Operationalizing an enterprise innovation studio without scaling headcount
Role: Design Operations & Capability Lead
Scope: Studio launch → demand surge → system instrumentation → scale phase
Transformed a high-demand innovation studio from a facilitation bottleneck into a scalable capability platform through measurement, routing, and operational systems.
Impact at a Glance
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200+ product teams enabled
Built frameworks allowing studio team to deliver independently
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9% sustained practice conversion
1,000+ training participations proving behavior change through measurement
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40% reduction in facilitation prep time
Delivered through AI-enabled workflows and template guidlines
The Problem
Clubhouse launched as a shared service for innovation, design thinking, and exploration. Demand quickly exceeded the studio’s ability to facilitate everything directly.
What was breaking
1,750 participations in first 5 months proved facilitation model wasn't sustainable
Vague requests ("we need design thinking help") without problem clarity
No measurement proving training delivered business value
Every workshop required direct facilitation because teams couldn't operate independently
Studio risked becoming permanent bottleneck instead of capability multiplier
Why leadership cared
Without intake systems and measurement, studio would stay a service function instead of scaling organizational capability.
What was at risk
Teams couldn't move without studio facilitation, and studio couldn't support the volume of requests. No proof of value risked leadership pulling investment.
The Decision That Mattered
How do we instrument the studio so capability scales faster than demand?
What I Built
Measurement & Proof Systems
The mechanism:
Engagement funnel tracking (awareness → attendance → repeat → sustained practice)
NPS scoring and learning satisfaction metrics
Conversion tracking proving behavior change
Weekly and Quarterly C-suite reporting infrastructure
Why it mattered:
First-ever ROI proof for innovation work at scale. Gave C-suite visibility into what actually changed behavior vs. what felt good. Moved studio from anecdotes to data-driven decisions.
Adoption proof:
Quarterly C-suite reports established showing adoption patterns and business impact. NPS 70.9 across programs. Measurement framework adopted for future studio initiatives.
Standardized Training System
The mechanism:
6-course curriculum (Design Thinking 101, Problem ID, Prototyping, Ideation, GenAI, Accessibility)
Certification pathway with competency frameworks
Facilitation templates enabling consistent delivery
AI-augmented workflows (40% prep time reduction)
Why it mattered:
Scaled training without needing primary facilitator every time. Let multiple people teach workshops while maintaining quality. Reduced operational burden while training associates in modern methods.
Adoption proof:
1,000+ participations (Sam's + Walmart). 90 sustained practitioners (9% conversion rate). Integrated into new hire onboarding (300+ associates). 200+ trained in AI workflows. Frameworks enabled others to deliver consistently.
Work Routing & Request Management
The mechanism:
Intake model splitting exploratory work (unclear problems) from executional work (clear scope)
Triage criteria and service definitions
Problem-framing workshop model for product teams
Why it mattered:
Stopped vague requests from wasting studio capacity. Proved teams could move fast without sacrificing clarity. Reduced late-stage pivots and misaligned work.
Adoption proof:
Used by 200+ product teams (ex: Member's Mark, Health & Wellness, RFID, Credit & Fuel). Cut ambiguous requests 60%. Enabled innovation unlock: one team compressed 3-month exploration to 3 days.
Accessibility as a scaled, embedded capability
Working with a small cross-functional team, I helped establish the Disability Inclusion Lab as permanent studio infrastructure.
The lab embedded accessibility directly into studio workflows, shifting it from a late-stage check to a repeatable, hands-on capability teams could use independently.
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“Through her operational excellence and unwavering focus on collaboration, we were able to launch the Disability Inclusion Lab experience in the Clubhouse—an accomplishment that reflects both her vision and her ability to bring people together.”
Jamila Evilsizor — Accessibility Researcher, Sam’s Club
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“She has a talent for bringing clarity to messy problems and helping teams move forward fast, without losing people in the process. Jen raised the bar for quality and helped create a stronger, more consistent way of working across the org.”
Agustina Leske Thorpe — Experience Designer, Sam’s Club
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“She is proactive about her workload and her team’s bandwidth. Extremely detail focused without becoming a micromanager. She actively works to protect her team, while also challenging them to grow and develop their talents.”
Brad Clisso — Manager, Space Design Solutions, Sam’s Club
What Changed
Studio Operations: training became self-sustaining, capacity scaled without headcount
Product Teams: Timeline cut up to 87%, problem-framing became standard, 90 associates continuing methods independently
Leadership: C-suite gained visibility, data-driven investment decisions., studio became strategic function
What Scaled Forward
Measurement systems: NPS and conversion tracking adopted enterprise-wide
Onboarding frameworks: training curriculum used by Walmart enterprise new hire partnership, templates enabled continued delivery
Methods: problem-framing now standard before major initiatives with intake model embedded in onboarding innovation teams