Adriana Valdez Young
SHE / HER / HERS
Adriana believes that designing for inclusion and belonging is not a ‘nice-to-have’ — it’s simply good design. And good business. She supports companies, governments, and nonprofits to center inclusion in their design process — from how they connect with customers to the way they craft their everyday, internal culture. Industries she has impacted include cosmetics and personal care, home care, government services, education, toys and games, and much more.
Designing with people is where the real magic happens. An inclusive design practice cultivates both better design and a better world.
Popular Talks
Co-Design 101: Making It Happen Together
Why co-creating design solutions leads to more inclusive and equitable outcomes — and happier customers and teams.
Inclusive Design Allergy: Symptoms, Causes, Remedies
I share my experiences helping clients and collaborators overcome initial pushbacks, fears, and hesitations towards inclusive design and how I helped them experience inclusion as a nourishing fundamental for good design — not a danger or risk.
No Budget, No Time: Rapid Design Research
What are creative, scrappy, and accessible ways we can consistently center the perspectives of people and their problems in the design of products and experiences? I share five quick design research tools that help teams build inclusive habits and mindsets that they can fold into any project timeline.
Consulting, & Coaching
Consulting
I help people apply the tools of design research, co-design, and people-centered design to create authentically inclusive products and experiences.
Coaching
I support designers and design leaders to integrate inclusive and innovative mindsets and approaches to their people, processes, and products.
“Adriana is a an absolute gem! I had the distinct pleasure of working with her to build and teach a complete ‘Design + User Research’ curriculum for the Global Design team at Colgate-Palmolive. Adriana designed and orchestrated a brilliant (and fun!) action plan for the team to learn best practices incorporating a variety of research techniques and methods. She was inspiring, helpful and insightful as she helped the team navigate the complexities of gathering and interpreting different research outcomes. The impact of her working with us has extended far beyond the design team and has been an invaluable resource for us on on-going projects. Adriana is such a pleasure to work with, she brings a level of expertise, creativity and fun to every challenge.”
– David Cole, Colgate-Palmolive
Adriana is an inclusive design researcher and educator working at the intersection of design, technology, and cities. She has over 15 years of experience leading design research that focuses on elevating the voices and lived experiences of marginalized peoples and communities.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, she has focused on partnering with global corporations to co-design inclusive products and experiences with BIPOC communities, working mothers, and people living with physical disabilities.
She holds a BA in History from Brown University and an MSc. in City Design and Social Science from the London School of Economics. She has authored articles on the politics of inclusive public space for publications such as the Journal of Urban Technology, Makeshift Magazine, GOOD, and Ethnography Matters, and CITY Journal.
Let’s collaborate to ensure a transformative experience.