Category: Event

Last week, we hosted Fast Company’s FC/LA Creativity Counter-Conference at our LA Studio. The two day event began with Fast Tracks, which were day long neighborhood excursions curated by Fast Company. Attendees were able to choose one of five LA neighborhoods to explore. Each neighborhood featured access to the most intriguing and creative companies. We were honored to be selected as one of the Culver City stops.

Our CEO and Executive Creative Director, David Galullo, spoke to a group of 50 on how great design transforms the way we work. The discussion began with a brief description on our company, brand essence, and Interdisciplinary approach.

After going through a few case studies of recent projects, the attendees were split into groups for an Experience Map exercise. ‘Before, Experience, and Exit’ are the three main categories within the map. Each group was asked to think about what that looks like in terms of going to the dentist. What are the triggers, how is the arrival, what happens while you’re there, how’s the departure?

The exercise segued into the final case study for our work with Lydian Dental, a company that is changing the way people approach dentistry. David touched on each point of the Experience Map and how we addressed those points through our design of the website, architecture, branding, uniforms, etc…

It was a fun and engaging session, we’re looking forward to hosting more of this kind in the future. Thank you to all of the attendees and Fast Company!

Stay tuned to our Twitter and Instagram for future events.

On April 28th our San Francisco studio was able to showcase the new event space in our SF studio when we hosted the IIDA San Francisco City Center’s panel discussion on Human Centered Design. The event was organized & MC’d by Stephen Kolacki (Designer, Rapt Studio), and moderated by Louis Schump (Account Executive, Rapt Studio). The panel consisted of: Elizabeth Freer, Principal at Oppenheim Lewis, and client rep for the San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind, Joseph White, Director of Workplace Strategy + Design + Management for Herman Miller, and Dido Tsigaridi, Senior Design Experience Researcher for Autodesk.

Louis began the discussion with E.O. Wilson’s explanation of Biophilia, which is defined as a love of life or living systems. He also referenced IDEOs definition of Human Centered Design – a process that starts with the people you’re designing for and ends with new solutions that are tailor made to suit their needs. The conversation focused on the many facets of creating successful design; be it physical space, software, product, industrial design, a process or an experience, and advancing design solutions beyond surface level beauty to understand and exceed client expectations.

Elizabeth reinforced that designing for all senses is crucial for success, as users of any space, object, or interaction will have a unique perspective. Dido mentioned the human propensity to anthropomorphize can cause people to consider technology a life form and reinforced the importance of getting to “The Why” of a problem/solution. Joseph helped to tie these concepts together by highlighting the need to providing tools that allow people to build empathy.

Shortly before the discussion was shifted to the audience for a Q+A session, Louis brought the conversation full circle when he said, “the challenge was neither incorporating biophilia nor adhering to the tenants of Human Centered Design, rather, successful design is one that allows people to experience their humanity, or enhances the human experience.”

We want to thank everyone in attendance, especially our wonderful panelists.

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