Forming the right team is more art than science.
Every project is different and so is the team it needs. At Hostile Sheep, we start with a small core, then build outward, bringing in trusted collaborators from our network who fit the work, the people, and the context. We’ve spent years building relationships with designers, researchers, strategists, and subject matter experts who share our values and our way of working. When they join a project, they’re not outsiders. They’re us.
"A team is not a group of people who work together but a team is a group of people who trust each other." - Simon Sinek
Every project has its own shape, and so does the team we build around it. We start with our core, the people who live and breathe Hostile Sheep’s values, and then handpick collaborators from our network who fit the specific work, people, and context. We look for more than technical skill. The right team members are those who share our commitment to trust, collaboration, and seeing challenges from every angle. It’s not about filling seats; it’s about making sure every person at the table brings something essential to the work and the people it’s meant to serve.
Making space for the people who know it best.
We believe the people closest to a challenge hold perspectives no outside expert can match. Sometimes they’re already part of the organization we’re working with. Other times, we work to build relationships and bring them into the process. Our role is to create the conditions where those voices can be heard, valued, and reflected in the design. We don’t pretend to be the subject matter experts. Instead, we focus on facilitation: guiding conversations, connecting ideas, and helping those with lived experience shape solutions that truly fit their needs.
Local voices become part of the team.
When we work in a community, we don’t just listen to local voices we bring them onto the team. Researchers, students, and collaborators, who bring the perspective of living locally, become Hostile Sheep for the duration of the project. They know the place, the culture, and the rhythms of daily life in ways that strengthen the design. Their presence keeps the work grounded, while giving them a chance to gain skills, experience, and confidence. When the project ends, they carry that knowledge forward, like embers that can spark new change in their own community. In this way, Hostile Sheep is never just us, it’s whoever steps in to make the work stronger and carry its impact further.
Better design through better relationships
Relationships are at the heart of every team we form. Trust allows people to share openly. Collaboration brings different perspectives together. Respect keeps the focus on the work and the people it’s meant to serve. By choosing collaborators who share these values, making space for those closest to the problem, and inviting local voices into the process, we create the conditions for stronger design. The results aren’t just better solutions, they’re lasting connections that continue to spark change long after the project ends.
If there's one thing I've learned, great design doesn't start with ideas. It starts with people.
Introducing the new Hostile Sheep
We’ve always been here to challenge what needs challenging and protect what matters most. What’s changed is how clearly we see the systems we’re part of and how intentionally we choose to engage with them. Hostile Sheep is no longer just our name. It's our stance. If you'd like to know what we stand for, we wrote it down.
