As with my research, I also consult across the commercial and academic sectors.

In my commercial practice, I consult as a qualitative research director, cultural semiotician, and trends forecaster for clients including Baxter, Pfizer, GSK, Bang & Olufsen, Vertu, Ikea, Transport for London, the London Mayor’s Office, Guide Dogs for the Blind, and Argent Related. For details on the type of research I have conducted, please see Researching.

In the academic world, I have worked as a reviewer, external examiner and invited critic as well as a guest expert on design, culture and technology topics for radio.

I was a guest expert on Alek Krotoski’s wonderful BBC Radio4 show, The Digital Human, on an episode exploring the relationship between technology and magic; the wonderful Radiolab programme on WNYC invited me to talk about the history of the Walkman for its series Mixtape, on the history of the cassette tape; I was a panelist for the annual conference of the advertising industry, Advertising Week Europe, speaking about augmented creativity; and was the guest speaker of Slime Radio Hour, on Montez Press Radio.

I have reviewed articles for Journal of Visual Culture, Journal of Design History and Design and Technology Education: An International Journal, and reviewed book proposals for Bloomsbury’s Design list. I was invited to be one of four reviewers of the A-Level Design & Technology by Ofqual, the UK’s Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation; and I was an invited critic on the MA Architecture programme at the Royal College of Art. I have also served as the external examiner at UAL’s London College of Fashion, for the School of Design & Technology.

I come from a commercial background in publishing, advertising, marketing and design. I have drawn on this experience to help found the International Association for Visual Culture Studies; and a much longer time ago, I founded and ran a design and branding agency working for political organisations and NGOs. In my early professional life, I was part of the Jubilee 2000 team which led the campaign for the cancellation of third-world debt; and I worked as a researcher for a politician during the 1997 UK General Election.