About me (Dax)
A multi-disciplined design leader and practitioner with over 25 years’ experience.
I’ve led initiatives across diverse industries, spanning public and private sectors. I specialise in understanding audience needs, collaborating with teams to navigate ambiguity, and crafting seamless end-to-end service experiences that solve complex problems, align with business goals, and deliver practical, user-centred solutions.
Changing lanes
I ventured out as an independent in 2015, having progressed an extensive (award-winning) design career, worked agency-side for many years.
Throughout my career I’ve been fortunate to benefit from exposure to many industries, building an invaluable and broadened perspective which I draw from in my work today. My experience means I can offer clients a varied and versatile skill set: a design thinking and problem solving brain; well honed design craft; and the expertise to tackle complex, business-oriented design challenges as they emerge.
Over the last 5 years I have worked direct with businesses focused on transformation initiatives. These range from product enablement to customer-centric change, concerned with improving the overall quality and utility of the user experience.
Family life
I live just north of Reading on the Oxfordshire border with my wife, Natalie, and our two young children, Jensen and Sienna.
Over the years I have enjoyed several house renovation projects, extending my passion for creativity to architecture and spatial design; and continuing to sharpen my DIY know-how (while acknowledging my limits!).
I enjoy watching and playing sport, including cycling and mountain biking. I recently took up skiing, having formally been a keen snowboarder for many years. Needless to say, I’m completely hooked and look forward each year to our family trip to the Alps.
Changing lanes
I founded DME Creative Ltd. and ventured out as an independent in 2015, having progressed an extensive (award-winning) design career, delivering design solutions focused on business challenges for over two decades.
Design that connects us
Pivoting from ‘selling’ to people, to ‘helping’ people across physical and digital touchpoints.
Holistic end-to-end expertise
Throughout my career, I’ve gained exposure to a wide range of industries, building a broad perspective that I draw on in my work today. This experience allows me to offer clients a versatile skill set: a curious, creative thinker and problem-solver, a refined design craft, and the expertise to navigate complex, business-oriented design challenges as they arise.
Purposeful Human-Centred Design
For the past 8 years, I’ve collaborated with organisations to innovate and improve products and services, with a focus on enhancing the user experience. Over the course of my career, my ambitions have shifted from selling to helping people connect—both in their work and their lives—by leveraging design innovation to simplify complexity and deliver purposeful, user-centred solutions.
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Working in partnership
With a strong foundation in visual communications, I use my skills to clarify narratives, break down complexity, and foster co-creation across multidisciplinary teams – ensuring cohesive and holistic direction.
Dax Michael Ellmer