Empathy is a guiding principle in understanding the diverse needs, behaviors, and experiences of end-users. By prioritizing empathy, we seek solutions that resonate with users on a personal level, enhancing not only the usability of products but also the overall human experience. Our commitment to empathetic human factors ensures that our clients’ products prioritise usability and maximise commercial success.
Our Mission
We are driven in our belief that every patient deserves the best possible care, and every healthcare professional should have access to safe, intuitive, and reliable tools. Our team of human factors specialists combines expert industry knowledge with user-centered design principles to optimise the interaction between humans and the products they work with.
Our commitment extends beyond compliance; we aspire to be catalysts for transformative change. We strive to reduce errors, increase efficiency, and ultimately improve lives. By prioritizing humans in healthcare development, we contribute to a future where patient safety is paramount, and healthcare professionals can focus on what matters most: delivering exceptional care.
With integrity, innovation, and empathy at the core of our values, we aim to be a trusted partner for our clients, ensuring their products not only meet the highest standards of quality and safety but also improve the well-being of patients and the effectiveness of healthcare delivery worldwide.
Our mission is to optimise the safety, usability, and overall user experience of medical devices, combination products, and medicinal products through applied human factors expertise.
OUR TEAM
Ian Culverhouse
Director
Ian co-founded Rebus in 2018 with Chris and has worked exclusively in medical human factors since 2012. He has a BSc and MSc in product design and a PhD in the subject of early-stage interactive prototyping for physical and digital products. Ian prides himself on providing commercially grounded human factors expertise, rooted in an applied understanding of the development process and complex regulatory landscapes. Away from work, his hobbies include joinery, furniture making and photography.
Chris White
Director
Chris has worked in design for over 20 years and set up Rebus with Ian in 2018. He has a BSc in industrial design and an MSc in ergonomics and human factors. Having worked in several sectors, Chris has a deep understanding of human behaviours and limitations when interacting with products and systems. In his spare time, he enjoys adventures with his family in his campervan and creating graffiti artwork.
Lumbani Munthali
Senior Human Factors Consultant
Lumbani joined Rebus in 2023. She has worked in pharmaceutical R&D for over 7 years and within medical devices and healthcare in its entirety for over 12 years. She has project management experience, being the usability and human factors lead on a variety of projects, as well as specialist knowledge within the field of rehabilitation engineering, specifically gait analysis. Lumbani is driven by a strong desire to help improve the lives of others, coupled with an interest in human psychology and behaviour. In her free time, she loves to travel and enjoys photography, baking and a good cup of coffee.
Charlie Irving
Senior Human Factors Consultant
Before joining Rebus in 2021, Charlie gained over 13 years’ experience medical device design, blending engineering problem solving with core usability principles. He has an MEng in mechanical engineering, chartered engineer status and an APM project management qualification. He is an experienced project leader, working across the full breadth of medical device human factors according to industry guidance and standards for medical device design. He also delivers human factors training to our clients. In his free time, he runs, cooks and coaches school football.
Ruth Greenaway
Senior Human Factors Consultant
Ruth joined Rebus in July 2023 and has nine years’ experience working in human factors for medical devices. Her work includes applying human factors methodology at each stage of product development and she has led summative/validation studies in the UK and US. She has completed the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation® (AAMI) human factors for medical devices training. She enjoys talking to patients, caregivers and HCPs and helping clients to develop the best possible products for them. In her free time, she enjoys travelling, reading and going to the theatre.
Lisa Forde
Human Factors Consultant
Lisa joined Rebus in 2021. She has worked in medical device manufacturing for seven years while completing a Masters in medical device design at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin. She also completed training from AAMI in HF for medical devices and is currently completing a project management qualification. She is a passionate reader and enjoys learning about female health and the challenges and advancements in this area.
Barbara Moles
Human Factors Consultant
Barbara joined Rebus in 2022 having previously worked as a design engineer in a medical device company. She has an MEng in medical engineering, which included a year in industry at an electrosurgical device company. She has a broad range of experience in the medical industry and working with users to improve products through research and development. Away from work, she enjoys playing hockey and visiting family in Northern Ireland.
Tina Krolo
Human Factors Engineer
Tina joined Rebus in 2022 and has experience in healthcare, SEN and education. She has worked with health service users ranging from those with mobility difficulties to those with severe learning disabilities, as well as caregivers and healthcare professionals. She recently graduated with a BSc with hons in psychology and completed training from AAMI in HF for medical devices and training from the BHBIA. She enjoys mountain biking and painting in her spare time.
Elsie Barker
Human Factors Engineer
Elsie joined Rebus in 2022 in her first full-time position following an internship for a global medical device consultancy in Cambridge. Prior to this, she studied industrial design and technology at Loughborough University and completed an internship with Emergo by UL, a medical human factors consultancy. During this time, she developed her skills in user testing, reporting and data analysis of medical devices and combination products. When not working, she enjoys wild swimming and competing in lifesaving.
Imogen Baggs
Human Factors Engineer
Imogen joined Rebus in September 2023 after a year’s internship with a global medical device consultancy. During her internship she developed her analytical and reporting skills while working on formative and summative studies. She takes pleasure in learning about different medical devices and procedures, with a view to improving the overall user experience and creating a positive impact on people’s lives. Outside of work, she enjoys photography, art and baking.
Julian Martin
Human Factors Engineer
Julian joined Rebus in September 2024 having previously worked as a clinical orthopaedic specialist within the medical device sector. Whilst completing his MSc in exercise biomechanics, Julian spent time working as a consultant within high-performance sports laboratories and has since undertaken a PhD in biomechanics which he is currently completing. He is motivated by patient-focused outcomes and enjoys running and hiking in his spare time.
Rachael Merrifield
Office Coordinator
Rachael joined Rebus in September 2024 and has a brilliant track record supporting teams and driving project success, having spent the past 15 years working in the film industry. Having worked across a number of TV and documentary productions, she is renowned for her impeccable organisation skills, particularly in managing travel and logistics. With a degree in graphic design, she enjoys interior design and jewellery making in her spare time and is currently renovating a 1980s narrowboat.
Beth Chadburn
Human Factors Engineer
Beth joined Rebus in October 2024 after earning her MSc in Ergonomics and Human Factors from Loughborough University. With a background in product design and research analysis, she brings strong analytical, creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Beth is passionate about improving the inclusivity of medical devices, focusing on patient and healthcare professional wellbeing with user-centered methods. She is committed to advancing healthcare through empathetic design. Away from work, she enjoys painting, roller skating and 3D printing.