What is design research anyway?

What is design research anyway?

Design research is a specialty for YAY, but I always feel a little wonky talking about. Sometimes I minimize it, “Oh, this is really just a fancy, industry term…” I need to stop doing that since it is distinct from other types of research, and I...
Connection in the Time of Corona

Connection in the Time of Corona

Along with the rest of the world, I am trying to navigate the volatile and murky waters of this pandemic. Just when I think I’ve found a groove, something else comes up that makes the situation heavier, more personal: a too close for comfort encounter with a...
Matters of Scope

Matters of Scope

 Even when people have agreed to a course of action, sometimes things still fall apart. There are all sorts of reasons, but one very common place things go awry is misunderstanding the current scope of a project or initiative. When I’m helping people navigate...
Feedback is a Gift

Feedback is a Gift

One of the easiest traps to fall into as a business person (and heck, as a human) is to assume you know what’s going on in someone’s mind. To invent a back story, fill in the blanks about their feelings and motivations, and then convince yourself it is the...
Equalizing Voices

Equalizing Voices

In an ideal world, everyone would feel valued and confident sharing their thoughts in a group setting. All kinds of dynamics can pose a challenge for openness and collaboration. Workplaces with a lot of hierarchy or with teams that work in silos may find it difficult...
How-To: Graffiti Wall Research Method

How-To: Graffiti Wall Research Method

As a self-proclaimed research nerd, I really love the empathize phase of design thinking. Learning about other people’s perspective using immersive and creative techniques = research heaven. Alas, one challenge is that many of the methods are time intensive. So...