Chrissie Smith has extensive experience in the design industry. Originally from New Zealand, she studied at the Whanganui School of Design and moved to Melbourne to take up the position of senior designer with Myer Grace Bros. She ran her own design/photography studio in the Central Highlands region before joining the staff at Federation University Australia in 2009. Her client list included VIC Health, DHS, Ports of Melbourne, the University of Ballarat and many smaller local clients. She is currently completing a masters degree which investigates the experience of design practitioners in collaborative creative processes. Her research focuses specifically on co-design due to the scope of multi-disciplinary collaborative practice and its application as a tool for innovation and change.