Back in 2001, I quit a perfectly good job and founded a UX consulting firm in a garage (a cliché, I know, but it’s true). Sixteen years later, Centralis is a thriving research and design firm with a small but mighty staff of UXers dedicated to both our craft and the company. Along the way we’ve learned that designing a company isn’t so different from designing a product. In this lightning talk, I’ll share some of the lessons we’ve learned through prototyping, gathering feedback, and iterating on our organization.

1. @Centralis_UX
How to Design a Company
Kathi Kaiser, Centralis
@kathikaiser

2. Early 2001
2@kathikaiser
Arc Worldwide
(formerly Giant Step)
@Centralis_UX

3. Summer 2001 - Centralis is born…
3@kathikaiser@Centralis_UX

4. …Fast forward to 2017
4@kathikaiser@Centralis_UX

5. How it Feels to be a Founder
5@kathikaiser@Centralis_UX

6. How it Feels to be a Founder
6@kathikaiser@Centralis_UX

7. 7@kathikaiser@Centralis_UX
Setting Goals

8. Setting Goals
8@kathikaiser
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
@Centralis_UX

9. Setting Goals
9@kathikaiser
Centralis’ Hierarchy of Needs, v1
Safety
Physiological
Self-Actualization
Social
Esteem
@Centralis_UX

10. Setting Goals
10@kathikaiser
Centralis’ Hierarchy of Needs, v1
Safety
Physiological
Self-Actualization
Social
Esteem
@Centralis_UX

11. Setting Goals
11@kathikaiser
Centralis’ Hierarchy of Needs, v1
Safety
Physiological
Self-Actualization
Social
Esteem
@Centralis_UX

12. Setting Goals
12@kathikaiser
Centralis’ Hierarchy of Needs, v1
Safety
Physiological
Self-Actualization
Social
Esteem
@Centralis_UX

13. Setting Goals
13@kathikaiser
Centralis’ Hierarchy of Needs, v1
Safety
Physiological
Self-Actualization
Social
Esteem
@Centralis_UX

14. Setting Goals
@kathikaiser
Maslow’s Hierarchy, revisited
Self-Transcendence
The act of helping others self-actualize
@Centralis_UX

15. Setting Goals
15@kathikaiser
Self-Actualization Engine ---> “People First” organization
@Centralis_UX

16. 16@kathikaiser@Centralis_UX
Gathering Data &
Prototyping

17. Gathering Data
17@kathikaiser@Centralis_UX
This is how not to gather data.

18. Prototyping
18@kathikaiser

19. Gathering Data!
19@kathikaiser

20. 20@kathikaiser@Centralis_UX
Testing &
Iterating

21. Testing & Iterating
21@kathikaiser
2004 2012

22. Testing & Iterating
22@kathikaiser
Centralis’ Functional Teams
Business
Development
Project
Delivery
Evangelism
HR Infrastructure Finance

23. Testing & Iterating
23@kathikaiser
Before After
Thanks Infrastructure Team!

24. Testing & Iterating
24@kathikaiser
World Usability Day, Centralis, 2013
Thanks Evangelism Team!

25. Testing & Iterating
25@kathikaiser
Centralis’ Functional Teams
Business
Development
Project
Delivery
Evange-writing
HR Infrastructure Finance
Event-gelism

26. Testing & Iterating
26@kathikaiser
Centralis’ Functional Teams
Business
Development
Project
Delivery
Evangelism
HR
Infra-structure
Finance
Infra-tech

27. How to Design a Company
27@kathikaiser

28. 28@kathikaiser@Centralis_UX
How to Design
a Company
• People First!
• Empathize
• Experiment
• Learn

29. @Centralis_UX
Thanks!
@kathikaiser