As part of our continuous team development, we kicked off the year with a variety of refresher training sessions including Human Factors Engineering (HFE) training from our associate consultant Miranda Newbery (Inspired Usability), covering all things from the regulatory human factors process to undertaking both formative and summative usability testing.
Amongst this, we also had a great 2 days of training from Dave Jeavons at Polybridge Training covering all things injection mouding from understanding how polymers drive decision making, to improving areas for cost reduction and identifying the root cause of plastic product failures.
Giving back to design education and participating in STEM related activities is important to us here at HD. This year, we have participated in a wide variety of lessons, presentations and competitions for local Universities, colleges and schools;
Senior Design Engineer, Will Morris, and Human Factors Design Engineer, Amber Davies, gave the students at Wolverhampton University a talk about their career paths, giving insight into the life of medical device development consultants and the steps they have taken to establish their careers.
Will was also joined our Engineering Director, Jack Dunkley, to present to students at Dulwich college about the type of work that engineers do as well as the wide variety of specialisms and industries this applies to, encouraging the students to explore careers in engineering design.
In light of World Engineering Day, HD set the pupils at Oakridge Primary School the challenge of designing a new and innovative precious object transportation method. It was great to see such enthusiasm and so many innovative concepts. Our chosen winner included a backup plan as part of their concept because designs aren’t always right first time!
Although virtual conferences have been a great alternative under the circumstances of the pandemic, it has been great to return to face-to-face conferences this year. We attended several local shows including; The Engineering Design Show, NAIDEX and The OT Show. These shows were made even better by seeing devices that we’ve developed on display, being used by clinicians and gathering great feedback.
In October, Senior Design Engineer & Business Development Manager, Will Morris, travelled to Palm Springs to attend PDA 2022, exploring the future of parenteral devices. Will said; “It was super impressive to see the traction regarding the development of sustainable medical device development strategies to improve the adherence and persistence of medication as well as the importance of being user-focused throughout the development process.”
We finished the conference season with a trip to Edinburgh for DDL (Drug Delivery To The Lungs) 2022 where the HD team had a great few days at the conference connecting with clients, suppliers and experts about the latest research, innovation and trends in the respiratory drug delivery space.
In addition to attending conferences, it has been great to visit clients and suppliers in person again with a number of trips in the pipeline for 2023 too. A particular highlight was visiting one of our clients and strategic manufacturing partners in Ireland to review the second batch of autoinjector technology demonstrator devices that we have developed. The devices have been produced on low volume tooling which has been developed to closely match production tooling. It was great to meet the full project team in person as well as receive positive feedback on both the quality of HD’s work and the ease of working with us.
We pride ourselves on designing innovative new products & medical devices for our Healthcare, Pharma and MedTech clients globally. Although full IP ownership is handed over to you upon project completion, valuable IP is generated and captured throughout the design process which means the HD team are named inventors on a wide number of patents. We are proud to have been named inventors on a number of our clients patents this year including patents for Vectura and Salts Healthcare. This is an addition to several others that have been filed and will soon be in the public domain.
Medical device development projects span a number of years and so it can take quite some time before we’re able to publicly discuss our work and projects however, there are a number of devices that we’ve developed due to be launched in early 2023 which we look forward to sharing more about!
We are proud to have been shortlisted for, and won, a number of awards this year – One of which being the Stoke-on-Trend Business Live International Trade Awards. Despite the challenges the last couple of years have presented, the HD team’s flexible and can-do attitude and approach has allowed us to work on a number of international projects, delivering a range of innovative new products and medical devices from our Staffordshire based homes and offices for our clients globally in the US, Middle East and Europe.
Following a period of consistent growth (and many viewings), we were incredibly pleased and excited to announce the purchase of our new premises earlier in the year. We undertook a full renovation of the building before officially opening its doors in late August.
The new premises has already proven an incredibly valuable facility, allowing us to expand our facilities, capacity and services. If you haven’t already visited, we would love to show you around in the new year!
In November, we celebrated HD’s official 20th birthday! So, we decided to look back through the archives and reflect on the company’s history as well as its success since being set up by Managing Director, David Mills, in 2002. On behalf of the team at HD, we would like to commend David for his past and the journey he’s been on at Haughton Design. He is extremely personable, empathetic, committed, and flexible – values that run through Haughton Design as a business today.
This year, we’re pleased that the team has continued to expand by welcoming Design Development Engineers Rob and Dan. We are also looking forward to welcoming another team member in the New Year.
Over the last few years, HD has experienced a great deal of growth – the commitment and expertise of our team has a large role to play in this. So, we would like to take the opportunity to introduce and congratulate our new board of directors:
Last Christmas, we highlighted the increase in foodbank users throughout the pandemic, as well as the trajectory for beyond – not to mention the added impacts of the current cost of living crisis.
So, we decided to end this year once again by making a donation to our local food bank at Rising Brook Church. We donated a range of items in high demand as well as Christmas gifts which were greatly appreciated. Food banks were already stretched during the coronavirus pandemic. While foodbank donations have decreased since the start of 2022, demand for food bank services has rapidly increased.
According to the Trussel Trust, 95% of foodbanks said increase in demand was due to the rise in the cost of living. There are signs that a wider range of the population is resorting to using food banks including social workers, public sector workers, teachers and people in employment more generally. Within the context of high inflation and energy costs, charities anticipate demand for food banks will rise further. Please take a look at helping your local foodbank heading into the New Year.
Needless to say, 2022 has been a busy one filled with new products and devices developed as well as new partnerships established. Q1 of 2023 is already looking exciting with at least 2 new product launches, a new team member and more international travel – not to mention the rest of the year!
Thank you to our clients, consultants and suppliers for your continued support and business as well as to our world-class design & development team who continue to ensure HD is a success. We are proud to be heading into 2023 with a strong pipeline of work, an excellent team, client base and wonderful new premises to continue strengthening our work and services.
We will be finishing for Christmas at 5:30pm on the 22nd of December and returning at 8am on the 3rd of January, 2023 and look forward to another year of developing your new products and medical devices. From the team at HD, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Human Factors Design Engineer & Marketing Manager
Amber graduated from Cardiff Metropolitan University with a degree in Product Design. She has a particular interest in the medical field stemming from her personal experience of using a medical device. She pairs her design background with her personal experiences to apply empathy and develop improved user experiences. Amber also combines this understanding to liaise with customers and create digital content at HD.
Get In Touch
Discover how Haughton Design's diverse team leverages their extensive experience to drive innovation in device development. Learn about our expertise and unique insights that ensure successful project...
Explore how commercial constraints influence innovation in businesses. Discover whether budget limits, regulations, and market pressures drive creativity or stifle progress in today's competitive land...
HD strive to foster effective collaboration on all projects to push boundaries in innovation. We discuss how collaboration with the NHS can provide unique insight....
Why do we trust the accuracy of digital devices more than their non-digital counterparts? HD discuss the 'why' and how this improves device development....
We discuss the whether the medical device industry can embrace paper as a viable alternative to plastic as we advance towards Net Zero....
What is the impact of emerging technologies on medical device and product development? Design Engineer, Dan Kirkham, discusses their applications....
We discuss transforming medical device development through the utilisation of interdisciplinary, and cross industry teams....
A pharmaceutical company approached HD to enhance the performance and improve the usability of a Dry Powder Inhaler within a short timeframe and, a tight budget. ...
Pharmapack 2024 was a captivating blend of innovation, collaboration, and foresight. Read our round up of the eco-focused event here....
2023's DDL event brought together industry experts in the field of respiratory health. Here we discuss the latest breakthroughs and innovations....
Should Human Factors as a standalone discipline be made redundant? Design Engineer, Elena, considers this for medical device development?...
Can we achieve the perfect balance of usability, sustainability & connectivity in medical device design? Design Engineer, Rob, considers how....
2023's PDA & PODD conferences provided valuable insight into the drug delivery industry. Here we discuss trends and hot topics from the conferences....
Ahead of the 20th PDA Universe of Pre-Filled Syringes and Injection Devices Conference, we cover where medical device innovations are expected to go....
As the world becomes increasingly connected and user needs constantly evolving, the design of safety critical IFU’s must keep up with this. Design Engineer, Rob, discusses the future of IFU’s, and...
With the speed at which the medical device world is changing, collaborative partnerships will be essential for success. HD discuss the benefits....
