Hey, I'm Josh

A senior at Stanford studying Design, creating experiences around community, culture, and connection.

Originally from San Diego, CA

Learn more about me

Where I grew up

San Diego, CA

About twenty minutes from the Mexico border.

Email LinkedIn

Experiential design

Serendipi-Tea

A card game that gets startup founders talking.

Product design

Simone Acc. Collection

Handbag concepts in South Korea.

Guest experience

Node Foundation

Résumé

Captured Moments

12 frames, 12 stories

Graphic design

Josh and a team of RAs dressed as airline pilots, smiling behind a red check-in table

Side quest

Weaver of community

I attempt to create communities and spaces where people feel comfortable and seen.

Favorite photos

I love warm lighting

I have 4 lamps in my room.

Project-based kid

I went to a project-based learning school.

Let's create something together!

jbuenvi@stanford.edu LinkedIn

Serendipi-Tea

Designing an innovation hub experience to foster authentic connection among startup founders in accelerator spaces.

Client: StartX, Stanford
Role: Head User Researcher
Timeline: Apr – Jun 2025
Team: Team Jello (3 designers)

Serendipi-Tea conversation cards spread across a table

Research at a glance

17people reached

6needfinding interviews

4founder segments

3prototypes tested

35–45min playtest sessions

Needfinding interviewsSegmentationPOV synthesisRapid prototypingConcept testingObservational playtests

The problem

At StartX, nearly every conversation between founders feels like a pitch. Real, lasting connection gets pushed to the back burner.

What I did

As Head User Researcher on a team of three, I led needfinding (17 people reached, 6 interviews), and we prototyped three ideas before choosing one.

What we built

A cozy third space at StartX with a connection wall, snacks, and a card game called We're All Humans.

What happened

Playtimes ran 35 to 45 minutes. Founders talked about love, death, politics, and insecurities, and laughed, reflected, and surprised each other.

Final Serendipi-Tea installation at StartX

Founders don't necessarily need more networking spaces. They need spaces that are explicitly not that.

Project overview

A card-based conversation tool built through a human-centered design process, prototyped and tested with founders across the StartX accelerator community.

Built with Team Jello (a team of 3) as part of Design 121 at Stanford's d.school, in partnership with StartX. I led the project as Head User Researcher.

The challenge

How might we use the human-centered design process to design an innovation hub for the next generation of startup founders at Stanford Research Park?

1

Needfinding

17People reached

6Interviews conducted

4Founder segments

Key takeaway: lots of diversity, in tenure, background, and what “connection” even means to a founder.

2

Synthesis

Segment A

Seasoned founders

Keeps up with the latest tech trends and is always looking for ways to boost productivity, typically moving between spaces to work, talk, and present his newest slide deck.

Segment B

Brand new founders

Wants more genuine talks with other founders beyond concise business chat and tool-sharing, but feels an invisible gap that keeps those conversations from happening.

Segment C

Underrepresented founders

Feels like funding is her largest barrier to entry, largely due to how she's perceived as a minority founder, but remains resilient and channels that feeling to keep pushing.

User group: StartX

Brand new founders

How might we promote serendipitous conversations between founders?

New StartX founders who lack an environment conducive to organic, serendipitous connection with one another, making the average conversation feel transactional.

JB

POV statement

New members of the StartX community crave an environment free of artificial, network-based connection, to ensure the relationships they form through StartX programming have a lasting impact.

3

Prototyping

Problem framing

In environments where every conversation feels like a pitch, genuine and authentic connection always feels like it's placed on the back burner.

VS

StartX founders feel naturally authentic with each other, seamlessly connecting with other members of the community as if they were family.

In short: we want founders to create deeper, lasting connections.

Three prototypes

Enter→Look around→Snacks→We're All Humans card game→Photo→Exit

Prototype 01

Founder Quilt (X)

Elevates underrepresented voices by displaying local founders.

Prototype 02

We're All Humans

Humanizes founders by creating space for personal discussion.

Prototype 03

Third Space

Creates a cozy environment inside a typically busy startup ecosystem.

Insights

Third spaces deepen connection

People were willing to interact with our prototype, typically in pre-existing groups.

We need a wide variety of topics

When the focus is on getting personal, people get deep.

Smaller and cozier means intimacy

Conversations feel deeper with smaller groups of people (2 to 3).

Food is a way to invite people

Food transitions to being less important than an intrinsic desire to connect.

Creating the cards

Our cards were heavily inspired by the game We're Not Really Strangers, ranging from light reflection (Seed level) to deeper conversation (Bloom level), plus questions written directly from the experiences of startup founders.

Cards were designed in Figma, printed on cardstock, corner-cut for a rounded feel, then sprayed with lacquer for a refined finish. We also built a custom box with a “How to Play” card.

View the card deck on Figma

Seed“Who was your biggest role model growing up?”

Sprout“Who was your childhood best friend?”

Bloom“What's something you're grieving, even if it's not obvious loss?”

Creating the experience

Digital camera photo from the experience

01 / 04

Cards were placed at a campus cafe space with signage, and left to let the experience run on its own. A digital camera was placed within the set-up so users could document their own experience.

From insight to design

Each design choice traces back to something we observed in testing.

Insight from testing	What we saw	How it showed up in the final
Third spaces deepen connection	People engaged with our prototype, typically in pre-existing groups.	A cozy third space at StartX with seating, lamps, and signage.
Food is a way to invite people	Food drew people in, then faded behind the desire to connect.	Snacks and drinks as an early step in the experience flow, before the card game.
A wide variety of topics; personal focus gets people deep	When the prompts got personal, conversations did too.	Three card levels, from light reflection (Seed) to deeper conversation (Bloom).

4

Final solution at StartX

Connection wallFood and drinksWe're All Humans card game

5

Design result

Founders in conversation at the Serendipi-Tea connection wall

01 / 02

Variety of conversationLove, death, politics, insecurities, etc.

Variety of strong emotionLaughter, reflection, surprise

Shortest playtime35 min

Longest playtime45 min

One of the more surprising outcomes was how quickly the founders' guards came down. Most of them spend their days pitching, networking, and performing a version of themselves built for a room full of investors or competitors. But once there was a vessel built strictly for connection, with no ask, no agenda, and nothing to prove, that professional mask seemed to just fall away. Conversations that started as polite small talk kept sliding into something more honest: grief, doubt, the parts of running a company nobody really talks about. It made the case that founders don't necessarily need more networking spaces. They need spaces that are explicitly not that.

6

Takeaways

Rooting my work in user needs

My group and I were unfamiliar with the experience of startup founders. This project stemmed directly from the conversations we had with them, and the pain points we noticed.

Designing for emotional impact

This project taught me that meaningful design goes beyond solving logistical problems. It can create space for vulnerability, connection, and authentic human interaction.

Conversation as a designed experience

This project reframed dialogue itself as something that can be intentionally crafted through prompts, pacing, environment, and material interaction.

If I ran this again

Looking back, here is how I would make the research more measurable.

Quantitative

Define success metrics first

Set them before testing: session length, cards played per session, and a 1 to 5 “I felt connected” rating after each game.

Experiment design

Add a control

Run a no-cards version of the same space to see whether the game, and not just the room, drove deeper conversation.

Qualitative rigor

Code conversations with a rubric

Tag topics on a simple depth scale (surface, personal, vulnerable) and have a teammate code a subset to check agreement.

Longitudinal

Follow up a week later

The goal was lasting connection, so I would check whether founders kept talking after the session.

Up next

Simone Acc. Collection

Let's create something together!

jbuenvi@stanford.edu LinkedIn

Simone Acc. Collection

Contributed to the design and development of luxury handbags and leather goods through concept ideation and prototyping.

Client: Simone Acc. Collection
Role: Design and market research intern
Timeline: 8 weeks, 2025
Team: Individual projects

Green quilted handbag, Simone Acc. Collection

Research at a glance

8weeks in Ui-Wang, South Korea

2user groups profiled

3concepts pitched to 0914

4weeks of weekly physical samples

Trend research (FW 26/27)Style guideUser-group profilingRetail fieldworkMood boardingConcept sketchingPhysical prototyping

The setup

An 8-week internship in Ui-Wang, South Korea at Simone Acc. Collection, a luxury leather goods manufacturer, split between its in-house 0914 design team and a Tory Burch global sales team.

What I did

I researched FW 26/27 trends, built mood boards, sketched, and pitched three concepts to the 0914 team. Then I made a physical sample every week for Tory Burch's sub-teams.

What I made

Two of the pitched concepts: Interwoven, a design built around hand-woven construction, and Canvas, a silhouette with a custom-dyeable canvas panel.

What I took away

Sketching isn't scary. It's just another way to convey ideas, however rough. It was the most I've ever sketched in my life.

Final concept pitch boards with sketches, mood boards, and leather samples

Project overview

During an 8-week internship partnered with Stanford's Global Studies Program, I joined Simone Acc. Collection, a leather goods manufacturer based in Ui-Wang, South Korea, working across both their in-house design team (0914) and their Global Sales team (Tory Burch).

1

Initial goals

Goal 1

Develop a clearer design POV

Refine my personal aesthetic by sketching, prototyping, and iterating on original samples.

Goal 2

Expand market understanding

Gain insight into Korean fashion trends and global consumer preferences to design for diverse markets.

Goal 3

Strengthen design visualization

Communicate ideas clearly through concept sketching and design pitch decks, moving efficiently from concept to sample.

Goal 4

Experience Korea

Make the most of my first time working and traveling abroad.

Understanding Simone

What is Simone?

Simone Acc. Collection is a leading Korean luxury handbag and accessories manufacturer, known for producing high-quality leather goods for global designer brands.

What is 0914?

0914 is Simone's own premium leather-goods brand, built to showcase the company's craftsmanship, material quality, and design expertise. The brand focuses on timeless, human-centered, small-batch design.

Part 1

0914: the design team

Working within Simone's in-house design team on individual projects, translating seasonal trends into 0914's next collection.

2

Research and needfinding

Understanding trends

01 / 12

Using resources from Simone's design team, I researched proposed trends for the FW 26/27 season and built a style guide for the team to reference, thinking through general themes, color palettes, and silhouettes.

Common threads: ornamentalism, functionality, pockets, and playful looks balanced with earth tones.

User group: 0914

0914 customers

How might we meld current fashion trends with 0914's brand?

0914 customers value artisan-level craftsmanship and high-quality materials. They struggle to find leather goods on the market that feel uniquely human, rather than designed for the mass market.

3

Ideation

Mood boarding

Pulling from both FW 26/27 trends and elements of 0914's brand identity:

Handcrafted design
Geologic: earth-tones and metallic elements
Intentional design
Artistic and vintage styling

This board reflects a direction rooted in tactility, slow craftsmanship, and objects that carry a sense of history.

Mood board: tooled leather bag with floral detail

01 / 06

Materials

01 / 02

There was a plethora of fabrics at our disposal, ranging from cow, sheep, goat, and vegetable leather, as well as suedes and linings. The wide variety let us explore different textures, structures, and finishes while conceptualizing designs.

Sketching

01 / 02

Based on the mood boards and materials I'd gathered, I began sketching ideas, leaning into “handcrafted design” through woven materials and canvas that could be custom-dyed to create unique patterns.

Contrast between materials mattered a lot to me here. It plays well into the resurgence of vintage fashion, and it's something I genuinely enjoy as a designer.

From research to design

How the research shaped the concepts I pitched.

Research	What I learned	Design response
FW 26/27 trend research	Common threads: ornamentalism, functionality, pockets, and playful looks balanced with earth tones.	A mood board built on handcrafted, geologic, intentional, and artistic cues.
0914 customer profile	Customers value artisan-level craftsmanship and materials, and want pieces that feel human rather than mass-market.	Interwoven, a hand-woven construction, and Canvas, a custom-dyeable panel.

4

Final designs: 0914

Final concepts

I created 3 sketches I felt could realistically be implemented in 0914's next seasonal collection, including Interwoven, a design highlighting hand-crafted construction through woven materials, and Canvas, a silhouette featuring a custom-dyeable canvas panel that gives each piece its own pattern-driven identity.

At my final concept pitch, I presented my designs to 0914's design team: sketches, a digital mockup, mood boards, and leather samples of my proposed materials.

Part 2

Global Sales: Tory Burch

Midway through the internship, I transitioned to Simone's Global Sales team, placed with Tory Burch for the remaining 4 weeks.

5

The transition

Global Sales at Simone

Simone manufactures for multiple high-end brands, including Tory Burch, Michael Kors, Coach, and Kate Spade, translating each brand's design concepts into products built with Simone's materials, machinery, and technical expertise. I was placed with Tory Burch's Global Sales team for the remaining 4 weeks.

Tory BurchMichael KorsCoachKate Spade

6

Needfinding

User group: Tory Burch

Young women (20s to 30s)

How can I create pieces that feel unique to me as a designer, while also satisfying our target audience?

Tory Burch customers are young, ambitious women stepping into their professional lives, looking for pieces polished yet versatile enough to carry them from the office to evening plans.

Market research

Visited a luxury department store and several galleries to get a sense of popular trends in the high-end leather accessory industry.

Lots of hanging charms
Heavy usage of chains
High barrier to entry: pricing not very accessible for younger buyers

01 / 02

7

Ideation and prototyping

Sketching and ideation

01 / 02

Each week, my task was to create one physical sample tailored to the sub-team I was assigned, while still bringing my own point of view as a designer, sketching broadly and experimenting with materials popular for that sub-team.

Materials

01 / 02

As with 0914, there was a wide range of fabrics available: cow, sheep, goat, and vegetable leather, plus suedes and linings. The biggest difference: each Tory Burch sub-team used very specific, distinct materials, which I had to factor into every prototype.

Protos and patterns

10-minute prototypes

One of my supervisors challenged me to grab a few scrap pieces of leather and construct a bag prototype from a sketch, in 10 minutes.

From sketches to digital models

Once sketches were finalized, they were passed to the Patterns team, who built digital models of the designs, ultimately sent to the Sample Room to be physically prototyped by the Stitch Masters.

Sampling

01 / 02

I checked in with the Stitch Masters as they worked from printed versions of the digital model, following up regularly to make sure things were on track, with occasional conversations about hand-feel, hardware choices, and general construction.

8

Final design: Global Sales

Week 1

Week 3

Week 4

9

Reflections

Revisiting goal 1

A clearer design POV

Working alongside incredibly creative designers pushed me to trust my own instincts and articulate ideas with more clarity. I also got to attend a fashion show for the first time, a lifelong dream that expanded my creative perspective and shaped the direction of my own design voice.

Revisiting goal 2

Cultural and market understanding

Conducting market research in Seoul, one of the trendiest fashion hubs in the world, let me observe emerging street styles and consumer behavior firsthand, strengthening my ability to spot broader global design trends.

Revisiting goal 3

Design visualization skills

I learned that sketching isn't scary. It's just another way to convey ideas, however rough. This was the most I've ever sketched in my life, and I'm grateful I pushed myself further into that side of design.

Revisiting goal 4

Experience Korea!

Truly one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I explored Seoul, Anyang, Suwon, Sokcho, and Goryeong. Two months full of incredible people, food, and memories made.

If I ran this again

Looking back, here is how I would make the research more measurable.

Quantitative

Rank trends by frequency

Tally how often each trend appears across sources, so the style guide ranks themes instead of just listing them.

Preference testing

Test concepts with the target user

Use a short paired-comparison survey with young professionals to rank the sketches, rather than relying on my own read.

Fieldwork rigor

Standardize store visits

Use a simple observation sheet (product counts, price points, hardware) so findings can be compared across stores.

Process metrics

Track iteration speed

Log revisions and turnaround time for each sample to show how quickly every round improved.

Up next

Node Foundation

Let's create something together!

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Node Foundation

Supporting visitor experience and exhibition operations at a gallery for digital and on-chain art.

Client: Node Foundation
Role: Guest Experience Associate
Timeline: Jun 2026 to present
Focus: Visitor engagement

Research at a glance

2exhibitions I helped install

Visitor observationGuest-facing facilitationExhibition install supportFeedback loop to the teamSpatial and experience analysis

What it is

Node Foundation is a gallery dedicated to digital and on-chain art. I'm a Guest Experience Associate there, from June 2026 to now.

What I do

I guide guests through new exhibitions, explain the art, and keep the gallery running: setup, guest assistance, and front desk coverage.

Beyond the floor

I helped install two exhibitions, PXL by Kim Asendorf and Make Out by Maya Man and Luke Shannon, and supported marketing around each opening.

What I took away

Guest experience turned out to be spatial design as much as hosting. Sightlines, lighting, and where I stood shaped whether someone felt comfortable getting curious.

Project overview

Node Foundation is a gallery dedicated to digital and on-chain art. As a Guest Experience Associate, I help visitors, many encountering this kind of art for the first time, actually understand and connect with what they're looking at.

1

Guest experience

Role at a glance

Serve as the primary point of contact for guests navigating new exhibitions.
Explain artworks and help visitors engage with digital and on-chain art, often a genuinely new format for them.
Support day-to-day gallery operations, including setup, guest assistance, and front desk coverage.

2

Exhibition support

Beyond hosting, I supported the installation process for two exhibitions during my time at Node.

Exhibition 1

PXL by Kim Asendorf

Helped with installation setup and was on the floor to guide guests through the piece once it opened to the public.

Exhibition 2

Make Out by Maya Man and Luke Shannon

Supported installation logistics and served as a guide for visitors experiencing the piece for the first time.

3

Marketing support

Exhibit promotion

Assisted the team with marketing efforts around each exhibition opening.

On-the-ground content

Helped capture moments from the gallery floor to support Node's social presence.

Guest feedback loop

Passed along recurring visitor questions and reactions back to the team.

From observation to practice

Small observations from the floor that changed how I host.

What I observed	How I responded
Many guests arrive without context for digital or on-chain art.	Explain it clearly without over-explaining, meeting people where they are.
Layout shaped comfort: sightlines, lighting, and where I stood.	Treated guest experience as spatial design as much as hosting.
Digital and on-chain art can feel intimidating on paper.	Paced conversations and kept explanations light, so a visit felt digestible instead of like a lecture.

4

Takeaways

Translating new art forms

A lot of guests walk in without much context for digital or on-chain art. Learning how to explain it clearly, without over-explaining, pulled directly from the same instincts I use as a Peer Advisor and TA: meeting someone where they are.

Seeing the full exhibition lifecycle

Being on the install side and the guest-facing side of the same exhibitions gave me a much better sense of everything that happens between an artist's concept and a visitor's first reaction to it.

Designing for learning and connection

Guest experience turned out to be spatial design as much as it was hosting. How a room is laid out (sightlines, lighting, where I stood relative to a piece) shaped whether someone felt comfortable getting curious or just walked past.

Making it enjoyable, not just educational

Digital and on-chain art can feel intimidating on paper. Part of the job was translating that seriousness into something people could actually enjoy: pacing conversations and keeping explanations light so a visit felt digestible, not like a lecture.

If I ran this again

Looking back, here is how I would make the research more measurable.

Quantitative

Add a two-question exit survey

Ask “How comfortable did you feel with the art, 1 to 5?” and “What do you wish you had known?” to track change over time.

Qualitative

Log recurring questions

Tally the questions guests ask most, turn the top ones into a short wall guide, and see whether the same questions fade.

Observation

Use a simple protocol

Record dwell time at each work and where guests hesitate, to test how layout and my positioning affect engagement.

Comparison

Compare guided and unguided visits

A small side-by-side would show whether a short welcome changes how long and how deeply people engage.

Up next

Captured Moments

Let's create something together!

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Captured Moments

Selected frames from a Kodak PixPro FZ55, each one filed away with the story behind it.

Camera: Kodak PixPro FZ55
Format: Digital camera
Practice: Ongoing
Frames: 12 selected

Capturing moments is one of my favorite pastimes. I love getting to reflect on memories later. This isn't really a project, it's more of a running archive. Every frame below has a story on the back of it.

Frame 01Flip for the story

The story

Sunset at Sunset Cliffs

The very first photo I took on my camera. I was with my 3 best friends from home having a picnic at our favorite spot, Sunset Cliffs. It was the first time we had seen each other since our first years at college. There was so much warmth and laughter.

San Diego, CAJuly 2024

Frame 02Flip for the story

The story

An Asian grocery store

A grocery store in National City. I was overwhelmed with a feeling of nostalgia as soon as I walked through the door.

San Diego, CAAugust 2024

Frame 03Flip for the story

The story

Rubber duck

A little rubber duck I saw on a hike in Santa Cruz. It called my name, so I made it my muse.

Santa Cruz, CAMarch 2025

Frame 04Flip for the story

The story

Starfield Library

This was one of my “must see” spots when I visited Korea. It definitely didn’t disappoint. I brought my copy of The Little Prince and did a quick read before taking the train back to my apartment.

Suwon, South KoreaAugust 2025

Frame 05Flip for the story

The story

The palace guard

Gyeongbokgung Palace was truly a surreal experience. I took this photo at the “Changing of the Guards Ceremony” and I can still feel the drum beat pounding in my ear.

Seoul, South KoreaJune 2025

Frame 06Flip for the story

The story

Bridge with Kimsoo

Every Friday during my internship at Simone, I’d be sent on K-Culture excursions. The one photographed here wouldn’t have been possible without our fantastic guide, Kimsoo. He picked us up at 7AM and we didn’t get back until 9PM. He recommended this bridge, and it was an incredible sight.

Paju, South KoreaJuly 2025

Frame 07Flip for the story

The story

Sea temple

A little weekend trip to one of my favorite spots in South Korea, Sokcho. Beautiful beaches, mountains, and seafood. I was surrounded by incredible friends who weren’t afraid of a little cliffside.

Sokcho, South KoreaJuly 2025

Frame 08Flip for the story

The story

Botanical garden

I truly was just moved by these 5 empty chairs. All differently colored, but facing the same sights. I sat down in the middle chair, and imagined my 4 best friends next to me.

Seoul, South KoreaAugust 2025

Frame 09Flip for the story

The story

Balboa Park

Growing up, my parents would take me to Free Museum Tuesdays at Balboa Park. I continue to revisit whenever I’m home because I have so many fond memories. The architecture is always breathtaking any direction you look.

San Diego, CASeptember 2025

Frame 10Flip for the story

The story

Singing man

For a little bit of context: before I had visited Korea, I had just watched the movie Past Lives with one of my best friends. I decided to go on a hike after getting off at a random station on Line 4. It was a beautiful path leading to a museum, and at that museum the statues from Past Lives were being exhibited.

Gwacheon, South KoreaJuly 2025

Frame 11Flip for the story

The story

Fisherman

On a hike for two of my friends’ birthdays, we stumbled upon these fishermen in the distance. As we watched from the cliffs I was mesmerized by the sight. I have such fond memories of that day.

Big Sur, CAFebruary 2026

Frame 12Flip for the story

The story

Two phones

For Spring Break 2026, I road-tripped from Maryland to Stanford. My last stop before campus was Santa Cruz, to visit my best friend. This is a photo of both of our phones and my wired earbuds at the beach.

Santa Cruz, CAMarch 2026

Up next

Back to the side quests

Let's create something together!

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Weaver of community

As an RA, a Design Program peer advisor, and a lover of people, I attempt to create communities and spaces where people feel comfortable and seen.

Josh and a team of RAs dressed as airline pilots, with sunglasses and pilot hats, smiling behind a red check-in table with balloons — Welcoming new students at check-in

Woven, not accidental

Community isn't something that just happens. It gets woven, one small invitation at a time.

I attempt to create communities and spaces where people feel comfortable and seen. Here's how that's played out in the dorms and at the d.school.

100+freshmen paired by shared interests

2freshmen I got to mentor in the sibling program I piloted

1new d.school tradition, Newly d.Clared

1

In the dorms

Resident Assistant, Florence Moore Hall and Toussaint Louverture House

As an RA, I spearheaded multiple dorm programming events to bring people together. Two of my favorites:

Frosh Plates

I paired over 100 freshmen based on shared interests to spark meaningful connections within our community.

A sibling mentorship program

I piloted a sibling mentorship program, and I got to be a mentor myself to two incredible freshmen!

A packed residence hall lounge, with students gathered on couches and chairs around a TV — A packed lounge

Three students holding playful big-sibling signs in a hallway — Big sibling signs

2

At the d.school

Peer Advisor and Community Lead, Stanford d.school

I created a new declaration event called Newly d.Clared to celebrate the milestone of declaring the design major. The d.school now uses it as a tradition.

I also help with class exhibitions and design programming, so students' work has a place to be seen and gathered around.

Students and faculty gathered around project posters at a d.school class exhibition — A class exhibition at the d.school

The Newly d.Clared poster for the UG Design declaration event at the d.school atrium — The poster I designed for Newly d.Clared

Every community has moments worth marking. I like building the room for them.

3

How I weave

Start from what people already love

Frosh Plates worked because it began with interests. People connect faster when there is already something to talk about.

Pair people across experience

A sibling program gives new students someone a step ahead, and gives mentors the chance to grow too.

Celebrate the milestones

Declaring a major is a big moment. Newly d.Clared makes sure nobody passes through it alone.

Make the work visible, then gather around it

Exhibitions turn a quarter of private effort into something a whole community can stand around and talk about.

Why design around community?

If we want people to feel seen, we have to design for it on purpose.

Almost everything we design lands in a group of people: a dorm, a classroom, an accelerator, a gallery. Nobody uses those spaces alone. They use them with and through each other.

Left to chance, spaces quietly teach us how to behave. At StartX, I watched a room teach founders to pitch instead of connect. In the dorms and at the d.school, I've seen the opposite: one small, intentional invitation can teach people that they belong.

That's why I design for community first. The best products, programs, and places aren't just usable. They make room for people to meet each other.

Up next

Back to the side quests

Let's create something together!

jbuenvi@stanford.edu LinkedIn

Graphic design

Posters and graphics I've made for events and communities at Stanford.

Up next

Back to the side quests

Let's create something together!

jbuenvi@stanford.edu LinkedIn

Hey, I'm Josh

San Diego, CA

Serendipi-Tea

Simone Acc. Collection

Node Foundation

Captured Moments

Press play

Graphic design

Weaver of community

Favorite books

Favorite songs

Favorite Pokémon

Favorite photos

Favorite musicians

Favorite things in my room

Miscellaneous favorites

I love warm lighting

Maryland to Stanford, by road

My favorite shirt

Project-based kid

Let's create something together!

Serendipi-Tea

Research at a glance

Project overview

The challenge

Needfinding

Synthesis

Seasoned founders

Brand new founders

Underrepresented founders

Brand new founders

Prototyping

Problem framing

Three prototypes

Founder Quilt (X)

We're All Humans

Third Space

Insights

Third spaces deepen connection

We need a wide variety of topics

Smaller and cozier means intimacy

Food is a way to invite people

Creating the cards

Creating the experience

From insight to design

Final solution at StartX

Design result

Takeaways

Rooting my work in user needs

Designing for emotional impact

Conversation as a designed experience

If I ran this again

Define success metrics first

Add a control

Code conversations with a rubric

Follow up a week later

Simone Acc. Collection

Let's create something together!

Simone Acc. Collection

Research at a glance

Project overview

Initial goals

Develop a clearer design POV

Expand market understanding

Strengthen design visualization

Experience Korea

Understanding Simone

0914: the design team

Research and needfinding

Understanding trends

0914 customers

Ideation

Mood boarding

Materials

Sketching

From research to design

Final designs: 0914

Final concepts

Global Sales: Tory Burch

The transition