This session will focus on the customer experience, people-centered design, and how to maximize your creative potential.
In the past three decades, organizations have done a great job improving quality with training and organizational initiatives. But what about innovation? Now is the time to add the innovation belt to your wardrobe. This session will focus on the customer experience, people-centered design, and how to maximize the creative potential in all of us. Learn about customer experience tools such as journey mapping, and the discovery phase of people-centered design, which includes jobs to be done and ethnographic interviewing. Hear about recent insights into creativity, including how we limit our own creative possibilities, and what we can do to increase the chances of innovation breakthroughs. This hands-on workshop will include exercises throughout, including ones specifically focusing on customer journey mapping, jobs to be done, and the seven essential innovation questions.
Firefly Consulting is a boutique consulting firm specializing in innovation and operational excellence. Headquartered in Austin, TX, Firefly leverages unique methodologies to provide custom solutions for its clients, both nationally and internationally. Its team has a track record of success across a broad range of manufacturing and service industries and its mission is to deliver rapid, sustainable results for clients. Firefly Consulting has been awarded one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses in Austin, Texas, by the Austin Business Journal for three years in a row. www.firefly-consulting.com
Lisa Custer brings decades of global experience in designing and implementing continuous improvement programs based on multiple methodologies – lean six sigma, design, total productive maintenance, lean, and quality systems. She partners with clients to drive significant results in support of corporate objectives. She has served numerous organizations in the design and implementation of operational improvement initiatives that increase customer satisfaction, deliver significant financial benefits, and build capability in their associates. Custer has trained and mentored over 1500 senior leaders, black belts, green belts and kaizen leaders around the world. 
Kimberly Watson-Hemphill founded Firefly Consulting in 2009. She is responsible for the vision, management and long-term strategy of the company, committed to driving high-impact, sustainable results for clients. She has worked with business leaders at Fortune 500 companies in the U.S., Europe and Asia, from the automotive industry to the U.S. space program. Her first book, "Fast Innovation," hit Business Week’s Top 10 business booklist. Her most recent book, "Innovating Lean Six Sigma," shares insights from her 20+ years of hands-on experience in operational excellence. Watson-Hemphill has served on the faculty of the Acton School of Business MBA program in entrepreneurship for 9 years. She is a board member for Impact India 360 and acts as technical chair for the annual Lean and Six Sigma World Conference committee.
