Inclusive, context-led approaches to problem solving

Approach

Talks on service design, complex systems, and user-centred practice

Conferences, podcasts, panels, and guest lectures on service design, user experience, and designing within the realities of government and large organisations.

A man delivering a talk at a service design conference.
A man delivering a talk at a service design conference.
Get in touch ➞

What people say

I really enjoyed our session. The way Kola broke down the Service Designer role, the interview expectations, and the tips shared were genuinely helpful. I left the session feeling more confident and with a clearer understanding of how to present my experience. Thank you for taking the time to guide me.

Oladapo A.
Digital System Analyst

A head-and-shoulders portrait of a Black man with short hair and a trimmed beard.
A head-and-shoulders portrait of a Black man with short hair and a trimmed beard.

The session with Kola was extremely insightful and practical. He offered great perspective on navigating the UX industry and gave me actionable advice on job searching that I hadn't considered. Highly recommend speaking with him!
Thanks again for all your guidance!

A smiling young woman with dark hair wears a black blazer over a white shirt.
A smiling young woman with dark hair wears a black blazer over a white shirt.

Siddhi K.
Product Designer

The session was a great eye opener for me. I had spent hours thinking of the best project to showcase, developing my slides and the constructive feedback Kola gave really helped me to see what I could improve and also what recruiters are looking for during interviews. So thanks again!

Adesayo A.
UX Researcher

Studio portrait of a smiling woman with long locs, pale pink glasses, and gold hoop earrings
Studio portrait of a smiling woman with long locs, pale pink glasses, and gold hoop earrings

My work

Much of my work is delivered within government departments and is covered by security restrictions. As a result, I can't publicly share detailed case studies.

View case studies ➞
An electronic health record displaying a patients data
An electronic health record displaying a patients data
A council worker wearing PPE collecting a bin
A council worker wearing PPE collecting a bin
A laptop screen displaying a recruitment process map.
A laptop screen displaying a recruitment process map.
How to make the most of your service design conference experience
Large audience seated in a conference hall
Large audience seated in a conference hall
Why service designers must remain at the heart of local government
Overcoming implementation challenges in turning service design concepts into reality
A business team planning project implementation strategy using flowcharts and sticky notes
A business team planning project implementation strategy using flowcharts and sticky notes

Insights

A collection of reflections, ideas, and learnings gathered through working on real design challenges.

Read blog ➞

Read blog ➞

Read blog ➞

A perforated board with the word "POLICY" in white letters, colorful push pins below
A perforated board with the word "POLICY" in white letters, colorful push pins below
The gap between policy intent and service reality

Read blog ➞

Over 50 free tools & templates

A collection of tools and templates I’ve developed to help structure thinking, support collaboration, and turn insights into practical outcomes.

Two mockups of service design templates used in user-centred design
Two mockups of service design templates used in user-centred design
View tools and templates ➞
The creative mind behind it all

Kola is a service designer currently working in government, where he focuses on improving how people experience public services.

Kola holds a master’s degree in information technology with a specialisation in UX design and has a particular interest in inclusive, context-led approaches to problem solving.

With over 10 years of crafting stunning designs, Kola’s deep love of creativity has helped him transform numerous organisations by designing products and services that truly make a difference in peoples lives.

Experience

A portrait of a man wearing a blue waistcoat and trousers drinking a cup of coffee.
A portrait of a man wearing a blue waistcoat and trousers drinking a cup of coffee.

May 2024 - Present

Senior Service Designer

Led the design of complex public services, grounding every decision in user research and the lived realities of diverse claimant groups. Worked across multidisciplinary teams to turn insight into practical concepts, aligning product, policy, and operations around a clear, evidence-based service vision.

Icon depicting a person and a gear on a light blue background
Icon depicting a person and a gear on a light blue background
A black abstract person icon with raised arms is centered within brackets on a light turquoise background
A black abstract person icon with raised arms is centered within brackets on a light turquoise background

Jan 2023 - May 2024

Service Designer

Shaped service strategy through deep user engagement and systems mapping, turning pain points into testable, high-impact design interventions.

A black fountain pen nib icon on a light green background, symbolizing writing or creativity
A black fountain pen nib icon on a light green background, symbolizing writing or creativity

Jan 2020 - Sep 2021

UX Designer

Partnered cross-functionally to identify behavioural pain points across the digital shopping experience and reimagined core journeys to better meet user needs.

Icon of a computer monitor on a stand, depicted in black on a light yellow background
Icon of a computer monitor on a stand, depicted in black on a light yellow background

Aug 2019 - Jan 2020

Design Instructor

Developed engaging, practice-led curriculum that blended design theory with real-world projects, creating space for creativity and critical thinking.

Icon of black crossed wrench and ruler on a peach background, symbolizing tools or repair
Icon of black crossed wrench and ruler on a peach background, symbolizing tools or repair

Sep 2017 - Jul 2019

Graphic Designer

Managed multiple design projects in parallel, partnering closely with marketing teams and stakeholders to ensure brand consistency and alignment with business goals.

More about my journey ➞

Book a consultation

Book a session to discuss service design, transformation, speaking opportunities, or personalised coaching and mentoring focused on working within public sector and organisational environments.

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Service design insights, straight to your inbox

Get useful perspectives on service design, opportunities to grow and contribute, and public-sector developments that matter

Let's chat about your next design project.

Email

Phone

hello@kolawale.com

07826 451774

© 2025. All rights reserved.

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