Welcome to the very 1st edition of the CX by Design Ideas newsletter, a monthly mailing by your hosts, Lis Hubert and Diana Sonis, with a focus on sharing human-centered ideas for business. A massive THANK YOU to each of you for being here!

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Oakland, Thursday morning, October 3, 2019

Hello!

Have you ever had one of those months where you feel like everything is pulling at your attention? For us, September was that month. 

We re-launched our updated website. We started this newsletter, and we began refining the language we use in an attempt to “walk the talk” and make all this Human-Centered Design speak, well, more human. 

It’s been busy, but a “good” busy. 

One thing that helps bring on these “good” busy vibes, is seeing our efforts put to use. It’s even better when these efforts are put to use again and again, without us having to put in MORE effort. 

The brilliance of a system… am I right?

Our Ideas this month focus on systems. We show you how to use human-centered design practices to create a system of innovation in your business (We call this “Systemic Innovation”).

Like with putting any good system to use, practicing systemic innovation means you won't need to start from scratch each time your business needs to rediscover and invent. 

Rather, creating a culture of systemic innovation ensures your company evolves along with the people and situations surrounding it. It means staying ahead of the curve instead of constantly reacting to keep up with it. 

Finally, it means creating those "good" busy vibes needed to validate your efforts and carry you and your team through the hard months with inspiration and meaning.

Embrace the system... you won't be sorry.

~ Lis Hubert
Founding Partner

Starting something new is always an exciting adventure. There is anticipation of exploration, mixed in with the hope that you’ll stumble on something truly unique. When people get on the path to innovation at work, they almost always jump into it too quickly. People get excited about new initiatives, thinking human-centered processes and tools will somehow magically bring about groundbreaking products & services. But, in all honesty, none of it matters if the organization is not set up to nurture & grow innovation from within.

Let’s get real here. People don’t like change. Our brain is naturally resistant to the unknown. Given a choice between status quo where things are relatively OK and some unknown future, most people will say things are A-OK as is. If you’re the one leading the initiative, people who are afraid of the unknown in your organization may initially see this as frivolous or silly. Things are good enough.

You won’t be able to avoid all mistakes because – let’s face it – life happens. It’s part of learning. Don’t be afraid to make them. However, with extensive practice in the field, we can unpack a few common missteps we’ve seen organizations make on the road to becoming a more human-centered organization.