On November 2, WeWork Design Researcher Carlo Bailey will join a stellar lineup of visionaries who are leading disruptive changes in their respective niches for this year’s Xlabevent.
In his session ( sponsored by Reality Interactive), Carlo will address the intersection of design, technology and data science, exploring cutting-edge research methodologies and offering a glimpse into how WeWork is leveraging user research and advanced spatial analytics to inform their design process and product offerings.
Here, Carlo expounds upon his tech background, his role at WeWork and how innovation drives his success.
Talk about WeWork and your role there.
I am a design researcher within the Product Research department. Our team's mission is to conduct research that makes WeWork an authority on designing efficient, innovative and authentic spaces that support people’s well-being and their desire for community. My role is geared towards predictive modeling of member behavior, with an eye to improving their experiences. My day-to-day varies from doing data science and statistics to app development and design automation.
What made you pursue a career that bridges design and technology?
A desire to stay ahead of the innovation curve and having an equally immense interest in both.
The theme of this year’s Xlab is Experience Design in the Era of Disruption. What does disruption look like to you?
At WeWork, we are uniquely placed as one of the leaders of the disruption taking place in the commercial real estate industry. We achieved this by bringing meaning, community and great design to the workplace, which has traditionally been a little sterile. As such, disruption to me is going to work every day and trying to rethink what the workplace will be in five, ten, twenty years—and how we can create meaningful community-driven experiences for our members.
How have you personally experienced disruption and how has it shaped your approach to addressing it?
I think innovation is strongest within interdisciplinary groups, where assumptions can be broken and rules of thumb challenged. I try to work with and draw inspiration from a range of fields when problem solving or ideating.
How do you see technology in design evolving over the next 10 years?
I think as technology becomes ever more complex and our interfaces more sophisticated, designers will start designing more systems than objects/products. Think whole environments that provide the interface between the user and the system—kind of like what Cedric Price envisioned in the Fun Palace.
What are your favorite examples of projects that implement technology in new and exciting ways?
What do you hope attendees will take from your session?
An understanding of how data science, automation, machine learning and architectural design can be applied to improve the experience of the workplace.
+++
Join Carlo at 2017 SEGD Xlab,November 2 (event) and 3 (tours) in New York City. Register now!
