ThinkPlaceX

Design for change. Create a future for all.

Since early 2024, we have co-designed and co-created the merge and evolution of two award-winning, highly regarded teams in creativeXpeople at Synergy Group and ThinkPlace Australia.  The newly formed business has launched as an evolved response to the needs of the modern context of the public sector, Australia, and our national interests. 

We recognised the need for more deliberate, evidence based and accelerated action grounded by deep contextual insight and creative innovation, which will be delivered through strategy, design, and innovation through the first of its kind, impact accelerator, ThinkPlaceX.

We know that Australia is currently facing new and extremely complex challenges, resulting in the urgent need to secure and protect our people, our interests, our environment, and our economy. Equally, we recognise that navigating these challenges will require a ground-breaking strategic pathway that is uniquely tailored in response. 

A strategy grounded in new ways of thinking, new coalitions, new insights, new models, and a new spirit of intentional action. ThinkPlaceX believes in moving fast, in activating the full ecosystem of stakeholders, domain expertise, and the expert minds of industry, academia and the lived experience of people and communities. 

We co-design and co-create strategies and designs that uncover complex problems and apply intentional action to create a lasting positive impact.

 

We’re part of Synergy Group

ThinkPlaceX is the strategy, design, and creative impact accelerator of Synergy Group. Together with our Consulting teams and Managed Services team, Synergy Group provides a full end-to-end service to help solve Australia’s most complex challenges. As a sovereign, independent Australian company with national reach, we help our clients create enduring impact in this diverse place we call home.

 

Our Impact

We operate at the intersection of People, the system, and its context. Truly accelerated impact is formed by authentic connections, a holistic view of the system we’re operating in, and designing with intention for the context of the action.

Our Principles

Our success is upheld by forming authentic connections, taking a holistic view of the system we’re operating in, and designing with intention.

People+
We connect deeply and authentically, to shape the human experience and its relation to the system, and their environment. We zoom in to intersect a human centred design approach with a psychological and behavioural lens.
Systems Approach
We zoom out, look at the whole system and its complexity - making changes to flow through the experience and beyond. Using systems-oriented design, we quickly understand the interdependent elements and leverage points within social ecological systems.
Context
We bring deep domain expertise coupled with leading edge design. We understand the external influences, the internal pressures and how to accelerate social, ecological, economic, technological, and political contexts.

Meet the team

From start to finish we listen and seek to understand and deliver impact, together, in partnership.

How we think

With views on what matter and knowledge to share. We pride ourselves in collaborating. Get to know us better.
Insight

Supporting women in sport is about cultural change

The year that changed everything
In 2019, Suncorp released their Youth & Confidence Research which showed that 50% of Australian teenage girls dropped out of sport by 17. Passionate about understanding behaviour and effecting change, our creativeXpeople want to form a deep understanding of past and present participation issues to devise practical ways to help support women’s participation in sport at all levels and have created a survey to form a holistic understanding. 
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Insight

The blurry line between a professional career and life

Rethinking work
With the world moving so fast these days, how do you create a career plan that realistically fits into your life plan? How do you find passion for what you do, recognise your transferrable skills, and take your career to the next level? Careers and recruitment executive director at Synergy Group, Nick Pieper, looks at how career planning should be embedded into daily life for both employees and employers. 
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Insight

The relationship between the project sponsor and manager

Transformation
Often, it’s not until a project is failing that the core relationship between the main parties, or the expertise of those involved, is questioned. Mandy Hill, Executive Director at Synergy Group and an experienced program and project manager, explains how an open, transparent and respectful relationship between the project’s sponsor and project manager goes a long way towards reaching a successful outcome.
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