Hi! Ariana here - a third culture kid who channeled her experience across three continents into designing for behavior change.
Bringing my whole self into the work is how I find the ways to connect to the team mates I get to learn alongside. So much of success comes down to shared values and the trust and vulnerability to really dig into problems and catch solutions in their most fragile state. Here are mine.
Design. Better. Experiences.
“Doing design” means to me to live the imperative to do good. When we know better, do better - to live that is not merely a feel-good intent but has real business value.
Why design?
Design is my way of creating a lasting change. Design allows me to explore worlds that are totally new to me but also to reimagine the world we think we already know.
Hiking in Tibet, alongside nomad families
Design is a craft
Aikido, a Japanese martial art anchored on peaceful defense, has been a mainstay since moving to NYC.
Practice, as well as instructing, have shown to be endless learning opportunities, a constant reminder to return to beginner’s mind.
Genshinkan Aikido - Manhattan Dojo
‘Better’ is a value judgement
It also means I need to understand how values come to life in cultures, in contexts that are different from mine, and how to reimagine the way they are expressed in such a way that they will be embraced by those different from me.
East Germany, ca 1993.
Experiences are built from the ground up
They are created by building piece by piece intentionally. It’s an inherently unwieldy exercise - I love the challenge and the discipline involved.
The Playa, 2014.
There are many facets to my life - and many nuances to what makes for good design
I like to think out loud as my open invitation to others to join in. Explore my Design POV to find
