Interviewee: Andrea Small
Recorded On: June 10, 2022
Published On: June 21, 2022
About this interview
Andrea Small is a design strategist, educator, and writer. She studied architecture and metalsmithing and has a Masters degree in Human Centered Product Design. Andrea is currently Creative Lead at Samsung Research America on their R&D Innovation Team in Mountain View, CA.
List of skills discussed
- Being creative in the face of challenges
- Implementing design thinking
- Maintaining an open mind
- Navigating ambiguity
- Problem solving
- Taking risks
- Thinking laterally
Tips for improving ambiguity-navigation skills
- Do things to build curiosity in low-risk ways like going down an unfamiliar isle at the grocery store
- Crumple a piece of paper or draw squiggles on a page and ask yourself what you can make from it
- Draw a hundred circles and make them into a hundred different things
- Pause daily and practice exploring the five balances
- Perspective: look in / look out
- Pace: speed up / slow down
- Focus / unfocus
- Follow the course / create your own path
- Scale: Zoom in / zoom out
References
