Emma Campbell founded Bo Studio in 2022 upon returning from Ireland and settling on 120 acres in Ngāruawāhia. After spending a few years as an in-house user experience designer, she desired a change and aspired to work with agriculture businesses committed to improving animal welfare, food production quality, and environmental standards.
Bo Studio specialises in user and customer experience design and collaborates with agriculture businesses to design digital and service-based experiences that promote technology adoption and efficient work practices.
The company's office is located in Ngāruawāhia, and they work with businesses throughout Waikato and nationwide.
"There's no better place to be than the Waikato when you work with agriculture businesses. And to have an office at Durham Precinct in Ngāruawāhia town, only 10 minutes from the farm, is a dream."
Emma has worked with several Waikato-based agriculture businesses such as Gallagher, ModuSense, ProTag and Deosan.
"We appreciate working remotely, but meeting with clients face to face is fantastic, which is why Waikato is an excellent hub for us."
Although Bo Studio's projects typically concentrate on digital solutions, such as streamlining the software migration experience for Gallagher's customers and simplifying data presentation and platform usability for ModuSense's end-users, Emma has broadened her focus from agritech user experiences to encompass all customer experiences with agriculture products and services this year.
"The users' and customers' experiences do not solely begin and end with a mobile device, web application, or hardware. Their experience with the service as a whole is also crucial. For example, if you have two coffee shops next to each other selling the same products for the same price, what makes you pick one over the other? One will always be more memorable, and that's because of the service they provide."
Bo Studio's focus on the agriculture industry sets it apart from other experience design companies. Emma wanted her clients to have a partner who genuinely understood their products, experiences, and customers. Her 120-acre farm in Waikato also gives her a unique perspective and connection to the industry.
"I'm looking for ways that Bo Studio can impact not only individual businesses but the agriculture industry as a whole. What that looks like exactly, I'm not quite sure yet!"
Emma is also excited to be part of the University of Waikato's design internship programme, and Bo Studio will welcome an intern over the first semester. Emma hopes this will become a yearly initiative to invest in Waikato's next generation of designers.