Alumni Stories – Karen Jackson
November 17, 2016
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Karen Jackson. As an entrepreneurial design strategist, I am constantly engaged in creative conversation with entrepreneurs and executives. Together, we create strategies, plans, and analytics to help drive measurable change on systemic issues. Underneath it all, I’m fascinated by what motivates people, and how to change people’s minds. We live on an incredibly diverse planet so I’m constantly seeking out experiences of people with bold visions and places that have different ways of doing things. This year that meant living in four countries and traveling to another ten.
What project/job/event/research are you currently working on? Please tell us a little about the impetus, content, expected impact of this work.
Right now, I am working with collaborators in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Hyderabad, India on a range of social innovation and environmental leadership initiatives. I’m particularly enthusiastic about the award-winning, med-tech startup I’m working with in India. I recently spent a month on-the-ground with their amazing executive team. I was able to drive design thinking into the core of the company’s culture and strategy; I think the CEO is now more sold on design thinking than I am! If this company is successful, hundreds of millions of people across Asia will have their wait times for ambulances go down from 45 to 10 minutes. This “Uber for ambulances” has the potential to save tens of thousands of lives around the world. A word of caution: at this point don’t google search “ambulances in India” because it is just too depressing.
In what ways did the work/research you did at parsons prepare you for that transition and the work you’re doing now?
My thesis project, Digital Food Justice, gave me the opportunity to study and apply design research methodologies. I gained a deep understanding of the systemic food equity issues facing the USA and some of the key levers that can be used to solve them – digital payment systems, food delivery services, and policy change. In the case of my thesis, it took me a long time to identify the pattern and opportunity. Not knowing the problem or solution became deeply frustrating for me but my perseverance paid off and I surprised myself with the quality of the insights I uncovered. Since graduating, I’ve been able to find trust within the ambiguity of the design process through proven methodologies. “Wicked” systemic problems I’ve since designed strategies for include: advancing the adoption of electric vehicles nationally, realizing progressive education policy change nationally, and saving lives with smart ambulance dispatching in India and across Asia.
List any awards, recognitions, etc. that you’ve received since leaving Parsons.
I was a part of the award-winning Experience Electric campaign, the first of its kind in raising public awareness of the benefits of electric vehicles. The campaign won the Clean Air Award for Public Awareness from Breathe California of the Bay Area and the California Transportation Foundation’s Transportation Award for Public Outreach Program.
Also, although it isn’t an award, I was proud to have a sketch note project published in this month’s Design Management Institute’s Journal.
Also, although it isn’t an award, I was proud to have a sketch note project published in this month’s Design Management Institute’s Journal.
How has the MS-SDM program challenged you to grow as a strategic designer?
The program reinforced that creative ideas are great but they don’t inherently amount to impact. It is only that which can be measured that counts, so I’ve become much more strategic and robust with data in my work. I determine what will be measured as part of the design phase and put the tools in place to allow me to measure the effectiveness. Not only are we moving into a world where decisions are driven by data and analytics, but clients need to see results to justify budgets.If you were to give one piece of advice to current students, what would it be?
Education is an incredible privilege and it should be treated as such. You have an opportunity that most people in this country, and across the globe, could never dream of. This is an all-inclusive “brain spa” that you may never visit again so go for the deluxe package. Do all the things. Indulge in your peers, your professors, the facilities, and the city. Make each project you work on into something that you can be proud of, something beautiful that begins to justify this incredible privilege of yours. Altogether, polish yourself up into YOU.2 before you are back in the real world to make your mark.
The program reinforced that creative ideas are great but they don’t inherently amount to impact. It is only that which can be measured that counts, so I’ve become much more strategic and robust with data in my work. I determine what will be measured as part of the design phase and put the tools in place to allow me to measure the effectiveness. Not only are we moving into a world where decisions are driven by data and analytics, but clients need to see results to justify budgets.If you were to give one piece of advice to current students, what would it be?
Education is an incredible privilege and it should be treated as such. You have an opportunity that most people in this country, and across the globe, could never dream of. This is an all-inclusive “brain spa” that you may never visit again so go for the deluxe package. Do all the things. Indulge in your peers, your professors, the facilities, and the city. Make each project you work on into something that you can be proud of, something beautiful that begins to justify this incredible privilege of yours. Altogether, polish yourself up into YOU.2 before you are back in the real world to make your mark.
What book are you reading right now?
The Art of Tidying and Le Japon Artistique: Japanese Floral Pattern Design in the Art Nouveau Era. Although I haven’t traveled to Japan yet I have an insatiable appetite for the culture and the simplicity and elegance of its modern arts. Cultural and aesthetic are key to design strategy.
The Art of Tidying and Le Japon Artistique: Japanese Floral Pattern Design in the Art Nouveau Era. Although I haven’t traveled to Japan yet I have an insatiable appetite for the culture and the simplicity and elegance of its modern arts. Cultural and aesthetic are key to design strategy.