Who we are

We’re a design consultancy that builds impactful systems and experiences. By adhering to a core set of values and process, we help startups connect with customers and disrupt new markets with design, strategy, and technology.

What We Stand for

Our values are both a promise to you and a declaration of who we are—everything we do is guided by them.  They’re more than words on our website. We internalize and consciously practice them on a daily basis.

Core VAlue 1 of 5

Think Holistically

We cannot solve the right problems unless we take a step back, understand the big picture, and think about what sets you apart from the competition.

Core VAlue 2 of 5

Create Delight

Delightful experiences are built on more than aesthetics, so we create solutions that not only solve a problem, but are also efficient and enjoyable.

Core VAlue 3 of 5

Iterate to Solve Problems

We don’t take the first idea and run with it. Instead, we leverage design-thinking to understand users, reframe problems, and prototype

Core VAlue 4 of 5

Make Informed Decisions

We remove emotion from the process of building solutions in favor of conducting research and gathering data to inform our decisions.

Core VAlue 5 of 5

Attention to Detail

We stay focused on the details and accommodate for edge cases, letting us build impactful solutions that work for everyone.

Our Process

All of our projects follow a four-phased approach. Based on the unique needs of your project, the individual tasks within each phase will vary. Our process helps you to better understand your users and define an impactful set of problems to solve. This results in high quality systems and experiences.

Phase 1

Understand

Over the course of 1-3 workshops, we work with you to understand your customers, business, problems, and constraints, then craft a brief recommending how to move forward.

Phase 2

Iterate

We take a collaborative approach and utilize both divergent and convergent thinking to bring our concepts to life. Divergent thinking allows us to explore out-of-the-box ideas and come up with exciting new concepts. While convergent thinking helps us refine, narrow down, and determine which of those ideas is best. This results in solutions that are unique and effective.

Phase 3

Launch

To ensure a smooth launch, we create guidelines, training, and tools before any implementation while also helping you determine what metrics can be used to measure success.

Step 4

Refine

As your company evolves and both internal and external demands change, it’s important for your experiences and systems to evolve as well. We help you identify, track and interpret customer data, then determine what can be refined to better serve your employees and customers.

Our Team

With team members around the world, we take decentralization to a whole new level. Some of us are scattered around Silicon Valley and Northern California, while others are in Europe and Asia. With no traditional office to speak of, we don’t follow the traditional agency model.

Our team is lead by founder and principal, Joel Shaw. Joel is a graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. A veteran of both agency and start-up life, Joel provides a unique angle to help businesses think creatively.

Joel Shaw

Joel Shaw

Principal
Michele Whitman

Michele Whitman

Executive Assistant

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