Traditionally, conventional consultancies provide operational guidance to customers. However, market demands have shifted towards a human centred approach, leading to an increase in design consultancies. Design consultancies deliver not only great results but also introduce innovative ways of thinking through a process-driven approach differing from the result-driven process that clients were used to. The new ways of working poses a new challenge of rising uncertainty. Building trust with client organization reduces the inherent risk of working together, thereby building a stronger relationship. This helps consultancies gain credibility and create mutual reliability, improving brand loyalty and customer retention.

Similarities with the creative problem solving process and trust building process were drawn to form a template. Further the research was scoped to see trust building from an individual standpoint, i.e. design consultant being the facilitator in enabling clients build trust towards them. The project was set with the research question of “How do individuals in design consultancies help build trustful relationships with clients amid the constant shift in design perceptions? “

From empirical and theoretical analysis, eight driving factors and many trust building actions were identified. Apart from this, the research identified a lack of trust building awareness, how it is important to build trust around your context and with yourself. Further a trust building journey was developed that establishes how trust is built in a step wise approach and how it can be empowered for skill development for individuals seeking to work in a consultancy environment.

The design solution is a guidebook developed to raise awareness and help surface the factors necessitated towards trust building through narrative-based learning. Narratives of working professionals experiences highlighting suitable actions taken for trust development helps individuals reflect on their ways of working and embed new actions that improves trust building.