Mar 21, 2020Consumed by CoronaWhat do millions of us think about buying when we don’t know what’s next? A glimpse of our collective consumption psyche, compliments of Amazon autosearch. March 20, 2020.Covid 191 min read
Jun 22, 2019Changing the culture of healing: looking into the past + future with P.ink and FCancerI have an update, a look back and some excitement for the future. First, great news: P.ink is now officially part of the FCancer organization, and our own Karen Richards is leading our evolution. What this means: P.ink has more of the right resources to advocate for more survivors, collaborate…Tattoo3 min read
Apr 10, 2017Review time? Discover what you want and learn how to ask for it.So it’s time for your performance review. You’re likely thinking about one thing: money. Your manager is considering how can I help this person grow? Carrot meet stick, right? Not always…Management2 min read
Published in Prototypr·Mar 30, 2017Design thinkers: here’s what you need to master as you grow.I recently asked 20 friends who lead teams in product design, experience design, UX and service design a question: What’s the single most important skill that your mid-level and senior-level experience designers need to master? These friends lead well-regarded agencies, productive design departments and in some cases entire companies. All…UX4 min read
Mar 23, 2017Good. But not great.Chances are you have someone on your team who’s good. But not great. They’re not far off, but their genius isn’t consistently applied. Or maybe they struggle to galvanize teams or clients around a possibility, an idea or a plan. If they’re not having the impact you need them to…Design Thinking2 min read
Mar 21, 2017“Design thinking” may be stunting your career. Here’s what I’m doing about it.For years I’ve avoided the term “design thinking” in describing my work. Like “innovation,” the phrase is loaded with false assumptions. Although I’ve been practicing design and design thinking for decades, the way it’s often perceived feels inauthentic to what I do. I solve business problems. Often at scale. …Design Thinking3 min read
Mar 17, 2017How Mick Jagger and the mountains inspired my next chapter.The gig: helping design thinkers become leaders with an unforgettable experience. — I recently came across a clever nugget on performance. Rock writer Rich Cohen had just finished a book after covering the Rolling Stones for decades, and in the Travels in Music podcast he mused about the foundation for the Stones’ legacy of unforgettable gigs. His theory: three elements make for…UX3 min read
Mar 9, 2017Memory is a bug man and a fake moustacheTake your very first house. Fill it with newborns, raise them, celebrate and suffer through large and small with neighbors and friends. One day you move away, and over time that house, those rooms and those moments super-glue themselves onto your heart’s walls, your memory, your identity. It is nice…Home1 min read
Feb 6, 2017Cheat sheet: map your team’s skills to scale growth and clarify your cultureThis is a repost of something I created in a prior role. It’s gained traction. So I’m sharing it with you. It’s not uncommon for leaders in quickly growing agencies and departments to rely on certain people for certain things — Joe’s a specialist in X and Y. Sara’s a…Design3 min read
Mar 21, 2016We’re selling ourselves short when we equate civic innovation with data and tech.Civic innovation isn’t just for technologists. Let’s rethink the brief, inject design thinking into civic life, and hire creative directors to help lead our cities. “The reason I’m here is to recruit all of you,” President Obama said recently at SXSW. “We can start coming up with new platforms, new…Cities5 min read