ABOUT US

KerrSmith is a multi-disciplinary innovation studio specializing in Research, Foresight, Strategy and Design.

ABOUT OUR PRACTICE

We have developed insights and innovations for clients in a wide variety of fields, including city building, education, healthcare, finance, culture, retail, development and the public sector. 

Our studio uses Strategic Foresight to rethink tomorrow. The past is an unreliable predictor of the future. How will changes in values, demographics, the environment, the economy, regulations or technology affect your future? KerrSmith helps organizations better understand the possibilities. We use a disciplined, rigourous approach to futures thinking. We have deep, proven experience that will give you significant strategic advantage.

We have worked with governments and businesses around the world. We know that change is accelerating, providing both threats and opportunities to all organizations. These transformations have the potential to cause significant disruption. Foresight is an effective tool to manage that risk, to identify opportunity openings, and to prepare you to innovate.

To plan for this emerging environment we provide tools, expertise, experience and a unique knowledge of methods to help you make thoughtful and strategic decisions. We then use visualization, contextualization, compelling narratives and design to bring those futures to life.

Our design work is based on profound perception of human behaviour and user needs. We research, observe, and interpret experiences from an outsider perspective. We use “Design Thinking”, a process for practical, creative resolution of issues, to look for an improved, proven result. We combine engagement, empathy, creativity and rationality to meet user needs and drive success. Our facilitated approach eliminates the fear of failure and encourages maximum input and participation in the ideation and prototyping phases. We use diagnostics to build a foundation of shared understandings and insights to answer the right problem.

Our work requires unique and precise acuity. True insights only come with broad experience, and expertise in complexity-mapping, pattern-reading and sense-making. 
We have unique qualitative and quantitative research skills and proven diplomatic abilities. We synthesize findings using our rigorous critical thinking and prioritization capacities. It is not easy to determine root causes and fundamental underlying issues when often “louder” and more immediate concerns dominate the view. We frame projects, bring diverse teams together to tackle challenges and deploy varied communication tools to share the findings.

LEADERSHIP

Helen Kerr

Co-President

Nigel Smith

Co-President

OUR TEAM

Chrysant Nguyen

Senior Designer & Researcher

Tarleen Singh

Office Administrator

Raj Kumar

Administrator & Book-keeper

Maggie Smith

Researcher & Junior Designer

Reid Keller

Researcher & Writer

EQUITY & INCLUSION

Diversity and inclusion are part of the fundamental values that help us support our clients, colleagues and community. We are committed to being an inclusive workplace, where every team member feels empowered to perform at their very best.

Diversity is an essential asset to our organization’s performance. We are committed to providing equal opportunities to all qualified individuals wishing to join our studio, regardless of background, cultural and individual differences. Building an environment of trust and respect where every voice is valued is a key leadership goal.

Our team: We have a thoroughly diverse team. 
Our leadership: KerrSmith is half woman-owned and operated.

Our environment: Our space is participatory, collaborative and welcoming. 
Our work: We choose to work with ethically motivated clients in a progressive work environment. Our location: We are located in downtown Regent Park, Toronto, Canada; this neighbourhood influences, shapes and connects us to significant issues.

Foresight Capabilities

WHAT

Systems Mapping

Horizon Scanning

STEEPV Workshops
Future Searching
Stakeholder Interviews
Trend/Driver Analysis

Scenario Creation & Planning

Implications

Wind-tunnelling / Stress-testing

Immersive Experiential Futures

HOW

Stakeholder Engagement

Workshops

Usability Testing

Video Capturing

Quantitative Analysis

Geospatial Mapping

Visioning

Talks and Lectures

Design Capabilities

WHAT

Business Modeling and Strategy Development

Product, System, and Service Design

Prototyping

Brand Strategy

Infographics

Communications

Visual Identities

Digital and Print Production

Structural and Visual Packaging

Signage and Wayfinding

Organisational Modelling

HOW

Ethnographic Research

Material Exploration

Research and Ethics Planning

Sustainability

Art Direction

Production Detailing and Supervision

EXPERTISE

Foresight & Design

COMPLEXITY

Complex adaptive systems are part of our daily existence. In a technologically interconnected, diverse and unpredictable world, everything from the phones we rely on, to the cities we live in, have become not just complicated, but almost incomprehensibly multifaceted. And that makes the challenges of business, civil society, and policy-making that more difficult. 

We can help.

We uncover the underlying patterns and logic—a foundation, structure or system—to make sense of what can seem like unpredictable and continuously changing circumstances. We can map the elements of an ecosystem in ways that promote understanding of a changing landscape. We use unconventional thinking to identify the openings, test assumptions and build the products, services and strategies you need to respond productively. Mastering complexity can become your advantage.

NAVIGATING CHANGE

In turbulent and rapidly changing times, it helps to have a handle on what might be around the corner. We use a disciplined and collaborative method of creating resiliency for the future and to help our clients navigate uncertainty.

We live in a volatile world where change is accelerating, providing both threats, opportunities and potentially major disruption to all businesses and organizations. Foresight is an effective tool to manage that risk, to identify opportunity openings, and to prepare you to innovate. 

To plan for this emerging environment we provide tools, expertise, experience and unique knowledge of methods in order to make thoughtful and strategic decisions. We can lead you through deep immersive experiences or provide you with thoroughly researched documentation. Always, we will use visualization, contextualization and compelling narrative to bring futures to life.

INNOVATION

Everyone talks about it, but few really know how to turn it into reality. We are fully aware of the pitfalls, myths and clichés around innovation, and know our clients need to build meaningful and successful solutions to real problems.

The scope and scale of the innovation you plan to undertake must be aligned to your ultimate ambitions and capacity. While many organizations claim an innovation agenda, we know it is essential to match your culture, resource allocation, and capabilities to your specific needs and the needs of the customers you serve.

Our approach to facilitating innovation uses a formal process to set goals, expectations, budgets and schedules. We have deep and wide experience in innovation strategy and implementation across many sectors. We’ll marry your decision-making process, communication styles and learning techniques with our disciplined framework to establish the foundation for your company’s success. With over 45 patents under our belts, and countless successful strategies in play, you can trust us to turn innovation talk into action.

EXPERTISE

Design Thinking

Design Thinking; a human-centered approach to problem-solving. We use a variety of tools to zero in on the issues, clarify insights and explore ideas.

Design Thinking at its heart is a human-centered approach to problem-solving. We use a variety of tools to zero in on the issues, clarify insights and explore ideas. Our studio uses Design Thinking to leverage our creative resolution of complex problems. Our process combines critical thinking, empathy, creativity, collaboration and rationality to meet user needs, to innovate, and to manage change. Design Thinking methods encourage divergent exploration of ideas. Our studio-based methodology of research, insight, ideation, rapid prototyping, learning and refining establishes a space for nonjudgmental creativity. This eliminates the fear of failure and encourages maximum input and participation in the ideation and early design phases.

EXPERTISE

Research

We seek to understand the internal and external contexts and your current strategies or tactics. 

We seek to understand the internal and external contexts and your current strategies or tactics. To gain a broad perspective on a given topic, we often design mixed method studies, using both qualitative and quantitative methods for information capture and processing. Qualitative research involves the examination, analysis and interpretation of observations, declarations and actions. Quantitative research makes use of statistical, mathematical or computational techniques to collect empirical data about observable phenomena. It is concerned with questions of cause and effect and can be used to make generalizations about the data or to test hypotheses.

Our research is designed to uncover underlying meanings and patterns of relationships. It leads to the development of insights about a problem or the rationale for potential quantitative research. Our expertise combines both methods for optimal impact.

EXPERTISE

Industrial Design

Our product and system design focuses on research and innovation. Common to all our work is an underlying problem-solving methodology coupled with a strong aesthetic sensibility and drive to meet user needs and realize ideas as fully engineered goods. 

Our product and system design work focuses on research and innovation. Common to all our projects is an underlying problem-solving methodology coupled with a strong aesthetic sensibility and drive to meet user needs and realize ideas as fully engineered goods. KerrSmith blends art and science to give our clients better solutions to meet the demands of their customers. This in turn provides clients with added value that helps build your business and compete in existing and new segments.

We have the deep knowledge and experience to move projects from an idea to the marketplace, on time and on budget. Our design group defines the problem, explores creative options and executes solutions using advanced computer skills and a strong grasp of all aspects of engineering and production technology. Our business team monitors the project by expediting all business and logistical concerns with equal efficiency. Our working method ensures we achieve maximum results on every project. We collaborate openly with our clients using the six phases of research, concept development, design refinement, design production, production support, and implementation.

Our studio is well-versed in multiple prototyping methods and crafts targeted solutions through an iterative process. We believe it is essential that prototypes, whether narrative, physical, digital, or experiential, are made quickly, so as not to invest emotionally in any ideas that will be rejected.

Using the most current technology, we offer complete design services including two and three dimensional modeling and printing, final production specifications and production management. We work closely with manufacturers to reach the highest level of quality in details and consistency. Great innovation takes great effort, and our rigorous, methodical approach creates a fertile environment for those breakthrough moments to happen. Our broad experience across a variety of categories enables us to design the most appropriate and effective solutions.

Our knowledge of Strategic Foresight, trends, disciplined research methods and material and design expertise, have defined us as one the premiere Industrial Design studios in Canada.

OUR INDUSTRIAL DESIGN EXPERIENCE

Consumer Products

Housewares & Appliances

Furniture & Furniture Systems

Healthcare Products

Retail Merchandising

Health & Beauty

Packaging

Technology

Flooring

Lighting

Signage, Wayfinding and Donor Recognition

Textiles

EXPERTISE

Branding

At KerrSmith Design, we help clients develop meaningful relationships with their target groups through compelling brand strategies and identities that stand out and create a unique experience. 

At KerrSmith Design, we help clients develop meaningful relationships with their target groups through compelling brand strategies and identities that stand out and create a unique experience. 

The most strongly defined brands attract the best staff, get the best deals from suppliers and connect the most with distributors, captivate the most customers, and critically, sell the most. People want to be affiliated with known, confident, successful organizations or groups.

The best brands are alive, authentic, different and compelling—and as a result, are inimitable. Brands should be driven by an articulated purpose and a sense of meaning.

Branding is not primarily a commercial exercise; rather it is a human-needs based concept that transcends business. Branding is about belonging. We are hardwired to connect—and brands make it easier for us by triggering and signalling this sense of loyalty and affiliation.

The key to success is defining a purpose and meaning and achieving the proper balance between style and substance. All brands need a strong creative platform to thrive in the marketplace, but they must be backed up by strategic direction and true insights.

EXPERTISE

Communication Design

We use editorial design techniques to ensure messages are easy to understand and conveyed in a compelling way.

We use editorial design techniques to ensure messages are easy to understand and conveyed in a compelling way. Driven by strategic planning, our capabilities in communication design include print, environmental and digital applications. From brochures to websites, events, spaces and mobile applications, we write, edit and design integrated on-message solutions.

Creative work, no matter the dynamism, or cleverness, cannot achieve lasting impact in the absence of effective and substantive positioning strategy based on insight. Informed by market intelligence, (quantitative and qualitative research) and our wide range of cross-sector experience we translate the insights and gaps we find into strategy. We use frameworks that include identification of targets and objectives, defining and balancing resources and priorities and outlining progress benchmarks and goals that are measurable.

Conceptually driven communication uses compelling imagery and language to create impactful and memorable work. Linking strong ideas to strategic objectives makes them “sticky” and persuasive. We integrate messages, language and graphic design in a focused way to bring effective results to our clients with the goal of achieving objectives.

EXPERTISE

Engagement

Our engagement and consultation process seeks to inform, consult, involve, collaborate and empower stakeholders to obtain feedback for development of concepts. 

Our engagement and consultation process seeks to inform, consult, involve, collaborate and empower stakeholders to obtain feedback for development of concepts. We are experts in coordinated multi-part consultation strategies to engage all stakeholders, leaders, partners and the general public in shared understandings through a transparent, open, and accountable process.

Our sophisticated approach will strengthen leadership credibility as well as agency. Understanding of the project proposals and relationship building will create a powerful foundation to sustain and grow buy-in. Participants who are asked for input, feedback and advice during this process will become closer to the project and become ambassadors for the project’s adoption and success.

OUR 5 GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF ENGAGEMENT

A SELECTION OF OUR ENGAGEMENT TECHNIQUES 

Workshops

Electronic Surveys

Websites and Online Forums

Social Media

Individual Interviews

Pedestrian Intercept Interviews

Public Forums, Town Halls, and Panel Presentations

Exhibitions and Suggestion Boxes

Telephone Surveys

Mentimeter

Individual Interviews

EXPERTISE

Teaching

Helen Kerr and Nigel Smith have extensive teaching experience.

Helen Kerr and Nigel Smith have extensive teaching experience. Helen Kerr teaches at the University of Waterloo in their new Futures of Cities program, at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Helen also teaches at OCAD University in the Strategic Foresight & Innovation Master of Design program. Helen has developed curriculum for both universities. 

Nigel Smith taught communication design at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard for 7 years. As part of the Faculty of Architecture at the GSD his course covered a range of branding, information, organization and presentation strategies.

FUTURE CITIES PROGRAM

Helen is the founding practitioner-in-residence at the University of Waterloo’s Future Cities Program. Research there encompasses the full range of urban systems and challenges including climate change, mobility, urban planning and housing, land-use, waste management, energy efficiency, safety and security, healthcare and education. During her recent field trip to Singapore she investigated the local government’s embrace of Futures methods, led a workshop at an international planning firm and toured benchmark innovative city-building projects.

The Program brings together a global network of interdisciplinary researchers from a variety of fields, industry leaders, practitioners, students and community members to develop new tools and approaches for building healthy, prosperous and sustainable cities.

EXPERTISE

Lectures & Public Speaking

Whether in an academic, public or business setting, Helen Kerr and Nigel Smith are adept at presenting to large or small groups. Talks are tailored, illustrated, pointed and relevant. Our experience includes speaking at universities, government events, international forums, design conferences, futures and foresight conventions, specific business sector gatherings or directly to clients. We also have broad experience conducting seminars and participating at workshops and roundtables.

SELECT PUBLIC SPEAKING

Consortium for Scenario Planning, Salt Lake City, Utah
Singapore Institute of Planners: Planex Conference – Global 
Detroit Museum of Contemporary Art, Detroit, USA
Century Plan City Builders, Chicago, USA
SXSW, Austin, USA
Resilient Cities, Rockefeller Foundation, New York, USA
Global Futures, Geneva, Switzerland
Creative Economic Futures, Brussels, Belgium
Futures of a Complex World, Turku, Finland
International Design Conference, Tijuana, Mexico
Best Practices in Building Systems, Vancouver, Canada
NeoCon, Chicago, USA
Economy Policy Summit, Detroit, USA
International Design Principles & Practices, Toronto, Canada

SELECT LECTURES

Canadian Forces College, Toronto, Canada
Harvard University, Cambridge, USA
Northeastern University, Boston, USA
Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
Sheridan College, Oakville, Canada
Technical University of Eindhoven, Netherlands
University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada 
University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
York University, North York, Canada

DISTINCTION

Awards & Distinction

Accent on Design, New York

Advertising & Design Club of Canada, Toronto

AIGA, New York

Alcuin Society, Canada

American Center for Design, Chicago

American Institute of Architects, Washington

Applied Arts, Toronto

Design Effectiveness Awards, London

Design Exchange, Toronto

ISDA Gold, USA

Phaidon Spoon, Top 100 Designers, London

© KerrSmith Design 2023

KerrSmith Design
550 Queen St. East, Unit 335
Toronto, ON M5A 1V2
416-703-5377