Paul Reynolds

I deliver human-centred strategy in contexts such as high-performance commercial workplaces and high-traffic, customer-facing spaces. My work boosts productivity, collaboration & employee wellbeing, and grows lasting value for organisations, including enhancing the service they deliver to their customers.

I have extensive experience across multiple countries and cultures. My background spans complex commercial workplaces – including mission-critical control centres and data centre spaces – as well as high-traffic public spaces like airport terminals and railway stations.

I have led human-centred strategy for commercial workplaces that has delivered transformation. This has covered logistical planning to boost productivity, creating spaces that build social connections and enhance wellbeing, integration of technology to enhance collaboration, and driving user centric control of the thermal environment, acoustics, and lighting. My experience in this area includes multiple project examples embedding flexibility and adaptability for hybrid working models, shift working, and longer-term strategic change in occupancy and ways of working.

I have also driven design interventions that address accessibility and inclusive design, directly engaging with those who have lived experience. I have amplified their needs throughout the design process, bringing recommendations to life through practical solutions that align with complementary considerations for all such as wellbeing and employee experience.

I also deliver human-centred strategy for high-traffic areas in spaces like airport terminals focused on end-to-end experience, addressing needs such as high-density people flow, accessible and inclusive design and intuitive wayfinding. My work benefits from the mix of my experience in this area and mission-critical spaces, equipping me with knowledge, empathy, and understanding to foster stronger connections between front-line and back-of-house staff to deliver proactive, brand enhancing support to their customers more effectively and efficiently.

I am also experienced in driving sustainability strategy, including both environmental and social considerations. This covers selection of highly durable materials and commercial furniture and equipment to deliver high-performance along with longevity. It also includes social considerations such as human-centred solutions targeted at meeting specific user needs such as improving mental health and wellbeing through features such as reset zones, focus spaces and biophilic design to address inclusive and neurodiverse needs.

Principal Consultant at Mima (formerly CCD Design & Ergonomics Ltd) (2013-11 – 2026-06)

As a Principal Consultant I have led the human-centred strategy for complex and mission-critical workplaces covering visioning, qualitative user research, blocking and stacking functional spaces, ergonomic space planning, design intent for furniture & interiors, human-centred application of technology, operator workflows development, and inclusive wellbeing features. My work has facilitated high-performance workflows and communications.

I have helped transport organisations improve key system stages in their operations (like ticketing & check-in) and helped to optimise physical design of customer facing features (such as customer service kiosks). I have helped bridge customer flow and organisational strategy for digital products and services. I have also helped transport organisations achieve key performance aims during periods of planned operational change through measuring and improving customer experience touchpoints that influence user behaviours and associated commercial outcomes.

My work has boosted the performance of existing operations. I drove targeted transformation of spaces, processes and workflows for a complex team in the railway industry. As a result, the team of multiple strategic and operational roles from Network Rail and South Western Railway achieved a 60% reduction in train cancellations and a 30% reduction in the time for the service to return to timetable (based on data from comparable incidents).

Another example of the impact I have had is leading the strategic design that helped shape Ocean Infinity's Armada service offering and define the workplace at the core of its industry leading operation. This work directly supported the speed with which Armada grew from statement of ambition to fully operational next-generation fleet in 5 years.

I also recently orchestrated a project with Jersey airport who are undertaking a major redevelopment, helping them to sustain customer satisfaction and brand loyalty throughout disruptive works and to capitalise on the enhanced customer experience in refurbished spaces as the work developed.

Senior Consultant at CCD Design & Ergonomics Ltd (2008-07 – 2013-11)

As a Senior Consultant I led human-centred design activities across a range of projects; carrying out quantitative research, contextual inquiry, delivering feasibility studies, design intent, and specification of furniture and interiors. I also grew my knowledge of human-centred design of environmental aspects such as artificial lighting, control of daylight, acoustics, design for the mind, and other key considerations to optimise the design of a variety of workspaces and features in tune with human behaviour; supporting wellbeing and enhancing performance.

My work focused heavily on engaging with end users to collaboratively ensure optimisation of the features and arrangement of workplaces, zonal features, furniture and equipment to enable them to do their work effectively. I worked closely with end user representatives using informal interviews, meetings, interactive workshops and other techniques to understand their requirements and motivations and to develop accessible and inclusive solutions.

I regularly worked closely with furniture suppliers and other specialists to ensure that the implementation of the design met the needs of the users. I redesigned the main design office at Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire (CERN) in Switzerland, developed feasibility and concept designs for the main control room at International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) fusion project in France, and led the design of over 30 station ticket office upgrades across London Underground stations.

Consultant at CCD Design & Ergonomics Ltd (2004-08 – 2008-07)

As a Consultant I delivered key design activities within projects led by others. Activities included measured surveys, ideation, concept sketching & development, full-scale prototyping, prototype testing exercises, computer aided ergonomic design validation, creating 3D CAD models and photorealistic renders, and liaison with manufacturers. Projects I worked on included utility company control centres, airport terminal control rooms, and bespoke furniture design for Network Rail as part of multiple connected facility upgrade projects.

I built the capability to lead human-centred workplace design projects and grew an interest in holistic development of briefs to drive more comprehensive consideration of user needs and aspirations in the design process.

Industrial Design Intern at CCD Design & Ergonomics Ltd (2002-09 – 2003-07)

As an Industrial Design Intern, I was involved in a range of projects and activities. Design tasks included graphic design development of symbols for use in a railway technology system, conducting measured surveys of workspace sites, detailed design of furniture, interior design ideation and creation of mood boards.

BA Hons in Industrial Design & Technology – Loughborough University (2000-09 – 2004-07)

Diploma in Professional Studies – Loughborough University (2002-09 – 2003-07)