Human-Centered Innovation

We’ve heard a lot of discussions on the impact of mergers and acquisitions but the vast majority of those would involve two companies. What happens when in a really big merge – one that involves, say, four or 10 companies? Save yourself the strain of imagining what the impact would be as Lisa Marceau and Kristine Merz bring in Juli Leonard to share her expertise on this matter. In this two-part co...

This is Part 2 of Lisa and Kristine’s conversation with Juli Leonard on multi-company mergers. In Part 1 we heard about importance of a well-defined integration plan, the role of leadership in navigating the complexities of merging distinct organizational cultures, and the significance of transparent and effective communication. This time, we get into the nitty-gritty of culture and values issues...

Undergoing a brand change is a complicated and tedious process. Without proper internal and external communication, everything will become messy and people with be left in the dark. Lisa Marceau and Kristine Merz discuss how to secure M&A success by clearly communicating every significant change within a brand and how they impact an organization's culture. The two talk about the dangers of kee...

A brand strategy often begins with designing the logo or determining the target audience. But sometimes, it is a good idea to use competition as a starting point. Lisa Marceau and Kristine Merz discuss how to look into other businesses within your chosen niche to develop a strong brand identity. They break down strategies in choosing the right business colors and establishing a strong personality...

When companies merge in the acquisition process, it is more than just two entities coming together. These companies carry with them the people in that transition, and often, the people aspect gets overlooked. In this episode, Lisa Marceau and Kristine Merz call for a human-centered approach to redefining services in a merger. They talk about how leaders should keep in mind their employees as they...

Starting a brand requires a strategy and clarity, but when two brands become one, it is essential to think about rebranding because it creates an impact on both companies. Lisa Marceau and Kristine Merz discuss how rebranding works out during mergers and acquisitions. When merging two companies, it is essential for employees to understand and be clear about their expertise and perspective. Lisa an...

Company values. Mission and vision. Competitive strategy. Brand challenges. These are all familiar terms to employees, employers, and anyone involved in organizations. But how deep really is your comprehension of these terms? Do we understand their value to the company? Do we actually know “why” our companies do what it does? In today’s episode, we have an in-depth discussion about the importance...

Rebranding is a marketing strategy that is important in any business. Continuing the previous episode’s discussion, Lisa Marceau and Kristine Merz dive into the process of creating the NERI rebrand and citing the importance of different factors such as strategy, communication, and addressing issues to develop a successful rebrand. They also highlight how the significance of helping your client und...

It’s normal to shift your focus and rebrand as a company - in fact, it’s often necessary for growth over time. Many big companies like Dropbox or Uber underwent rebranding. Whether it was a fresh change in their design and color scheme to be current, or a change in vision for the organization, rebranding has done wonders for these companies. However, if rebranding goes wrong, it could do more harm...

In our previous episode, Kristine Merz and Lisa Marceau talked about their first meeting during the rebrand of NERI in 2004. Today, they continue their deep dive into what a company needs to do for a successful rebranding. They talk about how a human-centered approach can help create the fit and help the new brand identity resonate with people. They also discuss the importance of considering your...

Rebranding and evolving a brand identity to something new isn’t an easy task. Lisa Marceau and Kristine Merz talk about their first meeting during the rebranding of the New England Research Institutes (NERI). They discuss their first encounter and how they learned to ask the hard questions that need to be asked during rebranding. They talk about how rebranding affects the people who sustain a comp...

People need to find the "human" in human-centered research. They are so focused on the "doing" part of their hypothesis that they forget about the participant. Let them participate more. Listen to your audience to find out what barriers they may have. Join Lisa Marceau and Kristine Merz as they talk about the human side of clinical trials. Learn how to bring things down to a st...

Building your brand identity can be a difficult task. Maybe it’s time to consider taking a human-centered approach towards your brand identity? Lisa Marceau and Kristine Merz discuss their approach towards building brand identity and what you need to consider when taking the human-centered approach. They also discuss the need for organizational clarity, core values and culture, and their impact on...

An approach to problem-solving that involves the human perspective in all steps of the process, human-centered innovation is steadily gaining traction in the work environment. But how do you achieve it? Lisa Marceau and Kristine Merz both agree it’s through research and design. Picking up from the last episode’s discussion about the importance of research, Lisa and Kristine turn their conversation...

Before pursuing a goal, you must first determine why you want to achieve it. The same goes with research and science; before you can appreciate the results, you must first know the importance of where you’re going. What is the purpose of what you're trying to achieve, and have you thought about your audience as you develop your path forward? Lisa Marceau and Kristine Merz think talk these question...

Having a brand is foundational for any business. But how many organizations make an effort to establish a brand structure? In this episode, Lisa Marceau and Kristine Merz define and break down brand structure, a.k.a. brand architecture, to explain how it impacts your business, especially for merger acquisitions. They discuss the three types: master brand structure, endorsed brand structure, and in...

Whether it is your first or last acquisition, understanding all the layers affected is essential to a successful venture. Mergers and acquisitions are the most disruptive thing any organization can go through. It's important to build a trusting and transparent environment for everyone involved. Remember, you're not just bringing in another company, you're bringing in a whole new culture. Building...

An acquisition is when one company purchases another one outright. In contrast, a merger is a combination of two firms that subsequently forms a new legal entity under the banner of one corporate name. These two changes can be challenging for both the leader and their team. How exactly does a company navigate this shift in management? Join our hosts, Lisa Marceau and Kristine Merz, as they tackle...

Research and design can come across as two very different fields of discipline. It can be a real challenge to reconcile them in such a way that good design is achieved without disrespecting the science behind research. This is one of the prominent themes that defined the period when Lisa Marceau started working with Kristine Merz. Continuing with the story of how their partnership started to form,...

We often overlook the importance of research in shaping everything from what we eat, to how we interact, and of course how we approach health. For millennia, research has been the thread that has held the fabric of society—from successes and innovations, even to failures that inform us what does and doesn’t work. There is no more current example than the impact of research on the COVID-19 pandemic...

The sky is the limit when it comes to what you can innovate in this day and age. One setback to often creative innovation is the growth of innovation just for innovation's sake. It’s here that the human connection gets lost along the way. Bringing human-centered back into innovation through combining research and design, Kristine Merz and Lisa Marceau welcome you to the Human-Centered Innovation p...