Group of people sitting around a table in a cafe, engaged in conversation, with some drinking coffee or tea, and one person standing and serving food or drinks.

Better services and braver strategies, designed with the people they’re for

Portrait of Nina Wafula. Close-up of a smiling woman with short, dark hair, wearing an orange jacket and walking outdoors.

I’m Nina,

a service design and strategy lead with over 10 years’ experience in health, charities and the public sector. I’ve worked both in-house and as a consultant, and now work independently, directly with organisations and alongside consultancies.

I lead teams to design and test new services, help leaders put their big ideas to the test, and build design capability so organisations can continue without me. I specialise in designing with the people services most often fail, on sensitive topics where getting it right matters most.

I believe in collaboration, creativity and courage. I’m known for my big laugh, honest challenge, and caring deeply about the work I do and the people I work with.

What I do

Service design

I lead multidisciplinary teams from understanding a problem through to designing, testing and developing new services, with the people who deliver and use them.

Too many services are built around how an organisation works, not what people need. Getting that right means services that deliver real outcomes for the people using them, and that your team can sustain.

A group of six women are standing in front of a whiteboard filled with papers and sticky notes, engaging in a discussion or brainstorming session in an office.

Human-centred strategy

I work with leadership teams and service delivery teams to shape strategy that draws on multiple voices and diverse perspectives, and sees the wider system around a problem. Expect honest challenge along the way.

A strategy is a set of bets. Bringing in the people affected early shows which to back, which to change and which to drop, while it’s still cheap to do so.

Nina Wafula speaking at a conference. The presentation screen shows a hand holding a sign that reads "WHATEVER YOU ARE NOT CHANGING YOU ARE CHOOSING"

Designing with communities

I use creative and participatory methods to share power and decision-making with the people services most often fail. I shape it to what your organisation needs and is ready for, so what people bring genuinely changes what happens.

People with lived experience see problems and possibilities that organisations miss. Designing with them, not for them, builds trust and leads to services that work in real lives, within real structural constraints, including who holds power.

Top-down of three people working together in a workshop setting. There are drinks and supplies on the table.

Building design capability

I help organisations grow their own design skills through coaching teams on live work, training and practical tools. I work with designers and non-designers alike, and help put the conditions in place for good design to last, including helping leaders understand what design needs to thrive.

Most teams learn design best by doing it on real work, with someone experienced alongside them. Because design often means new ways of working, I bring people along the journey, so they build the confidence to make the change their own.

A woman standing in front of a presentation screen with the question, 'What is design and why does it matter in improving public services?' in a classroom setting.

Whether you need someone to lead work, get stuck in alongside your team or advise from the side, I’ll work out with you where I can add most value.

See my work

“I really believe Nina is one of the best critical thinkers I’ve worked with. She has been a clear leader throughout this project but has also fostered a team that feels truly collaborative and built on psychological safety”

Libby Rhodes, Head of Digital Transformation at YoungMinds

Organisations I’ve worked with

I work across health, charities and the public sector

“I wanted to say a proper thank you for the amazing work you lead. Innovative, creative, strategic – really great!”

Alan Strickland, Director of External Affairs and Resident Involvement at Southern Housing

Need someone to lead design work, test a big idea with the people it affects, or grow your team’s design skills?

Let's talk!