Innovation Consulting
Bring together design, design strategy, and business to create innovation.
Photography of Madison’s home & design research provided by Madison Berger, Senior Design Researched at McKinsey Design | LUNAR Design of McKinsey & Company in New York, New York.
Madison Berger, Senior Design Researcher, McKinsey Design
A little bit about Madison Berger, Senior design researcher at McKinsey Design, Lunar Design based in New York, New York.
She received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 2008, and in 2013, she was awarded her Masters degree in Industrial and Product Design at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia.
“As a design researcher at McKinsey Design, I have the opportunity to work on physical and digital products as well as large service design projects in a wide array of industries.
We work with clients in consumer products, healthcare, banking, manufacturing, mining, the public sector, just about anything! One of the really unique things about working at McKinsey is that the designers work side by side with our business consultants. This brings a powerful strategy lens to the type of work we do and opens up doors to do more generative and future-looking work. It also gives design a proper seat at the table.”
A little about McKinsey Design | Lunar Design of Mckinsey & Company, Madison is based in New York, New York.
“We help clients design Change that Matters by spotting opportunities in unmet customer needs, cocreating breakthrough products and services, and making organizations more innovative and agile. We work zealously with you, side by side building your institutional capabilities to better understand the market, uncover customer and user insights, evolve and create exceptional customer experiences, and successfully bring them to market.” *McKinsey Design mission & values.
“One of the really unique things about working at McKinsey is that the designers work side by side with our business consultants.”
Photography of studio interior provided by Madison Berger, Senior Design Researcher at McKinsey Design | LUNAR Design of McKinsey & Company in New York, New York.
Working at a Design consultancy like McKinsey & Company in NY
The really cool thing about working at a consultancy of this scale is the exposure to really incredible projects and really incredible people.
I have been on so many projects where I am working with our teams in New York, Chicago, Austin, and even teams in Europe or Singapore. It is really inspiring to get to work with such a global group of designers and learn how all of our crazy backgrounds led us to McKinsey.
My favorite project that I have gotten to work on while at McKinsey was a project looking at the patient journey for those with epilepsy. This project was a perfect storm for me because it was meaningful work with an enthusiastic client, and an incredible team. The thing that stood out to me was not only how collaborative everyone was, but that everyone really respected the gravity of the work we were doing and wanted to ensure that we gave the user stories the voice they deserved.
From that project (shared in the lead photo), my favorite memory was from the period where the whole team was co-located in New York City for a week to synthesize our research. One of my teammates was staying in an Airbnb for the week and we took over the walls with post-its, and dry erase boards, and it had that same electric energy that I remember from design school when everyone was working late in studio.
“Since COVID-19, I try and recreate this feeling by putting post-its (a researcher’s best friend!) all over the sliding glass door in my apartment, but nothing will compare to the energy when your team is together and vibing. ”
Similar to other consultancies most of our work is more generative and exploratory so you don’t get to do as much evaluative testing.
At first, it can be challenging working on teams that are mixed between design and business disciplines, because you have to learn the way each other works, but once it comes together it’s extremely powerful! While the scale of a large consulting firm can be quite daunting, there is a phrase at McKinsey that says, “Make your own McKinsey” and this has only recently really begun to resonate with me. This pushes you to really think about what is important to you as a designer and encourages you to find the people to help make it happen.
As I braved the open waters of McKinsey and swam beyond the San Francisco design studio, I began to meet a ton of inspiring people who are trying to make positive change in the world. Thanks to these connections I have not only grown immensely as a person but have had the opportunity to bring my personal passions to work and help start an inclusive design team that I am extremely proud of.
Photography of Madison’s home & design research provided by Madison Berger, Senior Design Researcher at McKinsey Design | LUNAR Design of McKinsey & Company in New York, New York.
Photography of studio interior provided by Madison Berger, Senior Design Researcher at McKinsey Design | LUNAR Design of McKinsey & Company in New York, New York.
Photography of studio interior provided by Madison Berger, Senior Design Researcher at McKinsey Design | LUNAR Design of McKinsey & Company in New York, New York.
THANK YOU, Madison, FOR GIVING US A GLIMPSE INTO YOUR CAREER & WORK AS AN INSPIRING WOMAN IN DESIGN.
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