What I Do
I work with people and organizations who are facing tough problems in complicated systems. Here are a few of the ways that I do it.
Research
I use a combination of primary and secondary research to build a holistic understanding of people and their contexts. My methods borrow from many fields, but a few things are always front and center: I honor the lived and learned experience of research participants, I believe in looking for assets as well as needs, and I look to understand the bigger system.
Participatory Design
I bring the people who are best equipped to work on a design challenge into the room. Through one-on-one activities, focus groups, and large group working sessions, and ongoing community engagements, I build communities around projects that inform their development and ensure their success.
Strategy and Design
I build from research insights to actionable strategies and designs. This approach leads to focused, integrated ways of working that are grounded in the experience of the user and the real context that you are working in.
Workshops
I partner with professionals who are looking to improve their practices or learn new skills. Past workshops have included user research methods, futures literacy, storytelling for designers, and the design thinking process.
“I feel like I'm beginning to breathe after years of cyncism. I have more of a sense of grounded optimism—not drunk on possibilities, but aware.”
Workshop participant