Strategic Design Thinking

Who can design? For too long, that question has highlighted the supposed division between right-brain dominant “creative types” and left-brain dominant “analytical types.” Such a division is not practical for preparing students to become innovative contributors to the complex world of design. Strategic Design Thinking guides readers to cultivate hybrid thinking, whether their background is design, finance, or any discipline in between.

This book is an introduction to an integrative approach using the lens of design thinking as a way to see the world. The focus is on process instead of solution, and on connecting disparate ideas instead of getting bogged down by silos of specialization. Through this book, students will be introduced to design management, strategic design, service design, and experience design.

I never considered myself a “writer”. I am a practitioner of design thinking and human centered business design; and through that work and my efforts to blog, I discovered I have an author’s voice. I love to take an idea from my experience or my mind and to articulate it so others can access it and leverage it. That is why I write–to share what I have learned and know with others to help them in their endeavors. I have found I love to write (and I don’t love to edit)!

I have been in the full time working world since 1988 and loved doing all kinds of interesting things from running a current billion dollar business to conceptualizing a new brand to launch. I have enjoyed reimagining corporate work processes to increase the likelihood of success, identified global best practices and coached them, led major innovation efforts and capability, negotiated multimillion dollar marketing deals, taught graduate college students and helped people chart career paths that give them joy. Now, with my first book contribution, I can add to the list that I write. I believe this will be the first of many written works and I hope you find it useful and inspiring to achieving what you are trying to do.

I write. I consult. I am a full time working mom/wife/daughter/sister. I count my blessings, and now one of them is the gift to express through writing.