Silicon Valley, March 18th, 2021

A proven leader, strategist and creator, Peter McNulty is the Head of User Experience at Momentum Design Lab – a position he has had since 2019.

McNulty has worked in many agencies over the years, developing forward thinking leadership skills and the ability to build strong internal across-discipline partnerships with clients.

In an interview with TIA, McNulty described his daily life in San Francisco and the strategies implemented by Momentum to stay ahead of the game.

He highlights the agency’s global mindset, with team members all over the world, and argues that good design decisions don’t have to be something expensive.

To kick things off please can you describe to us a little bit about your city and why is a great place to work?

I live in California’s Silicon Valley area, where the level of excitement is always high, even during a pandemic. You can’t beat how amazing this community is in terms of technology and design IQ.

You’ve worked with some brilliant brands. How does an agency “stay ahead”?

This past year we focused on adapting quickly and helping our clients think through how their businesses will need to get things done in a post-COVID world.

We had already invested in and mastered many different remote collaboration tools. Successful agencies have to keep their fingers on the pulse of technology.

Attracting and retaining talent is one of the constant pursuits that every great agency faces. What is your approach to motivating and developing talent?

Talented people want to work for groups where they can be part of something innovative and impactful. We give our designers multidisciplinary opportunities, a chance to learn new skills and stretch their design thinking.

They might have one project in their portfolio that focuses on CX strategy and another that uses 3D modeling tools to help visualize story telling. But at the core it’s all human-centered design.

You are a truly international agency, how do you manage different cultural diversity at Momentum Design Lab?

We pride ourselves on having a global mindset. Our team members are located all across the world, providing valuable local insights and perspectives.

We are able to truly understand the culture and customer needs in the communities our clients serve. Above all, we speak a common language focused on UX literacy and empathy.

With shopper behavior changing, what impact do you believe machine learning and big data will have on the world of creative production?

AI and big data have been changing how we approach experience design for a while now, in everything from the ideas we can explore and the designs we develop, to the tools we use.

People now expect their products to be smart, intuitive, and connected.

Which are some of the most promising innovations that we can find at Momentum Design Lab today?

I don’t want to share all of our secrets! We are working in quite a few different verticals. There are very interesting things happening in the fin-tech space, AR/VR experiences within healthcare, and futuristic innovation concepts incubating within automotive. It is a fun spot to be.

Accessibility can be difficult to acknowledge, how do you ensure that your clients understand what you are recommending and all users are considered during projects?

Our process uses storytelling methods, user personas, and visualizing customer journeys. These tools help our clients better understand their customers experiences.

Do you have any recommendations for startups that look for digital transformation but their budget and resources are limited?

Good design decisions do not need to be expensive. Start small. And always focus on customer experience first.

As someone who enjoys challenges, is there any lesson you’ve had to learn multiple times?

Good communication is a necessity. Ambiguity kills client relationships.

Can you name a fun-fact people would be surprised to learn about you?

I’m an avid golfer and I have played 61 of the top 100 golf courses in the world. My goal is to play all 100. Can anyone out there help me get a tee time at Cypress Point?

Thanks Peter!

Learn more about Momentum

Follow Peter on social media:

LinkedIn

Follow Momentum Design Lab on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
LinkedIn

brandsclientsculturedigital transformationDiversityexperienceinsightsUX