.svg)
Let’s be honest. You know design is
“important”. But how do you measure
the impact of design? That is where ADG
is different.
When you partner with ADG, we work closely with you to understand what you want to achieve and your business goals. Then we leverage our experience and capabilites to transform your objectives
into a stunning design solution. The result
is design that surpasses user expectations - and positions you as an industry leader.
Our Design & Society Approach
Good Design is Good Business.
See Challenge as Opportunity
Exceed User Expectations
The Sky is not the Limit
Design is a Conversation
Stay Ahead of the Curve
Close
Noteh Krauss
Principal & Founder
I am a design strategist who assists Fortune 500 companies and startups with creating new products and services through product design and consulting. Previously, I studied the modes in which design becomes propagated into – and conditions – our lived experience on a personal and societal basis at McGill University (First Class Honours) and at Parsons School of Design.
I've also founded Aesthetic Dimension, a design strategy firm based in San Francisco and Toronto and worked with Bayer, Samsung, McKinsey & Company, Tellart, 500 Startups, and others. Design education is something I am passionate about, and I've lectured on design theory and innovation at California College of the Arts, YBCA, Primer EU, as well as teaching Design Thinking to startups in Mexico and Russia at the premier accelerator for each region, respectively. I also am the Director of the Speculative Design meetup in San Francisco, where we have 1500+ members and I've hosted speakers from Autodesk, IBM, IDEO, Samsung and others.
Close
Elana Gurney
Lead Product Designer
Elana Gurney is a multidisciplinary designer and strategist, currently working across sectors to build impactful products. Elana specializes in building holistic digital solutions, combining UX/UI, brand and content strategy. Previously, Elana managed marketing and product for international design consultancy IDEO’s open innovation practice, OpenIDEO. In partnership with clients including Nike, The Rockefeller Foundation, Starbucks, the US government, Unilever and the UN, Elana worked to creatively engage a global community of 250k+ people in tackling 70+ pressing societal issues.
With deep expertise in designing for social innovation and entrepreneurship, Elana joined IDEO by way of Teach for America, The Price Center for Entrepreneurship, and agency experiences. She founded a boutique creative consultancy for social good in 2013, and has worked with nonprofits for nearly two decades, most recently serving on the board of Transition United States. Elana has spoken and led workshops on design thinking, open innovation, community building, and impactful communication around the world—from the Global Social Venture Competition to SXSW.
She graduated summa cum laude Phi Beta Kappa from UCLA.
Close
Zach Oman
Lead Strategist
I am an innovation & product strategist who works with ambitious clients on finding new opportunities and launching minimum viable products to test hypotheses in-market. I am passionate about systems change, and the power of emergent disciplines working together to shape radical futures. Previously, I worked at Idea Couture bringing together business-school and design-school ideologies to imagine new futures.
My background in materials engineering from McGill & experience in aerospace give me grounding in developing real world products, while my experiences launching software products in China and Canada give me global perspective. I’ve worked across industries, serving clients such as WestJet, Novartis, VerticleScope, UCB, Telus, RBC, and Investors Group. I am also the Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Cansbridge Fellowship, a global community of 150+ Canadian leaders and entrepreneurs. Currently I work at Connected, teaching and growing the Product Discovery practice.
Close
Jasdeep Singh
Lead Developer
I'm a Full Stack Software Engineer & a technology enthusiast.
Throughout my career I've assisted companies both big and small
to develop & launch disruptive digital products. I'm an avid contributor
to open source software, my simple strategy to build successful digital
products is that they should be user and customer oriented.
I've had the opportunity to teach backend development courses
to aspiring entrepreneurs at a coding bootcamp here in Toronto.
Throughout my career I've worked with brands such as PwC, Nokia, RBC
and startups such as Vai.
Close
Giuliana Mazzetta
Senior Business Designer
Giuliana Mazzetta is a business designer working at the intersection of design, strategy and futures, helping clients take a holistic view of their business by understanding emerging trends while getting close to their customers. As a business designer at Futurice digital engineering consultancy, Giuliana worked directly with the Global Head of Advisory to support C-level stakeholders to unleash innovation through digital product design, emerging technologies and lean organisational change - working across industries to serve clients at various stages such as Pepsico, Plan International, Fujitsu, Gatwick Airport, Ramirent and Fitch Learning. Rooting her practice in foresight, Giuliana has worked on trends reports on topics including the Future of AI, Voice, Travel & Hospitality, Retail, Automotive and Governance.
Passionate about blending methods of design and business together, Giuliana is a member of the Imperial Business Design Studio, frequently visiting Imperial College London as a guest lecturer and coaching over 160 students across the Executive MBA and MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Management programs in Design Thinking for Innovation. Giuliana also serves as Co-Director of Speculative Futures London, bringing together a community of more than 950 members to host guests such as vhm Design Futures, School of Critical Design and more. Always experimenting with new methods and applications of business design, Giuliana is currently exploring interspecies centered design in design research supported by the British Council’s Crafting Futures Grant.
Close
Afarin Sajjadian
UX Designer
I’m a product designer who helps startups and individuals connect to their audience by applying user centric design to launch new products. Previously, I worked at OmniSci as a user experience designer. Based in San Francisco, OmniSci designs and develops big data analysis and visualization platforms.
Before I moved to San Francisco and became a product designer, I ran an award winning design business for more than 6 years in Montreal, Canada where I won the "Accelerator Entrepreneurship Program Award". Coming from an Architecture background, I leveraged all my design skills and experiences to create impactful visual and physical designs. In winter 2018 I received “The Best New Product Design” Award at NYNOW, New York, NY.
Aside from work, I always have some side projects to do. Designing an iOS app which helps nursing homes’ administrators connect, communicate and assign tasks, and a web page for a non-profit Organization that aims to preserve Okinawan culture and history are my favorite projects among them. I have also trained at Super Hi and Design Lab in Interaction Design, Visual Design and Branding.
Close
Elana Gurney
Lead Product Designer
Elana Gurney is a multidisciplinary designer and strategist, currently working across sectors to build impactful products. Elana specializes in building holistic digital solutions, combining UX/UI, brand and content strategy. Previously, Elana managed marketing and product for international design consultancy IDEO’s open innovation practice, OpenIDEO. In partnership with clients including Nike, The Rockefeller Foundation, Starbucks, the US government, Unilever and the UN, Elana worked to creatively engage a global community of 250k+ people in tackling 70+ pressing societal issues.
With deep expertise in designing for social innovation and entrepreneurship, Elana joined IDEO by way of Teach for America, The Price Center for Entrepreneurship, and agency experiences. She founded a boutique creative consultancy for social good in 2013, and has worked with nonprofits for nearly two decades, most recently serving on the board of Transition United States. Elana has spoken and led workshops on design thinking, open innovation, community building, and impactful communication around the world—from the Global Social Venture Competition to SXSW.
She graduated summa cum laude Phi Beta Kappa from UCLA.
Close
Zach Oman
Lead Strategist
I am an innovation & product strategist who works with ambitious clients on finding new opportunities and launching minimum viable products to test hypotheses in-market. I am passionate about systems change, and the power of emergent disciplines working together to shape radical futures. Previously, I worked at Idea Couture bringing together business-school and design-school ideologies to imagine new futures.
My background in materials engineering from McGill & experience in aerospace give me grounding in developing real world products, while my experiences launching software products in China and Canada give me global perspective. I’ve worked across industries, serving clients such as WestJet, Novartis, VerticleScope, UCB, Telus, RBC, and Investors Group. I am also the Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Cansbridge Fellowship, a global community of 150+ Canadian leaders and entrepreneurs. Currently I work at Connected, teaching and growing the Product Discovery practice.
Close
Jasdeep Singh
Lead Developer
I'm a Full Stack Software Engineer & a technology enthusiast.
Throughout my career I've assisted companies both big and small
to develop & launch disruptive digital products. I'm an avid contributor
to open source software, my simple strategy to build successful digital
products is that they should be user and customer oriented.
I've had the opportunity to teach backend development courses
to aspiring entrepreneurs at a coding bootcamp here in Toronto.
Throughout my career I've worked with brands such as PwC, Nokia, RBC
and startups such as Vai.
Close
Giuliana Mazzetta
Senior Business Designer
Giuliana Mazzetta is a business designer working at the intersection of design, strategy and futures, helping clients take a holistic view of their business by understanding emerging trends while getting close to their customers. As a business designer at Futurice digital engineering consultancy, Giuliana worked directly with the Global Head of Advisory to support C-level stakeholders to unleash innovation through digital product design, emerging technologies and lean organisational change - working across industries to serve clients at various stages such as Pepsico, Plan International, Fujitsu, Gatwick Airport, Ramirent and Fitch Learning. Rooting her practice in foresight, Giuliana has worked on trends reports on topics including the Future of AI, Voice, Travel & Hospitality, Retail, Automotive and Governance.
Passionate about blending methods of design and business together, Giuliana is a member of the Imperial Business Design Studio, frequently visiting Imperial College London as a guest lecturer and coaching over 160 students across the Executive MBA and MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Management programs in Design Thinking for Innovation. Giuliana also serves as Co-Director of Speculative Futures London, bringing together a community of more than 950 members to host guests such as vhm Design Futures, School of Critical Design and more. Always experimenting with new methods and applications of business design, Giuliana is currently exploring interspecies centered design in design research supported by the British Council’s Crafting Futures Grant.
Close
Afarin Sajjadian
UX Designer
I’m a product designer who helps startups and individuals connect to their audience by applying user centric design to launch new products. Previously, I worked at OmniSci as a user experience designer. Based in San Francisco, OmniSci designs and develops big data analysis and visualization platforms.
Before I moved to San Francisco and became a product designer, I ran an award winning design business for more than 6 years in Montreal, Canada where I won the "Accelerator Entrepreneurship Program Award". Coming from an Architecture background, I leveraged all my design skills and experiences to create impactful visual and physical designs. In winter 2018 I received “The Best New Product Design” Award at NYNOW, New York, NY.
Aside from work, I always have some side projects to do. Designing an iOS app which helps nursing homes’ administrators connect, communicate and assign tasks, and a web page for a non-profit Organization that aims to preserve Okinawan culture and history are my favorite projects among them. I have also trained at Super Hi and Design Lab in Interaction Design, Visual Design and Branding.
Close
Noteh Krauss
Principal & Founder
I am a design strategist who assists Fortune 500 companies and startups with creating new products and services through product design and consulting. Previously, I studied the modes in which design becomes propagated into – and conditions – our lived experience on a personal and societal basis at McGill University (First Class Honours) and at Parsons School of Design.
I've also founded Aesthetic Dimension, a design strategy firm based in San Francisco and Toronto and worked with Bayer, Samsung, McKinsey & Company, Tellart, 500 Startups, and others. Design education is something I am passionate about, and I've lectured on design theory and innovation at California College of the Arts, YBCA, Primer EU, as well as teaching Design Thinking to startups in Mexico and Russia at the premier accelerator for each region, respectively. I also am the Director of the Speculative Design meetup in San Francisco, where we have 1500+ members and I've hosted speakers from Autodesk, IBM, IDEO, Samsung and others.
Close
Zach Oman
Lead Strategist
I am an innovation & product strategist who works with ambitious clients on finding new opportunities and launching minimum viable products to test hypotheses in-market. I am passionate about systems change, and the power of emergent disciplines working together to shape radical futures. Previously, I worked at Idea Couture bringing together business-school and design-school ideologies to imagine new futures.
My background in materials engineering from McGill & experience in aerospace give me grounding in developing real world products, while my experiences launching software products in China and Canada give me global perspective. I’ve worked across industries, serving clients such as WestJet, Novartis, VerticleScope, UCB, Telus, RBC, and Investors Group. I am also the Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Cansbridge Fellowship, a global community of 150+ Canadian leaders and entrepreneurs. Currently I work at Connected, teaching and growing the Product Discovery practice.
Close
Jasdeep Singh
Lead Developer
I'm a Full Stack Software Engineer & a technology enthusiast.
Throughout my career I've assisted companies both big and small
to develop & launch disruptive digital products. I'm an avid contributor
to open source software, my simple strategy to build successful digital
products is that they should be user and customer oriented.
I've had the opportunity to teach backend development courses
to aspiring entrepreneurs at a coding bootcamp here in Toronto.
Throughout my career I've worked with brands such as PwC, Nokia, RBC
and startups such as Vai.
Close
Giuliana Mazzetta
Senior Business Designer
Giuliana Mazzetta is a business designer working at the intersection of design, strategy and futures, helping clients take a holistic view of their business by understanding emerging trends while getting close to their customers. As a business designer at Futurice digital engineering consultancy, Giuliana worked directly with the Global Head of Advisory to support C-level stakeholders to unleash innovation through digital product design, emerging technologies and lean organisational change - working across industries to serve clients at various stages such as Pepsico, Plan International, Fujitsu, Gatwick Airport, Ramirent and Fitch Learning. Rooting her practice in foresight, Giuliana has worked on trends reports on topics including the Future of AI, Voice, Travel & Hospitality, Retail, Automotive and Governance.
Passionate about blending methods of design and business together, Giuliana is a member of the Imperial Business Design Studio, frequently visiting Imperial College London as a guest lecturer and coaching over 160 students across the Executive MBA and MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Management programs in Design Thinking for Innovation. Giuliana also serves as Co-Director of Speculative Futures London, bringing together a community of more than 950 members to host guests such as vhm Design Futures, School of Critical Design and more. Always experimenting with new methods and applications of business design, Giuliana is currently exploring interspecies centered design in design research supported by the British Council’s Crafting Futures Grant.
Close
Afarin Sajjadian
UX Designer
I’m a product designer who helps startups and individuals connect to their audience by applying user centric design to launch new products. Previously, I worked at OmniSci as a user experience designer. Based in San Francisco, OmniSci designs and develops big data analysis and visualization platforms.
Before I moved to San Francisco and became a product designer, I ran an award winning design business for more than 6 years in Montreal, Canada where I won the "Accelerator Entrepreneurship Program Award". Coming from an Architecture background, I leveraged all my design skills and experiences to create impactful visual and physical designs. In winter 2018 I received “The Best New Product Design” Award at NYNOW, New York, NY.
Aside from work, I always have some side projects to do. Designing an iOS app which helps nursing homes’ administrators connect, communicate and assign tasks, and a web page for a non-profit Organization that aims to preserve Okinawan culture and history are my favorite projects among them. I have also trained at Super Hi and Design Lab in Interaction Design, Visual Design and Branding.
Close
Noteh Krauss
Principal & Founder
I am a design strategist who assists Fortune 500 companies and startups with creating new products and services through product design and consulting. Previously, I studied the modes in which design becomes propagated into – and conditions – our lived experience on a personal and societal basis at McGill University (First Class Honours) and at Parsons School of Design.
I've also founded Aesthetic Dimension, a design strategy firm based in San Francisco and Toronto and worked with Bayer, Samsung, McKinsey & Company, Tellart, 500 Startups, and others. Design education is something I am passionate about, and I've lectured on design theory and innovation at California College of the Arts, YBCA, Primer EU, as well as teaching Design Thinking to startups in Mexico and Russia at the premier accelerator for each region, respectively. I also am the Director of the Speculative Design meetup in San Francisco, where we have 1500+ members and I've hosted speakers from Autodesk, IBM, IDEO, Samsung and others.
Close
Elana Gurney
Lead Product Designer
Elana Gurney is a multidisciplinary designer and strategist, currently working across sectors to build impactful products. Elana specializes in building holistic digital solutions, combining UX/UI, brand and content strategy. Previously, Elana managed marketing and product for international design consultancy IDEO’s open innovation practice, OpenIDEO. In partnership with clients including Nike, The Rockefeller Foundation, Starbucks, the US government, Unilever and the UN, Elana worked to creatively engage a global community of 250k+ people in tackling 70+ pressing societal issues.
With deep expertise in designing for social innovation and entrepreneurship, Elana joined IDEO by way of Teach for America, The Price Center for Entrepreneurship, and agency experiences. She founded a boutique creative consultancy for social good in 2013, and has worked with nonprofits for nearly two decades, most recently serving on the board of Transition United States. Elana has spoken and led workshops on design thinking, open innovation, community building, and impactful communication around the world—from the Global Social Venture Competition to SXSW.
She graduated summa cum laude Phi Beta Kappa from UCLA.
Close
Jasdeep Singh
Lead Developer
I'm a Full Stack Software Engineer & a technology enthusiast.
Throughout my career I've assisted companies both big and small
to develop & launch disruptive digital products. I'm an avid contributor
to open source software, my simple strategy to build successful digital
products is that they should be user and customer oriented.
I've had the opportunity to teach backend development courses
to aspiring entrepreneurs at a coding bootcamp here in Toronto.
Throughout my career I've worked with brands such as PwC, Nokia, RBC
and startups such as Vai.
Close
Giuliana Mazzetta
Senior Business Designer
Giuliana Mazzetta is a business designer working at the intersection of design, strategy and futures, helping clients take a holistic view of their business by understanding emerging trends while getting close to their customers. As a business designer at Futurice digital engineering consultancy, Giuliana worked directly with the Global Head of Advisory to support C-level stakeholders to unleash innovation through digital product design, emerging technologies and lean organisational change - working across industries to serve clients at various stages such as Pepsico, Plan International, Fujitsu, Gatwick Airport, Ramirent and Fitch Learning. Rooting her practice in foresight, Giuliana has worked on trends reports on topics including the Future of AI, Voice, Travel & Hospitality, Retail, Automotive and Governance.
Passionate about blending methods of design and business together, Giuliana is a member of the Imperial Business Design Studio, frequently visiting Imperial College London as a guest lecturer and coaching over 160 students across the Executive MBA and MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Management programs in Design Thinking for Innovation. Giuliana also serves as Co-Director of Speculative Futures London, bringing together a community of more than 950 members to host guests such as vhm Design Futures, School of Critical Design and more. Always experimenting with new methods and applications of business design, Giuliana is currently exploring interspecies centered design in design research supported by the British Council’s Crafting Futures Grant.
Close
Afarin Sajjadian
UX Designer
I’m a product designer who helps startups and individuals connect to their audience by applying user centric design to launch new products. Previously, I worked at OmniSci as a user experience designer. Based in San Francisco, OmniSci designs and develops big data analysis and visualization platforms.
Before I moved to San Francisco and became a product designer, I ran an award winning design business for more than 6 years in Montreal, Canada where I won the "Accelerator Entrepreneurship Program Award". Coming from an Architecture background, I leveraged all my design skills and experiences to create impactful visual and physical designs. In winter 2018 I received “The Best New Product Design” Award at NYNOW, New York, NY.
Aside from work, I always have some side projects to do. Designing an iOS app which helps nursing homes’ administrators connect, communicate and assign tasks, and a web page for a non-profit Organization that aims to preserve Okinawan culture and history are my favorite projects among them. I have also trained at Super Hi and Design Lab in Interaction Design, Visual Design and Branding.
Close
Noteh Krauss
Principal & Founder
I am a design strategist who assists Fortune 500 companies and startups with creating new products and services through product design and consulting. Previously, I studied the modes in which design becomes propagated into – and conditions – our lived experience on a personal and societal basis at McGill University (First Class Honours) and at Parsons School of Design.
I've also founded Aesthetic Dimension, a design strategy firm based in San Francisco and Toronto and worked with Bayer, Samsung, McKinsey & Company, Tellart, 500 Startups, and others. Design education is something I am passionate about, and I've lectured on design theory and innovation at California College of the Arts, YBCA, Primer EU, as well as teaching Design Thinking to startups in Mexico and Russia at the premier accelerator for each region, respectively. I also am the Director of the Speculative Design meetup in San Francisco, where we have 1500+ members and I've hosted speakers from Autodesk, IBM, IDEO, Samsung and others.
Close
Elana Gurney
Lead Product Designer
Elana Gurney is a multidisciplinary designer and strategist, currently working across sectors to build impactful products. Elana specializes in building holistic digital solutions, combining UX/UI, brand and content strategy. Previously, Elana managed marketing and product for international design consultancy IDEO’s open innovation practice, OpenIDEO. In partnership with clients including Nike, The Rockefeller Foundation, Starbucks, the US government, Unilever and the UN, Elana worked to creatively engage a global community of 250k+ people in tackling 70+ pressing societal issues.
With deep expertise in designing for social innovation and entrepreneurship, Elana joined IDEO by way of Teach for America, The Price Center for Entrepreneurship, and agency experiences. She founded a boutique creative consultancy for social good in 2013, and has worked with nonprofits for nearly two decades, most recently serving on the board of Transition United States. Elana has spoken and led workshops on design thinking, open innovation, community building, and impactful communication around the world—from the Global Social Venture Competition to SXSW.
She graduated summa cum laude Phi Beta Kappa from UCLA.
Close
Zach Oman
Lead Strategist
I am an innovation & product strategist who works with ambitious clients on finding new opportunities and launching minimum viable products to test hypotheses in-market. I am passionate about systems change, and the power of emergent disciplines working together to shape radical futures. Previously, I worked at Idea Couture bringing together business-school and design-school ideologies to imagine new futures.
My background in materials engineering from McGill & experience in aerospace give me grounding in developing real world products, while my experiences launching software products in China and Canada give me global perspective. I’ve worked across industries, serving clients such as WestJet, Novartis, VerticleScope, UCB, Telus, RBC, and Investors Group. I am also the Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Cansbridge Fellowship, a global community of 150+ Canadian leaders and entrepreneurs. Currently I work at Connected, teaching and growing the Product Discovery practice.
Close
Giuliana Mazzetta
Senior Business Designer
Giuliana Mazzetta is a business designer working at the intersection of design, strategy and futures, helping clients take a holistic view of their business by understanding emerging trends while getting close to their customers. As a business designer at Futurice digital engineering consultancy, Giuliana worked directly with the Global Head of Advisory to support C-level stakeholders to unleash innovation through digital product design, emerging technologies and lean organisational change - working across industries to serve clients at various stages such as Pepsico, Plan International, Fujitsu, Gatwick Airport, Ramirent and Fitch Learning. Rooting her practice in foresight, Giuliana has worked on trends reports on topics including the Future of AI, Voice, Travel & Hospitality, Retail, Automotive and Governance.
Passionate about blending methods of design and business together, Giuliana is a member of the Imperial Business Design Studio, frequently visiting Imperial College London as a guest lecturer and coaching over 160 students across the Executive MBA and MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Management programs in Design Thinking for Innovation. Giuliana also serves as Co-Director of Speculative Futures London, bringing together a community of more than 950 members to host guests such as vhm Design Futures, School of Critical Design and more. Always experimenting with new methods and applications of business design, Giuliana is currently exploring interspecies centered design in design research supported by the British Council’s Crafting Futures Grant.
Close
Afarin Sajjadian
UX Designer
I’m a product designer who helps startups and individuals connect to their audience by applying user centric design to launch new products. Previously, I worked at OmniSci as a user experience designer. Based in San Francisco, OmniSci designs and develops big data analysis and visualization platforms.
Before I moved to San Francisco and became a product designer, I ran an award winning design business for more than 6 years in Montreal, Canada where I won the "Accelerator Entrepreneurship Program Award". Coming from an Architecture background, I leveraged all my design skills and experiences to create impactful visual and physical designs. In winter 2018 I received “The Best New Product Design” Award at NYNOW, New York, NY.
Aside from work, I always have some side projects to do. Designing an iOS app which helps nursing homes’ administrators connect, communicate and assign tasks, and a web page for a non-profit Organization that aims to preserve Okinawan culture and history are my favorite projects among them. I have also trained at Super Hi and Design Lab in Interaction Design, Visual Design and Branding.
Close
Noteh Krauss
Principal & Founder
I am a design strategist who assists Fortune 500 companies and startups with creating new products and services through product design and consulting. Previously, I studied the modes in which design becomes propagated into – and conditions – our lived experience on a personal and societal basis at McGill University (First Class Honours) and at Parsons School of Design.
I've also founded Aesthetic Dimension, a design strategy firm based in San Francisco and Toronto and worked with Bayer, Samsung, McKinsey & Company, Tellart, 500 Startups, and others. Design education is something I am passionate about, and I've lectured on design theory and innovation at California College of the Arts, YBCA, Primer EU, as well as teaching Design Thinking to startups in Mexico and Russia at the premier accelerator for each region, respectively. I also am the Director of the Speculative Design meetup in San Francisco, where we have 1500+ members and I've hosted speakers from Autodesk, IBM, IDEO, Samsung and others.
Close
Elana Gurney
Lead Product Designer
Elana Gurney is a multidisciplinary designer and strategist, currently working across sectors to build impactful products. Elana specializes in building holistic digital solutions, combining UX/UI, brand and content strategy. Previously, Elana managed marketing and product for international design consultancy IDEO’s open innovation practice, OpenIDEO. In partnership with clients including Nike, The Rockefeller Foundation, Starbucks, the US government, Unilever and the UN, Elana worked to creatively engage a global community of 250k+ people in tackling 70+ pressing societal issues.
With deep expertise in designing for social innovation and entrepreneurship, Elana joined IDEO by way of Teach for America, The Price Center for Entrepreneurship, and agency experiences. She founded a boutique creative consultancy for social good in 2013, and has worked with nonprofits for nearly two decades, most recently serving on the board of Transition United States. Elana has spoken and led workshops on design thinking, open innovation, community building, and impactful communication around the world—from the Global Social Venture Competition to SXSW.
She graduated summa cum laude Phi Beta Kappa from UCLA.
Close
Zach Oman
Lead Strategist
I am an innovation & product strategist who works with ambitious clients on finding new opportunities and launching minimum viable products to test hypotheses in-market. I am passionate about systems change, and the power of emergent disciplines working together to shape radical futures. Previously, I worked at Idea Couture bringing together business-school and design-school ideologies to imagine new futures.
My background in materials engineering from McGill & experience in aerospace give me grounding in developing real world products, while my experiences launching software products in China and Canada give me global perspective. I’ve worked across industries, serving clients such as WestJet, Novartis, VerticleScope, UCB, Telus, RBC, and Investors Group. I am also the Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Cansbridge Fellowship, a global community of 150+ Canadian leaders and entrepreneurs. Currently I work at Connected, teaching and growing the Product Discovery practice.
Close
Jasdeep Singh
Lead Developer
I'm a Full Stack Software Engineer & a technology enthusiast.
Throughout my career I've assisted companies both big and small
to develop & launch disruptive digital products. I'm an avid contributor
to open source software, my simple strategy to build successful digital
products is that they should be user and customer oriented.
I've had the opportunity to teach backend development courses
to aspiring entrepreneurs at a coding bootcamp here in Toronto.
Throughout my career I've worked with brands such as PwC, Nokia, RBC
and startups such as Vai.
Close
Afarin Sajjadian
UX Designer
I’m a product designer who helps startups and individuals connect to their audience by applying user centric design to launch new products. Previously, I worked at OmniSci as a user experience designer. Based in San Francisco, OmniSci designs and develops big data analysis and visualization platforms.
Before I moved to San Francisco and became a product designer, I ran an award winning design business for more than 6 years in Montreal, Canada where I won the "Accelerator Entrepreneurship Program Award". Coming from an Architecture background, I leveraged all my design skills and experiences to create impactful visual and physical designs. In winter 2018 I received “The Best New Product Design” Award at NYNOW, New York, NY.
Aside from work, I always have some side projects to do. Designing an iOS app which helps nursing homes’ administrators connect, communicate and assign tasks, and a web page for a non-profit Organization that aims to preserve Okinawan culture and history are my favorite projects among them. I have also trained at Super Hi and Design Lab in Interaction Design, Visual Design and Branding.
Close
Noteh Krauss
Principal & Founder
I am a design strategist who assists Fortune 500 companies and startups with creating new products and services through product design and consulting. Previously, I studied the modes in which design becomes propagated into – and conditions – our lived experience on a personal and societal basis at McGill University (First Class Honours) and at Parsons School of Design.
I've also founded Aesthetic Dimension, a design strategy firm based in San Francisco and Toronto and worked with Bayer, Samsung, McKinsey & Company, Tellart, 500 Startups, and others. Design education is something I am passionate about, and I've lectured on design theory and innovation at California College of the Arts, YBCA, Primer EU, as well as teaching Design Thinking to startups in Mexico and Russia at the premier accelerator for each region, respectively. I also am the Director of the Speculative Design meetup in San Francisco, where we have 1500+ members and I've hosted speakers from Autodesk, IBM, IDEO, Samsung and others.
Close
Elana Gurney
Lead Product Designer
Elana Gurney is a multidisciplinary designer and strategist, currently working across sectors to build impactful products. Elana specializes in building holistic digital solutions, combining UX/UI, brand and content strategy. Previously, Elana managed marketing and product for international design consultancy IDEO’s open innovation practice, OpenIDEO. In partnership with clients including Nike, The Rockefeller Foundation, Starbucks, the US government, Unilever and the UN, Elana worked to creatively engage a global community of 250k+ people in tackling 70+ pressing societal issues.
With deep expertise in designing for social innovation and entrepreneurship, Elana joined IDEO by way of Teach for America, The Price Center for Entrepreneurship, and agency experiences. She founded a boutique creative consultancy for social good in 2013, and has worked with nonprofits for nearly two decades, most recently serving on the board of Transition United States. Elana has spoken and led workshops on design thinking, open innovation, community building, and impactful communication around the world—from the Global Social Venture Competition to SXSW.
She graduated summa cum laude Phi Beta Kappa from UCLA.
Close
Zach Oman
Lead Strategist
I am an innovation & product strategist who works with ambitious clients on finding new opportunities and launching minimum viable products to test hypotheses in-market. I am passionate about systems change, and the power of emergent disciplines working together to shape radical futures. Previously, I worked at Idea Couture bringing together business-school and design-school ideologies to imagine new futures.
My background in materials engineering from McGill & experience in aerospace give me grounding in developing real world products, while my experiences launching software products in China and Canada give me global perspective. I’ve worked across industries, serving clients such as WestJet, Novartis, VerticleScope, UCB, Telus, RBC, and Investors Group. I am also the Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Cansbridge Fellowship, a global community of 150+ Canadian leaders and entrepreneurs. Currently I work at Connected, teaching and growing the Product Discovery practice.
Close
Jasdeep Singh
Lead Developer
I'm a Full Stack Software Engineer & a technology enthusiast.
Throughout my career I've assisted companies both big and small
to develop & launch disruptive digital products. I'm an avid contributor
to open source software, my simple strategy to build successful digital
products is that they should be user and customer oriented.
I've had the opportunity to teach backend development courses
to aspiring entrepreneurs at a coding bootcamp here in Toronto.
Throughout my career I've worked with brands such as PwC, Nokia, RBC
and startups such as Vai.
Close