David Soh

Service Design (MA)

FutureForge is a SaaS platform concept that reframes workforce transition not as a one-time event, but as a continuous, supported journey. It offers a vision for how financial institutions align employee agency with organisational needs, bridging strategy, skill-building, and human motivation through an integrated design system. (view next)

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FutureForge aims to tackle the challenges in the Retail Banking sector through an employee centric model founded in Behaviour Change theories to create lasting and enduring impact — which is then delivered through the various features offered by the FutureForge (concept) platform.

A thought leadership service design collaboration between EY Seren and the Royal College of Art that explores the relationship between people's trust in AI during moments of high emotion. When relocating abroad, people often grapple with the challenge of frequently exchanging money to achieve their desired lifestyle. With a limited budget and most finances held in their home currency, maximising the value received during currency exchanges becomes crucial, particularly when large expenses like rent or school fees are involved. Smart Xchange is the culmination of four months of extensive design research, development, collaborative workshops, and user testing. This process allowed us to establish and confirm a reliable system that fosters user trust in AI, alleviating the stresses and routine tasks associated with relocating abroad.

Moss Air Filtration Ecosystem (Awarded: Best Research Practice) — Awarded: Best Research Practice. Hounslow, just three miles from Heathrow, faces serious health risks from ultra-fine particles (UFPs) produced by aircraft engines. These particles, less than 100 nanometres wide, penetrate the body and are linked to chronic illness and cognitive decline. Our project combines education, real-time monitoring, filtration, and policy advocacy to boost community resilience. By partnering with local schools, we raise awareness and install the Moss Air Filtration System—a cylindrical unit with 14.6 square metres of surface area, proven to be 3.8 times more effective than trees at removing UFPs. The result is measurable public health improvement and enhanced educational outcomes, with a model scalable to other urban environments.

About

I’m David — a brand and strategy designer turned service designer originating from Singapore; creating people-centred experiences and designs to change and empower businesses for the future. My current works explore how design meaningfully shapes human behaviour and experiences, with a particular interest in connecting functionality with social impact.

Drawing on experience in the public sector and the food and beverage industry, I bring a broader perspective to private sector challenges. My work in design encompasses brand transformation, service development, and operational strategy, providing a comprehensive approach to problem-solving. This combination of cross-sector insight and design expertise enables me to take a considered and agile approach to innovation, aligning creative solutions with broader business objectives.

During my time at the Royal College of Art, I collaborated with Imperial College Business School, tutoring Computer Science students on the ‘Design for Real People’ programme. I was subsequently selected to coach at London Business School on its Design‑Led Innovation course for MBA students, organised by Design for Good. These roles have required translating design concepts into business contexts and mentoring technically focused teams, equipping me to foster innovation that aligns design thinking with commercial objectives.

My practice seeks to utilise systems thinking, ethnographic research and cross-practice methodologies to understand the complexities of the challenges we face and develop design solutions and interventions that preserve human dignity and enable business resilience.

Email me: hello.davidsoh@gmail.com

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