Leading by Design Fellows Program

The Future of Business Starts Here

In a world of increasing change, the domains of business, design, and sustainability can no longer advance separately. Success is now measured by increases in values, meaning, sustainability, and profitability. This requires new ways of leading—and a new kind of leader.

CCA's Leading by Design Fellows Program, set to begin May 2010, is a dynamic educational experience, taught at the intersection of design thinking, business strategy, leadership, and sustainability, by which seasoned professionals are equipped to shape a thriving future for themselves, their organization, and the world.

Applications received in full by January 29, 2010, receive priority consideration with acceptance notice by February 15, and a $1,000 discount applied toward tuition if accepted into the program for the May 2010 term. See also How to Apply.

Questions? Email fellowsprogram@cca.edu for additional information about this exciting opportunity.

Challenging Times Produce Great Innovation. Challenging Programs Produce Great Innovators.

Weekend-based and highly focused, the Leading by Design Fellows Program spans seven months of expert instruction in the synthesized study of design-thinking, leadership, and sustainability. Guided by dynamic business leaders, design experts, and academics, participants engage in deep dialogue about the future of their industries and the world at large. They have the space and time to explore critical questions and address urgent issues rarely enabled in the day-to-day course of business.

Participants develop key entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial skills and mindsets required to:

reframe definitions of competition and growth for shifting global realities
anticipate internal and external needs
deeply understand customers at the level of values and meaning
devise strategies, products, services, processes, and structures that operate with, and within the limits of, nature
foster greater integration, cooperation, and collaboration across organizational functions
sift through conflicting or competing priorities to define core aims

Fellows complete the program with the ability to think and lead farther and faster, with more meaningful—and measurable—results.

An Immersive, Interdisciplinary, Inspiring Experience

Our innovative, studio-based curriculum challenges leaders to move ideas into real-world application. Through the material, lectures, and their own experiences, participants learn to think more creatively, from differing perspectives, about complex situations. They develop a deeper understanding of how to devise new products and services, invigorate businesses, and approach sustainability from an integrated methodology. Participants gain the knowledge and skills to steer an organization, regardless of size or sector, to adapt and thrive in a resource-constrained environment.

Fellows are required to work on an individual, professional challenge relevant to their company or industry and develop a solution across the arc of the program. The program meets one weekend per month (all day Friday and Saturday), accommodating the schedules of professionals from all over North America to attend each monthly residency.

Each residency combines lectures, presentation, and discussion with experts in their fields, exercises in applying techniques, and lab time devoted to the program-long projects. Guest faculty include leading visionaries such as Dan Pink, author of A Whole New Mind, Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO, Adam Werbach, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi S and author of Strategy for Sustainability, and more. Between residencies, participants collaborate with faculty and peers online via discussions, readings, and webinars that build on concepts from one residency to the next. Participants obtain hands-on experience in strategic innovation development as well as the unique approaches that design-thinking employs such as ethnographic customer research, prototyping, critique, and iteration.

A Distinguished Network

Graduates receive a certificate of completion and are designated California College of the Arts Leading by Design Fellows, an elite, growing community of business leaders who draw on each other in a continuing dialogue for answers, inspiration, and opportunities to expand their leadership abilities. Fellows also join in the larger CCA alumni network for graduates of the MBA in Design Strategy. Both groups enjoy semiannual events and other opportunities to engage with the larger community. (Please note: the Leading by Design Fellows Program is neither a degree program, nor does it award CEU credits.)

An Unparalled Location

The Leading by Design Fellows Program has dedicated studio space on CCA's San Francisco campus, the location of its nationally recognized design programs. The program lives in the heart of one of the world's most fertile centers of innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainability and nonprofit organizations, with close ties and partnerships to break-through companies, consultancies, and organizations throughout the region.

Potential Fellows

Potential Fellows should be executives or senior managers who are currently in or advancing into leadership positions of increasing responsibility. Participants are admitted on the basis of their written application, essay, and one letter of recommendation. (See How to Apply). Each cohort is limited to 25 people.

CCA's Leading by Design Fellows Program offers fresh thinking, tools, and experiences to design a bold, innovative future for you, your organization, and the world.

Come lead the way!