Pivot Design Group

Pivot Design Group Pivot Design Group is a strategic design studio. Pivot looks at things differently — a team that knows how to listen is at the heart of work that delivers.

We often say, we’re not experts at what you do — we’re experts at listening to you. It’s this approach that helps us bring people together through design. Our empathetic approach is our strength. We apply design thinking differently and this is how Pivot has become one of the city’s most unique agencies in our own nimble yet robust way. We know it works because we’ve been perfecting and refining o

ur unique approach to communication design and user experience since Ian Chalmers, owner and creative director, first opened our doors in 1998. Well-credentialed with broad swaths of experience that come only from working first-hand in the evolving design landscape, we’ve been known to be picky about who we work with… This allows the team to maintain our pivotal hands-on approach. It’s an approach we know our clients love because they tell us as they experience the benefits first hand.

Real co-design isn’t neat, it’s messy, layered, and human.From navigating power dynamics to shaping systems that reflect...
04/23/2026

Real co-design isn’t neat, it’s messy, layered, and human.

From navigating power dynamics to shaping systems that reflect real-world complexity, our latest article explores what it takes to make room for multiple seats at the table— and to design with the people in them, not just for them.

Read more at the link in our bio 🔗

This , we’re reflecting on the quiet power of design to shape health outcomes.Whether it’s streamlining a care journey ...
04/07/2026

This , we’re reflecting on the quiet power of design to shape health outcomes.

Whether it’s streamlining a care journey for an older adult or introducing digital tools in a remote community, design has a profound ability to bridge the gap between clinical expertise and lived experience.

Because when we lead with a human-centred approach, we can help ensure that healthcare feels more intuitive, supportive, and accessible for everyone 🌍

At Pivot, co-design is foundational to our process. When we design with—not for—we reduce risk, redistribute power and c...
03/02/2026

At Pivot, co-design is foundational to our process. When we design with—not for—we reduce risk, redistribute power and create solutions that are more inclusive and sustainable.

Thursday’s event with Wina Smeenk will explore this practice framework, diving into:
💡 What co-design really looks like in practice
💡 How it leads to stronger, more inclusive outcomes
💡 Ways to integrate it in your process

If you work in design, innovation, strategy, or service delivery and want to deepen your impact, this session is for you.

Tickets available at the link in our bio.

When every designer drinks from the same digital well, the work starts to look familiar, detached.In our latest blog art...
02/12/2026

When every designer drinks from the same digital well, the work starts to look familiar, detached.

In our latest blog article, Designer Sam Laurier shares her radical, outlandish approach to sourcing inspiration: she goes outside.

🔗 Read the full article at the link in our bio

We’re thrilled to be a sponsor for this year’s Student Awards ✨Championing the next generation of designers, the Studen...
02/03/2026

We’re thrilled to be a sponsor for this year’s Student Awards ✨

Championing the next generation of designers, the Student Awards recognize design excellence from students across Canada in all areas of communication design. Pivot is sponsoring the award for Information Design.

🔗 Learn more about this program at rgd.ca/studentawards.

With coming up, there's no better time than now to talk about where we're headed with Life-Centred Design. We're makin...
04/20/2023

With coming up, there's no better time than now to talk about where we're headed with Life-Centred Design.

We're making the shift beyond "human-centred" to a new design paradigm that is “life-centred,” where all life on earth are targeted beneficiaries of what we create.

Read more about via the 🔗 link in our bio or by visiting pivot.design/insights

It's that time of year... the 2023 RGD Student Awards are open! 🏆 Since 1998, the RGD’s Student Awards have recognized t...
02/07/2023

It's that time of year... the 2023 RGD Student Awards are open! 🏆 Since 1998, the RGD’s Student Awards have recognized the outstanding work of design students from across Canada.

We’re proud to sponsor the Award for Information Design 💪

Year after year, the Student Awards recognize the outstanding work of design students from across Canada 🇨🇦 Make sure to enter your work by May 12, 2023.

We look forward to seeing the creativity this next generation of designers will bring!

Learn more at www.rgd.ca/studentawards 👈

Had an ink-ling this would be a fun workshop with 🤓Glad we were able to carve out some time and get analog with our cre...
12/12/2022

Had an ink-ling this would be a fun workshop with 🤓

Glad we were able to carve out some time and get analog with our creative ideas 💪 We hope everyone is im-pressed with their cards this holiday season!

When designers embark on UX projects, they need to have a singular focus on users who are at the centre of their work. C...
10/06/2022

When designers embark on UX projects, they need to have a singular focus on users who are at the centre of their work. Certainly, there’s creativity and self-expression in the design process but it is not the main thing. What’s more important is understanding users—their needs and wants—and the best way to accomplish this is to make strategic use of two investigative tools available for harvesting this information: User Interviews vs Usability Testing.

Interested in more? Continue reading over on our latest blog post, Prioritizing UX Design Research. Link available in our bio.

Informing Design ▫️ Enshrine DEI in your workplace ▫️ Circular Design ▫️ Know your parameters ▫️ The future should be fr...
08/30/2022

Informing Design ▫️ Enshrine DEI in your workplace ▫️ Circular Design ▫️ Know your parameters ▫️ The future should be friendly ▫️ Empathy ▫️

To wrap up our birthday month, we've just posted our 4th and final weekly article featuring 24 things we've learned on working in design — over the past 24 years! ▫️ Read the last 6 insights via the link in our bio or at pivot.design/insights

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213 Sterling Road #107
Toronto, ON
M6R2B2

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm

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