When you work with New Know How, you’re in the driver’s seat. We’ll provide guidance, structure and support—but it’s up to you to decide which direction we take.
How we work with you
We enable people to create kinder, fairer policies and services. We build the skills you need to tackle complex issues and transform systems—together.
Our methodologies are informed by peer-reviewed research and on-the-ground experience. All of our training, coaching and mentoring follows best practice in experiential and applied learning for adults and blends significant theoretical and practical expertise. Our learning programs are led by internationally-recognised expert Dr Emma Blomkamp, who has been working with public purpose organisations, designers and changemakers since 2012.
New Know How supports people to find their best way to improve the outcomes of policies, services and systems, by:
building skills, knowledge and understanding;
facilitating critical reflection;
sharing insights and experience; and
offering advice, guidance or feedback.
We do not offer therapy, consulting, outsourcing or counselling. We’ve been trained and assessed in internationally-accredited coaching competencies and see clients as the experts in their own context.
We create safe and generous spaces for learning, with a focus on responsible, ethical practice. We believe in a world where communities can collaboratively reshape their futures.
Our Values
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We love learning and supporting others to learn. We know everyone has something to share and something to learn. Sometimes this involves relearning or unlearning. We believe in ongoing practice development—not expertise or mastery as a destination. For adults, the best way to learn is generally to experience then apply something. We will take risks, get out of our comfort zones, adapt, iterate, make mistakes and learn from them. We encourage you to do the same.
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We value honesty (even when it’s hard) and sharing over secrecy (except where confidentiality is needed or promised). We’re incredibly transparent and appreciate openness from others. We don’t pretend to know more than we do or commit to more than we can handle. Manipulation, pretence, bullshit and cover-ups piss us off.
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We’ve worked hard and been fortunate to develop skills and expertise, which we appreciate being recognised. We share our gifts and rewards widely, without expecting much in return. We take responsibility for how we show up and host others, and are ready to be held accountable for our role and actions. We aren’t afraid to take a well-informed position, use our influence to fulfil a shared purpose, or benefit people who might otherwise be marginalised or disadvantaged.
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We question, think deeply, and don’t simply accept things how they are. We’re always wondering why and how, toggling between different scales and perspectives. We encourage others to surface and challenge their assumptions too. We recognise the value of reflective practice, especially with peers, and the importance of uninterrupted time for deep work. We value feedback from people who respect us enough to offer constructive criticism.
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We’re endlessly optimistic and hopeful. We’re also realistic. We know that creativity thrives within constraints and that hope is a muscle. We don’t waste time on wishful thinking or get stuck in ivory towers. Our feet are on the ground, our bodies in specific communities, and we gaze at the stars.
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We wear our values on our sleeves. We walk the talk. When we say we care about equity, justice, inclusion and regeneration, we endeavour to bring this to life in every little thing we say and do. Using correct pronouns and inclusive, person-first language are simple examples. Let us know if you ever notice us falling short on our ethical commitments.
Practice frameworks
We practise and teach co-design as a philosophy that involves:
valuing local knowledge;
seeing everyone as the expert of their own lives; and
offering appropriate support for people to tap into their creativity and work constructively across diversity.
We follow several frameworks that guide collaborative and systemic design work. This includes the shades and principles of co-design, as well as the Systemic Design Practice Framework and Co-Design Maturity Model.
These frameworks offer accessible, flexible and contemporary guides for designers, leaders and other purpose-driven professionals to reshape policies, services and systems. They do not set forth a rigid model or strict recipe, but recognise the diversity of contexts and circumstances in which this work takes place.
A systems-aware approach to co-design offers a map to navigate uncertainty and complexity, through building trust and knowledge with diverse groups, and co-creating results that actually meet people’s needs. Our frameworks are informed by ethical principles, ethnographic research on design practice in the public sector, and practice knowledge from working in social innovation and strategic design consultancies in New Zealand and Australia, as well as analysis of case studies from around the world and theories from related disciplines.
We encourage you to develop, adapt and refine creative and participatory approaches that suit the purpose and context of your work.
Practical considerations
We carefully manage our time and energy to maintain integrity, rigour and respect. We work collaboratively with clients, recognising you as the expert in your work context and seeking your input at relevant moments to ensure our work meets your needs.
We mainly work remotely and deliver services online, with occasional in-person training. We can meet in-person in Melbourne and travel inter-state and overseas with advance notice.
We work flexibly across time zones and resist urgency culture. Email and Slack are our preferred channels of communication about work matters. Following the principles of The Email Charter, we generally read and respond to enquiries via our contact form, work emails and in our Slack space within 2-3 working days. It may take longer for us to engage on other channels/apps. We prioritise messages from current clients, collaborators, participants and alumni members.
We love talking to potential new clients or training participants but may ask for patience in scheduling a meeting or responding to a request for a quote in order to prioritise existing commitments first. If we’re not available immediately, we can let you know when we’re next able to take on new clients.
To facilitate ease of scheduling, we provide current and potential clients with a Calendly link to book time with us. We recommend booking a meeting or coaching/mentoring session around two weeks in advance to have a choice of times.
We require advance booking for training to secure mutually suitable dates and times, and to adequately prepare effective and relevant sessions and materials. We may tentatively hold dates in advance, but we can only begin working together and confirm a training schedule once an engagement is confirmed by initial payment.
Ready to work together?
Contact us to explore custom services, coaching or mentoring options that meet your needs.
A great place to start building your skills in design and innovation is by joining us for an upcoming training program.