Research and Design Chapter Lead
WPP
- Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- Permanent
- Full-time
- Lead and Mentor the Chennai based research and design team, share expertise, and contribute to the professional development of the research team.
- Lead the delivery of complex service and product design projects prototyping and designing multi-channel services using design research techniques to uncover customer needs and pain points and understand, analyse and map complex journeys and processes
- Support the development of service concepts, blueprints and other service design artefacts that could scale
- Play a leading role in our service design Community of Practice and industry, and regularly share your work and ideas with the broader team and community.
- Facilitate knowledge sharing sessions and contribute to the organization's research knowledge management initiatives
- Stay abreast of the latest developments in the research and design industry, and introduce latest research and design thinking / approaches as service, project, product research is undertaken
- Digital perspective - Understands how the digital economy is changing user behaviour and the commercial landscape. Can make informed decisions based on user needs, available technology, and value for money. Has knowledge of the wider digital economy and advances in technology
- Evidence and context-based design - Visualises, articulates, solves complex problems, and concepts, and makes disciplined decisions based on available information and research evidence. Able to move from analysis to synthesis and/or design intent. Such skills include demonstration of the ability to apply logical thinking, gathering, and analysing information and evidencing key performance indicators
- Facilitating decisions and risks - Capable of making and guiding effective decisions, explaining clearly how the decision has been reached. Has the ability to understand technical complexity and risks, run collaborative design activities, influence others and build consensus
- Leadership and guidance - Interprets vision to lead on decisions. Creates a continually collaborative environment and sustains a good service. Understands and resolves technical disputes across varying levels of complexity and risk. Solves issues and unblocks problems. Drives teams and sets the pace, ensuring teams are delivering. Manages risk including effectively managing and tracking the mitigation of risks
- Prototyping - Able to apply technical knowledge and experience to create or design workable prototypes, both programmes and physical outputs. Understands parameters, restrictions and synergies
- Strategic thinking - Able to have an overall perspective on business issues, events, activities and an understanding of their wider implications and long-term impact. This could include determining patterns, standards, roadmaps and vision statements. Can focus on outcomes rather than solutions and activities
- Understanding constraints - Able to understand and work within the given constraints (including but not limited to technology, regulatory, financial, legal, social user constraints) and to challenge constraints that can be changed. Capable of ensuring compliance against constraints by adapting products and services where needed
- User focus - Understands users and can identify who they are and what their needs are based on evidence. Able to translate user stories and propose design approaches or services to meet these needs and engages in meaningful interactions and relationships with users. Puts users first and can manage competing priorities.
- Education and Experience: Bachelor's or Masters degree in a Research based discipline essential. Minimum of 8-10 years of experience in IT research or a related field, with a demonstrated track record of delivering impact in a global team to a global audience