THE METHODS

USE SERVICE DESIGN AS SOCIAL GLUE

THE DESIGN PROCESS IS COMPLEX AND MESSY AND IS OFTEN TOO FOCUSED ON PRODUCTS OR SPACE, AND NOT ENOUGH ON THE EXPERIENCE. I often use service design thinking to get business leaders, designers and discipline experts to see the big picture, find common goals and talk the same language. This enables a more coordinated and connected design process and more elegant design solutions.

BE BETTER WITH GREAT COLLABORATORS

IT’S PRETTY HARD TO MAKE SENSE OF COMPLEXITY ALL BY YOUR SELF. I make sure to find the right collaborators to join projects so that we can get to smarter solutions faster.

USE VISUAL THINKING TO SURFACE CRITICAL ISSUES

PICTURES CARRY METAPHORS, SYMBOLS AND MEANING BEYOND THE WRITTEN WORD. Visually thinking is a great way to see issues and opportunities holistically, make sense of complexity, find patterns, make better decisions, and take action. I encourage people and teams to think visually as a way to capture and make ideas more tangible and help tell stories more effectively.

DON’T GUESS, TEST

TEST QUICKLY BEFORE INVESTING HEAVILY. Modeling spaces, prototype furniture solutions, and pilot projects help make solutions tangible with out much risk. New concepts can be tweaked and revised before time and money is spent on final execution.

TURN IDEAS INTO VISUAL STORIES

LET’S FACE IT. YOU CAN HAVE THE MOST AMAZING IDEA, BUT YOU’RE GOING TO GO NOWHERE FAST IF YOU CAN’T EXPLAIN IT EASILY TO OTHERS. Helping people make sense of their idea and turning it into a compelling story is one of the things I love to do most. As a designer with the ability to see the data and the metaphor, function and the beauty of an idea, I am an excellent at capturing the ‘big picture’ and turning it into a simple story that can help develop ‘buy-in’ and understanding.