Cognizant Accelerator
leadership, content, visual designIn mid-2017 Cognizant created an internal digital product
incubator and called it Accelerator. Here, select product ideas are run through a 12-week program
of research, validation and prototyping. This culminates with a Pitch Day where
the ideas and prototypes are presented. Leadership then chooses
which move on for further funding and development.
In the Accelerator, I started off as a lead product designer. After some success with my first set of startup projects, I was promoted to design team manager. Over the next 12 months, we grew the design staff from 3 to 10 hiring UX designers as well as UX researchers.
Along with hiring, I was charged with building a UX design program complete with a design process and an underlying philosophy. The journey has been enlightening and epic.
Below is a graphical representation of Accelerator’s first iteration. Many have contributed and, though I often was quite hands-on, I ultimately can only take credit for facilitating the magic.
In the Accelerator, I started off as a lead product designer. After some success with my first set of startup projects, I was promoted to design team manager. Over the next 12 months, we grew the design staff from 3 to 10 hiring UX designers as well as UX researchers.
Along with hiring, I was charged with building a UX design program complete with a design process and an underlying philosophy. The journey has been enlightening and epic.
Below is a graphical representation of Accelerator’s first iteration. Many have contributed and, though I often was quite hands-on, I ultimately can only take credit for facilitating the magic.
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Identity Development
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c0f6902e1d37e717f5df481143c15e577df2cc0a1f32971a0dd3a442c21b3356/cover.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/95e429a6f8af7d436379ee65f2cd1c7d04612aca23b254e77f5b9b1a301ca35d/Screen-Shot-2018-12-30-at-10.24.11-PM.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c273c31a8458a2462c448ca94128bc6c597d1f6e789a7177fa7710073e8292fc/logo.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e42b7a7997d46d8c3dc26adac87d51d21e4fbedb94053ebcd4248556e66f5a9d/2IMG_0729.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e850a68df887feca46e24ac8c28f6427e8142c2ce979e08ac652ab281f80073a/Screen-Shot-2018-12-30-at-11.03.27-PM.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c89a72a09c57dc49b76c355275113bd836af3a32dd9b5848b7e37339b3473298/2017-1-10_Quick_Left_office4755-full-resolution.jpg)
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Process & Philosophy Development
Checkout the Accelerator Product Manifesto ︎—
Culture Cultivation
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f743f232d799f023f11ed52cc7ab2e0618ebeb169542548dda53a5855ade863f/stickers.5.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7d39cffe646ff9e722f6ad35789564e26fe78bccb8a2b9108f02ce1a0140a6d4/IMG_8983-1.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2e9976f202ccd6c702fb913b41d20ecd63588931d9dd6cc5c2d71d34d3eccecb/medium.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5b518e3bbb684ef5e477790b7ff8b590f22d55f280aeb450542d330b9d1a0da3/badgez.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4e12e3d076036803332b90dda2ac4572e8ecafd1d73de3fd9e7920a2fd55515a/2017-1-10_Quick_Left_office4859-Edit-full-resolution.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ebf136da4bf66f805d7e69d83ecc1febfa50c6643e4ce61015e421da3c5e21cd/IMG_0511.jpg)
︎
Credits
Brad Ambrose: illustrationAlyssa Resse: copy & design
Lisa Scala: design & research
Joe Valley: photography
...the entire team from this period in history