Designing for equity, care and regeneration — through research, strategy and storytelling.
I’m MaiLynn. I help organisations design systems and services grounded in care — in both process and outcomes — for people, communities and the natural world we are a part of.
What I do
I combine research, co-design and strategy to shape meaningful services that meet the needs of people, communities and the living world. My approach is holistic, trauma-informed and rooted in deep listening and collaboration across diverse lenses.
I'm especially drawn to working with people and organisations that centre health, equity and justice — and to exploring how systems, services and technologies can foster more caring and reciprocal relationships with ourselves, our communities and the living world.
My recent projects
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Good Shepherd’s work reduces harm from two of the most prevalent issues for women, girls and their families in New Zealand — poverty and family violence. Their services include no-interest loans for urgent needs, debt consolidation and advocacy for those experiencing economic hardship and harm.
I carried out design research to learn more about the role Good Shepherd services play for clients, including how Good Shepherd impacts the holistic wellbeing of women experiencing financial hardship and abuse. My work provided actionable insights and grounded stories that highlighted the aspects of their work that could be continued, improved or reconsidered to make sure their efforts get the best results for women, girls and their families.
You can read the final report here.
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Tamera Peach Research Institute is one of the oldest and most well-established communities in Europe. They are a living laboratory, undertaking a communitarian process to explore the aspects of living that foster a world based in cooperation and trust.
I worked and carried out research in their solar test field, a large-scale prototype focused on creating and implementing models for decentralised energy autonomy and urban regeneration — demonstrating how a community can create an abundant and integrated food, water and energy cycle without depending on large-scale industry. My focus was experimenting with and educating people on different renewable cooking technologies — including biogas, solar ovens, dryers and fermentation processes — in order to build a more resilient community.
You can read more about Tamera and their solar test field here.
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New Zealand’s infrastructure sector faces deep-rooted challenges that negatively impact health, safety and wellbeing outcomes. WorkSafe piloted a mission-oriented innovation approach to tackle these issues, bringing together a diverse group of 80+ cross-sector stakeholders to create a more thriving future.
I led the design strategy of this pilot, developing and testing solutions that enabled the stakeholders to connect, share insights and take collective action. This included designing a community engagement platform to break down industry silos and a hosted storytelling website that empowered members to advocate for change within their organisations and communities. These efforts laid the foundation for sustained cross-sector collaboration and systemic transformation.
You can learn more about this project here. You can also read the final learnings from the pilot here (PDF).
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Kāinga Ora, New Zealand’s largest residential landlord, provides community group homes — also known as Supported Housing — to service providers who care for people with complex needs, including women seeking refuge, people with physical and intellectual disabilities and people transitioning from homelessness. To shape its first Supported Housing Strategy, Kāinga Ora wanted to understand what service providers needed to enable people living in community group homes to live well.
Leading Kāinga Ora’s first human-centred design initiative, I conducted generative research, co-design and community engagement methods to surface key insights on the needs, realities and aspirations of this important customer base. This work secured board-level investment and laid the foundation for a more collaborative, user-driven strategy and operational improvements that continue to shape Kāinga Ora’s services and partnerships today.
You can read more about Supported Housing, including the strategic direction, here.
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business.govt.nz is New Zealand government’s go to resource from small businesses, which make up 97% of New Zealand’s business landscape. Previous research and work with small businesses showed that many owner-operators struggle with mental health challenges that impact their business, staff, families and community.
Partnering with business.govt.nz’s strategy and delivery teams, I led a design process to understand and map the experiences, milestones and triggers that support or hinder small business owners’ wellbeing. Through interviews with owners and wellbeing experts, I identified key challenges and opportunities — including a strategic work plan, ecosystem map and evidence-based content and tools — for business.govt.nz and the wider wellbeing and business system to better support small business owners to keep themselves healthy and well.
Who I work with
I love working with small yet mighty social enterprises, non-profits and community organisations. I also have a passion for collaborating with forward-thinking public and private sector organisations who are committed to a better future.
As a consultant and freelancer, I adapt my work style to each team's needs. Some of the people I work with have a clear brief and desired outcome in mind. Others want help shaping their vision. I can either handle most of the work independently, letting clients focus on their core business, or work as part of a team while building their design capabilities.
Born in the U.S. and a long-time resident of Aotearoa New Zealand, I hold dual citizenship and the right to work in both countries.
I offer my services on a sliding scale depending on context.