Kay
McKeon

Design Thinking / Visual Communications / Inclusive Practice

Making complex ideas
clear, accessible and useful.

I’m Kay, a designer, researcher and creative leader. I connect people, evidence and ideas to make work that is useful, accessible and built to last.

01 / Design & Research

Work with consequence.

Systems and experiences shaped around what people need.

Visitor exploring the immunotherapy research display

Breakthrough Cancer Research
Exhibition · Health communication

Cancer Revolution

A public exhibition making cancer research easier to navigate and understand.

Contribution
Creative direction · Content interpretation · Multidisciplinary delivery
Impact
20,000+ visitors · 96% left more informed
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Kay McKeon standing on a snowy mountain summit with arms outstretched

Lived experience · Public engagement

PPI

Using lived experience to advocate for clearer information, stronger patient involvement and better cancer care.

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Kay McKeon mapping findings from flight-booking research into an affinity diagram

UX research · Interaction design · Prototyping

UX Design Research

A research-led redesign of the flight-booking experience, from observed behaviour to tested interaction flows.

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Breast Cancer Treatment and Aftercare Plan cover and open binder

Health communication · Information design

BCR Treatment Plan

A practical treatment and aftercare guide developed with patient advocates and clinical partners.

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02 / Real Nation Key Projects

Learning brought to life.

Learning programmes and educational experiences created with a multidisciplinary team.

Wide view of the modular AIB Customer Experience Lab installation

Customer experience · Learning programme

AIB CX

A connected customer-experience programme spanning microlearning, advocate toolkits and a travelling CX Lab.

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03 / A few of my favourites

The work behind the perspective.

Identity, editorial, environmental and information-design projects.

Adidas Sport Performance fixtures and fittings manual

Information design · Print

Adidas Manual

A fixtures and fittings manual supporting the rollout of Adidas Sport Performance stores.

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04 / Practise

Research.
Make.
Enable.

My practice has moved from making individual artefacts to shaping the conditions for good design.

I use design thinking to frame problems, lead research, facilitate workshops, develop concepts and build prototypes, then stay involved through production. I also create the systems around the work: standards, workflows, accessible-production practices and decision frameworks.

  1. 01Find the real problem

    Understand the people, context and organisational constraints before choosing the form.

  2. 02Make it together

    Bring stakeholders, specialists and lived experience into the process early enough to matter.

  3. 03Design inclusion

    Build accessibility at source, then test it with manual and automated methods.

  4. 04Leave a usable system

    Create tools and standards that let the quality continue without constant intervention.

05 / About

Designer.
Researcher.
Advocate.

Twenty-plus years across Ireland, the UK and New Zealand have taught me that strong creative leadership is equal parts judgement, empathy and delivery.

I have worked across agencies, in-house teams and independent practice for global brands, NGOs, healthcare, education, public-sector organisations and SMEs. My roles have crossed creative direction, client leadership, design operations, research and production.

My experience as a breast-cancer patient and advocate changed the centre of gravity of my practice. It led to an MA in Design for Change, patient-led research, work with cancer organisations and a sustained commitment to making important information genuinely usable.

Irish Cancer Society PPI Champion of the Year 2023MA Design for Change (H1) 2022Professional Diploma in UX Design (H1) 2020Advanced Diploma in Mental Health & Wellbeing Coaching (H1) 2019BDes Interactive Media (H1) 2004Higher Diploma in Visual Communications (H1) 2003

What clients say

“Kay has the ability to understand your business objectives. She will put herself in the shoes of the customer.”
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