Creative Problem-Solving and Future-Proofing

What I do:

  • Strategic planning

  • Programme design and evaluation

  • Theory of Change / social impact mapping

  • Academic projects and papers

  • User research and personas

  • Survey development

  • Writing and editing

  • Stakeholder consultation

  • Audience engagement

Strategic consultant Diana Squires stands at a whiteboard with a speaker's table next to her, addressing a group of people (out of frame) at a charity consulting programme. She wears a cheerful expression, red hair, blue dress and heels.

Case Study

5 women sit around a table talking, three facing the camera, in a business setting. They are ethnically diverse and one is consultant Diana Squires.

NSPCC’s expansion strategy

Bringing out the best in a team is job one. To maximise impact and creative potential, I look for diversity of thought and skillset. So, when putting together the team for NSPCC’s consulting challenge, I recommended five outstanding VPs from Morgan Stanley’s pool of volunteers. When you have specialists in the room, empower them and challenge them to take their ideas in new directions…then get out of their way. Together, we helped NSPCC expand their work into the East of England through a hub-and-spoke model which brought together local expertise and national influence. In just two months, this powerhouse consulting team went above and beyond – technology tooling, market research, needs assessment, organisational structure, financial modelling, and a blueprint that could be applied anywhere else in the UK. They had the courage to tackle a novel problem space and build completely different skills. I believe we can do some of our best work outside the comfort zone, and I am so proud of what these volunteers created. Being their motivator and critical friend was an absolute joy.

“Far and away beyond our expectations. This work has the potential to effect bold, system-changing outcomes.”

Andrew Skea, Assistant Director East England NSPCC

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Case Study

A profile view of Diana Squires consulting on a London business project. She is smiling and attaching post-its to a window, showing the creative research and development work she completed for the National Centre for Academic and Cultural Exchange.

Building an NCACE innovation incubator

Following an impactful collaboration previously with the National Centre for Academic and Cultural Exchange, the Director and Co-Founder approached me to support market research for a new venture. Since arts and humanities research occurs in an increasingly precarious environment, knowledge exchange collaborations are difficult to sustain. Public funds can be wasted if these collaborations, essential in a VUCA world, dwindle. NCACE sought to determine whether its incubator concept would be unique in the market. I conducted thorough market research and provided a comprehensive report, proving both the need and the distinctiveness of NCACE’s Collaboration Lab. Identifying its USP and proposing commercially viable models, I enabled a successful pilot launch just a few months later.

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Case Study

NHS Charities Together

After a funding boom (remember Captain Tom Moore), NHSCT faced the decision of how to distribute funds equitably and strategically to unlock the greatest possible impact. The charity approached my organisation for support and I oversaw an end-to-end project to build a programme design and implementation roadmap. The concept was an Innovation Awards Programme to which NHS trusts could apply. Leading a diverse team, guiding them with social sector knowledge and sound principles for programme design, I created the conditions to identify a viable path forward for the charity – now enabling Trusts across the UK to apply for much-needed support. Importantly, the application process is simple and accessible, distinguishing it from most funding application platforms. Following our project, NHSCT invested £923,100 in the programme’s first year and will invest a total of £40M over the next 10 years.

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Case Study

A rose-tinted photo featuring 6 energetic people at a London innovation event. Panel speaker Diana Squires is in the centre, pointing at the camera. On the right are Sam Steele and Dr. Sara Jones whose testimonials feature elsewhere on this page.

Creativity enabled by AI

With £10M seed funding from UKRI and universities, this National Centre - “CebAI” - was established to evolve technological solutions for human/digital partnerships: unlock and expand creativity rather than delegating it to computers. I was hired during my Master’s of Innovation, for user research and podcast production. Building trust and rapport with CebAI’s partners, I co-designed solutions with stakeholders ranging from West Ham Football Club to an international HR consultancy. The podcast series I produced had ~200 listens per episode. At the end of its funding term, CebAI secured a permanent home as the Institute for Creativity and AI at City St George's, University of London.

“Diana Squires' diverse career in creative leadership, from programme design and direction, to theatre management, marketing and media, has brought a rich diversity of thought to her part-time role at CebAI, where she worked as a design consultant. She led on user testing across several important prototypes, market research, and developed strong relationships with external clients.”

Sam Steele, NED and Entrepreneur in Residence at CityVentures

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  • "Absolutely brilliant. Your research really lights up the imagination in terms of where we could go. It gives real clarity on the direction we could move in. It’s a wonderful piece of work. It’s actually really exciting. Thank you very much."

    Managing Director, City Academy

  • “Having worked with and under Diana on various projects, I appreciated her laser-sharp vision, effective communication style, and ability to set achievable goals. Diana is a true professional.”

    Angela Lee

    Marketing Communications Professional

  • "Diana is an energetic and proactive manager. As a Board member she is insightful, intelligent and supportive of colleagues."

    Claire Meade

    Engagement Networks and Partnership Manager, Bayes Business School

  • "Diana’s brain is always in motion and she is ready to problem-solve. She challenges graciously, while remaining empowering. In conflict is able to respond in a problem-solving manner that moves projects forward. She has innovative, practical ideas that add extreme value to our charity."

    Samantha Hers

    Programme Coordinator, Inner Hope Vancouver

  • "Every project that Diana touched had a bright outcome. Her dependability for a high level of excellence is very hard to find."

    Scott Fehrenbacher

    Former Senior Vice President, Trinity Western University

  • "As a trustee at Choices, we really value her impressive ability to think clearly through an issue from many angles and ask all the right, challenging, questions. Diana’s knowledge of the charity sector landscape is also extremely valuable and helps guide the board’s decision-making."

    Sophie Guthrie-Kummer

    CEO, Choices

FAQ

  • Everything is up for discussion, especially if you are with a charity. The best way to start is to share your desired objectives and the budget you have in mind.

  • Working with people who inspire me. Causes that make a tangible difference in the world. Stories worth telling. Teams that value excellence. Room for big ideas.

  • Less social media, more conversations. LinkedIn is it for me!

Ready to work together?

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