Damien Newman

Damien is a Design Strategist and Researcher working on design orientated projects to define and understand complex systems and solve the problems within them. With a focus on social innovation and entrepreneurship, Damien works with foundations, NGOs and social entrepreneurs to invent products, services, experiences and new businesses for positive social and environmental impact.

With over three decades of experience in design, Damien has held leadership positions in consulting firms such as IDEO, Frog Design and Studio Archetype including his own Bay Area based firm, Central. Working across several disciplines of interaction design, product design, systems thinking, ethnographic research and visual design, Damien has led projects ranging from designing a soft drink for Pepsi, an HQ for the largest South Korean Internet company, banks in Eastern Europe and the Future of Fish project with the Packard Foundation & Ashoka.

Damien previously taught the ME313 Human Values and Innovation in Design class at Stanford University’s Graduate Design program for five years. Authored the Designer’s Guide to Brand Strategy, the Design Squiggle, and presented numerous talks on the process of design for social innovation and entrepreneurship. His current interests are in network science, complexity theory and design fiction.