Photo credit: Christine Ho

DT is an experiment of design-related thoughts that explores the connections between people, products, technology and society from a socio-cultural perspective. At its heart, this blog is about understanding human experiences and helping people become happier through meaningful design.

I’m a design researcher and strategist, after poking around 18th-century history as a graduate student. Between then and now (and the future), I think about human beings and the invisible forces that shape our daily lives. Part of the allure of design research is that you don’t know where it will take you; it invariably leads to interesting finds. But the best part, for me, is working my insights towards a tangible design outcome that can improve someone’s life.

In the last decade,  I have been fortunate to live in culturally-diverse cities–from cosmopolitan Singapore to the unassuming city of Columbus, OH; and as a fille au pair in Paris to being a graduate student in Stanford, CA. My work has also taken me to China, India, Japan, Korea and Sweden. My own trajectory around the world aligns with the rise of consumer technologies, for which I am immensely grateful to the designers and engineers before me. ‘Cos nomads need friends too.

When I am not thinking about design or humans, I am most likely amassing gastronomic knowledge that’s falling off my bookshelves and kicking ass in my tiny Chicago kitchen.

Currently, I’m open to design research/strategic innovation positions in Chicago, IL. If your organization has an opening, feel free to contact me at grace[@]gracecheow[dot]com