Hi, I’m Ben, a product designer and founder of hoc!
ad hoc:
(adjective)
created for a particular purpose;
design with meaning
Ethos
Quality product design is far from a simple process, but the ethos behind it can and should be. At hoc we are united in our shared appreciation of the mantra: do what you love, and the results speak for themselves. Our approach to design is fundamentally rooted in this belief.
As a small team of young and passionate creators, we draw on our collective and diverse range of experience to bring ideas to life. We are endlessly on the hunt for novel ideas and new problems to tackle.
Our talented freelance designers are driven by producing results we can take pride in. We therefore feel an approach to freelance product design based on sourcing projects we care about is key. This ensures a productive environment where design ceases to be work and becomes a positive and fulfilling pursuit.
Goal
Our mission at hoc is to develop a network of highly skilled, self-employed designers that can be deployed flexibly and efficiently to suit a range of briefs. We’re building a fresh kind of design practice that operates differently to traditional agencies.
A decentralised approach allows hoc to offer a freelance product design service tailored to the client and their unique needs. As our network continues to grow, project specific teams can be quickly assembled and assigned to a project as and when required. This ensures the client works with a built-for-purpose team who are passionate about both the end goal and the work required to make it happen.
Company
By implementing a networked approach, hoc empowers freelance designers up and down the U.K to get involved in something bigger. The idea is to give talented, self-motivated individuals the opportunity to collaborate on larger projects than they may have previously had access to. As the hoc web grows, so does the scale of opportunity.
As well as improving accessibility to large-scale projects, our structure allows designers to work with more advanced manufacturing facilities, with equipment such as SLA and FDM printing, laser cutting, CNC machining and a range of prototyping materials.
Purpose
For far too long we have felt that the design industry has been preoccupied with redesigning at the expense of problem solving. At hoc we believe inertia is holding back the potential of meaningful design that offers real solutions to real problems. Questioning what constitutes good design crucially involves considering what it is really for in the first place.
Design is a modern construct centred on our human interaction with the man-made environment. It stands to reason therefore that effective product design should begin with the ‘user’. At hoc, our human-centred approach to design inspires us to solve real problems with broad social and environmental impacts.
No matter the project, brief, client or problem, we aim to make use of the wide variety of sustainable materials and manufacturing methods available to designers today. Our responsibility as a modern practice is to design products with both the user and the planet in mind.
Meet team hoc
Ben Hockings
FOUNDER, INDUSTRIAL DESIGNERBen graduated with a first class degree in Engineering Design from University of Bristol in 2020. Since then he has made a move towards the front end of the design process and now has over 2 years of freelance industrial design experience.EXPERTISEPrototyping, 3D Visualisation in Keyshot, Fusion 360, Concept Sketching
James Walker
PRODUCT DESIGN ENGINEERJames has a background in Mechanical Engineering and a passion for striking, human centred design. James’ freelance experience to date has given him the skillset necessary to elegantly and efficiently bridge the gap between front end design and manufacture.EXPERTISESolidworks, Rhino 3D, Autodesk FEA, DFM Principles, 3D Printing
Lana Andrews
GRAPHIC DESIGNERLana graduated in 2020 with a first class degree in Graphic Design from Edinburgh. With a keen eye for aesthetic beauty and a youthful and daring approach to her work, Lana has the ability to produce outrageously compelling and memorable pieces of art.EXPERTISEPhotoshop, Illustrator, Cinema 4D, After Effects, Webflow, Figma