Scaling Design Thinking: 5 Lessons from Capital One

*This is an in-person event.

How do you take design thinking from a niche practice to a movement inside your organization? Capital One figured it out—and now you can learn from one of the people that made it happen with 5 key lessons learned.

In this interactive session, you’ll hear the inside story of how design thinking scaled successfully and uncover the principles that fueled its momentum. We’ll explore why focusing on risk-takers and amplifying their stories sparks change, how unifying language creates alignment, and why riding the existing wave of change is more effective than pushing against it. You’ll learn how creating a groundswell nudged leaders to adapt and why emphasizing mindsets over methods made all the difference.

But we won’t stop at theory. You’ll put these lessons into action in a hands-on exercise, designing your own momentum for change. Expect an engaging evening of storytelling, discussion, and practical application—plus plenty of time to network with other changemakers who are shaping change within their organizations.

Agenda:
6:30 - Introductions
6:40 - Share the Story
7:15 - Exercise - Design your momentum for change (using the 5 principles)
8:10 - Share-out, Q&A
8:30 - Wrap Up

About our Presenter - David Lemus
For over 15 years, David has been at the forefront of transformation, driving change in Fortune 500 organizations, non-profits, and start-up companies. As the founder of lemus&co, David partners with organizations to embed customer-centered practices that de-risk ideas and create experiences customers love.

David’s expertise spans teaching, coaching, and leading high-impact initiatives. He has worked with iconic brands and dozens of organizations of all sizes. His portfolio includes leading discovery-driven culture change at bp, teaching facilitation at Autodesk, storytelling at Nike, and design thinking at Microsoft and Capital One, where he has trained thousands in creative problem-solving and innovation techniques.

Before launching lemus&co in 2017, David was a founding member of the Design Thinking & Strategy team at Capital One, helping to shift a 40,000-person analyst-driven culture into a customer-centered, product-first organization. He also served as a senior consultant at Peer Insight, focusing on innovation and strategy.

David shares his knowledge as an adjunct professor at Florida State University’s Innovation Hub and has been a guest lecturer at the University of Portland. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland and calls Tallahassee, FL home, where he lives with his wife, Amber, and their 3-year-old Yorkie, Sasha.

Fun Fact: David designed and built a 200 sq. ft. Tiny House on Wheels from the wheels up, where he lived for 3 years. This hands-on experience deepened his understanding of designing creative, efficient solutions in both personal and professional spaces.