Laura Orton

Laura Orton is a Researcher and Graduate Research Assistant (Design) at the Manchester School of Art, Manchester Metropolitan University. She is pursuing a PhD in Visual Communication, focusing on reducing mental health stigma through graphic design. Her research emphasizes co-design methodologies involving people with dementia and mental health advocates. She collaborates with Prof. Kristina Niedderer on the MinD project, developing tools like the Mindful Co-design Toolkit, and with Dr. Isabelle Tournier on the IDoService project to enhance volunteer engagement for dementia patients.

Her work spans dementia care, healthcare design, and social change through visual communication. Key projects include evaluating the 'This is Me' board game for dementia wellbeing, co-designing volunteering pathways (I Can Do), and analyzing stereotypes in mental health imagery. She contributes to the Design Research Hub and has authored books, datasets, and peer-reviewed articles on dementia support and inclusive design.

Publications highlight her focus on participatory design, qualitative research, and stakeholder collaboration. Her PhD research bridges graphic design’s role in societal stigma reduction, while her academic outputs emphasize practical toolkits and evidence-based frameworks for dementia-friendly services.