Leah Williams - Pursuing Stimulation
Tell me about yourself, your name, where you grew up, what do you currently do?
My name is Leah Williams, I am from Upper Marlboro, Maryland. I recently graduated from Delaware State University and upon graduation was hired as a Product Specialist Intern for SAP, working on Project Propel. I am currently located at Delaware State University, the Center of Excellence, for the Project Propel Movement while also continuing my education toward my MBA at DSU in the fall.
What are your passions?
I love music. I play nine different instruments and am also an musical arranger for Delaware State University's band program and other additional ensembles. One of my arrangements is actually played at the beginning of each home football game. I also enjoy sports and love to play sports but especially basketball in my free time. I also enjoy relaxing, spending time with friends, and those who I love.
How do you think Design Thinking can help product and software design?
Design Thinking provides a new way of thinking that forces you out of your comfort zone. Design Thinking focuses on having empathy and would greatly cater to the users feelings and needs. Design Thinking can help product and software design because the product and software would be focused on the end users, rather than the designer's perspective, resulting in better consumer satisfaction.
Do you think that anyone can be a design thinker and why?
I definitely believe anyone can be a design thinker because as long as you have a mind, you think and design thinking is only expanding your natural ability. Everyone has potential to do anything they put their mind too. Design Thinking would take someone's thinking to a new perspective.
What do you have to say about the process of Design Thinking? Is it ridged? Is it malleable?
The process of Design Thinking is wonderful. I greatly enjoyed my experiences with Design Thinking at Stanford and at DSU. The process is malleable and I believe that as the world changes, the methodology of Design Thinking will continue to evolve with it.
Tell me about a time that design thinking worked for you and when it didn’t work for you and why?
Design Thinking worked for me in developing STOMPP because I was able to think from the student consumer perspective and what a student would want to receive from STOMPP. I was also able to think from the faculty perspective and what as faculty they would want from an organization that caters to the needs of students. Design Thinking has not failed me yet.
My name is Leah Williams, I am from Upper Marlboro, Maryland. I recently graduated from Delaware State University and upon graduation was hired as a Product Specialist Intern for SAP, working on Project Propel. I am currently located at Delaware State University, the Center of Excellence, for the Project Propel Movement while also continuing my education toward my MBA at DSU in the fall.
What are your passions?
I love music. I play nine different instruments and am also an musical arranger for Delaware State University's band program and other additional ensembles. One of my arrangements is actually played at the beginning of each home football game. I also enjoy sports and love to play sports but especially basketball in my free time. I also enjoy relaxing, spending time with friends, and those who I love.
How do you think Design Thinking can help product and software design?
Design Thinking provides a new way of thinking that forces you out of your comfort zone. Design Thinking focuses on having empathy and would greatly cater to the users feelings and needs. Design Thinking can help product and software design because the product and software would be focused on the end users, rather than the designer's perspective, resulting in better consumer satisfaction.
Do you think that anyone can be a design thinker and why?
I definitely believe anyone can be a design thinker because as long as you have a mind, you think and design thinking is only expanding your natural ability. Everyone has potential to do anything they put their mind too. Design Thinking would take someone's thinking to a new perspective.
What do you have to say about the process of Design Thinking? Is it ridged? Is it malleable?
The process of Design Thinking is wonderful. I greatly enjoyed my experiences with Design Thinking at Stanford and at DSU. The process is malleable and I believe that as the world changes, the methodology of Design Thinking will continue to evolve with it.
Tell me about a time that design thinking worked for you and when it didn’t work for you and why?
Design Thinking worked for me in developing STOMPP because I was able to think from the student consumer perspective and what a student would want to receive from STOMPP. I was also able to think from the faculty perspective and what as faculty they would want from an organization that caters to the needs of students. Design Thinking has not failed me yet.
Julian Vanderhost - Connecting the Dots
Tell me about yourself, your name, where you grew up, what do you currently do?
My name is Julian Vanderhost and I am from Wilmington, Delaware. I am currently a Product Specialist at SAP
What are your passions?
I have three main passions: Technology, People, and Sports!
1. I have been able to watch technology grow during this awesome digital era.
2. The Earth is humongous and there are billions of people. Why not connect with the people of the world? I love learning about different cultures and how people live their lives on the other side of the world.
3. I can watch or play any sport at any time of the day, simply because it relaxes my mind.
How do you think Design Thinking can help product and software design?
Design Thinking can help product and software design in ways that are unimaginable. The process finds the need of the user and cultivates great collaborative prototypes. Design Thinking is definitely a game changer.
Do you think that anyone can be a design thinker and why?
Yes I believe anyone can be a design thinker. It does not matter about age, gender, or ethnicity. It is about being open. Just imagine the amazing ideas a 3rd grader can think of using the design thinking methodology.
What do you have to say about the process of Design Thinking? Is it ridged? Is it malleable?
The process of Design Thinking is what you make of it. If you do not open up and trust the process then you will not receive great results. The process is somewhat ridged, but the prototypes create great satisfaction.
Tell me about a time that design thinking worked for you and when it didn’t work for you and why?
Out of the few times that I have used the design thinking process, it has worked! The first time, I was not a total believer in the process, but the results we came up with were phenomenal. Then, I did it a second time with Delaware State University faculty and I became a believer. We came up with ideas that were attainable and could possibly transform the university. Various companies have adopted the methodology to transform their company, so there is something great about Design Thinking. I have never seen the methodology not work yet!
My name is Julian Vanderhost and I am from Wilmington, Delaware. I am currently a Product Specialist at SAP
What are your passions?
I have three main passions: Technology, People, and Sports!
1. I have been able to watch technology grow during this awesome digital era.
2. The Earth is humongous and there are billions of people. Why not connect with the people of the world? I love learning about different cultures and how people live their lives on the other side of the world.
3. I can watch or play any sport at any time of the day, simply because it relaxes my mind.
How do you think Design Thinking can help product and software design?
Design Thinking can help product and software design in ways that are unimaginable. The process finds the need of the user and cultivates great collaborative prototypes. Design Thinking is definitely a game changer.
Do you think that anyone can be a design thinker and why?
Yes I believe anyone can be a design thinker. It does not matter about age, gender, or ethnicity. It is about being open. Just imagine the amazing ideas a 3rd grader can think of using the design thinking methodology.
What do you have to say about the process of Design Thinking? Is it ridged? Is it malleable?
The process of Design Thinking is what you make of it. If you do not open up and trust the process then you will not receive great results. The process is somewhat ridged, but the prototypes create great satisfaction.
Tell me about a time that design thinking worked for you and when it didn’t work for you and why?
Out of the few times that I have used the design thinking process, it has worked! The first time, I was not a total believer in the process, but the results we came up with were phenomenal. Then, I did it a second time with Delaware State University faculty and I became a believer. We came up with ideas that were attainable and could possibly transform the university. Various companies have adopted the methodology to transform their company, so there is something great about Design Thinking. I have never seen the methodology not work yet!
Vamsi Alluri - Building Bridges
Tell me about yourself, where you grew up, what do you currently do?
I grew up in Bangalore, India, moved to the SF Bay Area a year back and loving it here, and currently work as a developer at SAP.
What are your passions?
Information. I’m having fun right now reading various works that explore how we deal with information on both the human side as well as the side of the computers. I’m passionate about finding better ways to compose the best of both worlds seamlessly from what we already have.
How do you think Design Thinking can help product and software design?
Most of the time, when we design products or software, we do it for domains that we are not intimately familiar with. Design Thinking ultimately makes us understand the domain before forming opinions, rethink any assumptions we might have made subconsciously, and then do the work we are experts at, designing products.
Do you think that anyone can be a design thinker and why?
No, i think it takes a certain kind of individual who loves to go an extra mile for others.
What do you have to say about the process of Design Thinking? Is it ridged? Is it malleable?
From my perspective, when I’m working alone, I feel the end result of my work would be the same whether I went through the various steps in design thinking or not. It’s not a completely different methodology, but with more understanding of what each step accomplishes in design thinking we can also get the ability to apply more or less of each step for a given problem depending on the circumstances. So though it may seem rigid initially, once one internalizes it, it can definitely become malleable.
Tell me about a time that design thinking worked for you and when it didn’t work for you and why?
I don’t have enough experience using Design Thinking, the process, to be able to answer this question effectively!
I grew up in Bangalore, India, moved to the SF Bay Area a year back and loving it here, and currently work as a developer at SAP.
What are your passions?
Information. I’m having fun right now reading various works that explore how we deal with information on both the human side as well as the side of the computers. I’m passionate about finding better ways to compose the best of both worlds seamlessly from what we already have.
How do you think Design Thinking can help product and software design?
Most of the time, when we design products or software, we do it for domains that we are not intimately familiar with. Design Thinking ultimately makes us understand the domain before forming opinions, rethink any assumptions we might have made subconsciously, and then do the work we are experts at, designing products.
Do you think that anyone can be a design thinker and why?
No, i think it takes a certain kind of individual who loves to go an extra mile for others.
What do you have to say about the process of Design Thinking? Is it ridged? Is it malleable?
From my perspective, when I’m working alone, I feel the end result of my work would be the same whether I went through the various steps in design thinking or not. It’s not a completely different methodology, but with more understanding of what each step accomplishes in design thinking we can also get the ability to apply more or less of each step for a given problem depending on the circumstances. So though it may seem rigid initially, once one internalizes it, it can definitely become malleable.
Tell me about a time that design thinking worked for you and when it didn’t work for you and why?
I don’t have enough experience using Design Thinking, the process, to be able to answer this question effectively!
Lisa Herbert - Always Exploring
Tell me about yourself, where you grew up, what do you currently do?
I grew up in in a tiny village with 400 people in the south of Germany, Bavaria. Currently I have an internship at SAP - CI&SP (Customer Innovation & Strategic Projects) in Palo Alto, living in San Francisco.
What are your passions?
My passion is not just travelling the world but rather living all over the place. Before my internship here with SAP in Silicon Valley I was living one year in Brisbane, Australia and was also doing there an internship with SAP in a development team who was also applying Design Thinking methodologies.
How do you think Design Thinking can help product and software design?
I think applying Design Thinking methodologies are very effective if used in the right context. Used for instance as a kick-off of a customer project and as a first touch point. A Design thinking workshop helps here to first of all bring everyone on to the same page. This common understanding can then be used to gather needs and pain points directly from end users in the workshop.
Do you think that anyone can be a design thinker and why?
Yes, I do believe everyone can learn to be a design thinker with a bit of theoretical training but especially in being part of design thinking workshops to get the "real world experience". BUT: I often hear - also within SAP - doubts about the mythos of design thinking. Therefore I think the number 1 priority for anyone who wants to be a successful Design Thinker is to trust and believe in this methodology first of all!!
What do you have to say about the process of Design Thinking? Is it ridged? Is it malleable?
My opinion is that Design Thinking gives you a good wireframe and offers a wide range of tools and methods you can - but don't have to - use. Therefore I think the whole Design Thinking process is very flexible and can be adjusted for everyone's needs.
Tell me about a time that design thinking worked for you and when it didn’t work for you and why?
I was involved in a couple of Design Thinking co-innovation projects within my time here at SAP. In all of them I was amazed how easily customers engage with this process and how productive both sides - SAP & customers - working together. So far I do not have any experiences when Design Thinking has not worked.
I grew up in in a tiny village with 400 people in the south of Germany, Bavaria. Currently I have an internship at SAP - CI&SP (Customer Innovation & Strategic Projects) in Palo Alto, living in San Francisco.
What are your passions?
My passion is not just travelling the world but rather living all over the place. Before my internship here with SAP in Silicon Valley I was living one year in Brisbane, Australia and was also doing there an internship with SAP in a development team who was also applying Design Thinking methodologies.
How do you think Design Thinking can help product and software design?
I think applying Design Thinking methodologies are very effective if used in the right context. Used for instance as a kick-off of a customer project and as a first touch point. A Design thinking workshop helps here to first of all bring everyone on to the same page. This common understanding can then be used to gather needs and pain points directly from end users in the workshop.
Do you think that anyone can be a design thinker and why?
Yes, I do believe everyone can learn to be a design thinker with a bit of theoretical training but especially in being part of design thinking workshops to get the "real world experience". BUT: I often hear - also within SAP - doubts about the mythos of design thinking. Therefore I think the number 1 priority for anyone who wants to be a successful Design Thinker is to trust and believe in this methodology first of all!!
What do you have to say about the process of Design Thinking? Is it ridged? Is it malleable?
My opinion is that Design Thinking gives you a good wireframe and offers a wide range of tools and methods you can - but don't have to - use. Therefore I think the whole Design Thinking process is very flexible and can be adjusted for everyone's needs.
Tell me about a time that design thinking worked for you and when it didn’t work for you and why?
I was involved in a couple of Design Thinking co-innovation projects within my time here at SAP. In all of them I was amazed how easily customers engage with this process and how productive both sides - SAP & customers - working together. So far I do not have any experiences when Design Thinking has not worked.
Gabriela Trujillo - Looking for Challenges
Tell me about yourself, where you grew up, what do you currently do?
I grew up in East Menlo Park and am currently studying Economics as an undergrad and working as an intern at SAP
What are your passions?
My passions include child education (tutoring and mentoring) and anything with letters (typography, calligraphy, hand lettering, writing and reading)
How do you think Design Thinking can help product and software design?
I think design thinking can provide a different lens through which to approach a problem that a team may have when working on a product/software. It can provide new tools for gaining insight to markets, consumers, or the team itself. I think design thinking promotes more brainstorming and discussion than might happen otherwise. To me, it seems like a true process, something that requires time and patience.
Do you think that anyone can be a design thinker and why?
Yes. I think this because thinking is not naturally something that has barriers. Yes, social constructs and man-decided constraints may be placed or applied to our thought process but, usually, thought can encompass anything and everything. As for the design part, it depends how design is defined. I think of design as visual or structural but, it can also apply to a methodology or process map configuration/organization.
What do you have to say about the process of Design Thinking? Is it ridged? Is it malleable?
Malleable, definitely. I think that it allows for adjustments in attitudes given adjustments we might observe.
Tell me about a time that design thinking worked for you and when it didn’t work for you and why?
I am not sure but maybe when I study. I have to learn, based off of what class I am studying, how best to work. Sometimes my work requires others’ input and sometimes it requires me to be alone. I think about my decisions to set up a work space as a part of design thinking.
I grew up in East Menlo Park and am currently studying Economics as an undergrad and working as an intern at SAP
What are your passions?
My passions include child education (tutoring and mentoring) and anything with letters (typography, calligraphy, hand lettering, writing and reading)
How do you think Design Thinking can help product and software design?
I think design thinking can provide a different lens through which to approach a problem that a team may have when working on a product/software. It can provide new tools for gaining insight to markets, consumers, or the team itself. I think design thinking promotes more brainstorming and discussion than might happen otherwise. To me, it seems like a true process, something that requires time and patience.
Do you think that anyone can be a design thinker and why?
Yes. I think this because thinking is not naturally something that has barriers. Yes, social constructs and man-decided constraints may be placed or applied to our thought process but, usually, thought can encompass anything and everything. As for the design part, it depends how design is defined. I think of design as visual or structural but, it can also apply to a methodology or process map configuration/organization.
What do you have to say about the process of Design Thinking? Is it ridged? Is it malleable?
Malleable, definitely. I think that it allows for adjustments in attitudes given adjustments we might observe.
Tell me about a time that design thinking worked for you and when it didn’t work for you and why?
I am not sure but maybe when I study. I have to learn, based off of what class I am studying, how best to work. Sometimes my work requires others’ input and sometimes it requires me to be alone. I think about my decisions to set up a work space as a part of design thinking.
Kenneth Sugiyama - Multidimensional
Tell me about yourself, where you grew up, what do you currently do?
Kenneth Sugiyama. I was born in Cincinnati, OH. Grew up in Japan between 4 - 15. Finished High School in San Diego. College in DC. Moved to San Francisco in 2001.
Currently I am wrapping up an MBA program at SFSU and interning at SAP with University Alliances.
What are your passions?
My passions include photography, traveling, cycling, and back-country camping. I am also passionate about science (psychology, physics, biology, astronomy) as well as Buddhism.
How do you think Design Thinking can help product and software design?
By creating a common ground, language, and rules for people of different backgrounds, interests, and expertise to work together to improve and/or create a new product/software. The process also enables the d-thinking participants to remain focused on the end-users' needs.
Do you think that anyone can be a design thinker and why?
Yes- but it takes confidence, faith, and letting go of one's ego. Modern society categorizes individuals into being either creative or not creative, or have a sense of design or not. Once one learns and (is convinced) that s/he was creative as a child and is still creative as an adult, s/he needs to have faith/confidence that they are actually creative and then let go of their ego to demonstrate their creative/design thinking. I think this step can be a very difficult barrier for some people- especially those in "non-creative / non-design" careers.
What do you have to say about the process of Design Thinking? Is it ridged? Is it malleable?
I was only introduced to The Design Thinking Process in January. It has really change the way I view problems and challenges. The more I learn about the process, the more I feel empowered to tackle challenges, and to even have fun while dreaming about solutions. I think the process is both rigid and malleable. Essentially, the process creates a structure to the chaotic and messy creative process so that people of different backgrounds can work together. During such exploratory processes, like brainstorming and ideating, the processes is very malleable. Then, when it's important to focus, such as when you are defining challenges / problems or creating a personal, the process becomes very rigid. I find the focusing part very difficult because I feel like I might be missing something. I also like how the process is biased towards moving the design process forward. I enjoy the constant movement.
Tell me about a time that design thinking worked for you and when it didn’t work for you and why?
I implemented the design process with my group at a Startup weekend on an app idea that I had been working on personally. the outcome was different than what I had personally be working on and in many ways better.
I had also submitted my app-idea for a semester-long project. The process was derailed many times by one individual who refused to listen to others and was very stubborn about forcing his solution to the problem. I've come to realize that participants really need to engage in active listening, which I am surprised is not covered when talking about the process.
Kenneth Sugiyama. I was born in Cincinnati, OH. Grew up in Japan between 4 - 15. Finished High School in San Diego. College in DC. Moved to San Francisco in 2001.
Currently I am wrapping up an MBA program at SFSU and interning at SAP with University Alliances.
What are your passions?
My passions include photography, traveling, cycling, and back-country camping. I am also passionate about science (psychology, physics, biology, astronomy) as well as Buddhism.
How do you think Design Thinking can help product and software design?
By creating a common ground, language, and rules for people of different backgrounds, interests, and expertise to work together to improve and/or create a new product/software. The process also enables the d-thinking participants to remain focused on the end-users' needs.
Do you think that anyone can be a design thinker and why?
Yes- but it takes confidence, faith, and letting go of one's ego. Modern society categorizes individuals into being either creative or not creative, or have a sense of design or not. Once one learns and (is convinced) that s/he was creative as a child and is still creative as an adult, s/he needs to have faith/confidence that they are actually creative and then let go of their ego to demonstrate their creative/design thinking. I think this step can be a very difficult barrier for some people- especially those in "non-creative / non-design" careers.
What do you have to say about the process of Design Thinking? Is it ridged? Is it malleable?
I was only introduced to The Design Thinking Process in January. It has really change the way I view problems and challenges. The more I learn about the process, the more I feel empowered to tackle challenges, and to even have fun while dreaming about solutions. I think the process is both rigid and malleable. Essentially, the process creates a structure to the chaotic and messy creative process so that people of different backgrounds can work together. During such exploratory processes, like brainstorming and ideating, the processes is very malleable. Then, when it's important to focus, such as when you are defining challenges / problems or creating a personal, the process becomes very rigid. I find the focusing part very difficult because I feel like I might be missing something. I also like how the process is biased towards moving the design process forward. I enjoy the constant movement.
Tell me about a time that design thinking worked for you and when it didn’t work for you and why?
I implemented the design process with my group at a Startup weekend on an app idea that I had been working on personally. the outcome was different than what I had personally be working on and in many ways better.
I had also submitted my app-idea for a semester-long project. The process was derailed many times by one individual who refused to listen to others and was very stubborn about forcing his solution to the problem. I've come to realize that participants really need to engage in active listening, which I am surprised is not covered when talking about the process.