Dana Cho
Dana is an Associate Partner and leads a group of designers in Palo Alto, California, who are passionate about “design of community” and branded experiences. She helps her colleagues and clients think about the emotional connections people form with brands — as an avid consumer who cries easily, this feels quite right. She has led large-scale programs for Gap Inc., the Mayo Clinic, Nike, and the Ritz-Carlton, bringing together multidisciplinary teams in a human-centered approach to health care, hospitality, and retail customer experiences. Dana began her career in architecture and urban planning, earning her undergraduate degree at MIT and a master’s from Harvard University, where she carried out her thesis work under visionary Rem Koolhaas. Dana has taught classes and lectured at California College of Arts.
Topics Dana speaks on:
- Branded Experiences
- Design for Community
- Design Research
- Environments Design
- Healthy Spaces
- Retail & Hospitality
Speaking engagements:
November 2008, Harvard Graduate School of Design conference “Space Rocks”
January 2007, “Real Public Participation” SPUR Forum (San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association)
May 2006, National Assocation of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI) Conference Keynote speaker
March 2005, “Shopping Factors: A Human-centered Approach to Retail Design,” GlobalShop
Published works:
Spring 2008, “From Plague to Paradigm: Designing Sustainable Retail Environments,” Rotman magazine
April 2008, “Marriott perks up Courtyard with edgier, more social style,” USA Today
January 2008, “Love Your Customers or Get a New Business,” The Boston Globe
May 2007, “A Traditionalist Walks a Fine Line,” The Wall Street Journal
February 2007, “Customer Service Champs,” BusinessWeek
October 2006, “IDEO’s Urban Pre-Planning,” Metropolis magazine
March 2006, “Going Off the Beaten Path for New Design Ideas,” The New York Times