Disonancia Mexicana

Design and the search for an identity that is constantly metamorphosing.

Design, like many other creative manifestations, is a reflection of a country’s culture. As Culture gives inherent values and meaning to objects, these can become evidence of a culture personality.  We see it in the humorous dryness of Dutch Design, the careful sophistication of Italian Design or the industrialist attitude of American Modernism. 

However, could Design help define a culture that is constantly seeking its own meaning?

Originated from post-colonialism, contemporary Mexican culture is shaped with a constant dilemma of national identity and the ambiguity of being Mestizo (the racial mixture between European and indigenous descent). 

There have been some attempts of using Design as a way to reflect Mexican culture. From the modernist approach of vernacular furniture of Clara Porset, the abstraction of Pre Columbian visual archetypes by Lance Wyman for the 68 Olympics, and more recently, the colloquial narrative of everyday objects by Ariel Rojo. Today, Mexican Design is displayed by countless contemporary Mexican designers using craft as a way to seek and define a real Mexican Identity.

However, we feel that these attempts are just superficial aesthetic manifestations of local phenomena covered with an occidentalized makeup that simplifies all the complexity into a digestible blob that a westernized audience can understand better. In the end, this approach just functions as a way to absolve our culture as part of contemporary design trends to make them fit into a global discourse. In our opinion, this practice is doing the opposite of finding ways to self-understanding. 

If our goal as Mexican Designers is to understand our identity through design, maybe it is time for Mexican Design to start experimenting not only through aesthetics but reaching all the way through a complete interactive experience. What if, instead of being satisfied with using our stories, aesthetics or whatever we fiscally find on the streets as mere inspiration for form and shape, we go a bit beyond and take the Mexican attitude as a starting point to design interactions? For this project, we want to focus on functionality as the main vessel for our ideas by adding friction and challenging user-friendliness as provocation. 

About the Franz Mayer Museum:

It is a cultural trust managed by the Bank of Mexico, with a Board of Trustees established by the German-born philanthropist and collector Franz Mayer.

It is a non-profit institution that for 35 years has been dedicated to conserving, researching, and presenting the extensive collections of books, paintings, and decorative arts that constitute the legacy of Franz Mayer, as well as other important collections, highlighting the Collection of Ruth Lechuga's Popular Art and William Spratling's. The museum is located in a unique building from the 16th century in the Historic Center of Mexico City, which belonged to the order of San Juan de Dios and functioned as a hospital until 1966.

The Franz Mayer Museum encourages innovation and creativity in society by conserving, researching, and disseminating art and design through its permanent collections and temporary programs. It seeks to be an institution of excellence that provides experiences of knowledge, enjoyment, and learning to all audiences, contributing to the training and development of the human being.

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CREDITS

Art Direction and Curation: José de la O
Exhibition Design Team: delaO design studio and Museo Franz Mayer
delaO design studio team: Adriana Gutiérrez, Sofía Mendoza, Fernanda Ordorica, Karina Pérez, Andrea de la Peña, José de la O
Franz Mayer Museum

We Would, Like To Thank The Following People:
Adriana Gutiérrez, Aldo Arillo, Alejandra de la Paz, Alexandra Cunningham Cameron, Alfredo Roman, Ana Elena Mallet, Ana María Sánchez, Andrea de la Peña, Christina de León, Craig Bremner, Eduardo Altamirano, Enrique Hinojosa, Fernanda Ordorica, Gabriel Garduño, Giovanni Innella, Joel Escalona, Jorge Diego Etienne, Julia de la O, Karina Pérez, Mariana Achach, Marisol Centeno, Marta Turok, Paola Gómez, Paul Rodgers, Ramiro Estrada Sainz, Roberto Iñiguez, Sofía Mendoza, and all participating designers.

Participating Designers:
Ana Guerrero, Ana Holschneider, Ana Korkidi, Andrés Gutiérrez, Andrés Souto, Ariel Rojo, Armadillo de Oro, Caralarga, Carlos García, Carlos Ordoñez, Claudia Barriga, Colectivo 1050, delaO design studio, Denisse Salmerón, Diego Camacho, Domienica Verduga, Dorian Ulises López Macías, Eduardo Altamirano, Elba Rodríguez, Familia Orozco, Gabriel López, Gerardo Osio, Gustavo Pacheco, Innovando la Tradición, Jesús Martines, Joel Escalona, Jorge Diego Etienne, José de la O, Karina Pérez, Kythzia Barrera, Laura Noriega, Liliana Ovalle, Liliana Radilla, Luis Vega, Maite Alarcón, Marco Ibarra, Marisol Centeno, Matteo Guarnaccia, Miriam Benites, Moisés Hernández, Mónica Arriaga, Montserrat Antuñano, mUcho Studio, Natalia Prieto, Oscar Hagerman, Patricia Callejas, Pedro y Juana, Samantha Sarmiento, Sandra Luz Pérez, Sara Castro, Tania Zaldivar, Tonatiuh Prieto, and Victor Romo.

New Digital Archetypes in Mexico: Between Tradition and Technological Aspiration

Between Tradition and Technological Aspiration

Discover delaO Design Studio's Exclusive Report on the Digital Landscape in Mexico: A Must-Have Tool for Mastering the Mexican Digital Market in the Post-Pandemic Era.

Unveil the potential of the Mexican digital market with delaO Design Studio's comprehensive report, an essential resource for dominating the Mexican digital scene in the post-pandemic era. This detailed report highlights unique opportunities for digital projects in a competitive market. Ideal for entrepreneurs and businesses aiming to innovate in the Mexican digital sector, our report includes in-depth user profile analyses, reflecting a range of technological behaviors and attitudes.

Additionally, we provide exclusive archetype cheatsheets for workshops and practical worksheets for generating value propositions, allowing you to design strategies and products that resonate with each Mexican user archetype. These additional materials are perfect for design and strategy development workshops, helping you create customized and effective solutions.

Purchase our report today and gain the necessary tools to succeed in Mexico's evolving digital environment. This resource is indispensable for any professional interested in understanding and maximizing the digital market in Mexico.

What experts say about our report:

Abstract

The digital landscape in Mexico is undergoing profound and rapid transformations, largely driven by the pandemic, which has radically altered the way Mexicans interact with digital services and products. In this changing context, understanding the needs and aspirations of the people using these services and products is crucial. While global giants dominate the digital services market, there is significant room for more localized projects and services. At delaO Design Studio, our mission is to support these local initiatives by providing insights to guide their decisions and help them connect more effectively with their users. To achieve this, we conducted an exhaustive study of technological perceptions in Mexico, using both qualitative and quantitative approaches to address the topic from multiple perspectives. We carefully selected 30 Mexican nationals, ensuring a diverse representation in socio-economic, cultural, and geographical terms. Through this study, we identified four distinctive digital archetypes representing Mexican users' attitudes and behaviors towards technology: Proud Luddites, Ambitious Productives, Dreamy Hedonists, and Passionate Pioneers. Each archetype is complemented by a set of "Personas" representing specific user profiles. The main goal of this report is to provide valuable and insightful information to those wishing to develop digital products and services in Mexico. We strive to inform and inspire through the collected data and user profiles, hoping that this knowledge will drive innovation in the Mexican digital space.

Index

1. Summary

2. Innovation through knowledge

3. Introduction 

4. Methodology 

5. Introduction to the Mexican user

6. Digital Archetypes in Mexico

1. Proud Luddites 

2. Hedonistic Dreamers

3. Ambitious Doers

4. Passionate Pioneers

7. General Observations

1. Use of technological devices

1. Smartphone 

2. Smart Tv

3. Laptop

4. Tablet

5. Desktop

6. Smartwatch

7. Smart Speakers

8. Smart Appliances

2. New digital product adoption

3. Technological perspectives

1. Opportunities

2. Effects

3. Futures

8. Conclusions

9. About delaO design studio

10. References

11. Credits and acknowledgments

Download now

• Why does this report cost?

  These types of reports are typically commissioned by large global corporations due to their high cost and confidential content. We decided to share "New Digital Archetypes in Mexico" at an affordable price to allow small and medium-sized businesses, independent designers, and researchers access to almost 10 months of rigorous research, where we generated qualitative research strategies, recruitment, and in-depth interviews, in addition to the analysis and generation of valuable insights. By charging for this report, we seek to recover part of the investment, not to make large profits, but to share essential knowledge that improves digital services in Mexico. This balanced proposal between quality and accessibility contributes to the cycle of innovation and improvement in the Mexican digital field, promoting technological advancement and understanding of digital users in the country.

  By purchasing this report, you help us continue generating this type of research, which is uncommon in our country.

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This 150-page report includes:

• Four Detailed Archetypes: We explore archetypes, generalized profiles that capture common behaviors and motivations of users. Each archetype is illustrated with examples of "personas," providing valuable insights for user-centered design.

• Analysis of the Post-Pandemic Digital Landscape in Mexico: We delve into how digitalization has changed after the pandemic, revealing new opportunities and challenges for companies and designers.

• General Profile of Technology Users in Mexico: We conduct a thorough analysis of the general profile of Mexican users of technological products, highlighting trends, behaviors, and preferences that are crucial for the creation of relevant and successful products in the current market.

• Design Recommendations by Archetype: Based on the archetypes, we offer specific recommendations to improve product design practices, focusing on effective and user-centered solutions.

• Toolkit for Co-Creation Workshops: We include a set of tools and worksheets for organizing co-creation workshops, facilitating collaborative innovation and the creation of more resonant products.

  
  
  

  IN THE REPORT, THE FOLLOWING TOPICS ARE COVERED:

• Impact of the pandemic on technological adoption.

• Changes in consumer and business behavior.

• A general profile of Mexican technology users.

• Major challenges in the Mexican digital landscape and its limitation in access and low adoption of emerging technology.

• Emerging trends and digital consumption habits.

• Preferences and expectations of users in the current context.

• Specific design strategies for each archetype.

• Best practices for the development of technological products.

• User-centered approaches for design innovation.

Research Methodology

This meticulous study on technological perception in Mexico employs a mixed methodology combining qualitative and quantitative techniques, analyzing a diverse sample of 30 Mexicans from different regions and socio-economic strata. Through narrative analysis and generative techniques, the experiences, aspirations, and technological perceptions of the participants were explored, providing a deep understanding of their motivations and desires in relation to technology. The study's inductive approach, complemented by extensive secondary research, focuses more on capturing lived experiences than presenting statistical data, with the aim of inspiring the development of digital products and services in Mexico that align with the needs and expectations of local users.

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Purchase Modalities:

To meet various needs and budgets, we offer three exclusive levels of purchase:

1. Report Only: Acquire the complete report and immerse yourself in an in-depth analysis of digital archetypes in Mexico. Perfect for those seeking a quick and detailed understanding of the current market.

2. Report + Exclusive Online Seminar: In addition to the report, you will have access to a 45-minute online seminar with our experts from delaO design studio. This seminar allows you to delve deeper into the topics of the report and participate in a question-and-answer session with our specialists.

3. In-Person Workshop + Report: The highlight of our offer is the 3-hour in-person workshop at your company's premises, led by the team from delaO design studio. This interactive workshop is custom-designed to help you generate personalized value propositions, using the specific user archetypes identified in the report. You will make the most of your team's skills and resources, applying the knowledge acquired in the report directly to boost your business strategy.

Each of these options provides you with key tools and essential knowledge to better understand and respond to the changing dynamics of the digital market in Mexico. No matter which option you choose, "New Digital Archetypes in Mexico" is an invaluable investment in your digital business strategy.

Client: Self-Initated

Creative Direction: José de la O

Research Team: Adriana Gutiérrez, Sofia Mendoza, Fernanda Ordorica, Marcelo Guajardo y José de la O.

Communication and Editorial Design Team: Adriana Gutiérrez, Sofia Mendoza, Fernanda Ordorica, Marcelo Guajardo y José de la O.

IDEA LAB MX: Uncovering the Challenges of Creativity in Mexico

In the creative field in Mexico, we constantly face the challenge of designing in an environment marked by sociopolitical and cultural barriers. Turning a project or career in the creative sector into something sustainable and profitable is complicated, but not unattainable. Within our community, we’ve identified a key issue: while creativity is at the heart of our profession, it’s not enough on its own. It’s essential to complement it with clear strategies and practical tools to move forward.

We all know that designing in Mexico is not easy

This is why it’s crucial to develop concrete strategies and have practical tools that allow us to overcome these obstacles.With this vision in mind, and in collaboration with Design Week Mexico, we created Idea Lab MX, an academic program that seeks to foster a space where good design practices become integrated into the culture of our community. Our goal is to contribute together to a healthier design scene, offering both formative and transformative experiences built on three fundamental pillars: Inspiration, Discussion, and Action.

We aim to generate inspiration through expert talks curated by our team

After researching about several candidates who could inspire the audience to kick off the event, two individuals were selected to open the event with motivational talks. These speeches were delivered by Mexican creatives who have overcome significant barriers and established themselves as industry leaders. The speakers shared success stories and practical advice, which not only inspired the audience but also provided them with valuable tools to move forward with their own projects.

We researched in-depth about the best companies in Mexico so that together we can have a Discussion on best practices

Through extensive research on established creative companies in the market, we selected three prominent leaders from key sectors —luxury, social impact, and strategic consulting— to participate in a discussion panel. In this first edition, the panelists analyzed current challenges from a constructive perspective and shared practical solutions for overcoming obstacles in their respective areas.

Supporting Mexican entrepreneurs and creatives through Action

Idea Lab MX offered a co-creative workshop facilitated by delaO Design Studio, designed for participants who want to develop an idea or strengthen an existing business or brand, making them sustainable and profitable. In this space, attendees applied the knowledge they gained and explored strategies to improve their projects.The workshop addressed key topics such as resource management, financial sustainability, and long-term viability. It also encouraged collaboration and the exchange of ideas, creating valuable connections among attendees and strengthening our creative community.

““You have to name it to tame it, and with Idea Lab MX, I understood that the uncertainty around creativity isn’t an ego issue, but more of a cultural one.”
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— Idea Lab MX 24 attendee

““The most valuable part was sharing my process with other designers and realizing that we all face similar doubts. That gave me peace about the pace of my professional journey.”
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— Workshop participant, "How to Make a Living from Creativity?"

““What helped me the most was structuring my ideas and receiving immediate feedback. I thought it would be complicated, but I just needed clarity on the steps to take.”
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— Workshop participant, "How to Make a Living from Creativity?"

Best design practices through inspiration, discussion, and action.

Idea Lab MX is more than just an academic program; it is a space designed to foster the growth and strengthening of our creative community. Through experiences that combine inspiration, discussion, and action, we aim to ensure that good design practices transcend, becoming an essential part of our professional culture.Our goal is to offer practical tools and strategies focused on the realities of design in Mexico, so that creatives and entrepreneurs can overcome the sociopolitical and cultural barriers they face. We strive to be a relevant and useful resource that has a tangible impact on the lives of designers, promoting a healthier, more sustainable, and collaborative industry.

Communicating insights through Critical Design

One of the most popular approaches when developing design projects is Human-Centered Design (HCD) research. This approach is all about understanding the context and experiences of potential users or customers by observing how they interact with products. Through daily studies, cultural probes, and deep-dive interviews, designers can gain valuable insights into the people they are studying. However, there are some limitations to viewing these results through an empathic lens. That's where critical and speculative design comes in. These approaches can enhance the reflection process and bring a more significant dimension to empathy, desires, goals, frustrations, and cultural differences of end-users.

At our design practice, we have found that critical design is an excellent medium for engaging user audiences, communicating insights, and reflecting on the relationships between society, culture, and design. Through collaborations with different companies and organizations, we have developed several discursive projects demonstrating the potential of these practices when communicating insights generated through a design research process.

Design tactics related to critical and speculative design are an alternative way of sharing cultural insights, enhancing empathic reflection around them.

Disonancia Doméstica is a collection of mechanical household appliances designed to communicate thoughts, findings, and reflections about the Mexican cultural context. In Mexico, there is a constant state of cultural flux, where postcolonial redemption never fully arrives. Disonancia Doméstica uses Critical Design tactics to take some of the attitudes found within the Mexican idiosyncrasy and translate them into the interactive functions of a clock, a lock, a display, and a speaker.

Disonancia Doméstica, by delaO design studio. Photography: Mariana Achach

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Critical Design allows a wider perspective around insights generated through a human-centered research process, bringing a more significant dimension than a written results report, which tends to become verbose and hard to read.

The Inclusive User Research program from IKEA Home smart paired with the School of Architecture, Art, and Design at the Monterrey Institute of Technology in Mexico City for a deeper understanding of their future Mexican customers. Undergraduate industrial design students used user-centered, critical, and speculative design techniques and IKEA's DPN design methodologies to bring the voice of the people to the table. During this period, the students gathered insights through human-centered design activities and then developed a hypothetical collection of smart devices that expressed the emotional needs, aspirations, and frustrations of the Mexican user found during their research.

Smart Devices Collection, by ITESM School of Industrial Design, Mexico City Region students. Mentorship: IKEA of Sweden and José de la O.

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Critical design relies on hypothetical or fictional objects to prompt speculation in the viewer about the possible futures they belong to, considering their physical functions, their symbolic qualities, and the psychological or sociocultural context.

In 2018, delaO design studio was commissioned by BBVA and Centro University to design and produce diegetic prototypes for different scenarios related to the future of finance in Mexico. For this project, four scenarios were designed by the academic team of the Design of Tomorrow postgraduate course from Centro University in Mexico City. After contemplating these scenarios with a group of experts from BBVA and external consultants, delaO design studio designed four fictional products that exemplify the everyday life of each scenario.

Future of Fintech, by delaO desing studio for BBVA Open Innovation and CENTRO

In conclusion, critical and speculative design tactics offer a unique perspective on understanding and communicating cultural insights. Disonancia Doméstica, The Inclusive User Research program from IKEA Home smart, and the BBVA and Centro University project are just a few examples of how these tactics can be used to create meaningful and thought-provoking designs that challenge societal norms and provoke discourse.

Learn more about critical design as a tool for understanding insights in APPLYING CRITICAL DESIGN TO COMMUNICATE CULTURAL INSIGHTS EMPHATICALLY: A CASE STUDY, a paper by José de la O and David Güemes.

Living among social mandates: The challenges of being a woman in Mexico

Living among social mandates: The challenges of being a woman in Mexico, is a research commissioned to delaO design studio by the feminist collective Fieras Fierras to identify stereotypes or expectations imposed on women in Mexico that shape social dynamics, as well as their origin, effects, and consequences. The aim was to provide a better understanding of the problem and to invite reflection on the current situation of women in Mexico. 

Our process focused on analyzing the different spheres of women's lives through existing knowledge and breaking down the sociocultural constructs and beliefs that influence each. Various statistical data, sociocultural studies, and academic and journalistic articles were collected, synthesized, and analyzed, resulting in an understanding of the system presented in this report. Additionally, the studio carried out a co-creative workshop with some members of the Fieras Fierras collective to validate and deepen the results of the research. In this workshop, a series of activities were carried out through worksheets where the participants could discuss the information obtained and even look for possible action points to share the findings or promote change.

The social preconceptions identified were categorized into three thematic axes: Devotion and Sacrifice, Division of Labor, and Objectification of Women. These axes encompass the social mandates with the most significant influence and impact on women's lives and, in turn, are intrinsically interconnected. This study suggests that it is exceptionally complex for Mexican women to break with these social preconceptions due to systemic, violent, and psychological factors. Sorority and collectivity generated by groups and organizations are some of the few resources Mexican society counts on to eradicate these stereotypes and effect tangible change.

For more information, follow Fieras Fierras. 

Circular Jam

In partnership with What Design Can Do and STBY, delaO design studio collaborated for the 3rd time to create a local brief for the upcoming WDCD design challenge. Every year, the global design competition will invite designers, creative entrepreneurs, and startups to submit circular concepts that radically rethink the way we live.

As a member of Reach Network, six partner agencies from all over the world focus on generating a coherent local brief by investigating the local context of circularity. Brazil, India, Japan, Kenya, The Netherlands, and Mexico were the invited countries this year.

delaO research process was conducted through interviews with experts and local research that reflects Mexico's approach to the circular economy. This stage helped organize and facilitate a hybrid model workshop, inviting more than 15 experts on the circular economy. 

Academics, sustainable designers, and stakeholders conversed and identified valuable insights about the main local problems, challenges, and opportunity areas that should be addressed. All this investigation is delivered to the participants of the global contest so that they are prepared with accurate information/tools to propose a viable and high-impact local solution.

We were facilitating a live hybrid, co-creation workshop where participants collaborated on-site and remotely allowed us to gather and compare the opinion of different experts around Mexico, obtaining a broader view and creating an accurate local brief for Mexico's context on the circular economy. It was a tool we learned by facilitating workshops remotely during the pandemic.

The result of this workshop will be part of the upcoming Make it Circular Challenge, to be launched on October 11.

Not Waste Challenge

The What Design Can Do No Waste Challenge results from our second collaboration with the Dutch foundation. As members of the Reach Network, delaO represented Mexico collaborating with agencies in Amsterdam, India, Japan and Brazil to shape this global contest.

Our work focused on generating an investigation that helps the challenges that designers, entrepreneurs and creatives will face in the No Waste Challenge.

Through research, interviews and a virtual co-creative workshop with experts on the subject, we gather and analyze findings to define the main perspectives on the garbage problem in Mexico City.

It is an honour for us to continue collaborating with What Design Can Do to launch this great challenge.

You can download the result of our research here.

Soon we will post more about this collaboration!

The Care Capsules

Andrea de la Peña & José de la O

As a Reach Network partner,  delao design studio started a collaboration on the Care Capsules project led by Reach partner The Care Lab, an international network of activists willing to transform Care through human-centred design practices in the health, social & education domains.

The Care Capsules project is a global design research collaboration as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Reach partners from the UK, the Netherlands, Spain, Indonesia, India, South Africa, Mexico, and Russia collected and analysed stories to learn about emerging care roles in our communities and determine how we provide care to one another.  

Through deep-dive interviews with a human-centred design approach, our studio attempted to understand a Mexican perspective around concerns on the pandemic situation that might influence the new understanding of caring and the transformation of our social needs. Between June and August 2020, we interviewed people considered vital workers during the pandemic, like caretakers, food delivery people, cleaning professionals and local food merchants. 

In each interview, we talk about participants’ first reactions, how this has changed their personal and professional lives, how this diminished some topics considered taboos or generated new ones, some of their concerns, and how they are coping with this situation. These conversations also served as space for them to unburden their thoughts or concerns and to make some reflections about them.

Reach Network is looking forward to defining potential next steps that include the publication of the research conclusions and finding potential collaborators interested in developing new solutions.

International collaborations like these are significant for delaO design studio. It allows us to bring local perspectives into global research and let us as a studio have a better understanding of our culture and society. Moreover, being part of Reach Network led us to learn from our partners and be part of global discussions that continuously improve our research approaches. Reach is a worldwide network of agencies specialising in human-centred design research and service innovation.

If you want to further read what we learned from this study, please click here.

The Franz Mayer Museum: Giving a better understanding of who their visitors are.

The Franz Mayer Museum is the only private museum in Mexico City that entirely focuses on decorative art and design. It holds the most important decorative art collection in Latin America, and it houses the most relevant and avant-garde contemporary design exhibitions in Mexico.

At the beginning of 2020, the delaO design studio started to collaborate with The Franz Mayer Museum as creative, strategic consultants. Through foundational research, deep-dive interviews, and data análisis, we help the administrative team at the museum to have a better understanding of the internal and external perception of their core values, customer segmentation, and future opportunities and strategies. This project was a challenge as Mid-way; we had to change our strategy because of the Coronavirus. As we started our research in the field, we had to rethink our research strategy by doing user-centered research remotely. We use this as an opportunity to shift our findings approach from a qualitative to a more quantitative, that gave us more insights and more data to process. We are happy to work with institutions like The Franz Mayer Museum, as it is incredibly relevant to help this kind of organization in this time of uncertainty.

The Future of Banking: Designing Souvenirs from the Future for BBVA.

In partnership with Centro University.

In of 2018, we were commissioned by BBVA, in partnership with the Design Futures Program at Centro University, to generate a fictional design brief that could communicate the challenges and opportunities contained in four different scenarios on the future of finance in Mexico.

The brief was generated through several co-creation workshops, utilizing fictional scenarios developed by the Design Futures team at Centro with the collaboration of BBVA experts. As part of the brief, aesthetic guidelines were generated in order to discover a way to design and produce artifacts in these alternative futures. This resulted in four diegetic prototypes, movie-style props produced by our studio that communicate the narrative of each scenario, giving a broader vision of these fictional realities. To see the result of these project, please click here.

Designing Collaborative Learning Experiences with the Biggest Names in Design.

In partnership with What Design Can Do Mexico.

In May 2019, What Design Can Do Mexico invited us to curate their breakout sessions in order to create memorable experiences for the festival’s attendees.

 We decided that, in order to make these breakout sessions memorable, we needed to design experiences that could only happen in Mexico, not only for the local participants, but also for the designers and speakers. We designed unprecedented sessions in which an international speaker would engage in conversation with a local curator or designer. Our goal was to foster conversations that would feel more like one held at a neighborhood bar than on a panel. We coordinated 16 unique, site-specific sessions, working closely with international speakers and facilitators.

Some of the participants we got to collaborate with:

• Alice Rawsthorn

• Marina Willer

• Deyan Sudjic

• Jimena Acosta

• Fig Projects

• Christophe Gouberan

• Marije Vogelzang

• Marcus Engman

• Sam Bompas

• Ana Elena Mallet

• Kassim Vera

• Joel Escalona

• Jorge Diego Etienne

  Get here the full program

Libbey Design Lab: Using Trend Forecasting as a Way to Evaluate Good Design.

In partnership with Etienne Escalona.

In 2019, Libbey, the biggest glass producer in the Americas, presented us with a unique challenge: To design a methodology for their in-house design team for evaluating the possible success of design concepts.

This project was developed in three phases:

Foundational Research:

It was essential to create an academic framework for usability and user-centered design as a way to create an internal conceptual vocabulary that could be used by their core design team to describe ideas with potential. This resulted in a paper that served as the foundation for an evaluation methodology tailor-made for Libbey.

Making Macro-Trends Useful:

We assisted the design team in using their knowledge of macro-trends to create tangible opportunities and meaningful design concepts. By translating these trends into product topologies, they had a starting point for coming up with meaningful products that could meet future societal needs.

Co-Creation Workshops:

We facilitated an implementation workshop with the Libbey design team for the application of the methodology we generated. A multi-disciplinary team of designers and engineers participated, working together to generate new concepts that could be feasible not only from the standpoint of design, but also those of manufacturing and packaging.

Clean Energy Challenge: Tackling a Global Challenge Locally

In partnership with What Design Can Do and STBY.

In September 2018, the Dutch initiative What Design Can Do launched the Clean Energy Challenge: An open call to students, designers, and innovators all over the world to come up with local solutions for local problems. This challenge was focused on five cities, each with a unique problem: Cityscapes in Amsterdam, Eating in Nairobi, Building in Delhi, Moving in São Paolo, and Waste in Mexico City.

 Validating a Design Brief.

This ambitious challenge needed an international group of research partners to come up with coherent briefs that could make a positive impact on a complex problem. In collaboration with the European design research firm STBY, delaO design studio facilitated several co-creation workshops with designers, academics, experts, and other stakeholders to explore different possibilities (and discard others) in order to define a design brief that would be specific to Mexico City. After an exhaustive analysis of the results from the co-creation workshops, a brief was defined. This same process occurred simultaneously with local research partners in all the countries where the challenge was held.

Motivating Designers.

This brief was validated through several design jams with design students and other stakeholders to motivate them to be part of the initiative. Our studio held these design jams in Mexico City, where some of the participants submitted their ideas.

Happy Results

Among the winners from around the world was the Mexico City initiative Ecolana, an online platform that serves as an interactive guide for recycling in Mexico City.

Transmutaciones: A Collaborative Methodology between Architects and Craftsmen

In partnership with Rojkind Arquitectos.

In 2016, the renowned architectural firm commissioned our studio to generate a methodology of collaborative practices and methodologies so that local artisans in urban and peri-urban areas could utilize the products of generative design.

For this research project, we conducted several field studies and interviews and gathered data at several workshops around the city in order to uncover the possibilities and limitations of different trades.

This project resulted in a field guide that the architectural firm could use to approach these craftsmen with empathy, as well as some “hacking tools” that could help the craftsmen produce generative design in a fair, efficient way.

How do you say “Hustling” en Español?: Cultural Translators for WeWork.

A collaboration with WeWork.

In 2016, the New York-based company asked us for a proposal that could work as a visual reinterpretation of their corporate values, a strategy that could culturally translate their entrepreneurship values for the Mexican audience.

Research Through Design:

After an exhaustive process of foundational research on Mexican popular culture, art, and aesthetics, we decided to move forward into doing what is known as “Research through Design” – in other words, doing research through the act of designing. We designed a collection of posters that could translate the entrepreneurial idea behind the word “hustle” into phrases and illustrations that would have meaning for local WeWork patrons.

Our favorite is of the “Hurried pork chop” poster. We loved it so much we decided to make three-color silkscreen prints of it and gave them away as Christmas gifts to our friends and clients.

Always in Beta Mexico: Facilitating Field Research for Claro Partners.

On 2017, Claro Partners approached us to assist them in recruiting and organizing a program of home visits and expert interviews for their project Always in Beta, a research project that could change the way new generations engage with banking. With our help, a diverse group of participants where scouted and

You can find the final report here.

Detroit City of Design: Collaborating with Local Experiences.

In partnership with Urbane Development.

For Detroit’s designation as the Unesco City of Design in 2017, Urbane Development, a New York-based community development venture, led the efforts to design an inclusive economic development plan for the city’s creative industries.

Our studio participated as experts in the subject matter, reviewing the relevant literature and sharing our knowledge and experience. As we are based in Mexico City, we provided insights on how the creative economy develops, along with the challenges this represents.

You can download the full report here.