We were lucky to catch up with Cassily Danwei Zhao recently and have shared our conversation below.
Cassily Danwei, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Any advice for creating a more inclusive workplace?
Creating an inclusive workplace starts with encouraging open communication, where feedback is welcomed, and employees feel valued without fear of judgment. It’s essential to have diverse representation at all levels, especially in decision-making roles, to ensure a variety of perspectives are considered. Empathy plays a critical role in understanding each individual’s unique challenges and experiences, creating a more supportive and collaborative environment. Accessibility and flexibility are also essential, whether it’s offering adaptable work arrangements or ensuring the workspace is physically accessible for everyone. Lastly, incorporating inclusive design thinking is key—ensuring diverse voices are part of the design process leads to more innovative and effective solutions that resonate with a broader audience.
Earlier in my career, I worked on a project where inclusivity was notably lacking. The team was homogenous, and a small group made many decisions of senior leaders without input from the wider team. As a result, the final product missed the mark for specific user groups because the perspectives and needs of those users were never considered. This experience highlighted the importance of diverse representation, especially in decision-making roles. It showed me how a lack of inclusivity can lead to missed opportunities and limit the impact of a project.
On a positive note, I’ve also had some fantastic experiences where inclusivity was a top priority. One particularly impactful moment was during my college exchange program overseas, where I worked with a diverse team of creatives who even spoke different languages. They embraced different viewpoints, cultural backgrounds, and working styles, which showed me inclusivity’s power in fostering innovation and harmony.
Creating a more inclusive workplace involves cultivating empathy, ensuring representation, and valuing the diverse experiences and voices that contribute to a team’s success. The more we integrate inclusivity into our everyday actions, the more we can create workplaces where everyone feels they belong and can thrive.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hey there! I’m Cassily, an industrial designer who elevates experiences and creates meaningful connections, specializing in designing consumer lifestyle products, electronics, and furniture/fixtures. My passion for design started when I was a kid. Over the years, it has evolved into crafting products that not only solve problems but also connect emotionally with users.
I’m all about creating designs that resonate emotionally with people and evoke feelings of joy and peace. I focus on making sure my products are functional and visually compelling, with color playing a key role. I conduct extensive research to understand what my target users prefer, which guides my choices in colors, materials, and finishes. This ensures that my designs are aesthetically pleasing and emotionally engaging.
One of my proudest achievements is the “Alskar” lounge chair, designed with comfort, elegance, and emotional resonance in mind. It has earned several prestigious awards, like the A’ Design Award and SIT Design Award, and has been featured in various places.
My blend of empathy, continuous learning, and a focus on users’ feelings sets me apart. By truly understanding users’ needs and emotions, I create practical, beautiful designs that leave a lasting impact—fostering meaningful connections between the product and the user.
We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.
Staying in Touch: I believe that keeping communication open and consistent is super important. I always check in regularly during a project to update clients on progress and gather their feedback. This shows that I’m engaged and ensures that I’m on the same page as them every step of the way.
Being Responsive: It’s crucial to be responsive to show clients that they’re a priority. I make sure to address questions, concerns, or adjustments promptly. I demonstrate my commitment to delivering the best possible results by being readily available when needed.
Tailored Experiences: I aim to understand each client’s unique needs and challenges and adjust my approach accordingly. Whether tweaking timelines, offering custom design solutions, or simply being available when needed, I focus on providing personalized experiences that show clients I’m truly invested in their success.
Creating a Community: Fostering brand loyalty goes beyond individual projects. I like to stay connected with clients and the design community through social media, newsletters, and events, where I learn insights, industry trends, and behind-the-scenes looks at my work. This helps create a sense of community and keeps my clients connected to my brand.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
The lesson I had to unlearn was the belief that following a set process or formula guarantees the best results. When I first started in design, I felt like there was a “right” way to do things—a structured process that I needed to follow for each project, from research and ideation to execution. I believed that as long as I adhered to this formula, my work would be successful.
One particular project challenged this mindset. I was working on a furniture design project and followed my usual step-by-step process. Despite sticking to the method that had worked for me before, the project wasn’t coming together in a way that felt right. I found myself frustrated and rigidly adhering to my original plan, even though it wasn’t yielding the creativity or innovation I had hoped for. The result was a design that felt predictable, and I realized that I had been limiting myself by trying to stick too closely to a process rather than letting the design evolve naturally.
At that point, I had to step back and allow myself the freedom to experiment and break away from the set structure. I started taking a more flexible, iterative approach, trying new techniques and exploring ideas that I hadn’t initially considered. This led to a design that was much more creative, unique, and impactful than I had originally envisioned.
The lesson I learned was that there isn’t always a one-size-fits-all formula for design. Creativity often thrives when you allow for flexibility and fluidity, rather than rigidly following a predetermined path. Unlearning the need to strictly adhere to a process has made me more open to experimentation and helped me produce more innovative work. Now, I embrace the idea that each project may require a different approach, and I trust my instincts to guide the process rather than forcing it into a fixed mold.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cassilyzhao.com/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassily-zhao-818b391b0/
Image Credits
Jake Choi, Danwei Zhao