Experiencing Product Design in Chicago
Joanne Yang (mpd2 '26) shares highlights from a recent trip with her classmates to the Chicago offices of Accenture and Motorola Solutions.
Joanne Yang (mpd2 '26) spent five years in San Francisco focused on user experience research at Uber before she enrolled in Northwestern Engineering's Master of Product Design and Development Management (mpd²).
Yang turned to mpd² with hopes of transitioning into a product design leadership role. A recent class trip to Accenture and Motorola Solutions provided added inspiration. Yang joined classmates from mpd² as well as students from Northwestern Master of Engineering Management (MEM) program for a two-day trip to both companies’ Chicago offices.
"I wanted to gain insights into the local tech and consulting industries," she said. "This visit offered a great opportunity to learn about the dynamics here and connect with the people and practices shaping the sector."
Students learned about current projects at each company and networked with a variety of industry professionals.
On the first day, students heard from product managers at Motorola Solutions and toured the company's Experience Center, where they saw the latest innovations in communication technology, public safety, and connected solutions. They also interacted with advanced communications systems, including solutions built with artificial intelligence (AI).
The next day, students visited Accenture, where they saw how the consulting firm is leveraging generative AI to transform business for its clients. Yang and her fellow students also joined Accenture employees in a design thinking workshop. The session provided participants with a structured, yet flexible approach to creative problem solving.
Students were instructed to emphasize empathy, ideation, and rapid prototyping.
"The workshop was highly engaging and provided valuable learning experiences," Yang said. "We had a hands-on opportunity to ideate product solutions and gain insight into their structured approach to ideation."
The workshop also reinforced lessons she learned in the mpd² classroom. Yang said it's important to learn key frameworks in class, but seeing them in action and being able to apply them to a real project makes the concepts more tangible and impactful.
"We brainstormed solutions based on product scenarios and user challenges," she said. "This experience mirrored the analysis and design thinking frameworks from our Intro to Product Design and Development class, reinforcing the principles we’ve been studying."
Reflecting on the two-day trip, Yang highlighted the importance of expanding perspective in product design.
“The experience showed me how different industries approach product positioning and strategy," she said. "Staying open-minded to new methodologies and cross-industry practices fosters innovation and enhances problem-solving."
Yang already feels she's grown thanks to her first-quarter mpd² classes. Now, thanks to the site visits, she is considering possible future career opportunities in consulting or physical device technology.
"This visit inspired me to explore broader industry pathways for product design," she said. "Through mpd², I’m expanding my management and strategic skills, which will help me bring an even more comprehensive approach to my next opportunity."