Steven KlimekHi, I’m Steven.

I tell stories and guide teams to solve problems through human-centered design

This website will show you a few examples of what that means. I have a sister website, IDspiration, where I write regularly. I occasionally dive into random rabbit holes, but the content there typically hovers around the intersection of culture, design (systems), and psychology. Specifically, I love writing about EQ, leadership modeling, and the value of stretching our comfort zones. 

BIO IN 3 BULLETS

  • I’ve worked in 5 countries on 5 continents; currently in Tokyo by way of Virginia, California, New York, Dubai, Amsterdam and São Paulo.
  • Most of my work has focused on digital innovation (although I believe human-centered design can & should be applied anywhere on the org chart).
  • I’ve traveled to about 75 countries and flown over 2.7 million miles (4.4 million km). I still stare out the window for every takeoff and landing.

I GEEK OUT ON

  • Don Norman (“A challenge to the designers of the world: Make signs unnecessary” 🤯).
  • Harold and the Purple Crayon & other children’s books.
  • Reframing problems (we often scramble for technical optimizations without exploring simpler, more effective psychological solutions).

MY GUIDING VALUES 🧭

  • Kindness
  • Curiosity
  • Simplicity
  • Agency

Thank you for stopping by. Leave your email address below to get an occasional interesting thought from me, or drop me a line to connect!

A list of companies I've done work for.