The University of Leeds School of Design and Professional Academy for Creative Enterprise (PACE) are honoured to welcome Rob Waller as an Honorary Professor.

As a widely respected figure in design, Waller has spent over four decades making complex information accessible and meaningful to diverse audiences. His background includes founding the Information Design Unit, which became the UK’s leading information design agency under his leadership, and extensive consultancy work with private and public sectors. Reflecting on his career, Waller shared, “I have been interested in how design practice is informed by theory for my whole career.” He has been a driving force in establishing clear and inclusive communication standards, particularly in complex fields such as legal and contractual communication. His experience in developing global standards for clear communication—such as his work on the ISO Plain Language Standard in Brussels—reinforces the school’s objective to remain at the forefront of innovative, ethical, and accessible design practices.

Waller’s work includes developing frameworks for universal design and accessible communication, ensuring that information is not only accurate but also truly usable by a broad audience—his recent roles have included organising the Information Design Summer School and serving on the editorial board of the Information Design Journal, further underscoring his dedication to the field.

In addition to his accomplishments in practice, Waller has a distinguished academic background. He studied typography and graphic communication at the University of Reading, where he later taught and earned a doctorate exploring the relationship between design and language. Throughout his career, he has championed interdisciplinary learning and research, publishing widely on user-centred design, information design, and the simplification of complex documents, as in his “Contract design for humans” paper with the Simplification Centre. His work has influenced sectors ranging from public health to finance and energy, making him an ideal figure to further PACE’s commitment to industry-driven research and professional development. Towards the latter part of his career, Waller founded the Simplification Centre, collaborating with sponsoring organisations to enhance communication quality with customers and the public.

As Waller joins the PACE team, he will play a key role in advising and shaping our Information Design offerings and courses with his unique perspective. With Waller on board, PACE is well-positioned to expand its impact, advancing design standards that prioritise clarity, empathy, and inclusivity.