ESP Biography

Did you ever wish you were a better storyteller? Storytelling is one of the clearest and most profound ways we communicate ideas. It also is a design technique for creating great products with amazing user experiences--even before you know what the product will be or how it will be built. This class is an interesting mix of product design, story form and improv technique. We will not focus on theory, but rather on real techniques used by the designers who have created some of your favorite products. So come learn how to create products people love by telling a better story, whether you are a poet, an engineer, or some favor in between.

Have you ever looked at something and thought, "I wish it could do this," or "If it were just improved in this way, everyone would probably want one." Those are product ideas. Unfortunately, in the "real" world, product ideas are not really worth much--people all over the world come up with great ideas every day. The difference however is in having a solid business plan that can take that idea and change the world with it--now that is valuable. That is what this class is about. We will cover real-world examples and use industry-leading techniques and tools--including ones I have used to drive million dollar decisions and launch whole new businesses--but discuss them in ways that are easy to understand and apply. This class is for you if: - You want to understand how companies make money (and why many companies don't) - You want to start your own business or app someday and would like to avoid some common pitfalls - You plan to work for a company someday and want to be able to choose one that will be successful - You plan to be an engineer, a designer, or a business leader - You have an invention in mind already or just want to learn about the practical steps that transform good ideas into great businesses And bring your idea! There will be time to work on select ideas as a class, and plenty of open Q&A at the end.

Ever dream of being an inventor or of founding your own company? If you are an “ideas person” or have the creative spark, join this discussion to learn what no school really teaches: the practical reality of what it is to be a product manager in Silicon Valley. You will learn about User-Centric Design, Rapid-Prototyping, and building a vision for products and markets. As a class we will use these and other techniques to innovate creative solutions to modern-day problems.

Ever dream of being an inventor or of founding your own company? If you are an "ideas person" or have the creative spark, join this discussion to learn what no school really teaches: the practical reality of what it is to be a product manager in Silicon Valley. You will learn about User-Centric Design, Rapid-Prototyping, and building a vision for products and markets. As a class we will use these and other techniques to innovate creative solutions to modern-day problems.