OVERLAP07
- About
- Participants
- Videos
in business and innovation.
June 15-17 2007, Geneva Park, Toronto, Canada
Overlap aims for an experience that is multidisciplinary, collaborative, pragmatic and ultimately human.
Overlap brings people from fields as diverse as finance, product design, business strategy, customer research, innovation, general management and marketing who:
- use design to accelerate business processes
- help businesses think more creatively and become more innovative
- manage businesses and increasing turn toward methodology and away from pure instinct
- help businesses strategize and manage innovation and new product development processes
- help organizations connect with customers to stimulate innovation
- help organizations generate specific breakthrough ideas
- provide great commercial design that solves business problems, the best of designers, trusted and empowered by the best of managers
Michael Dila (Torch Partnership) poses four questions about the “overlap” of business and design to Roger Martin, Dean of Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.
HILDY ABRAMS
Hildy is the president of Gourmet Settings, makers of quality flatware. Since 1994 Gourmet Settings has been winning accolades for their artistic and distinctive flatware. The design process for creating their products involves listening to the needs of users and considering how a product will fit into an environment, a process or someone’s life.
Their products have garnered the attention and approval of dozens of publications like The New York Times and O, The Oprah Magazine, and various lifestyle television programs, and have been presented prizes by Red Dot, Design Plus and American Culinary awards.
Hildy has two fabulous kids, Sarah 21, and Michael 18, and she used to have a dog.
Hildy is the president of Gourmet Settings, makers of quality flatware. Since 1994 Gourmet Settings has been winning accolades for their artistic and distinctive flatware. The design process for creating their products involves listening to the needs of users and considering how a product will fit into an environment, a process or someone’s life.
Their products have garnered the attention and approval of dozens of publications like The New York Times and O, The Oprah Magazine, and various lifestyle television programs, and have been presented prizes by Red Dot, Design Plus and American Culinary awards.
Hildy has two fabulous kids, Sarah 21, and Michael 18, and she used to have a dog.
KERRY BODINE
Kerry is a principal analyst whose research coverage includes usability and design best practices for the web and self-service kiosks, user-centred design processes, corporate cultures that support design thinking, and design strategy.
During her time with Forrester, Kerry has helped organizations in the telecommunications, financial services, and non-profit sectors transform their web sites by creating a future vision for their online presence and providing cross-industry views of online best practices.
Prior to joining Forrester, Kerry was an interaction designer at BodyMedia, a developer of wearable body monitoring technology. In this role, she conducted observational research to understand the need for a new medical device and designed supporting software applications for the web and mobile devices. During the dot-com boom, Kerry managed the web design and development team at Intraware, a provider of electronic software delivery services. Her web development experience dates back nearly 10 years, when she worked for AT&T Bell Laboratories. She has also worked as a management consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Kerry has design and usability experience in the areas of wearable and mobile technology, electronic technical manuals, speech and multimodal interaction, robotic devices, and kinetic typography. She has published research at the ACM conference on human-computer interaction and the IEEE conference on wearable computing.
Kerry holds a Master’s degree in human-computer interaction from Carnegie Mellon University. She also holds an undergraduate degree in cognitive science and psychology from Indiana University.
Kerry is a principal analyst whose research coverage includes usability and design best practices for the web and self-service kiosks, user-centred design processes, corporate cultures that support design thinking, and design strategy.
During her time with Forrester, Kerry has helped organizations in the telecommunications, financial services, and non-profit sectors transform their web sites by creating a future vision for their online presence and providing cross-industry views of online best practices.
Prior to joining Forrester, Kerry was an interaction designer at BodyMedia, a developer of wearable body monitoring technology. In this role, she conducted observational research to understand the need for a new medical device and designed supporting software applications for the web and mobile devices. During the dot-com boom, Kerry managed the web design and development team at Intraware, a provider of electronic software delivery services. Her web development experience dates back nearly 10 years, when she worked for AT&T Bell Laboratories. She has also worked as a management consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Kerry has design and usability experience in the areas of wearable and mobile technology, electronic technical manuals, speech and multimodal interaction, robotic devices, and kinetic typography. She has published research at the ACM conference on human-computer interaction and the IEEE conference on wearable computing.
Kerry holds a Master’s degree in human-computer interaction from Carnegie Mellon University. She also holds an undergraduate degree in cognitive science and psychology from Indiana University.
MARY JANE BRAIDE
Mary Jane lives and works in Toronto and has a consulting practice in corporate brand strategy and organizational alignment. Her clients span financial and professional services, education, health care, consumer goods, utilities and culture and entertainment. Her special focus in the branding process is on the discovery of the core positioning opportunity and the link to the real work of the organization. So, while a common outcome of a branding effort is a creative brief, her work results in an organizational brief and an experience brief: ideas that the whole organization can work with, not just marketing.
Prior to starting her company 11 years ago, Mary Jane spent a decade as a management consultant with The Boston Consulting Group and its predecessors in Canada, The Canada Consulting Group and Peter Barnard Associates. During this time she worked in organizational development and change management as well as economic development, corporate and channel strategy.
Both her graduate and undergraduate degrees are in economic geography (University of Toronto and Queen’s University, respectively) and if anyone wants to talk about industrial and commercial location theory (the best place to put a gas station or a cement plant), it’s still one of her favourite subjects and has found its way into her work these days through the new field of placebranding.
Mary Jane is very involved in the adult literacy community in Toronto, as a tutor and as a board member of Parkdale Project Read, one of Canada’s largest and most active community literacy organizations.
MJ Braide Corporate Development
Mary Jane lives and works in Toronto and has a consulting practice in corporate brand strategy and organizational alignment. Her clients span financial and professional services, education, health care, consumer goods, utilities and culture and entertainment. Her special focus in the branding process is on the discovery of the core positioning opportunity and the link to the real work of the organization. So, while a common outcome of a branding effort is a creative brief, her work results in an organizational brief and an experience brief: ideas that the whole organization can work with, not just marketing.
Prior to starting her company 11 years ago, Mary Jane spent a decade as a management consultant with The Boston Consulting Group and its predecessors in Canada, The Canada Consulting Group and Peter Barnard Associates. During this time she worked in organizational development and change management as well as economic development, corporate and channel strategy.
Both her graduate and undergraduate degrees are in economic geography (University of Toronto and Queen’s University, respectively) and if anyone wants to talk about industrial and commercial location theory (the best place to put a gas station or a cement plant), it’s still one of her favourite subjects and has found its way into her work these days through the new field of placebranding.
Mary Jane is very involved in the adult literacy community in Toronto, as a tutor and as a board member of Parkdale Project Read, one of Canada’s largest and most active community literacy organizations.
MJ Braide Corporate Development
AUDREY CARR
Audrey Carr is a senior information architect at Organic Inc., a leading digital marketing agency with clients including DaimlerChrysler, Sprint, and Bank of America. In this role, she leads Organic’s interaction design practice by identifying strategic tactics and consumer insights to create exceptional interactive customer experiences. She is also a key contributor in the development of Organic’s future insights practice.
Prior to joining Organic, Audrey held information architecture positions at Critical Mass and Delvinia Interactive, working with clients including Citibank, Royal Bank of Canada, Manulife Financial, and Random House of Canada.
Audrey is also an active member and contributor within Toronto’s user experience design community, where she co-organized an InteractionCamp “unconference” this past June. She writes regularly about business and design, innovation, and online customer experiences at both Organic’s ThreeMinds blog and her personal site, www.audreycarr.ca.
Audrey holds an honours BA in psychology and multimedia from McMaster University, where she led the online experience design of two nationally funded research initiatives: TAPoR, a text analysis portal for humanities scholars, and an innovative online publication about globalization and autonomy, the Globalization & Autonomy Online Compendium. She will complete her Master’s degree in information studies from the University of Toronto in December 2007.
Audrey Carr is a senior information architect at Organic Inc., a leading digital marketing agency with clients including DaimlerChrysler, Sprint, and Bank of America. In this role, she leads Organic’s interaction design practice by identifying strategic tactics and consumer insights to create exceptional interactive customer experiences. She is also a key contributor in the development of Organic’s future insights practice.
Prior to joining Organic, Audrey held information architecture positions at Critical Mass and Delvinia Interactive, working with clients including Citibank, Royal Bank of Canada, Manulife Financial, and Random House of Canada.
Audrey is also an active member and contributor within Toronto’s user experience design community, where she co-organized an InteractionCamp “unconference” this past June. She writes regularly about business and design, innovation, and online customer experiences at both Organic’s ThreeMinds blog and her personal site, www.audreycarr.ca.
Audrey holds an honours BA in psychology and multimedia from McMaster University, where she led the online experience design of two nationally funded research initiatives: TAPoR, a text analysis portal for humanities scholars, and an innovative online publication about globalization and autonomy, the Globalization & Autonomy Online Compendium. She will complete her Master’s degree in information studies from the University of Toronto in December 2007.
CHRIS CONLEY
Chris Conley is co-founder and director of Gravity Tank and is associate professor track lead of Product Design at the Institute of Design in Chicago. In the early 90s he pioneered the application of user research to inspire design and management teams. At Gravity Tank he leads the development of Integrated DefinitionTM, a way of working that leverages the core competencies of design to enable cross-functional client teams to define new product and service innovations. At the Institute of Design, he has further developed the graduate product design program to prepare professionals to use design in the front-end planning stages of new product and service development.
Chris writes, speaks and conducts workshops on the core competencies of design and their value to the practice of innovation. He has received design awards from Sony, GE, Black & Decker, and Nesté of Finland. Gravity Tank clients include numerous Fortune 500 companies in consumer, commercial, industrial, and retail markets.
Chris Conley is co-founder and director of Gravity Tank and is associate professor track lead of Product Design at the Institute of Design in Chicago. In the early 90s he pioneered the application of user research to inspire design and management teams. At Gravity Tank he leads the development of Integrated DefinitionTM, a way of working that leverages the core competencies of design to enable cross-functional client teams to define new product and service innovations. At the Institute of Design, he has further developed the graduate product design program to prepare professionals to use design in the front-end planning stages of new product and service development.
Chris writes, speaks and conducts workshops on the core competencies of design and their value to the practice of innovation. He has received design awards from Sony, GE, Black & Decker, and Nesté of Finland. Gravity Tank clients include numerous Fortune 500 companies in consumer, commercial, industrial, and retail markets.
BEN DEMPSTER
Ben is the senior design strategist at frog design, responsible for helping frog design clients identify market opportunities, develop viable product strategies, and envision compelling new offerings. Ben has led strategy programs for a range of Fortune 500 clients including Yahoo, HP, Snapfish, Seagate, Logitech, LG, DirecTV, Altria Group, Liberty Media, and CTB/McGraw Hill. He regularly facilitates one-and-two day research immersion, strategy development, and creative ideation workshops with diverse client groups. Ben’s passion is helping clients and designers understand the contexts and experiences of their users, and translating those insights into inspiring product strategies and marketing communications. Ben has taken a leading role at frog design in developing proprietary innovation tools and processes.
Ben’s professional experience is a mixture of design management and new product strategy. After receiving a degree in architecture in 1990, Ben worked in architecture and retail design for six years, helping major property developers including Boston Properties and Forest City Enterprises to develop projects in the US and abroad. He then became a design director at Selbert Perkins Design, where he managed a variety of identity-driven graphic, packaging, wayfinding, and retail design programs. After earning an MBA, he worked as a design strategist at Design Continuum, where he worked with interdisciplinary project teams to plan research programs and develop product strategies for clients including World Kitchen, Esselte, Crown, Staples, and Pfizer.
Although most of his professional life has been spent in the US, Ben has lived and worked in Italy, Japan, and Hong Kong. Ben earned a five-year Bachelor of Architecture degree from Syracuse University in 1990. In 2003, Ben earned an MBA, with honours, from Boston University’s Graduate School of Management. At Boston University, Ben focused on new product strategy and marketing and conducted research for AC Nielsen and IBM at the Institute for Leading in a Dynamic Economy.
Ben is the senior design strategist at frog design, responsible for helping frog design clients identify market opportunities, develop viable product strategies, and envision compelling new offerings. Ben has led strategy programs for a range of Fortune 500 clients including Yahoo, HP, Snapfish, Seagate, Logitech, LG, DirecTV, Altria Group, Liberty Media, and CTB/McGraw Hill. He regularly facilitates one-and-two day research immersion, strategy development, and creative ideation workshops with diverse client groups. Ben’s passion is helping clients and designers understand the contexts and experiences of their users, and translating those insights into inspiring product strategies and marketing communications. Ben has taken a leading role at frog design in developing proprietary innovation tools and processes.
Ben’s professional experience is a mixture of design management and new product strategy. After receiving a degree in architecture in 1990, Ben worked in architecture and retail design for six years, helping major property developers including Boston Properties and Forest City Enterprises to develop projects in the US and abroad. He then became a design director at Selbert Perkins Design, where he managed a variety of identity-driven graphic, packaging, wayfinding, and retail design programs. After earning an MBA, he worked as a design strategist at Design Continuum, where he worked with interdisciplinary project teams to plan research programs and develop product strategies for clients including World Kitchen, Esselte, Crown, Staples, and Pfizer.
Although most of his professional life has been spent in the US, Ben has lived and worked in Italy, Japan, and Hong Kong. Ben earned a five-year Bachelor of Architecture degree from Syracuse University in 1990. In 2003, Ben earned an MBA, with honours, from Boston University’s Graduate School of Management. At Boston University, Ben focused on new product strategy and marketing and conducted research for AC Nielsen and IBM at the Institute for Leading in a Dynamic Economy.
MICHAEL DILA
Michael co-founded Torch Partnership in 2006 with Robin Uchida. Together, they shape strategic conversations and help their clients create organizational confidence so that they can confront their “wicked problems”.
A philosopher by training, Michael’s academic research concerned ideas and norms of objectivity, and he has written and lectured on topics in the history and philosophy of science, legal and political theory, psychology and criminal law. For the last decade, he has brought intellectual rigor to the discipline of design thinking while working with creative teams to deliver effective designs that are clear, simple, and which honor the fundamental importance of ideas.
Over the last 10 years, Michael has consulted to senior management at TD Bank Financial Group, Fidelity Investments, QuebecorWorld, Wood’s Hole Oceanographic Institute, The Thomson Corporation and The Woodbridge Company.
Michael co-founded Torch Partnership in 2006 with Robin Uchida. Together, they shape strategic conversations and help their clients create organizational confidence so that they can confront their “wicked problems”.
A philosopher by training, Michael’s academic research concerned ideas and norms of objectivity, and he has written and lectured on topics in the history and philosophy of science, legal and political theory, psychology and criminal law. For the last decade, he has brought intellectual rigor to the discipline of design thinking while working with creative teams to deliver effective designs that are clear, simple, and which honor the fundamental importance of ideas.
Over the last 10 years, Michael has consulted to senior management at TD Bank Financial Group, Fidelity Investments, QuebecorWorld, Wood’s Hole Oceanographic Institute, The Thomson Corporation and The Woodbridge Company.
PETER EVANS
Advisor, MaRS Venture Group and founder, Riverdale Partners
At the core Peter is a marketing guy with a lateral approach to getting stuff done. His thinking has been shaped by a convergent background in industries such as telecom, media and software. Peter’s work in large corporate and startup environments has helped him learn to appreciate the importance of pragmatic corporate strategy, customer value design and brand management.
Current interests focus around identifying how early-stage startups with disruptive technologies can be successful in selling in B2B and consumer markets. A major part of Peter’s current focus working with the MaRS Venture Group is about helping entrepreneurs adopt a more agile and creative approach to market assessment, strategic planning and product launch ’Äì an approach that gets them focused not just on product differentiation, but on market relevance.
Peter’s passions are very much centred on helping people here in Toronto and his extended community of friends around the globe to be successful in developing new solutions to old problems that improve our collective quality of life.
Advisor, MaRS Venture Group and founder, Riverdale Partners
At the core Peter is a marketing guy with a lateral approach to getting stuff done. His thinking has been shaped by a convergent background in industries such as telecom, media and software. Peter’s work in large corporate and startup environments has helped him learn to appreciate the importance of pragmatic corporate strategy, customer value design and brand management.
Current interests focus around identifying how early-stage startups with disruptive technologies can be successful in selling in B2B and consumer markets. A major part of Peter’s current focus working with the MaRS Venture Group is about helping entrepreneurs adopt a more agile and creative approach to market assessment, strategic planning and product launch ’Äì an approach that gets them focused not just on product differentiation, but on market relevance.
Peter’s passions are very much centred on helping people here in Toronto and his extended community of friends around the globe to be successful in developing new solutions to old problems that improve our collective quality of life.
LUIGI FERRARA
Luigi Ferrara is a registered architect with seal, a member of the Ontario Association of Architects and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. In 1995, Luigi Ferrara founded the Architectural Literacy Forum (ALF), a non-profit organization composed of volunteer architects committed to promoting the public appreciation of the built environment. He has been made an honorary member of the Association of Chartered Industrial Designers and was also elected to the executive board of the International Council of the Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID) where he served as president in 2003-05, after which he assumed the role of an ICSID senator. In 2002 Luigi was appointed the Director of the School of Design at George Brown College. In 2006 he also took on the leadership of the Institute without Boundaries.
Luigi has served as president and CEO of DXNet Inc., vice-president of programs and services at Canada’s centre for design and innovation, the Design Exchange, and as a principal of Ferrara Contreras Architects Inc. He has also worked for the internationally recognized architectural firm Stirling, Wilford Associates, and with local firms Peter Turner Architects, Paul Reuber Architect and Russocki Zawadzki Architects. He is a graduate with distinction of the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Toronto.
In addition to his roles as architect, designer, entrepreneur and educator, Luigi has curated exhibitions and authored books and catalogues for the University of Toronto, the Joseph D. Carrier Gallery, the Ontario Heritage Foundation, the Triennale of Milan, the Architectural Literacy Forum (ALF) and Design Exchange.
Most recently he has written a second volume in the Canada Innovates series focusing on sustainable building design. In his role at Dxnet, Luigi also founded Digifest, a festival for new media. He also operated the Distillery Visitor Centre and Realtime Gallery through the ALF.
Luigi has lectured extensively, speaking at national and international conferences, trade shows, conventions and leading museums, galleries and institutes. He has provided consulting expertise for television programs on design and contributes to radio, television and print media.
Luigi Ferrara is a registered architect with seal, a member of the Ontario Association of Architects and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. In 1995, Luigi Ferrara founded the Architectural Literacy Forum (ALF), a non-profit organization composed of volunteer architects committed to promoting the public appreciation of the built environment. He has been made an honorary member of the Association of Chartered Industrial Designers and was also elected to the executive board of the International Council of the Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID) where he served as president in 2003-05, after which he assumed the role of an ICSID senator. In 2002 Luigi was appointed the Director of the School of Design at George Brown College. In 2006 he also took on the leadership of the Institute without Boundaries.
Luigi has served as president and CEO of DXNet Inc., vice-president of programs and services at Canada’s centre for design and innovation, the Design Exchange, and as a principal of Ferrara Contreras Architects Inc. He has also worked for the internationally recognized architectural firm Stirling, Wilford Associates, and with local firms Peter Turner Architects, Paul Reuber Architect and Russocki Zawadzki Architects. He is a graduate with distinction of the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Toronto.
In addition to his roles as architect, designer, entrepreneur and educator, Luigi has curated exhibitions and authored books and catalogues for the University of Toronto, the Joseph D. Carrier Gallery, the Ontario Heritage Foundation, the Triennale of Milan, the Architectural Literacy Forum (ALF) and Design Exchange.
Most recently he has written a second volume in the Canada Innovates series focusing on sustainable building design. In his role at Dxnet, Luigi also founded Digifest, a festival for new media. He also operated the Distillery Visitor Centre and Realtime Gallery through the ALF.
Luigi has lectured extensively, speaking at national and international conferences, trade shows, conventions and leading museums, galleries and institutes. He has provided consulting expertise for television programs on design and contributes to radio, television and print media.
CHARLES FINLEY
Charles Finley just recently joined Critical Mass Inc. as senior project manager where he manages analytic, creative, and development projects in the interactive web space for their client, Thank You Network (loyalty program, division of Citigroup North America). Previous to that he was the executive director of Project Open Source | Open Access. During his career he has also managed technology projects and services for Indigo.ca and for public and private-sector clients in his own firm, Finley Associates.
He was also project manager at University of Toronto’s Resource Centre for Academic Technology, responsible for a suite of accessible technology services developed using agile project methodologies and released as open source in 2005. Charles is also leading the development of the Visible City Project and Archive, an online open source-based research collaboration under the direction of the Canada Research Chair in Art, Digital Media and Globalization, Dr. Janine Marchessault.
He was also one of the founding organizers of Intersections, Ryerson University’s annual graduate student conference on culture and technology. Charles holds a Master of Arts from the the joint program in Communication and Culture at York University and Ryerson University.
Charles Finley just recently joined Critical Mass Inc. as senior project manager where he manages analytic, creative, and development projects in the interactive web space for their client, Thank You Network (loyalty program, division of Citigroup North America). Previous to that he was the executive director of Project Open Source | Open Access. During his career he has also managed technology projects and services for Indigo.ca and for public and private-sector clients in his own firm, Finley Associates.
He was also project manager at University of Toronto’s Resource Centre for Academic Technology, responsible for a suite of accessible technology services developed using agile project methodologies and released as open source in 2005. Charles is also leading the development of the Visible City Project and Archive, an online open source-based research collaboration under the direction of the Canada Research Chair in Art, Digital Media and Globalization, Dr. Janine Marchessault.
He was also one of the founding organizers of Intersections, Ryerson University’s annual graduate student conference on culture and technology. Charles holds a Master of Arts from the the joint program in Communication and Culture at York University and Ryerson University.
HENNING FISCHER
Henning Fischer is a design strategist for Adaptive Path. His principal focus is on design research and strategy development. He has worked with a diverse group of organizations to develop communications, services and products for the web and beyond.
Henning holds a Master of Design degree from the Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology, where he focused on the confluence of business analytics, design and user research. Before attending IIT, he worked for Diversified Media Design and the Ruder Finn Group and specialized in web strategy consulting for a range of clients, including Hunter Douglas, Novartis, Eli Lilly, the Guggenheim Museum and the Japan Society.
Henning also holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations and German from Tufts University in Boston and a certificate in graphic and digital design from the Parsons School of Design in New York.
Henning Fischer is a design strategist for Adaptive Path. His principal focus is on design research and strategy development. He has worked with a diverse group of organizations to develop communications, services and products for the web and beyond.
Henning holds a Master of Design degree from the Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology, where he focused on the confluence of business analytics, design and user research. Before attending IIT, he worked for Diversified Media Design and the Ruder Finn Group and specialized in web strategy consulting for a range of clients, including Hunter Douglas, Novartis, Eli Lilly, the Guggenheim Museum and the Japan Society.
Henning also holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations and German from Tufts University in Boston and a certificate in graphic and digital design from the Parsons School of Design in New York.
HEATHER FRASER
Heather Fraser is Director of Designworks™ and the Business Design Initiative at Rotman School of Management. She is also an adjunct professor at the Rotman School, which she joined in 2005 after over 25 years in industry.
In her role as Director, Heather is responsible for leading the development and integration of design-related initiatives, including infusion of design-based content into the MBA curriculum, development of executive/corporate design education programs, design and orchestration of sponsored research projects, and collaboration with design schools and practitioners.
In 2006, the Designworks™ Strategy Innovation Lab was opened as a centre for design-based innovation and education. The goals of Designworks are to help integrate the design-based approach into the planning and development practices of a broad base of organizations, to inspire and help shape important step-change initiatives, and to groom a new generation of business designers.
Heather brings a wealth of experience in Business Design™, including 10 years of research and business design at Procter & Gamble, five years of global brand campaign development and agency management at Ogilvy & Mather, and 10 years as principal and executive vice-president at TAXI Advertising and Design.
She continues to play an active role in both industry and educational advisory boards, and speaks and writes on the subject of “Innovation by Design” with a passion for leveraging insight and creativity to drive breakthrough business impact. She is also founder and chair of a newly-established foundation called Firefly™, which supports brain-related research initiatives. Heather hails from St. Joseph, Michigan and received her business degree from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1979.
Heather Fraser is Director of Designworks™ and the Business Design Initiative at Rotman School of Management. She is also an adjunct professor at the Rotman School, which she joined in 2005 after over 25 years in industry.
In her role as Director, Heather is responsible for leading the development and integration of design-related initiatives, including infusion of design-based content into the MBA curriculum, development of executive/corporate design education programs, design and orchestration of sponsored research projects, and collaboration with design schools and practitioners.
In 2006, the Designworks™ Strategy Innovation Lab was opened as a centre for design-based innovation and education. The goals of Designworks are to help integrate the design-based approach into the planning and development practices of a broad base of organizations, to inspire and help shape important step-change initiatives, and to groom a new generation of business designers.
Heather brings a wealth of experience in Business Design™, including 10 years of research and business design at Procter & Gamble, five years of global brand campaign development and agency management at Ogilvy & Mather, and 10 years as principal and executive vice-president at TAXI Advertising and Design.
She continues to play an active role in both industry and educational advisory boards, and speaks and writes on the subject of “Innovation by Design” with a passion for leveraging insight and creativity to drive breakthrough business impact. She is also founder and chair of a newly-established foundation called Firefly™, which supports brain-related research initiatives. Heather hails from St. Joseph, Michigan and received her business degree from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1979.
COLIN GILLIES
Colin has been creative director and partner of Big Studios since 1999. Big Studios is one of North America’s leading design and production companies specializing in branding solutions, 2D and 3D animation, and VFX.
Big Studios was founded in 1992. It has developed a reputation for world-class television creative and packaging solutions. It has been nominated for eight Emmys and has won three. Its artists have won a multitude of BDA and Promax awards. Big Studios is a full-service shop, providing creative, design, production and post-production services. It focuses on standard broadcast media forms as well as providing content and packaging for emerging communications technologies.
Big Studios is actively engaged in cooperating with many of the major educational institutions in Southern Ontario. We offer internship, mentorship and industry support for emerging genius in our community.
Colin has been creative director and partner of Big Studios since 1999. Big Studios is one of North America’s leading design and production companies specializing in branding solutions, 2D and 3D animation, and VFX.
Big Studios was founded in 1992. It has developed a reputation for world-class television creative and packaging solutions. It has been nominated for eight Emmys and has won three. Its artists have won a multitude of BDA and Promax awards. Big Studios is a full-service shop, providing creative, design, production and post-production services. It focuses on standard broadcast media forms as well as providing content and packaging for emerging communications technologies.
Big Studios is actively engaged in cooperating with many of the major educational institutions in Southern Ontario. We offer internship, mentorship and industry support for emerging genius in our community.
DAVE GRAY
In 1993, Dave Gray had a vague idea that he could make pictures to help people explain things, so he started a company. Not sure how to explain it, he decided to simply call it “XPLANE, the visual thinking company” and hoped that people would help him figure it out.
Before long XPLANE was working with companies all over the world, helping them explain things to their customers, employees, investors and partners. It turns out the business world can be pretty complicated, and making it simple and easier to understand is a great business to be in.
Today XPLANE employs about 50 consultants, information designers, and illustrators, in the US and Europe. XPLANE’s client list includes British Petroleum, Nokia, Microsoft, IBM and hundreds of other companies, large and small.
Originally trained as an artist, Dave discovered a passion for information design when he entered the newspaper business in the 1980s, just when USA Today was using colour infographics to transform newspapers into a more visual medium. Later he taught visual communications at Washington University in St. Louis, where he learned that people won’t listen to you just because you think you’re smart.
You can read Dave’s ramblings on his blog, Communication Nation, look at his pictures on Flickr, or learn about his company, XPLANE.
Dave shuns formal education at every opportunity, and prefers to learn and teach socially, through conversation, playing games, and the school of hard knocks. He does like hands-on workshops and leads them occasionally when asked. Dave also likes to talk, especially about things he has passion for, and will do so if you give him the slightest opportunity.
When Dave is not speaking or leading workshops, he sits around thinking, drawing, writing or just staring into space, an activity he truly enjoys.
In 1993, Dave Gray had a vague idea that he could make pictures to help people explain things, so he started a company. Not sure how to explain it, he decided to simply call it “XPLANE, the visual thinking company” and hoped that people would help him figure it out.
Before long XPLANE was working with companies all over the world, helping them explain things to their customers, employees, investors and partners. It turns out the business world can be pretty complicated, and making it simple and easier to understand is a great business to be in.
Today XPLANE employs about 50 consultants, information designers, and illustrators, in the US and Europe. XPLANE’s client list includes British Petroleum, Nokia, Microsoft, IBM and hundreds of other companies, large and small.
Originally trained as an artist, Dave discovered a passion for information design when he entered the newspaper business in the 1980s, just when USA Today was using colour infographics to transform newspapers into a more visual medium. Later he taught visual communications at Washington University in St. Louis, where he learned that people won’t listen to you just because you think you’re smart.
You can read Dave’s ramblings on his blog, Communication Nation, look at his pictures on Flickr, or learn about his company, XPLANE.
Dave shuns formal education at every opportunity, and prefers to learn and teach socially, through conversation, playing games, and the school of hard knocks. He does like hands-on workshops and leads them occasionally when asked. Dave also likes to talk, especially about things he has passion for, and will do so if you give him the slightest opportunity.
When Dave is not speaking or leading workshops, he sits around thinking, drawing, writing or just staring into space, an activity he truly enjoys.
JEANNETTE HANNA
Jeannette is one of the founders of Cundari SFP (formerly Spencer Francey Peters), which has been at the forefront of communications design and brand management innovation in Canada since 1977. In her role as lead strategist, Jeannette tackles communication and brand development for Cundari SFP’s diverse clientele including such notables as Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Scotiabank, Downtown DC BID, Royal Ontario Museum and Critical Path as well as numerous hospitals and educational institutions.
In addition to her client work, Jeannette frequently writes and lectures on the new realities of brand management. She’s the author of Cundari SFP’s 25th anniversary book Connect the Dots. Jeannette has also been a guest lecturer at a number of North American business schools and brand conferences and also serves as an advisor to George Brown College’s Design Management Program and the Canadian Marketing Association’s Brand Council.
Jeannette is one of the founders of Cundari SFP (formerly Spencer Francey Peters), which has been at the forefront of communications design and brand management innovation in Canada since 1977. In her role as lead strategist, Jeannette tackles communication and brand development for Cundari SFP’s diverse clientele including such notables as Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Scotiabank, Downtown DC BID, Royal Ontario Museum and Critical Path as well as numerous hospitals and educational institutions.
In addition to her client work, Jeannette frequently writes and lectures on the new realities of brand management. She’s the author of Cundari SFP’s 25th anniversary book Connect the Dots. Jeannette has also been a guest lecturer at a number of North American business schools and brand conferences and also serves as an advisor to George Brown College’s Design Management Program and the Canadian Marketing Association’s Brand Council.
NABIL HARFOUSH
Nabil has over 20 years of international consulting experience in the areas of information and communications technologies and sustainable development. He has advised private and government interests as well as international bodies such as IDRC, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank on projects of complexity and scale in developing countries.
Nabil has held senior executive positions in the information industries, and is currently CIO of HelpCaster Technologies Inc., a Toronto based company providing live interaction solutions to connect organizations to their web customers.
Nabil holds a PhD in digital data communications from the Technische Universität Dresden. His current interests are in the interactions between technology, information, and design and its impact on organizations and society.
Nabil has over 20 years of international consulting experience in the areas of information and communications technologies and sustainable development. He has advised private and government interests as well as international bodies such as IDRC, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank on projects of complexity and scale in developing countries.
Nabil has held senior executive positions in the information industries, and is currently CIO of HelpCaster Technologies Inc., a Toronto based company providing live interaction solutions to connect organizations to their web customers.
Nabil holds a PhD in digital data communications from the Technische Universität Dresden. His current interests are in the interactions between technology, information, and design and its impact on organizations and society.
RAHAF HARFOUSH
Rahaf Harfoush is a research analyst at Hotspex, a fun and innovative market research company delivering provocative insights that help clients make informed, inspired decisions. She is a freelance journalist and aspiring author who has a passion for understanding the latest media trends.
She recently graduated with an honours degree in business administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business. Previously, she held the position of research coordinator for Don Tapscott’s latest book, the New York Times best-seller Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything and has blogged for ShinyShiny.tv.
She is currently leading research to understand the emotional responses triggered by certain online videos, as well as the underlying drivers which motivate viewers to share content with others.
Rahaf Harfoush is a research analyst at Hotspex, a fun and innovative market research company delivering provocative insights that help clients make informed, inspired decisions. She is a freelance journalist and aspiring author who has a passion for understanding the latest media trends.
She recently graduated with an honours degree in business administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business. Previously, she held the position of research coordinator for Don Tapscott’s latest book, the New York Times best-seller Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything and has blogged for ShinyShiny.tv.
She is currently leading research to understand the emotional responses triggered by certain online videos, as well as the underlying drivers which motivate viewers to share content with others.
KAREN HEMBROUGH
Karen is an expert in building usable products and software for humans. Her strengths lie in understanding what people want and what makes them feel good (even when they cannot express such things). She has extensive experience in innovation, design, research, prototyping, and designing systems for future needs.
She focuses on the complex changes that technology and globalization have brought to our world and our behaviours. She helps her clients understand the changing landscape as well as changing user needs and behaviour, and to create design and product strategies for the future.
In her free time Karen buys and reads books obsessively (karenh.vox.com), and has recently become fascinated with scientific visualization and matlab.
Karen is an expert in building usable products and software for humans. Her strengths lie in understanding what people want and what makes them feel good (even when they cannot express such things). She has extensive experience in innovation, design, research, prototyping, and designing systems for future needs.
She focuses on the complex changes that technology and globalization have brought to our world and our behaviours. She helps her clients understand the changing landscape as well as changing user needs and behaviour, and to create design and product strategies for the future.
In her free time Karen buys and reads books obsessively (karenh.vox.com), and has recently become fascinated with scientific visualization and matlab.
ROHAN JAYASEKARA
Rohan is a Toronto-based independent consultant who helps organizations create or improve internet-based products and has been designing and developing online systems for many years. One notable role was co-founder of Sympatico, Canada’s largest Internet service, and Sympatico.ca (now Sympatico.MSN.ca), Canada’s most popular web portal (and most likely the world’s first with a home page tailored to the user every time) - his email address is 1@sympatico.ca.
Rohan was the co-author of Deutsche Bank’s global risk control system, which monitors, authorizes and manages, in real time, over a trillion dollars of transactions each year for Europe’s largest bank - and is a key component in the protection of the global financial system. Recently he helped create a unique product, The Fitter, which processes the internet-based ordering of made-to-measure suits that usually fit perfectly with no alterations.
Rohan has provided consulting services to a diverse range of companies including Cossette Communications, Rogers, and Reuters.
Rohan is a Toronto-based independent consultant who helps organizations create or improve internet-based products and has been designing and developing online systems for many years. One notable role was co-founder of Sympatico, Canada’s largest Internet service, and Sympatico.ca (now Sympatico.MSN.ca), Canada’s most popular web portal (and most likely the world’s first with a home page tailored to the user every time) - his email address is 1@sympatico.ca.
Rohan was the co-author of Deutsche Bank’s global risk control system, which monitors, authorizes and manages, in real time, over a trillion dollars of transactions each year for Europe’s largest bank - and is a key component in the protection of the global financial system. Recently he helped create a unique product, The Fitter, which processes the internet-based ordering of made-to-measure suits that usually fit perfectly with no alterations.
Rohan has provided consulting services to a diverse range of companies including Cossette Communications, Rogers, and Reuters.
MATTHEW JONES
A philosophical and intuitive member of the creative team at the BCSC, Matthew Jones puts his diverse educational background to work by tackling the big questions and seeing the whole picture, often taking a position beyond accepted boundaries and inspiring unusual angles of approach. Before graduating with an Associate’s diploma in industrial design from the Ontario College of Art and Design, Matthew studied discrete mathematics at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. He completed his BSc with honours in 2000, demonstrating an exceptional aptitude for the subtlety of rigorous logical processes.
Matthew has provided research and design services as an independent consultant through a firm launched with his OCAD colleagues, as well as D3: Discover|Define|Design, a think tank which would eventually become the BCSC. His contributions in the areas of trend analysis, expansion and concept-linking; creative writing; product-specific innovation scenarios; point of departure development; detailed product disclosure expansion; and big picture presentations were important factors in the initial success of the project.
His strategic inquiry into the potential opportunities and applications of Dataspace and overlapping technologies, as well as collaborative projects with Motorola and Whirlpool, have emphasized Matthew’s ability to extract knowledge, analyze trends and parse the patterns in emerging human behaviours.
A philosophical and intuitive member of the creative team at the BCSC, Matthew Jones puts his diverse educational background to work by tackling the big questions and seeing the whole picture, often taking a position beyond accepted boundaries and inspiring unusual angles of approach. Before graduating with an Associate’s diploma in industrial design from the Ontario College of Art and Design, Matthew studied discrete mathematics at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. He completed his BSc with honours in 2000, demonstrating an exceptional aptitude for the subtlety of rigorous logical processes.
Matthew has provided research and design services as an independent consultant through a firm launched with his OCAD colleagues, as well as D3: Discover|Define|Design, a think tank which would eventually become the BCSC. His contributions in the areas of trend analysis, expansion and concept-linking; creative writing; product-specific innovation scenarios; point of departure development; detailed product disclosure expansion; and big picture presentations were important factors in the initial success of the project.
His strategic inquiry into the potential opportunities and applications of Dataspace and overlapping technologies, as well as collaborative projects with Motorola and Whirlpool, have emphasized Matthew’s ability to extract knowledge, analyze trends and parse the patterns in emerging human behaviours.
PETER JONES
Peter Jones lives and works in two places at once. I manage two small businesses, and locate in Toronto and Dayton. Redesign Research provides contextual user research for information services design, primarily for professional practices. We conduct user and field research with a focus on technology practices, apply research to designing information services and ecologies from an iterative learning perspective, and coordinate design and strategy to produce market leading interactive products.
I founded Dialogic Design International with Aleco Christakis and two partners in 2007 to develop his 35-year structured dialogue process for participatory systems thinking for complex organizational problems. DDI applies structured dialogic design to business strategy, organizational design, and enterprise transformation.
These enterprises both aim toward a fusion of ecological research and participatory whole system design for products, services, and institutional systems. My long-range purpose is to humanize systems and institutions, toward harmonious futures co-created through collective wisdom.
Peter Jones lives and works in two places at once. I manage two small businesses, and locate in Toronto and Dayton. Redesign Research provides contextual user research for information services design, primarily for professional practices. We conduct user and field research with a focus on technology practices, apply research to designing information services and ecologies from an iterative learning perspective, and coordinate design and strategy to produce market leading interactive products.
I founded Dialogic Design International with Aleco Christakis and two partners in 2007 to develop his 35-year structured dialogue process for participatory systems thinking for complex organizational problems. DDI applies structured dialogic design to business strategy, organizational design, and enterprise transformation.
These enterprises both aim toward a fusion of ecological research and participatory whole system design for products, services, and institutional systems. My long-range purpose is to humanize systems and institutions, toward harmonious futures co-created through collective wisdom.
ANDY KEEN
Andy Keen is a Toronto-based director with a background in documentaries, television commercials, and music videos. He established Regular Horse Productions and produced the documentary Seven Painters Seven Places that was nominated for a Gemini Award in 2000. His second documentary, Escarpment Blues with Sarah Harmer, won the 2007 Juno Award for music DVD of the year.
Andy Keen is a Toronto-based director with a background in documentaries, television commercials, and music videos. He established Regular Horse Productions and produced the documentary Seven Painters Seven Places that was nominated for a Gemini Award in 2000. His second documentary, Escarpment Blues with Sarah Harmer, won the 2007 Juno Award for music DVD of the year.
JAKE KOSELECI
Jake grew up in an entrepreneurial family and has been creating new businesses for over 20 years. He started his first business in high school and maintained it through his undergraduate studies. In graduate school he founded Arecibo, a communication design company that specialized in logo and brand development for the software industry.
In 1994 while completing his doctoral studies at University of Toronto’s Department of Philosophy, he was lured full-time into the world of business. Under license from Apple Computer he founded The Newton Store, a company that specialized in handheld computing and communications. It soon became the premiere company of its kind with a portfolio of stores and development offices in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Boston. It was one of the pioneering businesses in the world to engage in e-commerce when it started selling products online in 1995.
DrinkMedia was inspired by Jake’s expertise in the area of wireless and emerging technologies. DrinkMedia acted as an incubator and angel investor for the creation of next economy brands and technologies and afforded Jake the opportunity to sit on the boards of several high-tech startups.
Today Jake spends his time researching, writing a novel and developing real estate projects.
Jake to Universe
Jake grew up in an entrepreneurial family and has been creating new businesses for over 20 years. He started his first business in high school and maintained it through his undergraduate studies. In graduate school he founded Arecibo, a communication design company that specialized in logo and brand development for the software industry.
In 1994 while completing his doctoral studies at University of Toronto’s Department of Philosophy, he was lured full-time into the world of business. Under license from Apple Computer he founded The Newton Store, a company that specialized in handheld computing and communications. It soon became the premiere company of its kind with a portfolio of stores and development offices in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Boston. It was one of the pioneering businesses in the world to engage in e-commerce when it started selling products online in 1995.
DrinkMedia was inspired by Jake’s expertise in the area of wireless and emerging technologies. DrinkMedia acted as an incubator and angel investor for the creation of next economy brands and technologies and afforded Jake the opportunity to sit on the boards of several high-tech startups.
Today Jake spends his time researching, writing a novel and developing real estate projects.
Jake to Universe
MELISSA LEITHWOOD
Melissa Leithwood is specializing in business strategy and design for sustainability, as a graduate from York University’s Master in Environmental Studies program and the Schulich School of Business Advanced Graduate Diploma in Business and Environment programme. Practicing her passion for research, ideas and the process of creativity within a sustainability context has led her to conduct research on serial sustainable enterprise entrepreneurs within the food industry.
Melissa has worked within RBC Financial Group in environmental risk management, Aveda in retail marketing and communications, as a designer for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Sustainable Condo exhibit redesign, as an editor and music columnist for the Scarborough Arts Council, and as a researcher for United Nations Development Program - Growing Sustainable Business. Her goal at Overlap 07 is to develop a deeper understanding of the intersection between design, sustainability and business through participant interactions.
Melissa Leithwood is specializing in business strategy and design for sustainability, as a graduate from York University’s Master in Environmental Studies program and the Schulich School of Business Advanced Graduate Diploma in Business and Environment programme. Practicing her passion for research, ideas and the process of creativity within a sustainability context has led her to conduct research on serial sustainable enterprise entrepreneurs within the food industry.
Melissa has worked within RBC Financial Group in environmental risk management, Aveda in retail marketing and communications, as a designer for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Sustainable Condo exhibit redesign, as an editor and music columnist for the Scarborough Arts Council, and as a researcher for United Nations Development Program - Growing Sustainable Business. Her goal at Overlap 07 is to develop a deeper understanding of the intersection between design, sustainability and business through participant interactions.
JEANNE LIEDTKA
Jeanne is Johnson and Higgins Research Associate Professor of Business Administration and Executive Director of the Darden School’s Batten Institute, a research centre focused on developing thought leadership in the areas of entrepreneurship and corporate innovation. Jeanne is also a faculty member at the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business, and former chief learning officer at United Technologies Corporation, where she was responsible for overseeing all activities associated with corporate learning and development for the Fortune 50 corporation, including executive education, career development processes, employer-sponsored education, and learning portal and web-based activities.
At Darden, where she formerly served as associate dean of the MBA program, Jeanne works with both MBAs and executives in the areas of strategic thinking, collaboration, and leading growth. Jeanne is passionate about exploring how organizations can engage employees at every level in thinking creatively about the design of powerful futures.
Jeanne received her DBA in management policy from Boston University and her MBA from the Harvard Business School. She has been involved in the corporate strategy field since beginning her career as a strategy consultant for the Boston Consulting Group.
Jeanne is Johnson and Higgins Research Associate Professor of Business Administration and Executive Director of the Darden School’s Batten Institute, a research centre focused on developing thought leadership in the areas of entrepreneurship and corporate innovation. Jeanne is also a faculty member at the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business, and former chief learning officer at United Technologies Corporation, where she was responsible for overseeing all activities associated with corporate learning and development for the Fortune 50 corporation, including executive education, career development processes, employer-sponsored education, and learning portal and web-based activities.
At Darden, where she formerly served as associate dean of the MBA program, Jeanne works with both MBAs and executives in the areas of strategic thinking, collaboration, and leading growth. Jeanne is passionate about exploring how organizations can engage employees at every level in thinking creatively about the design of powerful futures.
Jeanne received her DBA in management policy from Boston University and her MBA from the Harvard Business School. She has been involved in the corporate strategy field since beginning her career as a strategy consultant for the Boston Consulting Group.
ERIN LIMAN
Erin Liman is a user experience strategist with 16 years of strategic design and product development experience in enterprise and consumer software, e-commerce, hardware, hospitality, retail and new media industries. Passionate about human-centred design, she designs compelling, effective, and satisfying user experiences based on an understanding of articulated and unarticulated needs in context. Liman brings a holistic approach, crafting the experience from end-to-end to ensure products, services, branding, web presence, and marketing messages are aligned to deliver a consistently satisfying experience.
Liman has directed user experience projects for numerous companies including SAP, PeopleSoft, PointCast, Omni Hotels, and Lotus Development, where she secured a patent that was later acquired by IBM. She is a member of the Bay Area special interest group for computer-human interaction, the Bay Area Association for Psychological Type and the World Future Society. Liman earned an MBA from F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College.
Erin Liman is a user experience strategist with 16 years of strategic design and product development experience in enterprise and consumer software, e-commerce, hardware, hospitality, retail and new media industries. Passionate about human-centred design, she designs compelling, effective, and satisfying user experiences based on an understanding of articulated and unarticulated needs in context. Liman brings a holistic approach, crafting the experience from end-to-end to ensure products, services, branding, web presence, and marketing messages are aligned to deliver a consistently satisfying experience.
Liman has directed user experience projects for numerous companies including SAP, PeopleSoft, PointCast, Omni Hotels, and Lotus Development, where she secured a patent that was later acquired by IBM. She is a member of the Bay Area special interest group for computer-human interaction, the Bay Area Association for Psychological Type and the World Future Society. Liman earned an MBA from F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College.
ROBERT LOGAN
Dr. Logan is Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of Toronto. He is also a senior fellow at The Institute for Biocomplexity and Informatics at the University of Calgary, and The Beal Institute for Strategic Creativity at the Ontario College of Art and Design.
Dr. Logan obtained his BS from MIT in 1961 and his PhD also from MIT in 1965. He spent two years at the University of Illinois as a research associate and came to the University of Toronto in 1967.
He was active at the McLuhan Centre for Culture and Technology from 1974 to 1980 where he collaborated and published with Marshall McLuhan. He was cross-appointed to the Curriculum Department of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. He is a member of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs. He was a policy advisor to Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau and numerous cabinet ministers.
Co-founder and co-principal of Logan Design Systems Limited, operating as Desktop Training Centre (1982-2000), Gutenberg Internet Services Inc. (1994-2000) and PM Rentals Ltd (1997-2000).
Knowledge management consultant to Siemens (world HQ in Munich), Intel Corp., S.A. Armstrong, Government of Canada (Ministry of State for Science and Technology, Science Council), Ontario Ministry of Education, Life Insurance Marketing Research Association, numerous insurance companies and banks in the US and Canada, and the Ontario Hospital Association.
Dr. Logan is Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of Toronto. He is also a senior fellow at The Institute for Biocomplexity and Informatics at the University of Calgary, and The Beal Institute for Strategic Creativity at the Ontario College of Art and Design.
Dr. Logan obtained his BS from MIT in 1961 and his PhD also from MIT in 1965. He spent two years at the University of Illinois as a research associate and came to the University of Toronto in 1967.
He was active at the McLuhan Centre for Culture and Technology from 1974 to 1980 where he collaborated and published with Marshall McLuhan. He was cross-appointed to the Curriculum Department of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. He is a member of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs. He was a policy advisor to Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau and numerous cabinet ministers.
Co-founder and co-principal of Logan Design Systems Limited, operating as Desktop Training Centre (1982-2000), Gutenberg Internet Services Inc. (1994-2000) and PM Rentals Ltd (1997-2000).
Knowledge management consultant to Siemens (world HQ in Munich), Intel Corp., S.A. Armstrong, Government of Canada (Ministry of State for Science and Technology, Science Council), Ontario Ministry of Education, Life Insurance Marketing Research Association, numerous insurance companies and banks in the US and Canada, and the Ontario Hospital Association.
VICTOR LOMBARDI
Victor is the director of Smart Experience, an independent school based in New York City offering classes on state-of-the-art topics to working professionals in the Internet, mobile, and software industries. He is also a business and design consultant and a visiting professor at the Pratt Institute, a leading design school in the United States.
Victor started his career in information technology, building systems at the Boston Consulting Group, DDB Needham, and Medscape. He went on to work as a user interface designer, contributing to over 40 software and Internet products and winning several awards for his work with the Southern Poverty Law Center. He then focused on leveraging the business benefits of design with clients such as Reuters, AARP, and Ameriprise.
With a love for bringing curious people together, he co-founded and served as president of the Information Architecture Institute and co-founded the Overlap business & design event.
Victor is the director of Smart Experience, an independent school based in New York City offering classes on state-of-the-art topics to working professionals in the Internet, mobile, and software industries. He is also a business and design consultant and a visiting professor at the Pratt Institute, a leading design school in the United States.
Victor started his career in information technology, building systems at the Boston Consulting Group, DDB Needham, and Medscape. He went on to work as a user interface designer, contributing to over 40 software and Internet products and winning several awards for his work with the Southern Poverty Law Center. He then focused on leveraging the business benefits of design with clients such as Reuters, AARP, and Ameriprise.
With a love for bringing curious people together, he co-founded and served as president of the Information Architecture Institute and co-founded the Overlap business & design event.
ALEXANDER MANU
Alexander Manu is the founder and director of the Beal Institute for Strategic Creativity. As principal of a development and applied research consultancy established in 1980 in Toronto, he has been committed to enabling global companies develop policies and strategies that address emerging issues through the development of strategic intellectual property and pre-competitive business models. Currently Alexander is involved in the development of new learning ecologies, new strategic business competencies and pre-competitive innovation methods that integrate a broad range of skills; he specializes in the application of play behaviour in strategic innovation methodologies, new economic and business models and the creation of compelling user experiences.
Alexander has a unique ability as a conceptual creator; his imaginative frameworks lead to the discovery of new and innovative paths, and the creation of experiences that evoke emotion, insight and understanding. He believes that the exploration of possibility requires imagination as a prerequisite for strategic change and innovation. A member of various national and international professional and advisory boards, he has been involved in an exceptional and sustained activity as an international lecturer, having given over 100 lectures in 22 countries.
He is the author of the books: The Imagination Challenge: Points of Departure for Strategic Creativity and Innovation , 2006, ToolToys: Tools with an Element of Play, 1995, and The Big Idea of Design, 1999. Alexander is a professor at the Ontario College of Art and Design and teaches Strategic Foresight for Pre-Competitive Innovation at the Rotman School of Management in Toronto.
Alexander Manu is the founder and director of the Beal Institute for Strategic Creativity. As principal of a development and applied research consultancy established in 1980 in Toronto, he has been committed to enabling global companies develop policies and strategies that address emerging issues through the development of strategic intellectual property and pre-competitive business models. Currently Alexander is involved in the development of new learning ecologies, new strategic business competencies and pre-competitive innovation methods that integrate a broad range of skills; he specializes in the application of play behaviour in strategic innovation methodologies, new economic and business models and the creation of compelling user experiences.
Alexander has a unique ability as a conceptual creator; his imaginative frameworks lead to the discovery of new and innovative paths, and the creation of experiences that evoke emotion, insight and understanding. He believes that the exploration of possibility requires imagination as a prerequisite for strategic change and innovation. A member of various national and international professional and advisory boards, he has been involved in an exceptional and sustained activity as an international lecturer, having given over 100 lectures in 22 countries.
He is the author of the books: The Imagination Challenge: Points of Departure for Strategic Creativity and Innovation , 2006, ToolToys: Tools with an Element of Play, 1995, and The Big Idea of Design, 1999. Alexander is a professor at the Ontario College of Art and Design and teaches Strategic Foresight for Pre-Competitive Innovation at the Rotman School of Management in Toronto.
ROGER MARTIN
Roger Martin is dean of the Rotman School of Management. He was appointed to a seven-year term beginning in September 1998 and re-appointed to a further five-year term effective July 2005. He is also a professor of strategic management at the Rotman School.
A Canadian from Wallenstein, Ontario, Roger was formerly a director of Monitor Company, a global strategy consulting firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. During his 13 years with Monitor, he founded and chaired Monitor University, the firm’s educational arm, served as co-head of the firm for two years, and founded the Canadian office.
His research interests lie in the areas of global competitiveness, integrative thinking, business design and corporate citizenship.
Roger Martin is dean of the Rotman School of Management. He was appointed to a seven-year term beginning in September 1998 and re-appointed to a further five-year term effective July 2005. He is also a professor of strategic management at the Rotman School.
A Canadian from Wallenstein, Ontario, Roger was formerly a director of Monitor Company, a global strategy consulting firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. During his 13 years with Monitor, he founded and chaired Monitor University, the firm’s educational arm, served as co-head of the firm for two years, and founded the Canadian office.
His research interests lie in the areas of global competitiveness, integrative thinking, business design and corporate citizenship.
SCOTT MATTHEWS
Prior to coming to XPLANE in 2004, I worked as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator for 14 years. My specialty was humorous illustration and my icons, logos, characters and illustrations have been featured in magazines, newspapers, billboards, retail packaging, and in books for Reader’s Digest and Jeopardy!. My client list included The Wall St Journal, The Washington Post, Hasbro, Kraft, Frito Lay, Coors, Pepsi, Nissan, Macromedia and the NFL.
I studied graphic design and business marketing at the University of Missouri-Columbia where I first set out to combine business methodologies with illustration and design.
Oh and I really like chocolate.
Prior to coming to XPLANE in 2004, I worked as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator for 14 years. My specialty was humorous illustration and my icons, logos, characters and illustrations have been featured in magazines, newspapers, billboards, retail packaging, and in books for Reader’s Digest and Jeopardy!. My client list included The Wall St Journal, The Washington Post, Hasbro, Kraft, Frito Lay, Coors, Pepsi, Nissan, Macromedia and the NFL.
I studied graphic design and business marketing at the University of Missouri-Columbia where I first set out to combine business methodologies with illustration and design.
Oh and I really like chocolate.
DUNCAN McEWAN
Duncan McEwan has an extensive background in the communications and broadcasting industry. He is currently the President and Chief Operating Officer of Sprint Canada Inc., with responsibility for all operating divisions of this integrated national telecommunications provider.
Prior to this, he was chief executive officer of Northpoint Canada Communications, a provider of high-speed data and Internet (DSL) lines. Before that, he held a number of executive positions with Canadian Satellite Communications (Cancom), including president and chief executive officer. Prior to Cancom, Mr. McEwan was president of Diligent Inc., a company he founded in 1991 and led until 1996.
Diligent specialized in business development and project management for media and technology companies. He also has an extensive background as an award-winning television broadcaster and producer. Mr. McEwan is a graduate of the University of Toronto. He serves on the board of The Royal Conservatory of Music.
Duncan McEwan has an extensive background in the communications and broadcasting industry. He is currently the President and Chief Operating Officer of Sprint Canada Inc., with responsibility for all operating divisions of this integrated national telecommunications provider.
Prior to this, he was chief executive officer of Northpoint Canada Communications, a provider of high-speed data and Internet (DSL) lines. Before that, he held a number of executive positions with Canadian Satellite Communications (Cancom), including president and chief executive officer. Prior to Cancom, Mr. McEwan was president of Diligent Inc., a company he founded in 1991 and led until 1996.
Diligent specialized in business development and project management for media and technology companies. He also has an extensive background as an award-winning television broadcaster and producer. Mr. McEwan is a graduate of the University of Toronto. He serves on the board of The Royal Conservatory of Music.
JAMES McNAB
James is an experience design strategist, critic and team leader, with a passion for advancing the practice and theory of interactive product design. His focus is developing values-based relationships between customers, brands and products.
As the Director, Product Design for Lavalife Corp. James leads interactive design practice for Lavalife's Voice and Web businesses, where his team is responsible for the design of Lavalife products across international markets.
Prior to joining Lavalife, James built and led the strategy and experience design group at Delvinia Interactive (Toronto), developing the team's expertise in customer insight, personas, interactive strategy and interaction design.
James holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Wilfrid Laurier University, where his studies focused on the philosophy of mind, logic and language.
James is an experience design strategist, critic and team leader, with a passion for advancing the practice and theory of interactive product design. His focus is developing values-based relationships between customers, brands and products.
As the Director, Product Design for Lavalife Corp. James leads interactive design practice for Lavalife's Voice and Web businesses, where his team is responsible for the design of Lavalife products across international markets.
Prior to joining Lavalife, James built and led the strategy and experience design group at Delvinia Interactive (Toronto), developing the team's expertise in customer insight, personas, interactive strategy and interaction design.
James holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Wilfrid Laurier University, where his studies focused on the philosophy of mind, logic and language.
MATTHEW MILAN
Matthew is a self described “design geek” who works as an account planner and information architecture practice lead with Critical Mass in Toronto. He splits his time between client work and a series of internal projects focusing on institutionalizing innovation as a core practice within Critical Mass.
A graduate of York University’s interdisciplinary Environmental Studies program, Matthew is interested in the application of environmental tools like backcasting and cumulative effects assessment in the design of digital and built environments. He’s also an unabashed fan of all types of systems thinking.
His graduate work focused on thinking about information architecture from an environmental perspective and taking a systems-based approach to modeling and designing information spaces. He has been known to speak affectionately about his ideas both at conferences and in workplace hallways.
When he’s not trying to reframe information architects as business strategy wonks he moonlights as a course director at York University in Toronto, lecturing on web mapping, ubiquitous spatial technology and social software.
Matthew is a member of the Information Architecture Institute, a UXNet Local Ambassador, and co-founder of the UX Irregulars, a Toronto-area user experience group.
Matthew is a self described “design geek” who works as an account planner and information architecture practice lead with Critical Mass in Toronto. He splits his time between client work and a series of internal projects focusing on institutionalizing innovation as a core practice within Critical Mass.
A graduate of York University’s interdisciplinary Environmental Studies program, Matthew is interested in the application of environmental tools like backcasting and cumulative effects assessment in the design of digital and built environments. He’s also an unabashed fan of all types of systems thinking.
His graduate work focused on thinking about information architecture from an environmental perspective and taking a systems-based approach to modeling and designing information spaces. He has been known to speak affectionately about his ideas both at conferences and in workplace hallways.
When he’s not trying to reframe information architects as business strategy wonks he moonlights as a course director at York University in Toronto, lecturing on web mapping, ubiquitous spatial technology and social software.
Matthew is a member of the Information Architecture Institute, a UXNet Local Ambassador, and co-founder of the UX Irregulars, a Toronto-area user experience group.
JAMES MOED
James Moed is a Jump Associates researcher whose media experience in the US and Europe has given him the tools to effectively translate product concepts across cultures and technologies. Having started out as an editor in Bloomberg Television’s European news hub, James has since worked with a variety of media companies looking to explore new platforms and new territories.
As a consultant and business development analyst, James has explored opportunities ranging from US radio ventures in Central Asia, MTV on mobile phones, and Japanese manga on cable television. James has a Bachelor’s degree from Brown University and an MBA from INSEAD, in France. He speaks French and Portuguese fluently, but naively thinks he can get by almost anywhere.
James Moed is a Jump Associates researcher whose media experience in the US and Europe has given him the tools to effectively translate product concepts across cultures and technologies. Having started out as an editor in Bloomberg Television’s European news hub, James has since worked with a variety of media companies looking to explore new platforms and new territories.
As a consultant and business development analyst, James has explored opportunities ranging from US radio ventures in Central Asia, MTV on mobile phones, and Japanese manga on cable television. James has a Bachelor’s degree from Brown University and an MBA from INSEAD, in France. He speaks French and Portuguese fluently, but naively thinks he can get by almost anywhere.
MICHAEL MOORE
Michael Moore has responsibility for internal, executive and web communications at The Thomson Corporation. Thomson provides value-added information, software tools and services for professionals in the fields of law, financial services, tax, accounting, scientific research and healthcare.
Prior to joining Thomson in 2003, Michael led the worldwide internal communications function at IBM. During his time at Big Blue, IBM pioneered “jamming” - massive problem-solving sessions in which thousands of people from many countries interacted online to find solutions for shared business challenges.
Previously, Michael was a communications consultant with McKinsey & Co., helping large corporations manage change and doing research and writing on trends in the media and healthcare sectors. Earlier yet, he worked at The RAND Corporation on a wide range of public sector issues. Michael holds an MA and a PhD from UCLA, and has taught graduate-level courses in management communications.
Michael Moore has responsibility for internal, executive and web communications at The Thomson Corporation. Thomson provides value-added information, software tools and services for professionals in the fields of law, financial services, tax, accounting, scientific research and healthcare.
Prior to joining Thomson in 2003, Michael led the worldwide internal communications function at IBM. During his time at Big Blue, IBM pioneered “jamming” - massive problem-solving sessions in which thousands of people from many countries interacted online to find solutions for shared business challenges.
Previously, Michael was a communications consultant with McKinsey & Co., helping large corporations manage change and doing research and writing on trends in the media and healthcare sectors. Earlier yet, he worked at The RAND Corporation on a wide range of public sector issues. Michael holds an MA and a PhD from UCLA, and has taught graduate-level courses in management communications.
ARIEL MULLER
Ariel graduates June 10 from Bainbridge Graduate Institute (bgiedu.org) with an MBA in sustainable business. Her passions are at the intersection of design, business and sustainability. She is very interested in how the principles of design thinking and human-centric design can be applied to create innovative sustainable solutions. Principles of sustainability are very much informed by systems thinking and biomimicry.
Ariel graduates June 10 from Bainbridge Graduate Institute (bgiedu.org) with an MBA in sustainable business. Her passions are at the intersection of design, business and sustainability. She is very interested in how the principles of design thinking and human-centric design can be applied to create innovative sustainable solutions. Principles of sustainability are very much informed by systems thinking and biomimicry.
ROBERT OUElLETTE
Trained as an architect with an MBA from the Ivey School of Business. His product design for the Volker-Craig 400 series of terminals was the iMac of its time, becoming a world-wide best-seller. Influenced by Buckminster Fuller to seek out an educated generalist’s “finite world system” education, Ouellette gained significant international business experience as a senior analyst first for the de Havilland Aircraft Company and then for Boeing Aircraft. While in that role he learned many things including, for example, how remote villages in the mountains of Papua New Guinea have much in common with the streets of New York.
To further his Fuller-inspired education, Ouellette graduated first in his class from the University of Toronto’s School of Architecture, Landscape, and Design and was a nominee for the Governor General’s Award. His thesis on the intersection of digital technology and city design earned him a City of Toronto Urban Design Award in 1993 along with Santiago Calatrava, who also won an award for his BCE Galleria.
Ouellette had early-stage experience with some of the first 3D CadCam systems developed for the aviation sector. He was involved in the design and development of the highly successful Dash 8 aircraft family. He brought this knowledge to the University of Toronto’s Information Technology Design Centre, where he was director from 1997 to 2001.
Ouellette has worked in advisory roles with some of Canada’s top high-tech innovators, including Immersion Studios, thinkthinkthink Inc., and ZeroFootPrint. He chaired the Canadian leg of the Seimens International Innovation benchmarking task force in collaboration with Sony, Novartis, and Renault.
Ouellette’s company, Forum Bureau, helps companies design themselves to enter the Web 2.0 world. He writes three major blogs, Reading Toronto, Corporate Knights Forum, and gagglescape and he writes the “Toronto Unbuilt” column on architecture, design, and politics for the National Post.
Trained as an architect with an MBA from the Ivey School of Business. His product design for the Volker-Craig 400 series of terminals was the iMac of its time, becoming a world-wide best-seller. Influenced by Buckminster Fuller to seek out an educated generalist’s “finite world system” education, Ouellette gained significant international business experience as a senior analyst first for the de Havilland Aircraft Company and then for Boeing Aircraft. While in that role he learned many things including, for example, how remote villages in the mountains of Papua New Guinea have much in common with the streets of New York.
To further his Fuller-inspired education, Ouellette graduated first in his class from the University of Toronto’s School of Architecture, Landscape, and Design and was a nominee for the Governor General’s Award. His thesis on the intersection of digital technology and city design earned him a City of Toronto Urban Design Award in 1993 along with Santiago Calatrava, who also won an award for his BCE Galleria.
Ouellette had early-stage experience with some of the first 3D CadCam systems developed for the aviation sector. He was involved in the design and development of the highly successful Dash 8 aircraft family. He brought this knowledge to the University of Toronto’s Information Technology Design Centre, where he was director from 1997 to 2001.
Ouellette has worked in advisory roles with some of Canada’s top high-tech innovators, including Immersion Studios, thinkthinkthink Inc., and ZeroFootPrint. He chaired the Canadian leg of the Seimens International Innovation benchmarking task force in collaboration with Sony, Novartis, and Renault.
Ouellette’s company, Forum Bureau, helps companies design themselves to enter the Web 2.0 world. He writes three major blogs, Reading Toronto, Corporate Knights Forum, and gagglescape and he writes the “Toronto Unbuilt” column on architecture, design, and politics for the National Post.
PAUL PANGARO
Paul Pangaro studied computer science and humanities at MIT and worked in its research labs in the 1970s, where he developed a passion for transforming new technologies into pragmatic solutions to human problems. He left MIT in order to study cybernetics and in the 1980s founded a consultancy to apply the conversational approach of his Ph.D. thesis with Gordon Pask to software for learning and collaboration.
In the 1990s he moved into strategic planning, and when the Internet boom arrived he developed technology roadmaps, product architectures, market positioning, and business plans for nascent dot-coms. More recently he held the role of CTO for Snap.com at Idealab.
In his own prototyping, writing, and work, Pangaro focuses on the cognitive and social needs of human beings. Pangaro lectures on user interface design and teaches a course on cybernetics and design with Hugh Dubberly at Stanford University in Terry Winograd’s HCI program.
Paul Pangaro studied computer science and humanities at MIT and worked in its research labs in the 1970s, where he developed a passion for transforming new technologies into pragmatic solutions to human problems. He left MIT in order to study cybernetics and in the 1980s founded a consultancy to apply the conversational approach of his Ph.D. thesis with Gordon Pask to software for learning and collaboration.
In the 1990s he moved into strategic planning, and when the Internet boom arrived he developed technology roadmaps, product architectures, market positioning, and business plans for nascent dot-coms. More recently he held the role of CTO for Snap.com at Idealab.
In his own prototyping, writing, and work, Pangaro focuses on the cognitive and social needs of human beings. Pangaro lectures on user interface design and teaches a course on cybernetics and design with Hugh Dubberly at Stanford University in Terry Winograd’s HCI program.
MICHELE PERRAS
Michele Perras is an intuitive and analytical member of the creative team at the BCSC, whose multidisciplinary professional experience and focus on human-centred interaction design supports a diverse scope of research. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Art in material art and design from the Ontario College of Art and Design, Michele developed an extensive portfolio of skills through her design studio, exhibiting her work nationally and garnering media acclaim and awards. She has provided consulting services for various commercial art galleries and agencies, and has been published with organizations and magazines such as Spacing and OCAD. Michele’s research concentrates on the intersections between narrative construction, spatiality, experience mapping and mobility.
With Alexander Manu, Michele developed an exhaustive and innovative body of research and provided editorial support for The Imagination Challenge, Alexander’s most recent investigation into the potentialities of emerging behaviours and strategic creativity. Michele’s ability to strategically extract knowledge and develop content generated a discerning inquiry into emergence, ecologies of behaviour, cognition and play, and innovative methodologies for education and business. Her collaborative approach and insightful analysis identify opportunities within the meaningful exchange of knowledge.
Michele Perras is an intuitive and analytical member of the creative team at the BCSC, whose multidisciplinary professional experience and focus on human-centred interaction design supports a diverse scope of research. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Art in material art and design from the Ontario College of Art and Design, Michele developed an extensive portfolio of skills through her design studio, exhibiting her work nationally and garnering media acclaim and awards. She has provided consulting services for various commercial art galleries and agencies, and has been published with organizations and magazines such as Spacing and OCAD. Michele’s research concentrates on the intersections between narrative construction, spatiality, experience mapping and mobility.
With Alexander Manu, Michele developed an exhaustive and innovative body of research and provided editorial support for The Imagination Challenge, Alexander’s most recent investigation into the potentialities of emerging behaviours and strategic creativity. Michele’s ability to strategically extract knowledge and develop content generated a discerning inquiry into emergence, ecologies of behaviour, cognition and play, and innovative methodologies for education and business. Her collaborative approach and insightful analysis identify opportunities within the meaningful exchange of knowledge.
MARY QUANDT
Mary is a senior information architect and user interface designer at Martha Stewart. She has extensive experience in user research designed to inspire innovation and guide usability. She works on projects that encompass interactive strategy, new product development, brand evolution, design systems, and international marketing.
She also serves as the usability and research expert for Design for Democracy as they develop ballot guidelines for the next US federal election. She was previously at frog design and at Razorfish.
Mary has a MDes from Carnegie Mellon University with a concentration in design planning and a BA in business from The University of St. Thomas. She has two children, lives in Brooklyn, NY and is currently addicted to bootcamp.
Mary is a senior information architect and user interface designer at Martha Stewart. She has extensive experience in user research designed to inspire innovation and guide usability. She works on projects that encompass interactive strategy, new product development, brand evolution, design systems, and international marketing.
She also serves as the usability and research expert for Design for Democracy as they develop ballot guidelines for the next US federal election. She was previously at frog design and at Razorfish.
Mary has a MDes from Carnegie Mellon University with a concentration in design planning and a BA in business from The University of St. Thomas. She has two children, lives in Brooklyn, NY and is currently addicted to bootcamp.
RICHARD RANKIN
Richard Rankin founded Atheneum Capital LLC in 2005. Atheneum Capital’s activities include principal investments in private and public companies, consulting and philanthropic efforts.
Prior to establishing Atheneum Capital, Richard was a senior managing director at Morgan Stanley in their global headquarters. He ran the Canadian business of Morgan Stanley in Toronto from 1998 to 2002 and returned to NY in a senior capacity in the firm’s strategic management group.
Richard began his career as a credit analyst and progressed through research, institutional equity sales and management and investment banking. He has a myriad of experience counseling corporations on a diverse range of issues including capital structure, financing, management policy, regulatory compliance and change of control.
Richard is an advisory director of Splinternet Holdings, Inc., zDegree Media Ltd. and Spectrum DNA Inc. and lives in Rowayton, Connecticut with his wife and two daughters. He has an active lifestyle which includes sailing, skiing and bicycling. Richard is the past president of the Rowayton Civic Association and past chairman of its land use committee.
Richard Rankin founded Atheneum Capital LLC in 2005. Atheneum Capital’s activities include principal investments in private and public companies, consulting and philanthropic efforts.
Prior to establishing Atheneum Capital, Richard was a senior managing director at Morgan Stanley in their global headquarters. He ran the Canadian business of Morgan Stanley in Toronto from 1998 to 2002 and returned to NY in a senior capacity in the firm’s strategic management group.
Richard began his career as a credit analyst and progressed through research, institutional equity sales and management and investment banking. He has a myriad of experience counseling corporations on a diverse range of issues including capital structure, financing, management policy, regulatory compliance and change of control.
Richard is an advisory director of Splinternet Holdings, Inc., zDegree Media Ltd. and Spectrum DNA Inc. and lives in Rowayton, Connecticut with his wife and two daughters. He has an active lifestyle which includes sailing, skiing and bicycling. Richard is the past president of the Rowayton Civic Association and past chairman of its land use committee.
MICHAEL RAYNOR
Michael was born in Brantford, Ontario, the same town as Wayne Gretzky...but he can’t play hockey nearly as well. He holds an undergraduate degree in philosophy from Harvard College (1990), where he graduated magna cum laude. His thesis on the metaphysics of personal identity has left him absolutely sure he has no idea who he is. During the course of his undergraduate career he was a Detur Prize winner for first-year academic excellence and a John Harvard Scholar for continued academic excellence. He has an MBA (1994) from the Richard Ivey School of Business in London, Ontario, where he was awarded the Nelson M. Davis Memorial Scholarship.
He earned his doctorate in business administration from the Harvard Business School (2000) with a dissertation on the sources of corporate value added in diversified firms. He also earned the Dively Award for research excellence.
At Deloitte Consulting LLP, Michael is the Distinguished Fellow with Deloitte Research. He works with senior executives in the world’s leading corporations across a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, media and entertainment, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, energy, and manufacturing. His client work, research and writing, as well as his speaking engagements, focus on generating returns - competitive strategy - and reducing risk - corporate strategy.
Michael’s first book, co-authored with Clayton M. Christensen, The Innovator’s Solution, was published in 2003, and became a best-seller. The focus of the book was on creating and sustaining successful growth. Michael’s second book, The Strategy Paradox, was published by Doubleday in February 2007. This book is about how to reduce risk without sacrificing returns.
Michael was born in Brantford, Ontario, the same town as Wayne Gretzky...but he can’t play hockey nearly as well. He holds an undergraduate degree in philosophy from Harvard College (1990), where he graduated magna cum laude. His thesis on the metaphysics of personal identity has left him absolutely sure he has no idea who he is. During the course of his undergraduate career he was a Detur Prize winner for first-year academic excellence and a John Harvard Scholar for continued academic excellence. He has an MBA (1994) from the Richard Ivey School of Business in London, Ontario, where he was awarded the Nelson M. Davis Memorial Scholarship.
He earned his doctorate in business administration from the Harvard Business School (2000) with a dissertation on the sources of corporate value added in diversified firms. He also earned the Dively Award for research excellence.
At Deloitte Consulting LLP, Michael is the Distinguished Fellow with Deloitte Research. He works with senior executives in the world’s leading corporations across a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, media and entertainment, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, energy, and manufacturing. His client work, research and writing, as well as his speaking engagements, focus on generating returns - competitive strategy - and reducing risk - corporate strategy.
Michael’s first book, co-authored with Clayton M. Christensen, The Innovator’s Solution, was published in 2003, and became a best-seller. The focus of the book was on creating and sustaining successful growth. Michael’s second book, The Strategy Paradox, was published by Doubleday in February 2007. This book is about how to reduce risk without sacrificing returns.
RANDY SALZMAN
Randy is a former journalism/communications professor who has for many years been involved in the design of several publications. He is a regular contributor to Hook Magazine.
Randy is presently very active in promoting travel demand management (alternatives to automobile commuting), while seeking a better understanding of designing programs which convince drivers that there are alternative methods of transportation, and designing communications which move them toward changing their driving habits.
Randy is a former journalism/communications professor who has for many years been involved in the design of several publications. He is a regular contributor to Hook Magazine.
Randy is presently very active in promoting travel demand management (alternatives to automobile commuting), while seeking a better understanding of designing programs which convince drivers that there are alternative methods of transportation, and designing communications which move them toward changing their driving habits.
DENNIS SCHLEICHER
Dennis Jackson Schleicher Jr is a business anthropologist who helps knowledge economy organizations grow by fulfilling the promise of their communication technology investments to enable closer connections with their customers and better collaboration among their employees.
As an information architect, customer researcher, and usability director and design integrator in Baltimore, Maryland for e.magination.com, Dennis’s background in business and industrial anthropology gives him a unique advantage in investigating, understanding and communicating customer insights.
Dennis has spent over 15 years helping clients such as Ford, Motorola, and a variety of government organizations on such issues as flows of information and materials in supply chains, web-based international collaboration spaces, influentials targeted marketing and information architectures.
Dennis Jackson Schleicher Jr is a business anthropologist who helps knowledge economy organizations grow by fulfilling the promise of their communication technology investments to enable closer connections with their customers and better collaboration among their employees.
As an information architect, customer researcher, and usability director and design integrator in Baltimore, Maryland for e.magination.com, Dennis’s background in business and industrial anthropology gives him a unique advantage in investigating, understanding and communicating customer insights.
Dennis has spent over 15 years helping clients such as Ford, Motorola, and a variety of government organizations on such issues as flows of information and materials in supply chains, web-based international collaboration spaces, influentials targeted marketing and information architectures.
MANUEL TOSCANO
For the last 10 years, Manuel has helped his clients bridge business and design by combining a deep expertise in developing and implementing communication strategies with an unmatched ability to craft compelling visual story-telling. In 1998 he joined Zago and helped shape the design consultancy into a world-class Corporate Identity and Visual Communication practice. Under his leadership the studio broadened it’s scope of services, industry reach and its creative vision.
Zago’s clients include fortune 500 companies, international non-profits, start-ups and global brands. The studio has been recognized with prestigious awards, has won international competitions and its work has been accepted into the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
Manuel holds an MFA from the School of Visual Arts in photography and related media, school at which he also taught as a faculty member, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from Corcoran School of Art (Washington, D.C.) He also completed the Harvard Business School design leadership program.
Manuel has lived in the Soviet Union, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and England, before relocating to the United States in 1988. He is fluent in Italian, Spanish, and English.
For the last 10 years, Manuel has helped his clients bridge business and design by combining a deep expertise in developing and implementing communication strategies with an unmatched ability to craft compelling visual story-telling. In 1998 he joined Zago and helped shape the design consultancy into a world-class Corporate Identity and Visual Communication practice. Under his leadership the studio broadened it’s scope of services, industry reach and its creative vision.
Zago’s clients include fortune 500 companies, international non-profits, start-ups and global brands. The studio has been recognized with prestigious awards, has won international competitions and its work has been accepted into the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
Manuel holds an MFA from the School of Visual Arts in photography and related media, school at which he also taught as a faculty member, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from Corcoran School of Art (Washington, D.C.) He also completed the Harvard Business School design leadership program.
Manuel has lived in the Soviet Union, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and England, before relocating to the United States in 1988. He is fluent in Italian, Spanish, and English.
ROBIN UCHIDA
Robin Uchida is a co-founder of Torch Partnership Inc. He consults on brand development, strategic communication and business design. He is also an advisor for CEO’s and senior executives who are at critical change points in business and life.
He has begun to explore new community-building possibilities for business and education through forums and events like Juice Dialogues and as an advisor for projects at the Ontario College of Art and Design and the Design Exchange. He recently introduced a new exploratory course at OCAD called Catalyst with the Think Tank Group.
Prior to Torch he was president at Uchida Design Inc. where he developed strategic brand campaigns for organizations in the midst of change. As an entrepreneur he has co-founded communications-related companies, ranging from retail marketing to change management. In the capacity of business and creative advisor at each of these organizations, he facilitated their business evolution and operations development.
Robin Uchida is a co-founder of Torch Partnership Inc. He consults on brand development, strategic communication and business design. He is also an advisor for CEO’s and senior executives who are at critical change points in business and life.
He has begun to explore new community-building possibilities for business and education through forums and events like Juice Dialogues and as an advisor for projects at the Ontario College of Art and Design and the Design Exchange. He recently introduced a new exploratory course at OCAD called Catalyst with the Think Tank Group.
Prior to Torch he was president at Uchida Design Inc. where he developed strategic brand campaigns for organizations in the midst of change. As an entrepreneur he has co-founded communications-related companies, ranging from retail marketing to change management. In the capacity of business and creative advisor at each of these organizations, he facilitated their business evolution and operations development.
DAVID J. WALCZYK
David has worked for over a decade as a designer, advisor, researcher, educator, and interdisciplinary collaborator at the intersections of people, culture, and interactive media. In his free time he can be found at the C.G. Jung Foundation for Analytical Psychology in New York City or artistically exploring the psychological coniunctio.
David is an assistant professor at Pratt Institute, an internationally renowned art and design school in New York City. At Pratt he teaches courses in cultural informatics and design, and usability leadership, at the graduate School of Information and Library Science. His applied research is through the Pratt Center for Cultural Informatics.
Before completing his doctorate in communication and education at Columbia University, David was on the faculty at New York University and worked professionally at General Electric (GE) Global Research, GE Multimedia, and the boutique branding agency Frankfurt Balkind. At GE Global Research, two of his designs were acknowledged as company best practices.
David was selected as a Science and Technology Policy Fellow by the United States National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in Washington, DC. While at the Academy, he helped to create the interdisciplinary field of Information Technology and Creative Practices and developed federal policy recommendations related to critical infrastructure protection. While researching for his dissertation, he was a visiting scholar at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.
David has worked for over a decade as a designer, advisor, researcher, educator, and interdisciplinary collaborator at the intersections of people, culture, and interactive media. In his free time he can be found at the C.G. Jung Foundation for Analytical Psychology in New York City or artistically exploring the psychological coniunctio.
David is an assistant professor at Pratt Institute, an internationally renowned art and design school in New York City. At Pratt he teaches courses in cultural informatics and design, and usability leadership, at the graduate School of Information and Library Science. His applied research is through the Pratt Center for Cultural Informatics.
Before completing his doctorate in communication and education at Columbia University, David was on the faculty at New York University and worked professionally at General Electric (GE) Global Research, GE Multimedia, and the boutique branding agency Frankfurt Balkind. At GE Global Research, two of his designs were acknowledged as company best practices.
David was selected as a Science and Technology Policy Fellow by the United States National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in Washington, DC. While at the Academy, he helped to create the interdisciplinary field of Information Technology and Creative Practices and developed federal policy recommendations related to critical infrastructure protection. While researching for his dissertation, he was a visiting scholar at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.
TODD WARFEL
Todd Warfel is a founding partner at Messagefirst, a Philadelphia-based design research consultancy focusing on research and design of consumer and b2b products. A recognized leader in the design research and usability fields, with over 14 years of industry experience and a background in English, cognitive psychology and product design, he has worked on over a dozen industry first products.
Todd has done work with a variety of clients, including Albertsons, AT&T Wireless, Bankrate, Bank of America, Comcast, Cornell University, Dell, IntraLinks, Palm, Sallie Mae, Splenda, SBC, SUNY, and Tufts University.
Todd Warfel is a founding partner at Messagefirst, a Philadelphia-based design research consultancy focusing on research and design of consumer and b2b products. A recognized leader in the design research and usability fields, with over 14 years of industry experience and a background in English, cognitive psychology and product design, he has worked on over a dozen industry first products.
Todd has done work with a variety of clients, including Albertsons, AT&T Wireless, Bankrate, Bank of America, Comcast, Cornell University, Dell, IntraLinks, Palm, Sallie Mae, Splenda, SBC, SUNY, and Tufts University.
- Hildy
Abrams - Kerry
Bodine - Mary-Jane
Braide - Audrey
Carr - Chris
Conley - Ben
Dempster - Michael
Dila - Peter
Evans - Luigi
Ferrara - Charles
Finley - Henning
Fischer - Heather
Fraser - Colin
Gillies - Dave
Gray - Jeannette
Hanna - Nabil
Harfoush - Rahaf
Harfoush - Karen
Hambrough - Rohan
Jayasekera - Matt
Jones - Peter
Jones - Andy
Keen - Jake
Koseleci - Melissa
Leithwood - Jeanne
Liedtka - Erin
Limen - Robert
Logan - Victor
Lombardi - Alex
Manu - Roger
Martin - Scott
Matthews - Duncan
McEwan - James
McNab - Matthew
Milan - James
Moed - Michael
Moore - Ariel
Muller - Robert
Ouellette - Paul
Pangaro - Michele
Perras - Mary
Quandt - Richard
Rankin - MIchael
Raynor - Randy
Salzman - Dennis
Schleicher - Manuel
Toscano - Robin
Uchida - David
Walczyk - Todd
Warfel
Alexander Manu of the Beal Institute for Strategic Creativity spoke about the idea of pre-competitive innovation and the importance of imagination and non-conformity to the creative task of innovation.
Jeanne Liedtka is Associate Professor at the Darden School of Business at University of Virginia and Executive Director of the Batten Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. She spoke about the challenges of creating innovation at the heart of corporate process.
Bob Logan, fellow at the Beal Institute for Strategic Creativity, physicist and collaborator of Marshall McLuhan, shares his experience with the evolving ecology of thought about human language and culture.
Heather Fraser is Director of designworks, a centre for design-based innovation and education which is part of the Rotman School of Management. She discusses designworks' approach and presents a couple of cases.
Dave Gray, founder and CEO of Xplane, leads the Overlap 07 group in exercises designed reveal emergent themes and patterns in the Overlap conversation.
Paul Pangaro presents the innovation poster which he created in collaboration with Hugh Dubberly and Nathan Felde. This discussion revealed the value and challenges involved in defining something as slippery (and cliched) as innovation.
Peter Evans is an advisor to the MaRS Venture Group (www.marsdd.com). MaRS is the convergence innovation centre that is dedicated to accelerating the commercialization of new ideas and new technologies by bringing together capital, science and business. Located in Toronto's downtown "Discovery District," MaRS sits at the epicentre of one of North America's most concentrated clusters of biomedical research and expertise - literally steps from world-renowned teaching and research hospitals, the University of Toronto, Canada's financial core and the Ontario legislature. He talks about the impact MaRS seeks to have on the pattern of innovation in Canada.
Michael Raynor, distinguished research fellow at Deloitte, discusses the ideas at the core of his recent book, The Strategy Paradox. His insights about the paradox that successful strategies can equally lead to both success and failure sparked valuable conversation.
Robert Ouellette, Ariel Muller, Nabil Harfoush, Matthew Milan and Melissa Leithwood tried to connect the dots on the connection between Sustainability and Innovation. It is clear that we only just began to scratch the surface of the compelling questions the session raised.
- Alexander Manu
- Jeanne Liedtka
- Robert Logan
- Heather Fraser
- Dave Gray
- Paul Pangaro
- Peter Evans
- MIchael Raynor
- Sustainability and Innovation
Overlap gratefully acknowledges the sponsorship of The Thomson Corporation, SAP, Torch Partnershipand select members of the Overlap community for their support of this site.