After 10 years in business as Designing Interactive, we are excited to announce our new company brand, The Refinery.

All successful people are big dreamers - creative in every aspect of managing their career. However, when in a position of power or management do they use that creativity in changing the trajectory of the company they are employed by? 

There is an old adage, “Design is thinking made visible.” This is an absolute truth in the digital age. As a CEO it is mission critical that you understand the design process and how it affects your business.

D-I is deeply invested in Cleveland, OH. Our team is all from here and for the last 10 years we’ve been located in the same office in the suburb of Rocky River. We’ve been a long standing member of the community and are passionate about continuing to create jobs here in Cleveland.

Last year I went on a speaking tour across the United States. During that time, I attended many Agile conferences, meetup groups and private company meetings. At these events, I kept hearing the same parable over and over. I heard it so much that I believed it, and since then, I’ve been spreading that story myself. It’s a shame, since I now believe it’s actually more harmful than it is productive.

I’m a morning person. I enjoy rising early to plan my day and anticipate what I’ll accomplish. This routine provides clarity of thought and a hunger to act. It challenges me to be alert, prepared, and persistent toward the day’s priorities. Ultimately, it provides an energy and momentum that nourishes me throughout the day, and that—through my action—helps to nourish my team and the software projects we’re responsible for.

Software exists to create an experience for a user, be it solving a problem or some other business value. Any development process that loses sight of that experience, even for a second, will miss opportunities to create something great.

We presented an idea to the Codemash Conference for a new t-shirt design this year. They decided not to print t-shirts this year, so this design was just for our own enjoyment.