We launched our first Design Hive meetup utilizing DesignOps and improv thinking exercises to create an empowering experience.

My team at HOV Design, with the help of Innovuze Solutions, Inc. (venue sponsor) and Google Developer Group Cagayan de Oro (community partner), made our inaugural meetup on February 25th a success. We were nervous to take on this challenge but excited to finally make our dream of establishing a design community in PH a reality.

Introducing the Design Hive

A community with a mission of bringing together designers of diverse backgrounds to collaborate and offer resources, support, and opportunities for professional and creative growth, with the goal of using design to solve real-world problems and create a positive impact on society.

Leading community initiatives is often seen as “+1” or “extracurricular” work that is layered on top of full-time job responsibilities. Source: Community powered by Design Ops

What to expect during the meetup?

Tech talks? Lectures? Info session? Nope 🙅 ♀️! We will be having a round-table community mixer that enables every guest to share about their creative practices, career stories, and design leadership approach. The meetup will be facilitated by Estella, a designer and tech community leader.

Setting up the goal

Design Hive seeks to bring together designers in the city, fostering connection and camaraderie through our shared interest in design.

By the end of the gathering, we hope to have generated an inspiring idea that will drive us to continue meeting with a unified purpose.

D-Day of the meetup

We first made an introduction of who we are and our purpose for hosting a meetup. The event was attended by 23 guests out of 35 who registered.

Our design community offers a safe and inclusive environment for designers of all backgrounds, to collaborate, learn, and build professional and creative relationships. We strive to provide resources and opportunities for growth and to use design to make a positive impact on society.

Agenda

I was the one who facilitated the entire 3-hour meet-up with 3 different activities.

We hosted an interactive meetup, allowing everyone to get involved with each activity. This created a feeling of unity and connection for the attendees.

What improvements were seen through the implementation of DesignOps in our initial meetup sessions?

1. People-first approach — Building a community requires commitment from both organizers and attendees. To ensure a successful event, consider what attendees need to stay engaged throughout.
2. The workflow — Attendees can anticipate the session when given an overview of the event beforehand. This includes the activities they will be expected to undertake and the topics that will be discussed. In addition, this allows them to be excited about the event.
3. Success stories — Establishing a community is not just about kick-starting it; it also involves sustaining and growing it. By envisioning what success looks like for our community and its members, we can develop effective strategies for launch, as well as for long-term scalability and sustainability.

By leveraging DesignOps, Improv Thinking, and Design Thinking, I’m able to facilitate engaging meetup activities.

With that, I once again give huge thanks for all the support and we look forward to seeing familiar and new faces at our next meetup in Q2. 🐝