How We Work at UntilNow

We're a design-led creative agency working at the intersection of branding, UX/UI and technology. We help launch and grow ambitious businesses. That description is accurate, but it's incomplete. What really matters — and is far more interesting to unpack — isn't what a design agency does or doesn't do. It's how they work. Because that's where you find the approach, belief and behaviours that produce quality outcomes.

Great Work Is Co-Created

Great work is rarely produced in isolation. Despite the mythology of lone geniuses and perfectly briefed agencies, the strongest brand development and digital product design outcomes almost always come from close, sustained collaboration. In our world, brands, digital experiences and user-centred design are too entangled with early-stage business realities — resource constraints, shifting priorities, human behaviour — to be handed off cleanly. They need to be co-created.

That belief shapes everything we do.

Embedded, Not External

From the very start of a project, we operate as part of your team. Not as spectators. Not as an external layer you check in with occasionally. As collaborators embedded in the work.

We establish a working rhythm early. We share tools like Figma and Slack, run a weekly connect to review progress and make decisions together, and keep fast, informal communication flowing in between. When possible, we get together in person at our Sydney studio, because some problems are simply solved faster when people are in the same room.

This isn't process for its own sake — it's about momentum. Indecision is one of the fastest ways to kill good ideas, and overly bureaucratic agency relationships create distance at exactly the moment proximity and comprehension are needed. Our steady cadence keeps the work grounded, challenged and moving.

Every Detail Compounds

When you look at one of our case studies or a client's brand in the wild, you'll notice the work lives at very different scales. Sometimes it's tiny — a micro-interaction, a copywriting decision, a subtle shift in visual hierarchy. Sometimes it's massive — a complete brand identity system, an entirely new digital product. We treat both ends with the same level of care, because we've learned they compound.

That's also why we evaluate our work by business outcomes rather than industry awards. We're proud of the growth we've helped create, the clarity we've brought to complex organisations and the products and brands that continue to perform long after launch. Recognition is nice, but results are non-negotiable.

Designed to Be Used, Not Just Admired

A key reason we work this way is because we've seen where things go wrong. One of the most common failure points isn't at launch — it's in deployment. Beautiful brand identities and thoughtful products fall apart when they meet reality: busy teams, limited resources, changing priorities. The most effective brands and design systems aren't just distinctive or attractive; they're usable. Easy to deploy, adapt and maintain without constant intervention.

We think hard about internal capability and business stage before locking anything in. Brand guidelines and design systems aren't created to impress — they're designed to enable. If our work risks being handed over without the capability to execute to the standard ongoing, we have the necessary discussions. We create templates, Loom walkthroughs, one-on-one handovers. We've even helped clients hire designers. The goal is always the same: help teams maximise the impact of their brand and digital product without introducing unnecessary complexity.

The Right Expertise at the Right Moment

We also know that no single studio can be exceptional at everything. Rather than pretending otherwise, we've built a strong network of designers, developers and specialist thinkers — locally and globally — who we trust deeply. From UX research to web development to motion design, this allows us to assemble the right expertise at the right moment, without bloated teams or performative roles. The work benefits from that flexibility, and so do our clients.

What We Ask For in Return

All of this requires real engagement. This way of working isn't passive, and it certainly isn't hands-off. We ask for trust, honesty and a willingness to make decisions together. In return, it produces work that's clearer, more durable and far more likely to stand up in the real world.

That's how we work at UntilNow. It's not for everyone — but we believe it's how great work gets made.

‍