about | zachary jean paradis

Download them here.

A PDF of my current cv can be downloaded here:
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Also, download 2 print resolution head shots.

Experience counts.

My background in design, business, social sciences, and technology has prepared me to work with companies to become more successful innovators. Design methods and integrative thinking can be used strategically and manifest themselves in companies by creating organic growth through flexible process, an open culture, and more compelling, differentiated products and services.

Companies and clients with whom I have worked include:

Chrysler Auto Group, Four Points Digital, General Mills, Hyatt, JAM Productions, John Deere, KBA Marketing, Ladbrokes, M&S, Microsoft, Phillip Morris, Miller Brewing Company, RadioWave, RollingStone, SAP, Target, Unilever, Universal Music Group, Yahoo!, among others.

Naked Innovation.

Back in January of 2007, colleague David McGaw (formerly with McKinsey then Gravity Tank, now at Doblin Group) set out to write a 13 chapter book in 8 weeks, edit and design it the next month and self-publish in a limited way while seeking a formal, traditional publishing deal. There were a few unexpected twists and turns along the way but I'm proud to say Naked Innovation has been consistently used in higher education, in dozens of Fortune 500 companies and in government throughout the world. After what has seemed like an eternity, David and I have brushed the dust off Naked Innovation and are pushing it forward with a couple of my colleagues in London. In fact, we're planning something a lot bigger than traditional publishing as we ask YOU, the innovation community, to partake in a grand crowdsourced critique and edit of the content and the overall innovation process: Big News About Naked Innovation.

When this site launched I wrote heavily on a range of innovation topics. My rigorous "road warrior" consulting life has left me little time for thinking outside of my clients and my teams. That said, I'm back in the writing game and am committed to writing at least on piece per week. Read my latest here in: Thoughts.

Teaching the next generation of innovators.

I've taught a variety of workshop and short form primers in innovation across North America, Europe and India. I continue to teach two classes at the Illinois Institute of Technology's Institute of Design: Rapid Experience Modeling and Managing Complexity.

Thousands of pages read and written, dozens of relevant projects completed.

Undergrad degrees in Anthropology and Psychology from the University of Chicago got me focused on understanding people and a Masters of Design from the Illinois Institute of Technology's Institute of Design enabled me to better articulate how to turn that understanding into actionable strategies, offerings and innovation. Read what BusinessWeek thinks about the ID, the top ranked designs school in the world, here: Tomorrow's B-School? It might be a D-School. I have also taken a sampling of courses at Bates College (psychology and theater) in Lewiston, Maine and at IIT's Stuart Graduate School of Business (operations management and organisational management).

I am a big fan. You should be too.

flickr is fabulous and so are the people who run it. Not only does Flickr make you smell better, it also makes you more attractive. See my photos here: flickr.

I had some help.

I designed this site and own all related content but I didn't do it alone. Clint Barth is a smart guy, great designer and a CSS guru. Thanks Clint for helping me out.