Dan ButtSenior Manager of Innovation, Feeding America
Alumni Interview
The diversity of the client work we did in the EDI Studio courses helped me appreciate how HCD could be applied in very diverse contexts and to solve very different types of problems."
When you started EDI, did you know what industry you wanted to work in or were you still exploring?
I knew broadly that I wanted to apply the power of a human-centered design approach to address complex human problems that have a positive impact on people's lives. I knew I was drawn to designing for services and systems but hadn't settled on health care.
Tell us about an EDI course that made an impact on you.
The diversity of the client work we did in the EDI Studio courses helped me appreciate how HCD could be applied in very diverse contexts and to solve very different types of problems. The Innovate for Impact course, in which we collaborated with Kellogg students to design for social impact, had a very significant impact on me personally and as an aspiring designer. I learned how to begin to tackle complex social problems, how to help guide teams through the design process and how to convey the value of design. All of this experience has been valuable in my role as an internal HC designer.
Is there anyone you worked with during EDI that you consider a mentor?
Many people helped inspire and mentor me in the program, from faculty to my EDI colleagues. Martha Cotton, my thesis advisor, really helped to develop me as a design researcher and gave me confidence in my abilities.
How did you decide on your EDI thesis project?
I was looking for a meaningful problem to solve. At the time, Hurricane Sandy had just happened in NY and news reports talked about how it seems we hadn't learned anything about response and recovery since Hurricane Katrina. I did some reading about how others were thinking about the space and I was inspired to try to think about one aspect: how people communicate and share in the days immediately following a disaster.
What advice do you have for an EDI student interested in working in your industry?
There are many opportunities to work in healthcare, from products to interactions and services. Use your internship, thesis or electives to show some work in the space. Go deep in one area to show you can go deep. Grad school is what you make of it. You should have an idea of what you want to get out of it and then choose your courses and experiences to learn what you think you need to. Then be open to evolving as you learn more and seek advice from others. Just like having a POV and then iterating as you learn.
