Student Teams Take Work to Task!

Workday + SFSU Intensives cohort #2 has officially come to a close and the results were spectacular!

20 students comprising 5 teams working with 10 Workday mentors developed 3 apps and 2 websites that addressed a key challenge that Workday and so many other employers are facing: the future of work. 

Specifically, SFSU students took on the nature of hybrid work; reimagining work models and designing ways to advance toward a more inclusive and connected workforce.

We noted in our last post that most hybrid work models have their inherent opportunities and challenges, and that one of the greatest challenges is cultivating and nurturing a collective culture that is accessible, inclusive and equitable. With so many employees operating across locations and from home or shared workspaces, a sense of connection and belonging — to the company and with each other — is getting lost.

The teams took this to heart, and design, and dove into their research with intent. They ideated, sprinted, “crazy 8’ed”, and developed innovative ways for workers to get back that ‘water-cooler’ effect of days of old when remote work was not a thing.

The work the students produced was stellar. Time zones were considered; young, working parents with small children were front and center; remote workers found their “Sync Mate”; music was the featured connector; and, “Socialite” overcame the limiting effects of hybrid work with a large-group-centric solution. We all got a glimpse of what’s possible from this dynamic cohort…our future designers!

SFSU student Rizza Ray Valenzuela, who’s team developed the app, Socialite, shared her experience. “The mentors were very generous with answering questions in great detail and helping my group move through the project each step of the way. I could tell they really invested a lot of time into helping us improve and provided several resources. Thank you!"

"Working with Rizza's team was an incredibly rewarding experience,” Vivian Lee, Sr. Product Designer at Workday, shared after reflecting on her mentorship journey this semester. “Witnessing the evolution of their work and the outcomes they produced throughout the UX process was truly inspiring. It was remarkable to see their ideas and concepts take shape, gradually coming to life with each iteration from start to finish. I believe the future holds great promise for this talented cohort of design students at SFSU, and I'm grateful to have been a part of this experience!”

It was a delight and a gift to see these young people work as a team to create possibilities for our future…one in which they now have a relevant, viable and applicable project to add to their professional portfolio and a newly formed network of top-flight designers from Workday that know and appreciate them and their work (they even have their own  yearbook!). A win, win, win: for the students, Workday and the future of design!

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