WHAT IS DESIGN THINKING?

Design thinking is a non-linear, iterative process that teams use to understand users, challenge assumptions, redefine problems & create innovative solutions to prototype and test. It is most useful to tackle ill-defined or unknown problems and involves five phases:

Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test.

-INTERACTIVE DESIGN FOUNDATION

bio

Imogen Speer has been in the Design sector for over 20 years, primarily working out of New York City, San Francisco, and Silicon Valley.

In NYC she spent almost a decade focused on advertising, branding, and pre-visualization concept design. Later she would move to San Francisco to help regional government agencies with identity and branding.

The innovation hub of the Bay Area introduced her to her next career as an Innovation Lab Design Lead for Ray Kurzweil and Peter Diamandis', Singularity University. In Silicon Valley, Imogen facilitated Ideation Workshops for Fortune 500 and 1000 companies, mentored young entrepreneurs during Singularity's yearly Start-Up Incubators, produced several graphic novels as innovation concept artifacts, and helped prototype new products in the lab.

Her background in futurism has led her to believe strongly in embracing and harnessing the potential of industry disruption and current technologies with exponential promise.

Imogen appreciates the power of a good story, has had her artwork in the Smithsonian Museum (Renwick, of DC), and is delighted to have had a delivery drone named after her.

Where Does Innovation Come From?

Innovation is at its core a way of thinking. I will share strategies that will allow you to train yourself to recognize and act on opportunity, and to stay agile and relevant in an increasingly complex and volatile market.

To paraphrase IDEO, I’ll help you find that sweet spot between what’s Desirable (the human need), what’s Viable (the business opportunity), and what’s Feasible (technologically achievable), as well as look ahead to what might be possible!

I offer lectures on ‘The Innovation Mindset and Design Thinking’ as well as divergent thinking exercises and practices to help you make those abstract leaps to exciting new ideas.

Additionally, I consult on communications strategy through a design lens, and can help you create artifacts, such as decks, digital concept artwork, storyboards, and even graphic novels to translate your product or message to the public and private sectors.

Good design isn’t just “making it pretty,” good design is what makes it work.

Design strategy can help you and your team break through creative blocks and approach innovation from conception to implementation.

I lead with curiosity, focus on use, identity, narrative, and form, uplifting brand and product innovation through a lens of human-centered and visual design, as well as promoting divergent thinking and targeted messaging, primarily in workshops, and one-on-one mentoring.

It’s Puzzle-solving & Path-making

By guiding targeted investigation I can help you and your team identify and synthesize the potential of your ideas, and form a strategy for their clearest communication.