Pivot Design

Our Studio

Pivot Design Group is one of Toronto’s leading strategic experience design and communications studios. We specialize in design research, experience design and strategic visual design, creating quality solutions for our clients. Since we were founded 25 years ago, our studio has evolved its own distinctive experience design brand, balancing creativity, critical analysis and intuitive thinking through the lens of research and design.

Over its history, PIVOT has successfully concluded more than 2,500 projects with innovative design solutions for over 350 clients in government and businesses in Canada’s private sector.

1998

Opened as Pivot Design
Communications, Inc.
Primary business: print design,
marketing and early web design

2001

Growth through
digital web services

2005

New focus on design
research and user-
centred design

2007

Transitioned to a
User Experience
Design (UXD) studio

2010

DesignMeets
founded

Informed Design
method adopted

2012

Focus on
healthcare

2017

Service Design as
new offering

2020

Launched ArcTrn Group
Data Visualisation studio

DesignMeets pivots
to virtual events
during the pandemic

2021

DesignEvidence™
digital platform
development begins

2023

Life-Centred
Design becomes a
guiding philosophy

36 DesignMeets
events to date!

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Our Team

We take a highly collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to all our client projects. Our designer team is involved in every aspect of the project, bringing the benefit of a fresh, “outside-in” perspective to the discussion, where we act as a filter for the analysis and learnings.

Ian Chalmers, RGD

Principal & Creative Director

I like to collect technology artifacts to understand the story behind why it fits into peoples lives and how it changes the way we live and work. Also, I wear rose-coloured glasses.

Torey Taferner

Client Relations Director

My favourite thing about User Experience Design is... its remarkable ability to influence human behaviour.

Iffat Jokhio, RGD

Experience Designer & Researcher

My favourite thing about User Experience Design is... that you're always learning. The process enables a taste of new perspectives which, when savoured, can be a crazy, fulfilling thing.

Kate Caldwell

User Experience Researcher

In my opinion, Design is... dangerous. So do it well.

Rob Tait

Brand & Content Strategist

My favourite thing about User Experience Design is... that it makes things simple but significant.

Brenda Little, RGD

Experience Designer

In my opinion Design is... at the very least, a tool that shapes and informs the world around us. Good design brings beauty and order into our lives, and great design can bring surprise and joy!

Lauren Levy

Experience Designer

I am... a designer by day and an acrylic painter by night.

Dave Brennan

Experience Designer & Developer

I have a thousand unfinished projects.

Melvyn Loa

Developer

You had me at "View Source". My favourite thing about User Experience Design is... you.

Cassandra Gonzales

Visual Designer

But you can call me Cassie. In my opinion, Design is... a creative way to share your vision with the world. Also, I love puns. Specifically food puns.

Partnership

Bringing the community together to empower and enhance the influence of design.

This Pivot initiative is a thought leadership event platform for diverse design professionals looking to share experiences, express points of view and explore new avenues for design solutions to improve the quality of our everyday life.

Upcoming Event

Cafe Talks 02: The Future of the Design Practice

March 20, 2025, 6:15-8:15 P.M. EST

Guest Speakers:

Dominic Ayre: Partner and Creative Director, Hambly & Woolley Inc.
Helen Kerr: Co-President, KerrSmith Design
Tina Santiago Keenan: CEO and Co-Founder, Secret City Studio

Learn more

About

Engaging our partners and collaborators in the experience of design.