Phil Smithson

If you create things, you’re a Designer

Whether your output is a new mobile app, a new banking service or a PDF report for key stakeholders, you’re a Designer.

A human being is going to “consume” what you have created. Is it easy to use? Easy to understand? Does it solve a…

Our assumptions get in the way of communicating

Whether you’re a key executive at a bank, a team member in a startup or a product creator in an agency, the number one cause of problems is that we make unvalidated assumptions.

The birth of the Shiteration

A startup I was going to be mentoring for arrives at their first session with me. The team of three enters the room one by one…

One Incredible Customer Experience Success Story from the Philippines

I find your lack of Customer Experience disturbing

How we‘re bringing Service Design to a Fortune 500 company in the Philippines

The 3 best things about speaking Tagalog

I did an interview last night and one thing I was asked was “Why do you speak Tagalog?”. The implication was “Why did you even bother because everyone here speaks English anyway?”

Well…

Why I’m teaching foreigners Tagalog

I love the Philippines. I love Filipinos. It’s an amazing country and an awesome mix of culture & attitudes.

I saw a brilliant picture last week of a guy standing next to EDSA [the main highway in the Philippines’ capital Manila] holding up…