Alumni Stories – Samar Ladhib
November 28, 2016
Who are you and what do you do?
Samar Ladhib I am a creative strategist with a focus on innovation and experiences. My background is in healthcare, pharmaceuticals and entrepreneurship.
Where are you originally from?
Tunisia (North Africa)
What project/job/event/research are you currently working on? Please tell us a little about the impetus, content, expected impact of this work.
I am a senior experience strategist at Wolff Olins New York. I partner with ambitious leaders to create growth opportunities and high impact experiences that empower brands
I am a senior experience strategist at Wolff Olins New York. I partner with ambitious leaders to create growth opportunities and high impact experiences that empower brands
In what ways did the work/research you did at parsons prepare you for that transition and the work you’re doing now?
- During these 2 years I got exposure to a wide set of design tools and methods. No matter what the situation was, or the context or problem that I was addressing, I could always find the right framework and tools to get to where I needed to.
- A big part of my job is dedicated to research (qualitative and quantitative) and I believe that going through studio 2 was an amazing opportunity to experiment with ethnographic research, be a better listener and learn to synthesize information quickly and effectively. in addition, the research work that I lead with Rhea Alexander at the Elab, influenced the way I think about project implementation and the importance of tracking success from the beginning.
List any awards, recognitions, etc. that you’ve received since leaving Parsons.
Graduated with Honors-keynote speaker and honor guest at the Cuaderno Design Conference 2016 (emerging forms of “value” in design)
How has the MS-SDM program challenged you to grow as a strategic designer?
Managing people is probably the hardest thing someone has to do and as a strategic designer you get to collaborate constantly with very different profiles that have diverse ways of communicating and different work styles. The MS-SDM program is very focused on co-creation on a theoretical and practical level so I got to better understand group dynamics, communicate more effectively with others and bring people around the same goals.If you were to give one piece of advice to current students, what would it be?
Managing people is probably the hardest thing someone has to do and as a strategic designer you get to collaborate constantly with very different profiles that have diverse ways of communicating and different work styles. The MS-SDM program is very focused on co-creation on a theoretical and practical level so I got to better understand group dynamics, communicate more effectively with others and bring people around the same goals.If you were to give one piece of advice to current students, what would it be?
- Know who you are: it is extremely important for anyone to understand their strengths and weaknesses; this is the first step towards finding your perfect fit professionally.
- Expand horizons: Do not miss the provocateur series, get involved in clubs, groups or other initiatives (Elab) and try to get an internship.
What book are you reading right now?