Thomas is an experienced senior human factors consultant responsible for the management, planning, implementation and reporting of Human Factors research during the design and development of medical devices. With a particular focus on drug delivery and combination products. His work involves early-stage exploratory and formative studies with various design concepts through to rigorous validation studies with the final design, in accordance with regulatory requirements for Human Factors Engineering (HFE). Thomas also supports actual use studies for global clients to meet FDA requirements.
Thomas has over 9 years’ experience working in medical device development consultancy and has worked for multiple global pharmaceutical and biotech companies during that time, including his role as a Senior Human Factors Engineer at AstraZeneca. Thomas has moderated over 500 interviews for various medical devices with caregivers, healthcare professionals, patients and volunteers globally.
“To me good design should be intuitive. I believe design should exploit the natural relationships and constraints of products, to ensure they are easy to use and understand and users are able to identify where things may go wrong. I see my role within human factors as the medium between designers and device users to provide a final product that clearly communicates the right signals, at the right time, allowing for safe and effective use.”
“As a senior human factors consultant, I get first-hand experience on the issues and challenges patients and healthcare professionals face in their daily use of medical devices. Designing with these insights in mind informs the delivery of the best possible design solution for our clients. This makes my role incredibly fulfilling, on the understanding that, together with our clients, we can enhance device interactions and ultimately improve a patient’s quality of life.”
Prior to joining Team, Thomas studied for his PhD in Home-Use Medical Device Design at Loughborough University’s Design School. His research explored the methods and challenges for industry in applying user-centred design principles, specifically, the involvement of intended users in the design process of home-use medical devices. His research aimed to incentivise the early adoption of user-centred design principles to ensure that devices are safe, usable and meet the needs of their end users.
In addition, Thomas has a BSc in Design with Engineering Materials, also from Loughborough University. He also has a Diploma in Industrial Studies (DIS) with Smiths Medical International as a research and development engineer.