Wilhelmina (Willa) Crolius is a human-centered designer with a background in industrial design and user research. She has worked on projects ranging from community programs analysis, historic sites, public parks and a mix of products ranging from medical equipment, watches and furniture. Recent work includes exploration of technological systems and services including websites, apps, digital learning platforms and smart lighting systems.
During her time at the Institute for Human Centered Design, Willa worked with the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s UP Innovation and Learning Networks conducting contextual inquiry design reviews of more than a dozen cultural organizations with the greater goal of making inclusive cultural practices a staple of the arts experience in Massachusetts. She designed and led training programs on how to build capacity through the engagement of user/experts with Perspectiva, an NGO in Russia and traveled to Moscow and St. Petersburg several times to consult on inclusive culture and education practices. In 2013, she presented a user/expert analysis of medical equipment to the US Access Board, a federal agency in Washington, D.C., that promotes equality for people with disabilities.
Willa received a double master’s degree from the Royal College of Art (MA) and the Imperial College of London (MSc) in Innovation Design Engineering, spring 2018. Willa has been described as a catalytic designer – an accelerator of design thinking who gets the right people and research into play. She is currently a design researcher and design thinking facilitator at Tata Consulting Services. Previous clients have included among others: Bridgestone, Philips Lighting, Invisalign, Olympus, Western Union, American Express, USAA, Meijer, Chicago Tribune, US State Department, National Endowment for the Arts and the Smithsonian National Asian Art Museum.