Events

Stefanie Norvaisas, principal and director of strategy and research at Design Concepts, will present, “Design Thinking for Business,” at a private reception hosted by Johnson Bank, October 25th at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. The invitation-only event brings together business leaders from diverse fields who share a common passion for innovation. The evening is an opportunity for key leaders to learn more about changing business as usual. As the featured guest speaker, Norvaisas will share her experience using the tools, methods and processes of design thinking to develop innovative business solutions.

Dave Franchino, president of Design Concepts, was the invited speaker at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Lindbergh Lecture Series, on Thursday, September 22nd.

The Lindbergh Lecture Series is organized and hosted by the Mechanical Engineering department. The Series features individuals from business, government and academia presenting their insights and experiences in a wide variety of industries and fields. The series is named after aviator Charles Lindbergh, who studied mechanical engineering at UW-Madison.

Dave spoke to a group of about 75 students interested in hearing more about the evolving role of mechanical engineers in product design. His presentation focused on the “renaissance engineer” as a multidisciplinary individual who drives product innovation.

It was a terrific discussion and a great opportunity for us to meet the next generation of designers that will be transforming ideas into remarkable products and services.

Stefanie Norvaisas, principal and director of strategy & research, and Lucas McCann, senior design strategist, are heading to Boulder, Colorado for the 2011 Ethnographic Praxis in Industry Conference (EPIC). They’ve been selected to present a half-day workshop “More Meaningful Mapping: The How and Why of Diagramming Experiences,” September 20, 2011.

The three-day EPIC 2011 features presentations, workshops and numerous collaborative opportunities. The conference brings together strategists and researchers from around the world to discuss the theory and practice of ethnography in industry. This year’s conference theme is “Evolution/Revolution: Change and Ethnographic Work.”

“More Meaningful Mapping,” tasks a closer look at the power of visual mapping tools – tools that help researchers understand people and processes. The workshop challenges participants to move beyond using maps as merely descriptive tools and use experience maps as catalysts that create strategies and facilitate decisions.

It’s a fast-paced, rapid-fire team challenge for all the participants as they take part in discussions and hands-on opportunities to learn why and how to map and diagram experiences.

Learn more about EPIC 2011

It was hot and humid, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of this years’ small, but dedicated, duo of riders at the 2011 Scenic Shore 150. The two-day ride, from Mequon to Sturgeon Bay, covers 150 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. Congratulations Jim Womble and Sherry Eckholm for braving the heat, completing the ride, and raising much needed funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Go Team!

Dave Franchino, president and principal of Design Concepts, spoke at the national Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Conference Tuesday, April 12, 2011, Madison, WI. Franchino presented Leveraging Innovation: How to Partner with a Product Development Firm to introduce the risks and rewards of innovaton partnerships.

For those who were there, or those who couldn’t attend, the presentation notes are here for your reference. SBIR Conference presentation notes