NATHAN STRANGE
Creative Strategy & Direction
Figuring out what matters and what to do about it.
My career began in graphic design and grew into creative direction, leading teams and increasingly complex work across communications, digital transformation, and media production.
Along the way, I realized that what interested me most was understanding the problems people were experiencing and figuring out how to solve them.
That realization changed how I approached my work. A technically sound solution isn’t necessarily a good solution if it creates new problems for the people using it. And sometimes the problem you’re asked to solve isn’t the problem that actually needs solving.
More recently, I founded Bardmaven Publishing, where I’ve approached those same questions from a different perspective, developing original products and bringing them to market.
I enjoy work that involves asking questions, challenging assumptions, exploring possibilities, and turning what I learn into something useful.
The values
behind my work
Find the actual problem
The problem someone describes isn’t always the problem they’re experiencing. I like to ask questions, listen carefully, and understand the broader context before deciding what needs to be done.
Understand why things work
Established approaches can be valuable, but I want to understand the reasoning behind them. Knowing why something works helps me recognize when to follow convention and when another approach might be better.
Keep the purpose in view
It’s easy to become focused on processes, measurements, or technical solutions and lose sight of what you’re trying to accomplish. I try to keep the intended outcome at the center of decisions, even when that means reconsidering the original plan.
Make room for play
Some of the most interesting possibilities emerge through experimentation. I think creativity requires room to explore, combine unexpected ideas, make mistakes, and discover things you wouldn’t have found by following a predetermined path.
What I'm into right now
Strong coffee
Camping & hiking
Tabletop RPGs
Cycling
Painting
Treasure hunting
Gardening
Interactive storytelling
Experimental media
Synthesizers & sound design
