Ian Anderson brings new expertise to Team Consulting board

What motivates you to work in medical device development?

“What has always appealed to me about the world of medical devices is the opportunity to make a difference by helping people who are facing challenges. Creating devices that cater to the needs of individuals who are managing their conditions and offering products that align with their lifestyles is incredibly rewarding.

From a technical perspective, I’ve always been an inquisitive kind of person. I find the things I don’t understand interesting, much more than those I do. Throughout my career I’ve been motivated by finding better ways of doing things, whether that’s strategy, developing products or innovating. In consultancy you often have to go from never having heard of something before, to quickly becoming an expert in it. It’s this cycle of constantly learning new things that really drives me.”

Why did you choose to join Team Consulting?

“I’ve always admired Team because they were the first medical device consultants in the Cambridge area who took consumer principles and applied them to medical devices, particularly through the use of usability studies and human factors. Coming from a background in aeronautical engineering, what really clicked with me about medical device design was how important it is to consider how people feel about your product, in addition to it simply functioning – a principle that Team really gets.”

What do you hope to achieve with Team?

“The medical device development market has become very competitive in recent years. Team already has a great reputation in the industry, however I’m keen to help us build our image in new areas as well. We want to be recognised globally as experts in all aspects of medical device development, from early-stage activities through to manufacture and launch. Team has a great offering for device innovation, both from a user and technical perspective, so I’m keen to get us involved in even more innovative projects.”

What have you learnt having worked in both device manufacture and consultancy?

“Having worked in both medical consultancy and device manufacture, I have a strong understanding of where consultancies can add value. Companies may find they are lacking innovation, or more specifically the skills to do innovation. During my time as Innovation Director at Bespak, I found that consultancies can be an effective way to help your team build the skills you need, following the approach of watch it once, collaborate once, then do it on your own. Consultancies are also a useful way to plug the gaps in your team’s skills, especially if this is a skill you only need for a specific problem.”

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