My Qualifications

Although less relevant these days, as I've been doing Product Design at Fripp for over 3 years now, we thought it would be useful for you to know a little more about my formal education. But before I do this I thought I'd tell you more about what I'm passionate about at Fripp Design.

Design is essential to any developed economy; without Product Design, there is nothing to manufacture and nothing to buy. For me, the key element of the whole Product Design process (and the bit I enjoy doing most) is in communicating the benefits of the design to the person who needs it and will buy it. We encapsulate this process in 'concept design' at Fripp Design; this is the process of taking a Product Design idea from a client and pushing the boundaries of what could be done rather than can be done. I like the idea of 'what if' rather 'what can'!

This compliments the other principle design shareholder at Fripp (Tom Fripp) whose focus is more on the 'what can'...it makes for interesting design meetings when we're reviewing client projects with the team; but it does mean the client gets the best in ergonomics without compromise to the practicalities of taking a Product Design through to manufacture.

To find out more about how we push the boundaries in concept design; visit the Fripp Design website.

So, for those who are interested; my education:

All my life, I've been interested in making things and knew that I always wanted to be a designer; particularly on the aesthetics of design, communicating the value and the need for a particular product which hugely influenced my education. 

From 1994- 2001 I attended the Dane Valley High School in Congleton where I obtained 9 GCSE's at 'C' and above including Maths, Science, Art, French and History. I obtained 3 'A' Levels - Art, Design & Technology and Business Studies. 

In 2001 I started my first degree in Industrial Design Innovation at Sheffield Hallam University and in 2004 I obtained a 2.1 Class BA(Hons).

In 2004 I started my Masters Degree in Industrial Design and Rapid Prototyping which I passed with in 2006. This is important as our employment policy at Fripp Design is to only recruit Masters Graduates. 

When I graduated, like many other newly qualified designers I was looking for a job. I did some work with a local packaging company where I was, in essence used as a 'CAD monkey' (no insult to our biological cousins intended!). I had a lucky break as my best mate, Tom Fripp had started his own design business. I originally joined as an employee but was offered the opportunity to become a shareholder which I jumped at so I could be more involved.