Overview
I am a working product designer with a broad range of industry experience across many sectors including consumer electronics, transport, placemaking and contract furniture.
For the past 20 years I have run my own design practice - Broome Jenkins where we specialise in developing a range of strategies and products for the workplace which includes everything from bags and portable products through to furniture and environments.
Although many of my clients are from the UK, many have been scattered throughout Europe and Scandinavia, South America and Asia. As an external consultant I have enjoyed connecting and collaborating with various in-house teams which allowed me to developed a broad understanding of different industries, markets, technology and cultures.
Throughout my professional design career, I have always valued my involvement with Universities. In support of full-time teaching staff, I bring industrial and commercial realism to the course work. My role at AUB is to provide that working insight as an industrial partner, practising designer, mentor and potential employer.
Qualifications
Qualifications
- BA (Hons) 3D Design (Ravensbourne University)
Teaching
My current teaching roles include being a Visiting Tutor at AUB for both MA Design and Innovation and BA (Hons) Design courses. I've also been an Industrial Partner to the Product Design Degree at Bournemouth University since 2018. As a part-time tutor, the project I've run with Dr Tim Reynolds since 2020 is the subject of an academic paper co-authored with Dr Reynolds to be delivered at the Design and Design Engineering conference in September 2023 in Barcelona.
In addition to my current roles, I've been an Associate Lecturer at Chichester University and was a visiting tutor to the MA Furniture Design course at Buckinghamshire New University for more than 15 years. This long-term role led to me becoming a director of the National School of Furniture, started by Dr Lynn Jones to bring together a range of Industry specific training from HNC to PhD by uniting Oxford College skills training with Buckinghamshire New University graduate, post graduate degrees and doctorates.
I have had minor involvement with other universities including Imperial College and Art University London.
Professional Engagement
I have recently co-authored a paper which describes the teaching outcomes and impact on the student cohort of a project I developed with Dr Tim Reynolds at Bournemouth University.
The focus of the project is to introduce the need for product designers to engage with the Circular Economy, and to understand their role in an industrial society, and how any form of manufacturer and human activity has an impact.
Run as a team project, each group selects a topic from a list provided. They then seek to explore how to make existing products more 'circular' through change of materials, repairability, improved product life, and how to make quality affordable. The exercise requires the students to not only think about the impact of the physical design, but also how design can change unsustainable user behaviours.
In addition, the project also raises the need to think about the link between consumption, manufacturing and employment, and how different forms of ownership, (such as subscription and leasing), to reduce waste and help to create a sustainable future.
To assess and substantiate both the learning outcomes and relevance of the project, past participants took part in a survey which is included in the paper. The paper was submitted for review by the selection committee and approved for inclusion in the 2023 programme.
Awards and Prizes
Notable awards/prizes
Working mainly as a design consultant, my work and the work of my team has been shortlisted and won various prizes over the years including:
- Chicago Atheneaum Good Design award
- Five FX nominations and shortlist
- Three Design Guild Marks issued by the Furniture Makers Company
- One Jonathan Hindle Prize - as part of the Design Guild Mark one Jonathan Hindle Prize is awarded each year for outstanding work.