I recently returned to Australia after spending 5 years in South East Asia, in particular, Singapore. This was a great opportunity to look at our changing world with a different lens. Moving home is a significant step. Moving from Singapore to Australia was profound for the vast cultural differences experienced. This could perhaps best be described as 'reverse culture-shock'. At the same time, it is also a wonderful opportunity to offer Australian businesses a perspective, insight  and sensitivity to nearby cultures. So I returned with the aim of offering broad Asian insights to companies - large and small - wishing to benefit from life in Asia.

Experience design and insight research is somewhat akin to my personal experience. The process of discovering human motivation and aspiration can be deeply moving and inspirational. It is made more sobering when you realize that technology products and solutions know no boundaries and are shared for reasons other than national identity.

I noted a different attitude in Singapore, compared to my years of living in Australia, to Government, service delivery, family, authority, politeness, notions of quality, personal and team achievement; I am now more accepting of differences and of the view that we can all learn from other cultures when deliberating on our personal point of view or when determining business posture off-shore.

Designing with cultural sensitivity and integrating to social and familial norms should not be treated lightly as technology solutions across geographical boundaries need to be localized. To succeed in advanced Asian markets requires more than a product in terms of its manifesting technology; one needs to demonstrate tangible customer benefits and enhanced personal experiences, which on the balance, has greater relevance and makes everyday life so much more pleasant.

I remember listening to a refreshing presentation by US labor Secretary, Ms Alexis Herman, when she spoke about attributes of effective leadership. I think its simplicity is compelling not only for leaders but for designers as well. This is what I took away from her presentation. 

Leaders act as 'Cultural Bridges' in organizations, just as designers do so in communities. Leaders need to be capable of rising above situations to bridge points of view often requiring to be framed from different cultural perspectives; as therein lies understanding of fears, anxieties and fresh opportunties for constructively moving forward. The is the heart of design and the principal aim of insightful design action.

Good leaders display the following 5 attributes, somewhat like Nelson Mandela,

1. Be simple and clear
   
2. Make it easy
   
3. Consistency of values in actions; as doing so reflects your core beliefs
   
4. Be intentional in your actions - be directional
   
5. Be courageous - loyalty is the glue which gives meaning to relationships; and its what makes us stick together
   

I would also add to this toolkit, be authentic and ethical. 

In this and following blogs I aim to share my views on various facets of design, insight research, business practice and consumer behavior. I would like to think that my writing is accessible to many, readable and interesting. Many years of insight research provides an accumulation of stories and observations which shed light on the business of ploughing for great consumer experience. Success is never guaranteed, compromise is the norm and surprises are plentiful. But then if human behavior was invariant there would be no reason to differentiate, delight and moreover life would be quite dull.

I aim to share concepts, methods and tools that I have found useful. I have an eccletic approach and don't subscribe to dogma. So feel free to agree or disagree or extend the conversation - now that would be great.