“If you do not intentionally include, you unintentionally exclude.”
Photo credit: My sister, Jackie.
I’m Michelle Ou (pronounced ‘oh’) — an inclusive design strategist, experience designer and educator passionate about designing with the people who are usually treated as an afterthought.
I currently drive design-led innovation and human-centred design capability at UNSW IT, while also teaching design at university level. Across roles in healthcare, government, consulting and banking — including eHealth NSW, Centre for Inclusive Design and Commonwealth Bank — I’ve led research, strategy and service design work focused on making complex systems more inclusive, useful and human.
My superpower is deep listening. I create culturally safe, trauma-informed spaces where people feel heard, valued and understood — especially communities often excluded from design decisions.
Five years ago, I dropped out of optometry with an aspiration to have a more creatively aligned career. Now, I coach emerging designers and people making career pivots to achieve their dreams.
Outside of work, I love facilitating conversations for self-discovery and confidence building, travelling and trying new experiences whenever I can. I’m a mental health advocate and believe the more you love life, the more life loves you ✨
Let’s chat about how we can work together. You can find me on LinkedIn.