About

I am a creative designer and currently lead the packaging team at Sheffield Hallam University’s knowledge exchange centre, Design Futures within the ADMRC. The majority of my time is spent working on commercial design projects for a wide range of companies at local, national and international levels and supporting research projects across Sheffield Hallam University and other academic institutions. I also support teaching within SHU across a number of subjects.

My knowledge exchange clients are typically major brand owners, retailers and packaging manufacturers. The research projects I support are from a mixture of sectors but are predominantly health and wellbeing focussed. I am an active researcher specialising in packaging and its impact on both consumers and the environment. I am particularly interested in research work that involves creating new packaging formats and studying the impact they have. I studied design as a student in both Leeds and Sheffield and held design jobs in the commercial sector before joining Sheffield Hallam.

In my role with Design Futures I have constructed an award winning packaging design team that is unique in the commercial sector, pulling together a range of experienced packaging professionals from industry to create a full packaging design service independent of manufacture.

My team won ‘Design Team of the Year’ at the 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020 UK Packaging awards. We were also highly commended for this award in 2023.

I addition we have also won ‘Resource Efficient Pack of the year’ in 2020 and Corrugated Online Retail Pack of the Year in 2023.

My knowledge transfer work in structural packaging design has provided initial concepts that have led to the development of major packaging formats for Marks and Spencer, Tesco (via Samworth Brothers) and Heinz which have sold millions of individual units. My ongoing work for Company of Animals focusses on environmentally responsible packaging solutions and has replaced non sustainable materials across their full range. Design Futures also supports SMEs in line with our Vice Chancellors commitment to support business in the South Yorkshire Region. I have gained considerable experience over the past 23 years in advising smaller sized businesses on the best way to approach and implement structural packaging and graphic design and branding into their business and the impact it can have. I have an extensive portfolio of SME companies who have benefitted commercially from the impact of my design work. Recent local successes include Slime Party UK, Simple Living Eco and Tru Pig Vegan. Long term successes include Laura’s Confectionery, Gordon Rhodes, Lottie Shaws and Charles Butler.

Packaging design. The impact of packaging on the environment. The impact of packaging on the end user.

Teaching

College of Social Sciences and Arts

Design Futures – Packaging (commercial consultancy)

Subject area:

• I support Sheffield Hallam University teaching in various subjects with ‘structural packaging’ insights, ‘packaging design’ insights and sustainability.

Courses taught:

• Higher Degree Apprenticeship Packaging Professional BSc
• Food and Nutrition/Food marketing & product development
• MA Design

Research

• Art and Design Research Centre
• Culture and Creativity Research Institute

My Sheffield Hallam University research work includes design support for Professor Claire Craig at Sheffield Hallam University on both her ‘Journeying Through Dementia’ and ‘Life Café’ Lab4Living research projects.

https://sheffieldhallam.sharepoint.com/sites/staffhome/SitePages/Journey-through-Dementia---the-team-behind-the-research-(title-tbc).aspx

My team have recently supported Professor Hora Soltani on her ‘APGAR’ project or the NHS Race and Health Authority which was presented at the Houses of Parliament in the summer of 2023and Dr. Marilena Kyriakidou on her ‘Kids in Court’ project. This work won a “Crystal Scales of Justice" award in 2023.

Outside of Sheffield Hallam University I led the team who provided the design work for the ‘Newday ABC (after breast cancer care) project led by Northumbria University. I provided design support through contract research for Professor Simeon Yates’ 'Me and My Big Data: developing citizens data literacies’ (2019-2021) project led by the University of Liverpool and in association with Glasgow University and also for the PEARL (Patient Experience & Reactive Learning) project for Professor Julion Bion, Professor of Intensive Care Medicine at the University of Birmingham.

Publications

Media

John is a trained packaging designer with a strong focus on user interaction with packaging. He is the creative director of the University's in-house design agency Design Futures, working closely with local and national companies on sustainable packaging and usability issues.