Design Nation 2021: Launching a Successful Career in Design with Rupali Steinmeyer, Managing Director at MetaDesign

Rupali Steinmeyer is Managing Director at MetaDesign U.S. and Head of Growth at MetaDesign Germany. She also serves on the board of Publicis Groupe Germany, MetaDesign’s holding company.

Rupali consults clients on strategic brand-building, communications design and inter-cultural storytelling. She advises organizations on the role of design as a business driver and is particularly passionate about how design is transforming healthcare companies. Organizations whose brands have transformed under her guidance include AmerisourceBergen, Turnitin, Allscripts, VW, AT&T, American Airlines, Citibank, Haier, and Siemens. Her experience in the mobility vertical for Audi, Volkswagen AG, Volkswagen Group China, HMC, Beiqi Motors, TVS Motor Company and Continental Truck Tires, together with the time she spent at Bombardier have equipped her with a broad expertise in mobility-related brand-building and communications design.

Amongst the most visible brands she has worked for are those in retail (kitchen appliances, car dealerships, consumer electronics). Many of the brand engagements she worked on have been recognized with awards such as reddot design, iF communication design, German Design Award, and Rebrand 100.

Rupali has spent time living, learning and working in India, USA, China and Germany. She has a master’s degree from the Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University and volunteers as a yoga instructor for seniors.

Shirley Ren (BT): To start things off, what is one element of design that really excites you, and how do you share that passion with others?

Rupali Steinmeyer (RS): I think the most exciting thing about design is that it can both literally and figuratively shape our lives. It can improve the way we live and work, and it enhances the quality of our life. In terms of how to project or communicate this, I think everyone recognizes that they have intrinsically this power to shape things and mold things, and a certain curiosity that they grow up with. The exciting moment is when you recognize all these wonderful things and what you can do with them. 

BT: For sure, we've all been consumers and observers of design our entire lives, so it must be really exciting to be on the other side and think about how others will see our designs. Throughout your career, you've worked in a lot of different countries with very different and vibrant cultures. How have these experiences shaped your career path and what are some things that you learned from these cultural perspectives?

RS: I've lived, studied, and worked in India, the US, China, and Germany, and I've moved between the different countries a number of times — but I never get tired of it. Meeting people from different backgrounds and different cultures is probably the best part of it. You can learn so much by virtue of being transported to a different world. In terms of how it shaped my career and my understanding of the way we live, I would say that it's taught me the value of empathy and patience. It has increased my understanding of the value of cultural sensitivity. Just having that understanding has really helped me in the way I do things and in the way I say things. I always say that cultural sensitivity is like a muscle: the more you use it, the fitter you're going to get. When moving through different cultures, at times, you will be limited by your linguistic capabilities or cultural understanding. But, you need to be able to acknowledge that without getting frustrated, and say, “Okay, so these are things I don't know.” You don't have to know everything — that's why you meet different people, and that’s why you have friends, family, and a team. Maybe there are other people who know a lot more than you do, and you ask them for help or take their advice. Then, you come out on the other side having learned something new — a new skill, way of thinking, or approach — and you're richer for it.

BT: For sure, being really open about what you know and what you don't know is really important in cross-cultural contexts. Moving on, MetaDesign is a large firm with offices and employees around the world. Could you share some of the specific initiatives at MetaDesign that connect these employees and bring their perspectives and ideas together?

RS: As a brand consultancy with a focus on design, we are all about using the power of creativity to transform business for the better. Underlying this purpose, we have a unifying philosophy to design, brand management, and the way that we approach our work and our clients. It's something that we share with everyone who starts working at MetaDesign or becomes part of the MetaDesign ecosystem. We place a lot of importance on knowledge-sharing, to make sure that even though designers bring in their own understanding of the world into our day to day work, all of us still have a passion for systematic brand building, a detailed approach to design, and a keen sensibility surrounding the creative process. The intrinsic willingness to collaborate across time zones, cultures, languages, geographies, clients, and disciplines is what brings us together as one MetaDesign. Yet, we welcome diversity in thought and the ways in which we go through the creative process to solve different business challenges. The system is in a way prescriptive and perhaps descriptive, but on the other hand, this system grows each time we have new influences on the different ways we think and work. That's how we also are able to attract and retain really good talent: I've been at MetaDesign for 15 years now! 

BT: You've worked both as an in-house marketing and PR lead for some global brands as well as at client-facing design agencies. What are some of the most exciting and perhaps challenging aspects of each type of role?

RS: I think no matter which side you're sitting on, you're always presented with a challenge for which you're being asked to come up with a solution, whether you are designing a product, service, interaction, or brand experience. At the heart of it is a creative process that requires you to think about some type of strategy, which informs your design and plays out in the shape of a solution. That solution could be as simple as a strategy, a visual design system, or creating an interaction. 99% of the time, it is better to bring someone else along because two heads are better than one. So, always consult someone, prototype, test, iterate, learn, and then improve. It doesn’t matter where you are — use that freedom, energy, and ability. 

BT: You've been very active in engaging with students as a public speaker and mentor. What are some changing trends you’ve observed over the years in the ways that students and young designers approach and think about design? What do you hope they will tackle next?

RS: One major difference I've noticed is how accessible the whole field of design has become to people. It used to be that you'd hear about a brand launch or new product design in a different part of the world, and sometime down the road, if you’re lucky, you actually get to see it or experience it. Now, you just go on Google, type in a few words, and then you get the images, the story, and the whole philosophy behind it. To be able to sit in one place and have access to all this incredible information relating to the design of a specific product, service or interaction is phenomenal.

The other aspect is that with social media, the design process or the design of a particular object gets discussed in all shapes and forms. You have people who are excited about it, people who are disappointed by it, people who are highly critical of it, and people who are providing suggestions or improvements from different parts of the world. As a designer, synthesize this information and use it to your advantage. You also have an incredible amount of responsibility that comes with the ability to freely design things and talk about things, so use that wisely and engage with different audiences to have a fully informed decision when it comes to design processes. 

I would tell young designers to be really open about trying different things out. You have the luxury of making mistakes, learning from them, and asking someone for help when you don’t understand something. It gets a little harder to do that as you progress in your career, because of ego. You feel like you need to be of a certain stature and go into a room with incredible confidence, which is not true. You should always be able to learn, and be open and humble. What I really enjoy about working with younger people is that I can learn a lot from them.

BT: For sure, design is a really exciting process but can also be somewhat challenging, partly because of its intersection between business and art. As the Managing Director at MetaDesign, how do you see your design and business teams interface with each other? What are some aspects of business that you feel designers need to know about before entering the industry?

RS: First, successful companies adopt design as a business strategy, by integrating design thinking and rigorous design processes as part of their business. They bring on diverse design talent into their teams and integrate them. We work with our customers on designing experiences and customer journeys. So, we tell our clients to think about using design as a tool to transform their businesses and move their businesses forward. In order to do that, you have to have an analytical approach to design and make it part of the everyday working of your company. When you bring a design approach into your business, whether it is in HR, business development,  communications, or IT, you begin to have the makings for business success. It's no different at our company. I always say that we are all creative. I am not a classically trained designer, but I consider myself creative because I work on the strategy side, which then informs design, and design comes to life in experiences. 

BT: That is really interesting, bringing design thinking into the business and then using strategy to inform design. During your panel discussion at our Design Nation conference, you mentioned the idea of telling stories that are based on the brand's purpose in an ethical and transparent way. Could you elaborate on the main drivers behind this trend and how you think young designers can get involved in pushing this change forward?

RS: Human beings have always used stories to communicate, pass down history, entertain, explain ideas, and show emotions ever since language has evolved. We use stories to do so many things, and it's an extremely powerful way of communicating. Stories are also a form of communication that people respond to very quickly, so there's great resonance when you use a story to explain something. When brands or companies begin to deploy stories, they're communicating who they really are and what they do. It’s an extremely powerful vehicle to shape the way people see and think of them. 

In the world that we live in today, where there is a lot of information accessible through social channels, I would say that nobody owns the brand. At the same time, everybody owns the brand, so it's a bit of a paradox. I have to be extremely careful in the way I use storytelling to shape how people think about me. I have to be responsible in telling an authentic story that comes from my purpose. I also need to tell the story in a way that is not disadvantageous to certain audiences. I have to make sure that I’m creating a positive impact in the way I tell my story. These things are all part of telling a story in an ethical fashion, and so, I need to be transparent and honest for all the right reasons. This puts a tremendous amount of pressure on brands and young designers who are working on creating these stories. 

But on the other hand, once you create the right foundation for a powerful story and make that connection, you don't need to do it over and over again. The best type of story is when you touch the heart and brain at the same time, answering both the rational and emotional part. 

BT: It’s really interesting to think about how increased accessibility to designs opened up a lot of opportunities and is also holding brands more accountable at the same time. To wrap things up, what would be one thing that you wish to say to your younger self?

RS: I feel that preparation is key. I'm the type of person who can’t go anywhere without notes. I don't need to be the smartest, quickest, or loudest person in the room, but if I’m the most well-prepared person, I have a chance to project and communicate with confidence, accuracy, precision in the most efficient way. So, I would say to myself from back then, take the time to prepare really well, because that gives you the ability to be the front and center of things instead of a bystander and outsider. If you go in prepared, then chances are you're actually going to stand up and make impactful change. As young designers, you have so many opportunities. Just use the opportunities, be really excited about what you do, and let the energy flow.

BT: That is a really powerful piece of advice. Thank you so much for sharing your insights!