October 01, 2024

Doreen Lorenzo - Design is a Craft, Perfected With Practice

1 hour 17 minutes

Today, our special guest is Doreen Lorenzo, Assistant Dean at the University of Texas School of Design and Creative Technology. Doreen discusses the challenges and opportunities in the design industry and shares her insights as a design leader while emphasizing the importance of training and skill development. They also explore her journey from Frog Design to the University of Texas and her passion for education and diversity in design.

Highlights include:

03:15 - Introduction and Doreen's background

10:52 - Doreen’s decision to pursue a career in design

15:50 - Challenges of managing a large design firm

24:59 - Benefits of promoting diversity in the design industry

26:39 - Importance of confidence in design

31:29 - Doreen's Journey from Frog to the University of Texas

44:04 - Doreen’s leadership philosophy and balancing profitability with risk-taking

Who is Doreen Lorenzo

Doreen Lorenzo is a successful leader of global creative firms who advises and consults with companies from Fortune 100 to startups on design and innovation issues. The former president of the global design firms Frog and Quirky, she is now the Assistant Dean in the School of Design and Creative Technology at the University of Texas, a co-founder of the mobile video insights firm Vidlet, a board member and advisor of several startups, and a columnist for Fast Company Co.Design.

A recognized thought leader on business and design issues, she speaks publicly about her signature leadership style and the power of empathy to drive business results. Most recently, Texas Monthly named Doreen one of the 15 innovators reshaping Texas, a testament to her innovative leadership approach.

Doreen is an ardent believer in the advantages of “soft skills” like empathy and humor in business. She speaks at industry conferences, at private events, and to the media about her experience using these often overlooked skills to understand and motivate creative people. A driven and successful woman in a male-dominated industry, Doreen also speaks about women in leadership and coaches aspiring women leaders to help them find their own paths to success.

Find Doreen Here