Dr James Branch

Senior Lecturer, Design Strategy

James is a lecturer and researcher in design, media and education. He holds a doctorate in User Experience (UX) Pedagogy from Loughborough University and an MA in Design with Teaching and Learning. 

James’ research applies Research through Design and qualitative methods to investigate media technologies and practices, understand work in digital creative industries and explore approaches to design education in the context of technological and professional change.

Before teaching, James worked as a designer in London across branding, marketing, digital, publishing and exhibition design. His clients included The Architecture Foundation, Adjaye Associates, Moving Brands and Laurence King Publishing. 

External Links

Dr James Branch

Contact details

Email James.Branch@falmouth.ac.uk

    Qualifications

    Qualifications

    Year Qualification Awarding body
    2023 PhD, HCI / UXD Education Loughborough University
    2014 MRes Arts and Cultural Research University of Brighton
    2010 MA Design with Learning and Teaching in HE Kingston University, London
    2000 BA Design Studies Goldsmiths

    Membership of external committees

    Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

    Research Interests

    Research interests and expertise

    Design Studies; Research through Design (RtD); Educational Research; User Experience Design (UX); Human–Computer Interaction (HCI); Media Studies. 

    Research Activities

    Research Outputs

    Publications and research outputs

    • Branch, James

      Evans, Mark, (2021), Do UX design courses meet industry’s needs? Analysing UX degrees and job adverts, In: The Design Journal, Taylor Francis, London, 24 (4), ISSN: 1756-3062

    • Branch, James

      (2016), Mapping the mast, In: Communication Design: Interdisciplinary and Graphic Design Research, Bloomsbury, London, UK, 3 (1), ISSN: 2055-7140

    • Branch, James

      (2018), Learning from Networked Public Space, In: Cultural Politics, Duke University Press, London, UK, 14 (1), pp. 129-131, ISSN: 1751-7435

    • Su, Cui

      Branch, James, (2011), Print Matters: Zines, In: Print Matters, March 2011, Southampton Hartley Library

    • Branch, J

      (2023), The Pedagogy of User Experience Design. Ph. D. Thesis. Available at: https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/thesis/The_pedagogy_of_user_experience_design/24221194/1, Loughborough University

    • Branch, James

      Branch, J, (2026), Hunter, D., Branch, J., Leithinger, D. and Do, E.Y-L. (2026) 'Netwalking: community-based computer vision', Proceedings of the 29th International Academic Mindtrek Conference, Tampere, Finland, 27–30 October. New York: Association for Computing Machinery.

    • Branch, James and Chudley, James

      (2024), Introduction to User Experience (UX) and Journey Mapping, In: Introduction to User Experience (UX) & Journey Mapping, 10/09/24, Launchpad Falmouth University

    • Branch, James

      (2023), Teaching and Learning Beyond Knowledge and Skills in User Experience (UX) Design, Falmouth University, (Unpublished)

    • Branch, James and Su, Cui

      Su, C., Cokes, L., Branch, J. and Ferguson, J. (2024) The Home ECOnomics Report. Ecover

    Teaching

    Areas of teaching

    • Creative and Critical Media
    • UX Research and Design
    • Brand Strategy and Creative Advertising
    • Design Thinking and Creative Problem Solving
    • Research and Final Project Supervision

    Courses taught

    • BA(Hons) Media & Communications
    • BA (Hons) and MA Creative Advertising
    • BA(Hons) Marketing Communications
    • BA(Hons) Media Production

    Business Engagement

    Consultancy and facility services

    Founding member of BE Good a student powered behavioural change agency working with clients, including Ecover, Devon & Cornwall Police and NHS on positive social and environmental campaigns.

    Professional Engagement

    Engagement with professional associations and societies

    • (2025–Present) External Examiner: MSc User Experience Design, University of Portsmouth
    • (2024) Revalidation Panel Member: BA(Hons) Graphic Design, Edge Hill University
    • (2023–Present) Reviewer with The Design Journal
    • (2022) Revalidation Panel Member: BA(Hons) UX/UI, Ravensbourne University London
    • (2016–2020) External Examiner: BA(Hons) Graphic Communication Design, University of Northampton
    • (2014–2018) External Examiner: BA(Hons) Graphic Design, University of West London