Project Overview
In 2013 IBM started an initiative to change their company through design. They hired designers in large numbers and created design studios around the world. Changing a 100 year old company requires more than just headcount, so IBM created an internal design education program to train all employees on user-centered design thinking. Within the past few years IBM refined their internal education program to include a mentorship and training program where any employee can find a mentor, and through incorporating design thinking into their workflow can work their way through levels of training: a practitioner (beginner), co-creator (working with a mentor), coach (mentoring others), and leader (mentoring an organization). As the Watson organization design leader I have brought design thinking into large teams in the Watson organization, affected positive change through design at an organizational level, and field all requests for training within the Watson organization.
IBM Watson
Role
Internal Watson Design University Lead
Date
January 2017 - Present
Client
Internal IBM Watson
Delivered
Internal Design Education
Description
I’ve been a Design University Leader for several years now and have been involved in several leadership summits, workshops and activities. In 2016 I worked with a team of leaders at a summit in Atlanta to iterate and scope out the Design University strategy and goals for the following year. We focused on how we can help mentor anyone interested in design on a path to design proficiency. One idea we had for the design university was a design leadership training. I led one of the design leadership training sessions in Costa Rica, working with an incredible group of project managers and engineers. We spent four days with the group, working with them on understanding the importance of empathy, user research, and user centered design and how to empower their larger team to think like designers.