Magnetic

At Magnetic, we’re constantly on a mission to highlight the importance of user research and specifically test emotional responses to design. Design is about functionality and connection: Authentic connections with customers lead to brand loyalty, differentiation, and the ability to engage in dialogue with people about their needs.  Magnetic has helped empower hundreds of organisations to forge deeper connections with their customers across sectors, from banking and consumer goods to B2B technology. We've had the privilege of supporting industry leaders like HSBC, PepsiCo, Google Cloud, Simply Business, and many others on their journey towards enhanced customer engagement. We know that we build better products and services when we get close to and truly empathise with the people we’re designing for. Building a deep understanding of customers’ motivations helps brands place bets on which products and services to invest in to sustain a competitive edge. But where to start? Start by understanding what is known (the known knowns)—the clear facts such as market trends, competitor offerings, and quantitative data on customer behaviours. Next, dive into the questions you need answered (the known unknowns) - customer desires, unmet needs or future trends. This is where emotional research is critical - it gives you the gaps in traditional data that tell you what customers are doing - not why they are doing it. Read more >> https://lnkd.in/e6ZTEk2a #userresearch #customercentric #design #designbetterfutures

With just a few hours to go until the new Government’s first budget is announced, we don't know exactly what to expect from Rachel Reeves. Speculation suggests there will be positives as well as things that might be trickier for businesses to navigate. And, this is on top of an already challenging landscape as businesses grapple with economic shifts, legislative reforms, operational complexities, and changing consumer needs. All of this creates a challenging environment for business leaders, who are balancing growth ambitions with cautious planning to manage immediate pressures and adapt to future policy shifts. At Magnetic, we’re on a mission to ensure cautious planning doesn’t hinder innovation and growth plans. We surveyed 300 UK business leaders to determine their attitudes to innovation. More than a third said growth and innovation are their biggest priorities. We know business leaders recognise the importance of innovation and fully intend to prioritise it. But we also know that the path to delivering on innovation ambitions is often blocked by short-term barriers—including its perceived cost, the “cost” of training staff in innovation skills, fear of failure, and crucially, a lack of fresh thinking, and red tape from stakeholders or investors. Overcoming these barriers requires a shift in mindset, a commitment to long-term thinking, investment in skills development, and a willingness to embrace the short-term uncertainty that can come with innovation. Those who do will find that the cost of innovating is far outweighed by the benefits—customer loyalty, market leadership, and sustained growth. Read more >> https://lnkd.in/eE_8V_6G #Budget2024 #LongTermFocus #costofinnovation #designbetterfutures

Last week, our Innovation Academy and a team of Magnetics had the pleasure of working with a brilliant group of #changemakers from across Santander UK. We collaborated to help the team become even more laser-focused on their customers' needs. Over the two-day ‘How to solve your customers' problems’ course, the HR team fully immersed themselves in hands-on learning, using our innovation toolkit and techniques to explore and solve a real business problem. This equipped the team with the knowledge and skills to apply creative problem-solving that could be used in their day-to-day work. We love hearing feedback from our Innovation Academy alumni: “The takeaways are invaluable. I work in the solutions pool, and my mind always goes straight to how to fix the problem. Now I’ll focus on the problem, and the customer will create the solution!” “I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with a great team and first-class facilitators to help us navigate design thinking." If you want to know more, head to our website or get in touch with Jon Pearson: https://lnkd.in/etshzECZ #customerfirst #embracechange #solutionmakers #change

Today's #MagneticFeature spotlights one of our brilliant Consultants and possibly one of the most positive people you’ll meet - Tomer Tricot. Known for his unlimited energy and innovative spirit, Tomer thrives on creating and refining ideas that solve meaningful problems. He’s passionate about physical and mental well-being and loves bringing data to life through experimentation and testing with real customers, whether through fake websites, prototype apps, or manually running the concept - it’s exciting to experiment, get genuine insights from customers and then realise the potential of an idea. Tomer has recently worked on Mars, Google and the Magnetic Innovation Academy projects. Fun fact: Tomer is all about the mountains and the outdoors. As a certified ski and snowboard instructor, there's nothing better than being out in nature. He also loves managing and playing in Sunday league football games with his team (but only when they win). We asked Tomer, what do you love working on? “My favourite projects are always the ones where I connect deeply with the target audience. Whether talking to people needing better banking services, entrepreneurs learning to scale, or pet owners trying to care for their furry friends, I love the projects where I can really understand what keeps people up at night. Helping businesses understand and solve these tricky problems excites me, especially when we can do it in really cool, creative ways.” #peopleappreciation #culture #peoplecentric #designbetterfutures

The world around us is moving fast, and so are our customer expectations.  As consumers, we expect continuous improvement from the brands we engage with. As markets evolve and customer needs shift, brands must keep pace, refining their products, experiences, and services. Brands that fail to innovate will at best leave customers feeling neglected, and at worst cause frustration, leading to a loss of brand loyalty and market share. The cost of not innovating is enormous. We know business leaders recognise the importance of innovation and fully intend to prioritise it. But we also know from our network that the path to delivering on innovation ambitions is often blocked by short-term barriers—including its perceived cost, the “cost” of training staff in innovation skills, fear of failure, and crucially, a lack of fresh thinking, and red tape from stakeholders or investors. Overcoming these barriers requires a shift in mindset, a commitment to long-term thinking, investment in skills development, and a willingness to embrace the short-term uncertainty that can come with innovation. Those who do will find that the cost of innovating is far outweighed by the benefits—customer loyalty, market leadership, and sustained growth.   We surveyed 300 UK business leaders to find out their attitudes to innovation. More than a third said growth and innovation are their biggest priority. Read more >> #innovation #customercentricity #brandloyalty #designbetterfutures

In today's fast-paced and competitive business landscape, innovation requires more than creativity—it demands continuous refinement and commitment. Often, organisations aren’t short of ideas. But to stay ahead, we have to go beyond the concept stage. Testing assumptions through experimentation gives us evidence, de-risks innovation, and proves concepts fast.   At Magnetic, we’ve helped train hundreds of companies in Design Thinking and innovation. One of the approaches we use is "Build it, Break it, Fix it," which transforms innovation from a creative exercise into a disciplined process of continuous improvement. This method encourages teams to move beyond brainstorming to stress-test ideas and strengthen solutions through feedback and iteration. It creates a space where weaknesses are exposed and addressed early, setting businesses up for long-term success. Before rushing into development, we’d urge businesses to step back—build an idea and invite their users or customers to stress test it. That way, we can build it back up together. In the end, it will create a stronger, more viable outcome. Leaders can make smarter investment decisions, mitigate risks, and develop more resilient products and services. The result? A stronger, more viable solution ready to thrive in the marketplace. We’ve outlined the techniques behind "Build it, Break it, Fix it" in a downloadable guide, available on our website as part of the Magnetic Methods toolkit. Empower your teams with this structured, impact-oriented approach to innovation and see how it can drive sustainable growth for your business. Want to know more? Reach out to Innovation Academy Lead Jon Pearson. #sustainablegrowth #innovation #learninganddevelopment #designbetterfutures

“One of the biggest myths I’ve seen is the belief that we need to have everything perfectly figured out before we can move forward. But here’s the truth: perfection doesn’t lead to success. Action does. Too many of us wait until we feel 100% ready - whether it’s applying for a job, starting a new project, or pursuing a passion. But the reality is, you don’t need to be perfect to make progress. Don’t wait for the stars to align or for yourself to feel “ready enough.” The real magic happens when you take action, even if you’re unsure.” Read more about diverse thinking, saying yes to opportunities and not waiting for perfection in this inspiring article from Magnetic's CEO Jenny Burns below >> #inspiringleadership #seniorleaders #careerjourney #diversethinkers

On the 7th November we are opening up our Manchester Studio to designers at all levels for free portfolio reviews. It’s for designers looking to take the next step in their design career or just starting out. They'll get a chance to meet other designers, get inspired and have the opportunity to get some feedback on their work from our Lead and Principal Designers Andy Lewis and Louiza Cookson-Rabouhi, alongside other industry design professionals.  At Magnetic, we’re passionate about designing better futures and helping the next wave of talented designers to shape the future through thoughtful, human-centered design. We’re excited to bring you this event in collaboration with Northern Design Festival (NDF) and D&AD. News just in - tickets have sold out for this event- be sure to follow NDF for future dates. #NDF2025 #design #futuredesigntalent #manchester

Rapid technological advancements, economic uncertainty, global competition, talent shortages and rising consumer expectations create a perfect storm of challenges for businesses and leaders. The question is: where to begin? Creative thinking methodologies like design thinking offer a clear path for navigating complexity and uncovering innovative solutions. By fostering a mindset of empathy, experimentation, and agile problem-solving, design thinking equips leaders with the tools to drive transformation and seize new opportunities. Our Innovation Academy is here to help businesses accelerate innovation and supercharge growth. Its mission is simple: to empower leaders and teams with the knowledge, skills, and practical tools needed to make innovation happen, navigate uncertainty, and not just survive but thrive in today’s dynamic environment. Our team runs regular free online workshops that showcase what each of our masterclasses covers. Today’s session was a sellout -  stay tuned on Linkedin for further courses. In the meantime, if you’re interested in having a training session for your team, get in touch: https://lnkd.in/eHvfCYkZ #training #design #problemsolving #creativethinking #designbetterfutures

Join Magnetic's Toby de Belder on Tuesday, 15th October, at 12 p.m. for a free one-hour masterclass on how design supports SMEs looking to expand abroad. You'll discover how focusing on key design areas—such as market segmentation and brand identity—can supercharge your business’s global growth. Learn how a customer-centric mindset can drive innovation, boost brand loyalty, and position your company for success on the global stage. It's free to join, and you'll need to sign up through the UK Export Academy: https://lnkd.in/eMpDqjTq #sme #design #globalgrowth #designthinking #designbetterfutures