Best Strategic Design Consulting Services in the UK

United Kingdom Strategic Design Consultants

Methodology: How We Chose These UK‑Based Strategic Design Consultancies

We’ve carefully selected strategic design consultancies that meet three critical criteria:

🔍 Research‑driven: Agencies with verifiable public case studies, original frameworks, or proven methodologies.

🔍  Client‑reviewed: Each firm is backed by real testimonials or evidence of client outcomes.

📍  Location‑based: Founded and headquartered in the UK, with senior leadership and operations in the region.

This list isn’t ranked,  it’s a curated spotlight on consultancies consistently delivering high-impact strategic design work in the UK.

🌟 UK-Based Strategic Design Consultants - Provider Spotlights

‍SingleThread

What they do:‍

SingleThread offers strategic brand audits and messaging clarity to help growing businesses realign positioning and market identity.

Who they work with: 

DTC, industrial, and service-led UK firms.

Operating model: 

‍Brand health assessments followed by narrative and positioning development

💡 Why they stand out:

• Structured brand audits, not guesswork.
  
• Messaging frameworks for growth-focused teams.
  
• Alignment between internal and external brand perceptions.

Marcus Morgan-Etty, Co-Founder & Creative Director of SingleThread

Marcus brings over 15 years of experience in brand development, communications, and market research. His leadership at SingleThread has focused on translating data and customer insight into practical positioning frameworks. Known for his clarity and strategic calm, Marcus has helped UK businesses reframe their brand story during high-stakes transitions—including acquisitions, launches, and pivots. His work is grounded in structure, not slogans.

Andrew Ian Ashton, Co-Founder of SingleThread

Andrew is a communications strategist with a background in corporate messaging, storytelling, and stakeholder engagement. He co-leads strategy development at SingleThread, ensuring that brand narratives are both credible and compelling. Prior to founding SingleThread, Andrew worked with leadership teams across sectors including finance, tech, and nonprofit. His strength lies in surfacing a brand’s core truth and aligning internal and external narratives without spin.

London Strategy Consulting

What they do:‍

London Strategy Consulting advises enterprise and public sector organisations on product strategy, transformation delivery, and digital capability.

Who they work with:‍

Healthcare, B2B services, government, and legacy sectors.

Operating model:‍

Senior-level consulting combined with digital execution teams.

 💡 Why they stand out:

• Combines product, cyber, and strategic change under one model.
  
• Focused on execution, not just vision.
  
• Strong record of building trust in regulated sectors.

Erdem Uysal, Managing Director, M & A, IT Transformation & Cybersecurity of London Strategy Consulting

Erdem has over 15 years of experience leading strategic and digital transformation initiatives. His consulting style balances high-level strategy with hands-on implementation, particularly in complex or regulated environments. Erdem is widely respected for his ability to align stakeholders across tech, delivery, and leadership teams.

‍SE Strategy

What they do:

SE Strategy helps SMEs and professional services firms refine their business model, messaging, and growth strategy.

Who they work with:

‍UK-based SMEs, consultants, and owner-led companies.

Operating model:‍

Business audits, strategic coaching, and narrative development.

 💡 Why they stand out:

• Trusted by SME founders for straight-talking advice.
  
• Practical frameworks, not generic templates.
  
• Deep knowledge of small business strategy dynamics.

Suzanne (Suz) Everitt FCIM, Founder & Strategic Business Consultant of SE Strategy

Suz brings three decades of experience across brand strategy, commercial leadership, and business transformation. With a strong marketing background at companies like Boots and Next, she’s known for providing no-nonsense, practical advice to SME founders. Her strategic coaching has helped dozens of service firms improve positioning and scale sustainably.

Stratforma

What they do:

‍Stratforma partners with leadership teams to build future-ready strategy, operating models, and transformation plans.

Who they work with:

‍Scale-ups, corporates, and public service organizations.

Operating model:

‍Strategy engagements focused on decision-making, clarity, and capability-building.

 💡 Why they stand out:

• Expert in helping leaders set direction amid uncertainty.
  
• Builds capability, not dependency.
  
• Grounded in rigorous, board-level strategic thinking.

Nick Turner, Founder & Managing Partner of Stratforma

Nick is a former corporate strategy executive with deep experience in helping organizations make smart decisions during periods of scale or disruption. His style is clear, calm, and analytical. Nick is known for enabling leadership teams to think systemically and execute with focus.

Furthermore

What they do: 

‍Furthermore is a digital strategy and UX design studio specialising in research-backed product innovation, service design, and content systems. Their work blends product thinking with editorial clarity.

Who they work with:

‍Charities, publishers, startups, and civic organisations. 

Operating model:

‍Collaborative sprints combining strategy, prototyping, and testing, often integrated into long-term product development.

 💡 Why they stand out:

• Experts in making digital services more useful and human.
  
• Strong track record in public interest and third-sector design.
  
• Deep prototyping and validation cycles before build.

Steve Johnson, Founder, Product Strategy & Service Design Leader of Furthermore‍

Steve leads strategic research and digital product direction at Furthermore. With over 15 years of experience in UX and digital design, he specializes in helping mission-led organizations clarify their user journeys and define useful product features. He’s respected for his ability to simplify complexity and guide teams toward evidence-led decisions.

Hana Sutch, Co-Founder of Furthermore

Hana is a product strategist and experienced civic tech leader with a strong focus on inclusive design and user empowerment. Before co-founding Furthermore, she held senior roles in digital strategy and content for both public and private sector organizations. Hana is known for her user-first mindset and her ability to embed accessibility and clarity into the core of digital services.

Make It Clear

What they do:‍

Make It Clear is a digital strategy and communication design agency known for making complex information accessible. They specialise in UX strategy, information architecture, and digital transformation. 

Who they work with:

‍Universities, B2B tech firms, and healthcare organizations.

Operating model:

Research-led engagements followed by UX/UI delivery and long-term optimization.

 💡 Why they stand out:

• Specialist in simplifying technical information and interfaces.
  
• Strong conversion and accessibility outcomes.
  
• End-to-end delivery from strategy to optimization.

Sarah Edwards, Director of Make It Clear

Sarah has led Make It Clear for over a decade, shaping its focus on clarity-driven design and accessible communication. With a background in business psychology and digital strategy, she has overseen projects for organizations including Imperial College London and Roche. Sarah is known for her structured leadership style and deep commitment to measurable user experience outcomes.

‍Strategic Design Insight: Redefining Relevance Through Intentional Innovation

Strategic design consulting in the UK is evolving with a clear focus on aligning brand, user experience, and long-term value creation. Leaders in the field are prioritizing a cross-disciplinary approach, blending research, business acumen, and creative foresight to influence strategy at the highest level. Design is being reframed not just as aesthetics or service delivery, but as a pivotal tool in transformation and innovation. These consultancies work across sectors, helping organizations stay relevant by unlocking new market value through purposeful and research-driven design. The work is deeply embedded in strategic intent, shaping not just brands, but their future positioning in dynamic markets.

At Digital Reference, radical authenticity is the foundation for building trust, relevance, and direction in an era where clarity is influence. It’s not about being louder—it’s about being unmistakably real, and that makes every decision sharper.

To gain sharper perspective, explore more from Digital Reference—where relevance starts with clarity and is built through insight.

• The Growing List of Design Professions: Every Creative Career You Should Know
• The Full Spectrum of Design Consultants: Who’s Who in the B2B Design Ecosystem

The future of design, strategy, and relevance belongs to those who lead with clarity. Across every role and industry, alignment between intention and action begins with trusted insight. It’s not about keeping up—it’s about moving forward with precision. All of it starts at Digital Reference.