Chris Livaudais
Giving Gravity is making the intangible real
Executive design director and multi-disciplinary creative leader
I am interested in ...
Design as a solution finder
At its best, design can change lives, return value, and benefit the planet. I'm most excited about design solutions at the intersection of product, service, and holistic experience AND that address real problems ... like actual real and difficult problems.
Innovation that
simplifies complexity
With the ability to switch readily between micro-detail or macro-system implementation at any point in the creative process, I can help teams understand how design fits into complex larger systems of brand, service, business, culture, or experience.
Leadership so that others can succeed
With years of experience in building capable teams, encouraging positive workplace cultures, and aligning creative resources to accomplish business goals, I thrive in enabling people to create their best work.
Strategy to envision truths known & unknown
Envisioning what the future holds can be a daunting task, though I find great thrill in the endeavor. Whether it's re-connecting with customers or launching a new product, brand, or service, I've been there to help set the long-term vision and realize a clear pathway forward.
I would like to stay away from ...
I'm interested in ...
Designing
useless sh*t
I'm not interested in creating products that are destined for landfills or whose existence isn't validated with actual user need.
Creation without representation
We can't create viable solutions if key stakeholders are missing from the discussion. I bring a vast depth of experience in guiding cross functional and inclusive teams of designers, engineers, programmers, corporate partners, and end-users through the creative process.
Talking more
than doing
Talking about design, or anything for that matter, will only get you so far. I have a deep-seated affinity for making decisions and taking action to test ideas, establish progress, and explore solutions. I've found that the best way to get ideas out of the ethos is to start making them tangible ... give them 'gravity'.
Unethical businesses
or practices
At its worst, design can damage livelihoods, pollute the planet, and reinforce unhealthy behaviors. I've found that 'doing the right thing' is sometimes the most challenging ... but it's also often the most rewarding. Designers, or anyone responsible for creating the products and systems of our society, have a responsibility to do no harm.
I describe myself as ...
A generalist with remarkable specialty
My work leverages a deep pool of practical knowledge, gained through 20+ years of professional design experience, in crafting and delivering human centered outcomes. I've acquired a potent mashup of product, service, and experiential design proficiency blended with proven success in change management and executive level leadership across a variety of touchpoints and business sectors.
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Project Image: I helped a small, cross-functional innovation team (backed by a global aircraft manufacturer) explore the future of urban aerial transportation and the creation of eco-friendly, battery powered EVTOL vehicles. I contributed to the project by leading user research efforts, turning insights into product and business strategy, envisioning future-state services, creative direction, and customer experience design.
A master of process, breaker of convention
The creative process is messy, generally non-linear, and riddled with unknowns. I've learned how to seamlessly blend methodologies and techniques from many different creative disciplines into an agile, yet rigorous process, tailored precisely for the challenge at hand. My approach is hands-on, iterative, and always focused on delivering something that is better than the sum of its parts.
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Project Image: I collaborated with a start up mattress manufacturer to be first-to-market with industry leading technology enabled by a mattress that monitored body position and proactively made adjustments to improve sleep throughout the night. The fully customizable sleep experience was controlled through a custom app that helped users understand their sleep patterns, see data reports, and make improvements over time. I contributed industrial design, manufacturing support, graphics and branding creative direction, and UI design.
A leader committed to collaboration
Piercing through difficult challenges and delivering insightful solutions requires an experienced guide along the entire project arch. More importantly, it also requires input from a diverse gallery of viewpoints and perspectives. I've been fortunate to have partnered with organizations of all sizes, enabling cross-functional teams to do their best work and accomplish astonishing results.
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Project Image: Over the course of a multi-year partnership, I led several innovation workshops with a global materials and chemical company to help participants collaborate in finding new solutions to a variety of business and social impact challenges. My contributions included group facilitation and activity planning, problem and solution framing, and mentoring.
Over the years, I have gotten pretty good at a few things ...
When I started, the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) was at a cross-roads in determining its future. Even though I was coming in as Executive Director, I approached the role as a design project from the start and quickly set off to utilize my skill set to bring a designful mindset to everything we did. In the ensuing five years, I worked diligently with IDSA staff and volunteer leaders to overhaul the membership experience and face, head on, decades-old challenges that prevented the organization from moving forward. Some changes we made were large but most were small and calculated. I think the biggest impact ultimately came from compounding countless little modifications across nearly every aspect of the organization (internally and externally) which delivered the results I had envisioned.
Most recently, I have been redesigning a 50+ year old design organization ...
Other professional experience includes ...
Currently
I am open to new opportunities
Specifically in areas of executive and director level design leadership. My ideal 'sweetspot' is in a position at the intersection(s) of design, strategy, branding, innovation, foresight, and user experience.
I am based in San Francisco, CA and comfortable with in-person or remote/hybrid work environments.
Advisor, The Design Futures Initiative
Non-profit organization supporting the Speculative Futures community and the annual PRIMER conference.
Previously
I have thrived in a variety of roles within consultancy and in-house settings and I've been responsible for the implementation of solutions across a wide array of industries such as architectural water features, transportation, food and beverage, retail, and non-profit communities.
Notable brands I've worked with include:
BASF, Bridgestone Tire, Coca-Cola, Design Foundation, Embraer X, IDSA, Philz Coffee, and Tempur-Pedic
Academic
Auburn University
Auburn, Alabama 2002
Bachelor of Industrial Design
Domus Academy
Milan, Italy 2013
Short School Certificate, Designing the Shopping Experience
'School of Life'
All day, every day - never stop learning
When I am not in the office ...
Father of two, husband to one
Sandwich connoisseur
Outdoors & snowboarding
Bonsai enthusiast
Guitars & ukuleles
Vintage BMW's