The BHF is one the UK’s most popular charities. Reporting to their senior brand and marketing management team, I was asked to help educate and support the project managers who commission design, most of whom did not have a design background. I was also asked to review the current creative resource and its output.

I started by interviewing the existing design consultancies, internal commissioners, external design experts and charity specialists to build a deep understanding of the current position, including the strengths, gaps and areas for improvement. It became clear that the BHF needed an established agency roster and an agreed design-agency management process.

I was involved in the roster selection and created a structure whereby these agencies would meet on a regular basis – an invaluable way to share skills and experience, and raise creative standards across the board. I also devised and delivered a ‘Commissioning Design’ workshop for BHF staff. The template for this is now being used to support ongoing creative commissioning.

This was a deeply rewarding partnership that made a lasting difference to the way the BHF works. I was delighted to see them being voted one of the ‘Hot 50 people making a difference in design’ in a Design Week poll and Design Week Benchmark’s Client of the Year in 2012.