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Making Sense. Making Things.

Hello, I'm Paul. I'm a designer who also builds design & technology organizations. This is a collection of my
projects and thoughts on all things products, spaces, and cities. Reach out to learn more. 

About Me

Work 

I lead design at Intersection. I apply design methods and technology to solve human, business, and civic problems. These solutions take shape in digital products, services, and physical spaces. Many of which have led to successful projects, strong organizations, some awards, and an acquisition by Sidewalk Labs (Alphabet).

Interests

I enjoying writing, speaking, and teaching about the impact that strategic design / experience design has on our relationship with technology, spaces, and cities. I’m an adjunct professor in Pratt’s Graduate Design Management Program and SVA’s Interaction Design MFA Program. In addition, I serve as on the Board of Directors Society of Experiential Graphics Designers (SEGD) and UA Maker Academy.

Civic Innovation

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Link

Multiple Cities

Replacing the aging public pay telephone infrastructure, Link is designed as a 21st- century communication hub that delivers free public access to content, data, and city services — and fundamentally changes the way that people connect to brands, each other, and the city.

Link is currently in New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, London, Glasgow, and Leeds with other cities coming soon.

Connected Spaces

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Edward Kennedy Institute 
Boston, MA
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Smart Districts
Multiple Locations
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Workspace Innovation
Multiple Locations

Mobility Innovation

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Transit Touchpoints 

Multiple Cities

This city-wide network of smart digital kiosks dynamically displays train arrival times and allows users to easily plot their route to any place in the subway system.

Select Writing

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Smarter New York 
Contributing Author - Columbia University Press
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Designing for Cities
O'Reilly Press

Approach

Learn 

I try to understand people in their spaces – to view them not just through their words, but through their actions and their artifacts, witnessing what they do, the tools they use, the things they choose, reflect (or don’t) their stated values. This learning will let me represent the individual in the design, to put aside any assumptions or biases.

Design

Solutions take shape through idea generation exercises, distillation techniques, narrative storytelling, and visual renderings. These explorations may happen in cycles as valuable solutions and strategies are refined. Concepts are articulated at a higher level to get feedback quickly.

Make

The only true way to tell if an idea might work is by making it. This methodology is predicated on evaluation of usage with people, which is critical to discover what concepts are promising and worth pursuing. In order to do this, I produce quick proofs of concept – in various different media, and put these in front of people to validate our initial assumptions.

Reach out to discuss projects,
partnerships, or ideas.

email - pmcconnell@gmail.com