a design intelligence service

We provide the brains behind the designs,
the insights behind the plans,
and the words behind the impact.

Select Clients

Project Leadership

From pre-concept ideation to post-launch media engagement and everything in between, deep background provides creative direction, cost estimation, vendor recruitment, project management, and integrated development for physical, digital, graphic, and program design.


Notable Project Leadership Experience

  • Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD) presents African/American

  • Major League Baseball HQ x ESI Design

  • Motown Museum presents The Four Of Us x ESI Design


Case Study

Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD) presents African/American ↗

Content Design

Sure, your design looks slick, your tech is cool, and everything is perfectly ergonomic, but what is your project ABOUT? deep background works with clients, curators, and brands to hone the perfect story. We do the research, we do the writing, and we make sure your story sings.


Notable Content Design Experience

  • The Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation at the American Museum of Natural History

  • Cleveland Museum of Natural History x Gallagher & Associates

  • Beyond Rubik’s Cube x Liberty Science Center

  • Metrolinx x Arup

  • The Tour At NBC Studios x ESI Design


Case Study 

The Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation at the American Museum of Natural History ↗

Strategy & Research

Scientific analysis meets journalistic investigation when deep background studies the best way forward for your project. Experimentation and prototyping, academic literature review, personal interviews, we leverage it all to give you a full spectrum understanding of what your project needs to succeed.


Notable Strategy & Research Experience

  • Shift, a Beacon Capital Partners Program x ESI Design

  • American Express x R/GA

  • Redbird Capital Partners x R/GA

  • YouTube x BUCK

  • Nokia Bell Labs x Liberty Science Center


Case Study

Shift, a Beacon Capital Partners Program x ESI Design ↗

Branding & Communication

Time to hone that idea, structure your approach, and nail the landing. By focusing on the ask, thinking like the audience, and unpacking your process, deep background can ensure a smooth ride whether you’re launching a new ad campaign or diving into thought leadership.


Notable Branding & Communication Experience

  • Wondery x Loyalkaspar

  • Samsung x R/GA

  • Richard Gilder Graduate School at the American Museum of Natural History

  • Sougwen Chung, TED Mumbai 2019 (presentation coaching)

  • Lauren Gibbons, IxDA Interaction ‘19 (presentation coaching)


Case Study 

Wondery x Loyalkaspar ↗

About The Principal

deep background is the studio practice of Stuart Higa Fox, designer, writer, researcher, and lifelong museum professional.

When architecture meets professional sports, when sociology meets real estate, when nuclear weapons policy meets ice cream (ask about that one), Stuart Higa Fox identifies the intersection.


As Stuart bounced from science to journalism to design, he spent a lot of time learning on the job. To adapt to so many unrelated fields, he looked past the subject at hand and to the universal ways people learn and communicate.


Today, through his practice at deep background, Stuart uses that perspective to connect people and ideas across every imaginable discipline.


deep background portfolio

deep background

a design intelligence service


stu@deepbackground.xyz

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