On Wednesday, 4th November 2026, join us for an in-person meetup at Waracle, with two thoughtful talks about influence and achieving your career goals.
Event details
- Free entry but only 30 tickets available – first come, first served
- 5:45pm on 4 November 2026
- Waracle Ltd., 4, 40 Love Loan, North Frederick Street, Glasgow G1 2BS
- Food and drinks provided, including Gluten-free / Vegan / all varieties of pizza as well as beer, wine, soft drinks
Quiet Influence: A Pragmatic Guide to Introverted Design Leadership
Melissa Williams, Waracle
UX practice relies on active listening, observation, and information synthesis. Management research links these behaviors to core leadership functions, including psychological safety, employee empowerment, and deliberative decision-making.
Despite this alignment, leadership selection and promotion practices consistently exhibit an extrovert bias, disproportionately favoring verbal assertiveness, social visibility, and informal networks.
This session examines introverted leadership and advancement within design teams and provides strategies for establishing strategic influence, developing one-on-one stakeholder relationships, and securing career advancement through deliberate communication.
From curiosity to career – My journey into service design
Ross McIntosh, TPX Impact
In this talk, I’ll reflect on my journey into service design, shaped by curiosity and unexpected opportunities, from academic research and volunteering to private-sector innovation and public-sector consultancy. I’ll explore how different experiences have shaped my practice, sharing practical advice on recognising transferable skills, creating opportunities and finding your own path into design.
About our speakers
Melissa Williams
I’m a Principal Designer at Waracle with over 15 years’ experience leading design, service transformation and digital product innovation across financial services, healthcare, government, energy, retail, non-profit, and sports.
Throughout my career I’ve partnered with organisations including NatWest, Social Work England, The FA, and BMW, helping teams tackle complex challenges through human-centred design, product strategy and service innovation. Prior to joining Waracle, I held Head of Design roles and led the design function at a venture building firm where I helped launch and scale nine startups across multiple industries.
While I’m passionate about design craft and strategic thinking, what motivates me most is understanding people. I love bringing empathy into teams, building strong relationships, and helping people see challenges from different perspectives. Whether working with clients, stakeholders or designers, I believe the best outcomes come from trust, curiosity and genuine collaboration.
In my non-work Iife I keep a pretty geriatric schedule. Bird watching, baths, bookclubs, early bedtimes, and soft foods.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melrwilliams/
Ross McIntosh
Ross McIntosh is a Service Designer in Glasgow, currently working at TPXimpact across public services to understand complex challenges and improve people’s experiences. A graduate of The Glasgow School of Art, his background spans product design, health and care research, and service innovation. He’s passionate about inclusive design, meaningful participation and bringing different perspectives together to shape better services.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossmcin/
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