A perfect fit for the role of OHMI Instrument Development Manager

Hazel Boyd

Introducing Hazel Boyd

With her mechanical engineering expertise and an in-depth understanding of design for disabled people, Hazel Boyd certainly has the skills to make a difference in her role as OHMI’s Instrument Development Manager.
 
The role of Instrument Development Manager at OHMI relies on a distinct set of talents, with an understanding of adapted musical instrument design, product development and process, and the ability to engage with instrument makers, musicians and teachers alike. Add to that the bespoking often needed for each musician’s needs and there exists a complex set of requirements.
 
They are challenges that OHMI’s newest staff member, Hazel Boyd, is fully equipped to address. With a background in mechanical engineering, a PhD in the measurement of functional wrist motion and a 16-year background in working in design for disability, Hazel is arguably the perfect fit for the role. As she describes: “In my previous role at a national charity, I spent 16 years working in design for disabled people and I’m very interested in how people use things. By engaging with people and finding out what they wanted, we were able to implement a very iterative design process where subtle improvements were made at every stage whilst making sure we didn’t remove features without finding out if they were important.”
 
Hazel’s experiences have also included 18 months of work in a music shop in Bristol to learn how to repair woodwind instruments. She first learned of OHMI’s work in 2024 when she was invited along to a NAMIR (the National Association of Musical Instrument Repairers) event where OHMI’s General Manager, Rachel Wolffsohn, was presenting on OHMI’s work.
 
At the highest level, Hazel’s new role as Instrument Development Manager involves creating a long-term strategy for sustainable musical instrument development and implementation. The collection of data is critical to this process and, whilst OHMI has always gathered data, a more uniform, design-led approach will be an important step forward for the charity. It means that each instrument or piece of enabling equipment will have a product plan where any proposed changes have been fully discussed with both musicians and makers. It also means that the charity will be able to track the needs of each pupil, even if they change teachers or schools.
 
At a more detailed level, the role involves connecting with makers on particular projects. This might include investigation into how to reduce manufacturing costs such as through 3D-printing of one-handed recorders. Similarly, how to improve a piece of enabling equipment to make it suitable for more instruments, such as adapting the bracket on a trumpet stand for use with the much smaller space-restricted pocket trumpet. There is regular engagement with musicians too, such as road-testing new products like the acoustic bagpipe chanter.
 
The role can be seen as bridging the gap between capturing the requirements of the musicians and feeding that back to the makers in a way that makes sense in their creators’ world. As Hazel explains: “I’m able to produce some of the designs myself through my sketches and communicating enough of what's needed using a language that makers understand.
 
“OHMI’s work is extraordinary. I love the variety and the opportunity to work with a small and very welcoming team. I am happy to be immersed in a world that genuinely makes things better by getting more instruments to more people.”
 
“OHMI’s work is extraordinary and I am happy to be immersed in a world that genuinely makes things better by getting more instruments to more people.” 
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