Welcome to my world of co-creation

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That's me, Raye!

A black and white portrait of Raye. They are white with short, swept-back hair and a nose ring.

At the University of Colorado Denver, I’ve studied with industry leaders from companies like Apple and Amazon to learn how and why the pros use a design sprint process to make better products, faster.

I'm passionate about grounding this corporate process in its everyday sensibilities. Design sprints aren't just for large businesses: they're for everyone! The sprint approach can help nonprofits, startups, and small businesses tackle big projects:

  • In less time
  • With less confusion
  • And less back-and-forth

(So that they can go back to changing the world)

To learn more about my history of collaboration with small organizations, check out my resume below.

RESUME

Here's what I believe

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1

Elitist design
is DEAD

Design should be fueled by a deep understanding of its target audience and meaningful collaboration with its end users — duh. Design thinking, human-centered design, participatory action research, lean design, knowledge management, solidarity over charity, and agile thinking frameworks have all found their way into my own philosophy of process-powered design.

2

Design is
more than
pretty pictures

Design is part of an ephemeral and beautiful framework whose core purpose is to improve human experience.  From simplifying hiring processes to streamlining internal communication to recovering from a recession, design thinking has the power to untangle the messiest and most complex of problems.

3

Anti-oppression
is a moral
imperative

Too many design processes are marred with back-and-forth, vague communication, and frustration. Voices get excluded; needs are falsely identified; decisions get made behind iron curtains. No, thanks. Process-powered design means that both the final product and the systems we use to get there should be radically inclusive and equitable.

Ready to start something incredible?

SAY HELLO
© 2021 Raye Ellis Design • All Rights Reserved

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