Thomas Brandenburg
Service Design Lead Trainer at Service Design Network Academy- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Joe Bell
I first met Thomas when he came on board and was assigned to a cross functional Athena project team that I was leading,
Aliana Castro
I had the pleasure of working with Thomas on multiple design projects at CDK. I often came on the project after planning and kickoff, but that posed no issue as Thomas always took the initiative to get me up to speed on the plans. Thomas is not afraid to try new things, and often came to teams with a collaborate approach. Thomas also viewed research as an integral part of the design process and was always open to feedback. He was consistently open to learning from others. I hope our paths cross in the future as I would love to work with Thomas again!
Joe Bell
I first met Thomas when he came on board and was assigned to a cross functional Athena project team that I was leading,
Aliana Castro
I had the pleasure of working with Thomas on multiple design projects at CDK. I often came on the project after planning and kickoff, but that posed no issue as Thomas always took the initiative to get me up to speed on the plans. Thomas is not afraid to try new things, and often came to teams with a collaborate approach. Thomas also viewed research as an integral part of the design process and was always open to feedback. He was consistently open to learning from others. I hope our paths cross in the future as I would love to work with Thomas again!
Joe Bell
I first met Thomas when he came on board and was assigned to a cross functional Athena project team that I was leading,
Aliana Castro
I had the pleasure of working with Thomas on multiple design projects at CDK. I often came on the project after planning and kickoff, but that posed no issue as Thomas always took the initiative to get me up to speed on the plans. Thomas is not afraid to try new things, and often came to teams with a collaborate approach. Thomas also viewed research as an integral part of the design process and was always open to feedback. He was consistently open to learning from others. I hope our paths cross in the future as I would love to work with Thomas again!
Joe Bell
I first met Thomas when he came on board and was assigned to a cross functional Athena project team that I was leading,
Aliana Castro
I had the pleasure of working with Thomas on multiple design projects at CDK. I often came on the project after planning and kickoff, but that posed no issue as Thomas always took the initiative to get me up to speed on the plans. Thomas is not afraid to try new things, and often came to teams with a collaborate approach. Thomas also viewed research as an integral part of the design process and was always open to feedback. He was consistently open to learning from others. I hope our paths cross in the future as I would love to work with Thomas again!
Credentials
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Bridging the Gap between Strategy Design and Delivery
CourseraNov, 2022- Nov, 2024 -
Product-Led Growth Series Certified
adplist.orgAug, 2022- Nov, 2024 -
Futures Thinking
CourseraFeb, 2022- Nov, 2024 -
Protecting Human Subject Research Participants
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Extramural ResearchJun, 2014- Nov, 2024 -
Master Service Design Trainer (reaccreditation June 2022)
Service Design NetworkNov, 2018- Nov, 2024
Experience
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Service Design Network Academy
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Germany
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Professional Training and Coaching
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1 - 100 Employee
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Service Design Lead Trainer
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May 2022 - Present
Trainer and developer of Service Design Professional Curriculum and Accreditation Trainer and developer of Service Design Professional Curriculum and Accreditation
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Illinois Institute of Technology
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United States
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Higher Education
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700 & Above Employee
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Lead Adjunct Professor at Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship
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Jan 2017 - Present
Facilitating interdisciplinary student teams to prototype products and experiences to solve real-world problems with human-centered research, design innovation, UX, and service design. Partners include The Field Museum, the Kohls Children's Museum, and the Shedd Aquarium. Courses: • Design & Tech Entrepreneurship • Digital Innovation Service Design • STEM Project Collaboration with Museums & Non-Profit Organizations • The Future of Living Museums Facilitating interdisciplinary student teams to prototype products and experiences to solve real-world problems with human-centered research, design innovation, UX, and service design. Partners include The Field Museum, the Kohls Children's Museum, and the Shedd Aquarium. Courses: • Design & Tech Entrepreneurship • Digital Innovation Service Design • STEM Project Collaboration with Museums & Non-Profit Organizations • The Future of Living Museums
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Service Design Network
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Germany
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Design Services
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1 - 100 Employee
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Co-Founder and board member of SDN, Chicago Chapter
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Mar 2016 - Present
Co-founded the award winning Chicago Chapter, and is an active community leader in the international organization that collaborates to create a professional discourse of service design locally and globally• Awarded at the global conference the best chapter for community programming
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Co-Chair of the first SDN Midwest Conference
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Mar 2018 - Jun 2018
Over 120 participants from across the Midwest and Canda attend the first Midwest SDN conference, hosted at the St. Thomas University in Minneapolis, MN. The 1-day program, “Meaningful Connections” consisted of presentations and workshops lead by 20+ presenters and facilitators.
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Co-Chair of the first SDN U.S. National Conference
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Dec 2016 - Aug 2017
Over 200 participants in 80+ organizations from across the country attend the first US national SDN conference, hosted at IIT, Institute of Design in Chicago. The 2-day program, “Service Design Within Us” consisted of presentations, panels discussions, and workshops lead by 30+ presenters and facilitators. The event also featured multiple service design exhibits. The event was a collaboration between chapter leaders from the Chicago, Washington D.C., and San Francisco.
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CDK Global
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United States
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Software Development
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700 & Above Employee
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Service Design Practice Lead
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Dec 2019 - Oct 2022
As the service design practice lead, work in cross channels enterprise initiatives to identify and prioritize pain-points and opportunities to take action to improve operations, the employee and customer experience.• As a team design lead with 3 designers for a product initiative to define a new desktop and mobile web app, a hub for clients’ network and devices performance and security monitoring • Facilitated a software implementation initiative to reimagine the experience
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Contracted Lead Service Designer
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Mar 2019 - Nov 2019
Facilitated automation and optimization in implementation of key dealership products
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t.brandenburg
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Greater Chicago Area
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Independent Design Research and Service Design Consultant
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Sep 2017 - Feb 2019
Helping cross-functional client teams tackle industry and market challenges in a hands-on, human-centered way. Conducts ethnographic research, uncovers deep insights, frames strategic problems, identifies viable opportunities, creates compelling solutions [concepts], and build service prototypes. Helping cross-functional client teams tackle industry and market challenges in a hands-on, human-centered way. Conducts ethnographic research, uncovers deep insights, frames strategic problems, identifies viable opportunities, creates compelling solutions [concepts], and build service prototypes.
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Sears
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United States
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Retail
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700 & Above Employee
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Senior Service Designer and User Experience Architect in IMX (Intergrated Member Experience)
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Sep 2015 - Aug 2017
Collaborated cross-organizationally with businesses building and executing on omnichannel user journeys (in-store, desktop, and mobile); discovery and usability research, strategy identification, touchpoint design. Collaborated cross-organizationally with businesses building and executing on omnichannel user journeys (in-store, desktop, and mobile); discovery and usability research, strategy identification, touchpoint design.
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Institute of Design (ID)
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United States
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Design Services
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100 - 200 Employee
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Human-Centered Research & Insights Consultant
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Jun 2014 - Dec 2014
Conducting human-centered research for the client, ATLA (American Theological Library Association) to better understand digital scholars' perspective, workflow, motivations, abilities, and goals. • Research planning defined the selection process for candidates and developed research protocols • Employed mix research methods, from a card sorting exercise, online journals to interviews in the field • Launched an analysis and synthesis room to inspire the development of new products and services • Championing user-center research & design, co-facilitated a user-empathy workshop and presented the research at the ATLA national conference
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Layman Design
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180 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10007
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Lead Visual Designer Exhibits Consultant
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Sep 2010 - Jul 2012
National September 11 Museum, Historical Exhibition, New York City; New York Historical Society, Revolution! The Atlantic World Reborn Exhibition, New York City; National Hellenic Museum, Chicago • Defined and created brand and visual narrative for exhibits • Collaborated with 3D designers and curators to help develop schematics for visitor flows and spatial experience • Created and managed library of standards and patterns for multiple exhibit projects National September 11 Museum, Historical Exhibition, New York City; New York Historical Society, Revolution! The Atlantic World Reborn Exhibition, New York City; National Hellenic Museum, Chicago • Defined and created brand and visual narrative for exhibits • Collaborated with 3D designers and curators to help develop schematics for visitor flows and spatial experience • Created and managed library of standards and patterns for multiple exhibit projects
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The Field Museum
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United States
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Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos
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100 - 200 Employee
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Lead Senior Graphic Designer of Exhibits
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Dec 2002 - Jan 2010
• Leading the development of the visual experience design for 20+ permanent, temporary, and traveling exhibitions • As a lead designer, was a player & coach to designers project, and mentored them design principals and best practices • Developed print communications used for education, marketing, membership, and public relations initiatives • Managed budgets, design schedules, and vendors relationships • Leading the development of the visual experience design for 20+ permanent, temporary, and traveling exhibitions • As a lead designer, was a player & coach to designers project, and mentored them design principals and best practices • Developed print communications used for education, marketing, membership, and public relations initiatives • Managed budgets, design schedules, and vendors relationships
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Experience Designer Consultant
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Aug 2001 - May 2002
Worked in interdisciplinary teams using a range of human-centered research and design methods to create insights that informed design prototypes for new information processes, signage systems, and equipment to improve the experience for city and county government stakeholders and voters • Unified the previously disparate information process and signage system between Cook County and the city of Chicago for over 20,000 polling places • Collaborated on user-centered research that fueled the development of design prototypes for new information processes, signage systems, and equipment • Built effective cross functional partnerships between the governments' subject matter experts, ethnographic researchers and industrial designers • Exhibited work in the AIGA Design for Democracy National Conference in Washington D.C.
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Education
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2013 - 2014
IIT Institute of Design
Masters of Design Methods -
2013 - 2013
The Starter League -1871-Merchandise Mart
Advanced HTML5/CSS and UX Design -
2001 - 2001
Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst (HGK)- Luzern, Switzerland
Foreign Studies in Art and Design, Graphic Design -
1998 - 2001
University of Illinois at Chicago
BFA, Graphic Design -
1994 - 1996
Loyola University Chicago
Bachelor of Fine Arts - BFA, Fine/Studio Arts
