Changing the conversation about communications
From clarity to connection and back again
When I was growing up, the internet was barely a thing. In fact, I remember the panic of accidentally hitting the internet button on your mobile and then frantically trying to cancel it before your parents were forced to remortgage the house. So, more often than not, my inspiration came from friends, family and the newspaper if I was feeling particularly intellectual.
If I was planning a holiday, I walked myself into the nearest travel agency and collected as many free brochures as was socially acceptable. Today, we are blessed (or perhaps cursed) with a plethora of facts, figures and photos about all the latest destinations, as well as the latest fashions that should be accompanying us to said destinations, at our fingertips. It's not just the plain old internet anymore. It's evolved into something so much more.
Some fear AI will replace them entirely. Others are of the belief that being human outweighs any potential technological advancements. I believe in challenging myself to re-think what it is that I do.
At the simplest level, I love words. I love consuming them and being transported to worlds beyond my own – practising my charms alongside Harry, Hermione and Ron, or exploring love, wealth and the American Dream alongside F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Gatsby. I love to play with them, turning them this way and that to create something new; something previously unsaid.
So it was somewhat inevitable that I would land in the world of communications.
Redefining communications
According to Google, a communications specialist is someone who “brings public awareness to a company's products or services and/or develops strategies that help build and promote a brand's reputation within consumer markets.”
Is that what I do? It doesn’t feel particularly inspiring or…human. It doesn’t feel authentically me.
For me, communications is about so much more than simply putting out words or information, or trying to convince people of something. Rather, it’s about connecting with people through curiosity, authenticity and transparency. It’s about meeting people where they are, and not only understanding their unique stories, but also the words they would use to bring those stories to life.
Communications isn’t just an operational issue, it’s a cultural one.
So, here’s where I’ve landed: it isn’t about artefacts or even the latest tech on the market. It isn’t about outputs. Instead, it’s about outcomes, something that goes both ways; give and take, listening and responding. It’s about creating opportunities for real conversation – not only with each other, but ourselves. It’s conversation design, and it feels innately human.
Harnessing the power of conversation
Conversation design is about shaping the way people communicate, ensuring that interactions are authentic, meaningful, and transparent. Instead of simply broadcasting messages, a conversation designer curates the space where real dialogue happens. It's not about polish or persuasion, it’s about shaping environments that invite curiosity, openness, and real connection. Conversation design isn’t so much a method as it is a movement towards authenticity, empowerment and trust.
Because in a world shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, misinformation, and AI-driven communication, trust has never been more fragile – or more valuable. The more information we are flooded with, the harder it is to determine what’s real, and what truly matters.
So rather than feeding into the noise or surface-level engagement, it’s about creating spaces where people feel heard, understood, and empowered to think critically. When communication is designed with intention, it doesn’t just provide answers, it invites connection and transforms disconnected dialogue into something real, honest, and deeply human. So in a world where trust is increasingly scarce, conversation design ensures that communication isn’t just received; it’s felt, believed, and acted on.
But what does this look like in practice?
An organisation rolling out a key initiative might draft a press release, send out emails, and hope the message lands. But engagement is minimal. People may read the information, but they don’t truly connect with it. It exists as a moment in time.
Using a conversation design approach invites dialogue – not just in the moment, but ongoing – hosting interactive discussions, asking real questions, and shaping the story you want to tell with your audience rather than for them. The result? Trust, clarity, and engagement, not just compliance.
While traditional communications are typically one-way – often focusing on crafting the “right” words to ensure the message is received and understood – conversation design is two-way by nature. Instead of the what, it focuses on the how; how to create space for meaningful conversations, how to invite participation, how to foster continuous engagement rather than a single exchange. Communicating with people, rather than at them.
This is the power of conversation design. It doesn’t just refine messaging, it puts people back at the centre of creating it. It shifts communications from persuasion to participation, and to genuine dialogue that builds trust from the ground up.
The Conversation Design Framework
When communication feels fragmented or disconnected from the people it's meant to engage, clarity alone isn't enough. We need something deeper; a way of designing conversations that build trust, create space, and keep dialogue alive.
The Conversation Design Framework is about creating space for voice, for story, and for conversation that flows both ways. It’s how you move from noise to resonance, and from message to connection.
But it’s also not a one-off fix: it’s a practice. One that asks you to keep returning, from clarity to connection and back again, always listening for what your people need next.
Meeting people where they are
So being a conversation designer isn’t just another set of words on a page. It’s a promise. A promise to meet people where they are. A promise to embrace authenticity and let curiosity lead the way. Because ultimately, it begins and ends with real conversation.
And maybe everything you are looking for is on the other side of a conversation.
Until the next tale unfolds…