has provided user-focused research and consultancy services to a wide range of commercial and public sector organisations to help them make most effective use of design and other innovation resources and is a Design Associate of the Design Council. Clients include Scottish Enterprise, Design Council, the BBC, The Lighthouse, the Scottish Government, Graven Images, 3Fold and The Scotland Office.

Prior to establishing Journey Associates, Catherine directed and project managed Sust, a major Scottish Government initiative to mainstream sustainable design in architecture and the built environment. She has also worked in business development for design companies and held academic positions at Manchester School of Management and De Montfort University in Leicester. While at De Montfort, she was seconded to Scottish Design/ Scottish Enterprise, to implement the Scottish element of the UK innovation initiative, Millennium Products. She was then commissioned by Scottish Enterprise to research, write and curate ‘Desire Delight Design’, a publication and exhibition celebrating the 78 Scottish Millennium Products. She also co-directed and project managed the Design Council publication ‘Design in Britain 2000’ (where she initiated the move towards business-oriented references on design in education, business and in a global context). As a researcher at Manchester School of Management, Catherine’s research explored the strategic relationship between UK and Scandinavian design consultants and their clients. She has also worked closely with both designers and manufacturers to stimulate and support innovation in relation to design, including projects such as the Early Entry Programme for the Scottish electronics supply industry; and for the Regional Innovation Strategy at Strathclyde Regional Partnership.