How I work

Careful thinking.
Useful work.
Clear next steps.

I work with people and organisations trying to communicate complex ideas clearly, accurately and responsibly, especially across space, sustainability, science and technology.

The work may involve strategy, writing, teaching, mentoring, workshops, talks or digital systems. The method is consistent: understand the real question, make the complexity usable and build something that helps people move forward.

Start a conversationSee the process

The approach

Rigour without unnecessary complication.

Complex work often becomes difficult not because the subject is inherently inaccessible, but because the purpose, audience or decision has not been made clear enough.

My role is to help make that clarity possible. I bring a background in astrophysics and science communication alongside practical experience in strategy, editorial work, digital systems, teaching and public engagement.

That means taking technical subjects seriously while communicating in a way that people can understand, discuss and use.

Principles

What guides the work.

The format changes from project to project. These principles do not.

  1. 01

    Start with the real question

    A good brief is useful, but it is not always the whole problem. I begin by understanding the context, audience, decision, constraint and outcome that matter most.

  2. 02

    Make complexity usable

    Science, technology and sustainability do not need to be made simplistic to become clear. The work is to keep the evidence intact while making the idea easier to understand, use and share.

  3. 03

    Choose the right level of intervention

    Not every question needs a long project. Sometimes a focused conversation, a clearer structure, a piece of writing or a practical workshop is the most valuable next step.

  4. 04

    Build for people, not just channels

    Good communication considers the people receiving it: what they know already, what they need, what might exclude them and what will help them act with confidence.

  5. 05

    Leave things clearer than I found them

    The aim is not to create dependence. I try to leave behind clearer thinking, usable material, stronger systems and a more confident next step.

Process

A simple way of moving work forward.

The process scales up or down depending on the work. A mentoring conversation may move through it in an hour. A strategy project may take longer.

01

Orient

We establish what is happening, what matters, who is involved and whether I am the right person to help.

This might be a short enquiry, a call, a review of existing material or a more structured discovery process.

02

Frame

We turn a broad request into a useful question, a proportionate scope and a clear definition of progress.

That may mean agreeing an audience, a message, a decision to support, a learning objective, a practical output or a combination of these.

03

Make

I develop the work with care for evidence, language, structure, accessibility and the setting in which it will be used.

The output could be strategy, writing, a workshop, a talk, mentoring, a content framework, a digital resource or a practical recommendation.

04

Review

We check that the work is accurate, useful, appropriate to the audience and ready for its intended purpose.

Where appropriate, this includes feedback, refinement, handover notes or a clear recommendation for what should happen next.

Working together

What you can expect from me.

Good work needs a relationship that is clear, respectful and practical. I aim to be straightforward about what I can offer, where the limits are and what will make the work most useful.

Direct and thoughtful

I value clear communication, honest expectations and constructive challenge. I will say when something needs more evidence, when a brief needs refining or when another route would be more useful.

Evidence-led

I work carefully with technical and scientific subject matter. Accuracy, source awareness and appropriate uncertainty matter, especially where public understanding, trust or policy context is involved.

Accessible by design

Accessibility is not an extra layer added at the end. It shapes language, structure, format, digital choices and how people are invited into a conversation.

Proportionate

I aim for the smallest useful intervention. That might mean a focused advisory session rather than a large programme, or a clearer page before a complete rebuild.

Collaborative

The strongest work comes from combining subject expertise, lived experience and practical knowledge. I bring communication, strategic and technical perspective, while respecting the expertise already in the room.

Responsible

I care about the social and environmental consequences of communication and digital work. This includes sustainability, inclusion, privacy, accessibility and the long-term usefulness of what gets made.

Scope

Knowing when another route is better.

This site is a place for my personal practice: writing, research, teaching, mentoring, talks, focused advisory work and thoughtful collaboration.

Larger organisation-level projects, including full communication strategies, websites, retained support, campaigns, major digital work and multi-part training programmes, are usually better delivered through Green Orbit Digital.

Visit Green Orbit Digital, opens in a new tab

Start here

Choose the route that fits.

If you know what you need, begin with the relevant route. If not, the booking portal can help you choose.

Not sure where to begin? Start with a short routing conversation or send a concise outline of what you are trying to do.

Help me choose