{"id":28138,"date":"2021-03-01T08:29:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-01T13:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/?p=28138"},"modified":"2021-09-30T08:46:51","modified_gmt":"2021-09-30T12:46:51","slug":"design-identities-tim-allen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/blog\/2021\/03\/01\/design-identities-tim-allen\/","title":{"rendered":"Design Identities: Tim Allen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"is-style-lead\">Tim Allen was named one of Fast Company\u2019s Most Creative People in Business for 2017. He leads the global product design team at Airbnb, centered on design and inclusivity. His focus on fueling human potential is key to building products and cultures that inspire people to do their best work.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe people who have experienced the most amount of exclusion are the most equipped to embrace empowering people and efforts that encourage inclusion,\u201d says Tim Allen, reflecting on his own experiences as a member of a marginalized group of people in design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, as the <a href=\"https:\/\/airbnb.design\/evolving-by-design\/\">leader of the global product design team<\/a> at Airbnb, Tim is focused on what it means to design for everyone. In his role, he\u2019s tasked with empowering his team of creatives to produce effective and meaningful work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tim describes his journey into design as a \u201creverse of an onion peel\u201d \u2013 starting out by airbrushing and painting in high school. By the time he was a sophomore, he had his own small business working on boats, cars and signage for local businesses.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unaware of the existence of design schools at that time, Tim sought out a future as a businessman rather than a designer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Design Identities | Tim Allen\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TgRGR3AFc2Y?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI didn\u2019t know what a portfolio was. To me, that book full of work that I had was just a part of my business,\u201d adds Tim. \u201cAfter hearing about the College of Design, that book became my portfolio. NC State was the only school I applied to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Tim, developing a sense of awareness plays an integral role in his love for digital product design and UX. During his time at the college, a curriculum focused on interactive design did not yet exist \u2013 leaving Tim to build his own realm of study combining psychology, industrial design and art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere are universal human truths,\u201d says Tim. \u201cWe all want to belong. We all want to connect. We all want to be creative. While you elevate those universal truths, there\u2019s the nuance of understanding what makes us all unique. Inclusive design is really about discovering what belonging means to each individual.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tim credits faculty members such as Pat FitzGerald and Chandra Cox with making social responsibility in design a priority for himself as well as other students.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thinking about the next generation of Black designers, Tim feels that finding a place that aligns with your values is critical and encourages students to take culture seriously when looking for a welcoming community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYour unique view of the world is sorely needed in an extremely homogenous industry. It\u2019s not going to be easy to develop your voice, but it\u2019s worth it,\u201d says Tim.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere are numerous companies, brands and agencies that are craving new approaches and new ideas. Your contributions, your impact, can be great.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-highlight with-image\"><h2 class=\"highlight__label\">Related<\/h2><a href=\"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/news\/design-identities\/\" class=\"highlight__link\" data-ua-cat=\"Highlight Block\" data-ua-action=\"Story Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/news\/design-identities\/\"><div class=\"highlight__image-container\"><div class=\"highlight__image-background\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1921\" height=\"1081\" class=\"highlight__image wp-image-28104\" alt=\"Design Identities Alumni Lineup\" src=\"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Instagram-16x9-1.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Instagram-16x9-1.jpg 1921w, https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Instagram-16x9-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Instagram-16x9-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Instagram-16x9-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Instagram-16x9-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"highlight__text-container\"><h3 class=\"highlight__heading\">Celebrate Black Design from NC State<\/h3><p class=\"highlight__teaser\">Design\u00a0Identities\u00a0celebrated five Black\u00a0Design\u00a0alumni in 2021 who have been influencers\u00a0in their\u00a0fields. Students from each department conducted one on one interviews with an alumnus in their field to learn about their successes as designers and to encourage the next generation of students, especially BIPOC students, with an introduction to and an interest in\u00a0design.\u00a0<br><\/p><p class=\"highlight__cta\">Learn their <span class=\"nowrap\">stories\u00a0<span class=\"arrow-indicator\"> <svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\"\/><\/svg> <\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div><\/a><\/aside>\n","protected":false,"raw":"<!-- wp:ncst\/dynamic-header -->\n<!-- wp:ncst\/default-post-header \/-->\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/dynamic-header -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\"className\":\"is-style-lead\"} -->\n<p class=\"is-style-lead\">Tim Allen was named one of Fast Company\u2019s Most Creative People in Business for 2017. He leads the global product design team at Airbnb, centered on design and inclusivity. His focus on fueling human potential is key to building products and cultures that inspire people to do their best work.\u00a0<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cThe people who have experienced the most amount of exclusion are the most equipped to embrace empowering people and efforts that encourage inclusion,\u201d says Tim Allen, reflecting on his own experiences as a member of a marginalized group of people in design.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Now, as the <a href=\"https:\/\/airbnb.design\/evolving-by-design\/\">leader of the global product design team<\/a> at Airbnb, Tim is focused on what it means to design for everyone. In his role, he\u2019s tasked with empowering his team of creatives to produce effective and meaningful work.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Tim describes his journey into design as a \u201creverse of an onion peel\u201d \u2013 starting out by airbrushing and painting in high school. By the time he was a sophomore, he had his own small business working on boats, cars and signage for local businesses.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Unaware of the existence of design schools at that time, Tim sought out a future as a businessman rather than a designer.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:embed {\"url\":\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/TgRGR3AFc2Y\",\"type\":\"video\",\"providerNameSlug\":\"youtube\",\"responsive\":true,\"className\":\"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/TgRGR3AFc2Y\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:embed -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cI didn\u2019t know what a portfolio was. To me, that book full of work that I had was just a part of my business,\u201d adds Tim. \u201cAfter hearing about the College of Design, that book became my portfolio. NC State was the only school I applied to.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>According to Tim, developing a sense of awareness plays an integral role in his love for digital product design and UX. During his time at the college, a curriculum focused on interactive design did not yet exist \u2013 leaving Tim to build his own realm of study combining psychology, industrial design and art.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cThere are universal human truths,\u201d says Tim. \u201cWe all want to belong. We all want to connect. We all want to be creative. While you elevate those universal truths, there\u2019s the nuance of understanding what makes us all unique. Inclusive design is really about discovering what belonging means to each individual.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Tim credits faculty members such as Pat FitzGerald and Chandra Cox with making social responsibility in design a priority for himself as well as other students.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Thinking about the next generation of Black designers, Tim feels that finding a place that aligns with your values is critical and encourages students to take culture seriously when looking for a welcoming community.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cYour unique view of the world is sorely needed in an extremely homogenous industry. It\u2019s not going to be easy to develop your voice, but it\u2019s worth it,\u201d says Tim.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cThere are numerous companies, brands and agencies that are craving new approaches and new ideas. Your contributions, your impact, can be great.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:block {\"ref\":28105} \/-->"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tim Allen was named one of Fast Company&#8217;s most creative people in business for 2017. He leads the global product design team at Airbnb, centered on design and inclusivity. His focus on fueling human potential is key to building products and cultures that inspire people to do their best work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":25715,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"","ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/default-post-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"showAuthor\":false,\"showDate\":true,\"showFeaturedVideo\":true,\"caption\":\"\",\"featuredVideoURL\":\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/TgRGR3AFc2Y\",\"displayCategoryID\":56}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[56,49,387],"tags":[438,439,55],"class_list":["post-28138","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni-experience","category-newswire","category-student-experience","tag-design-identities","tag-designlife-magazine-2021","tag-industrial-design"],"displayCategory":{"term_id":56,"name":"Alumni Experience","slug":"alumni-experience","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":56,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":205,"filter":"raw"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28138"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28138"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28138\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28143,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28138\/revisions\/28143"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25715"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28138"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28138"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28138"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}