“That’s Cool”
— what my family says when I share what I’ve accomplished
HIGHLIGHTS
IDA International: Graphic Design
2020 // Bronze
With MDOS, Civilla designed modern renewal mailings for state IDs, driver’s licenses and vehicle registration: processes that affect 10 million people a year. Old mailings were bulky and confusing, with unnecessary inserts and unclear instructions that led to frustrating office visits. New mailings are 88% shorter, saving 32 million pieces of paper per year. Personalized, urgent calls to action clarify when renewals can be completed online or at self-service stations, which will reduce processing and wait times. This work will improve MDOS’ civic relations and services statewide.
Design Management Institute: Design Value Award
2018 // 2nd Place
A 6-month initiative led by design to demonstrate a better, faster way to work. Through human-centered design, this project set out to break down bureaucracy, instill trust in stakeholders, develop a new way to view projects, and to replace a legacy software system that built a culture of policy driven service. In addition to the cultural changes pursued, the $20 million a year in infrasturcture costs as well as $4 million a year in shipping fees have begun to be reallocated towards service oriented efforts.
Juried Exhibition: “New Impressions”
2015 + 2016// Artist
“New Impressions is an international juried exhibition to showcase exploration and creativity with letterpress printing techniques. This call attracted 196 diverse entries from across the globe. The final 36 works on display are from artists in Australia, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.”
- New Impressions, Introduction
THESIS SUMMARY
Critique is a common exercise in design schools and it is often remembered by those having experienced it as panic inducing, a place of judgement, and, very rarely, where you were acknowledged/confirmed, without criticism, about your hard work. No wonder we don’t have formal critique in the workplace and we’ve been suffering because of it.
The design practice needs to get better at showing work early and working through problems together and better - especially in an agile setting. When ideas and workflows become siloed and collaboration is indeed a requirement for successful products, how might we use time efficiently to give feedback, brainstorm ideas, educate developers + product managers, and pull ourselves out of a design hole? The answer is: Critique.