Jake Trussell

Jake Trussell
Questioning, Connecting Dots, & Designing Omnichannel Experiences that Create Value
Biography
Jake Trussell is the founder and creative director of Metabolize, a human-centered design and branding consultancy.

He organizes diverse coalitions of government, civic, and private sector stakeholders around shared goals to make award-winning digital products and experiential marketing campaigns that create value and drive awareness.

Trussell has designed and managed numerous brands from starting his own record label, to positioning Chicago as a global business destination during his time as Creative Director of the City’s economic development organization chaired by the Mayor.
He serves on the board of directors for the Arts and Business Council of Chicago, is a mentor at the 2112 creative industry business incubator, a member of the GreenHouse Innovation Braintrust, and a member of the Chicago Ideas R adical Creators.

He's also a DJ, recording artist, record label founder, and writer.

Trussell has a BFA in Interrelated Media from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, an innovation certificate from IDEO U, and a blockchain certificate from the Linux Foundation.
Resumé
Philosophy
Design is Human Advocacy
Design Advocates
by understanding needs and problems to be solved
Design Solves
by creating empathically delightful experiences that create value
Design Strategy Leads to Innovation
Thoughts
On Design, Innovation, Music, & the Creative Economy

Kids Don't Love Terrible Music, They're Taught To
The New York Times piece “Why Do Kids Love Terrible Music” underestimates kids’ ability to develop their own complex musical tastes. … Read on

Passion for Working Late
Retirement sounds nice, but what if you love your job? How might we deviate from the social norms around aging in the workforce in order to shift from the industrial age into the knowledge economy. … Read on

This 6-Step Design Thinking Method Could Improve Employee Experience
While many organizations have become adept at designing great customer experiences that lead to strong brand affinity, there are far fewer as skillful at creating this level of resonance with their employees, even though companies with a focus on employee experience tend to outperform their competitors … Read on

Rumination on Innovation
To innovate is to alter established practices by introducing new ideas. It’s fundamentally creative, but it’s also a science. So why and how do we innovate? … Read on

Employee Experience Design is Key for an Exceptional Customer Experience
Meaningful brand interactions can forge positive relationships with customers. This is amplified when employees also feel good about their company. … Read on

Rebranding: A Case Study
Refreshed positioning and identity shed new light on the who, what and why. … Read on

Building Site Selector
Designing and developing an application for mapping optimal business locations … Read on

Which Came First, Creatives or the Cash
How Does the Creative Economy Impact Economic Development? … Read on

The Go
what is it about Chicago that generates so much creativity and innovation. After all, this is the city that gave birth to both the zipper and the skyscraper; the city where Ferris invented his Wheel; the city where the mobile phones we all carry around were first designed. … Read on
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Jake Trussell

Questioning, Connecting Dots, & Designing Omnichannel Experiences that Create Value

Biography

Philosophy

Design is Human Advocacy

Design Advocates

Design Solves

Design Strategy Leads to Innovation

Thoughts

On Design, Innovation, Music, & the Creative Economy

Connect