Behavioral Design

**\* This is an in-person event** Most people only experience finished products. Very few get the opportunity to work on something before it's finished when it can still be shaped. This is one of those opportunities. Karen Hold, Director of DT:DC, is currently developing a new innovation skills workbook with Jeanne Liedtka, based on over a decade of teaching and working with leaders across organizations, universities, and the DT:DC community. Her work focuses on the five statistically validated skills that help people develop as innovation leaders. This workbook builds on her work in design thinking and innovation education, including programs at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, École des Ponts Business School (Paris and Casablanca), and Boston College. For this session, Karen will share a draft chapter of her new workbook for live testing. This is not a polished workshop. It's a working lab. You won't just participate. You will help shape the material itself. What We’ll Be Testing: * Whether the exercises actually help people think differently * Where the material is clear and where it breaks * What feels useful vs. what needs to be reworked This is the kind of work that typically happens behind closed doors. **What You'll Do** Working in small groups, you will: * Work through exercises from a draft chapter of the workbook * Apply them to real situations and ideas * Share feedback on what is clear, confusing, or missing * Help identify how the material can be improved You’ll get: * Early access to work that is still being developed * A chance to influence how this material evolves * Practical tools you can immediately apply * A behind-the-scenes look at how skill-building experiences are designed This is a rare opportunity to be part of the process, not just the outcome. Join us if you want to be part of something early, unfinished and actively evolving. No prior experience is required. **About Karen Hold** Karen Hold is the founder of Experience Labs and Director of DT:DC, one of the world's largest innovation communities connecting founders, designers, policymakers, and changemakers. Her work sits at the intersection of teaching and real-world application. She works with Fortune 500 corporations, federal government agencies and non-profit organizations, helping teams strengthen how they think, make decisions, and move ideas forward. She teaches in graduate and executive education programs, including at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, École des Ponts Business School (Paris and Casablanca), and Boston College. Karen is a co-author of *Experiencing Design – The Innovator’s Journey*, and her work focuses on developing the skills that enable individuals and organizations to navigate complexity and create meaningful change.

🍻 What: ProductTank Happy Hour -- Join your fellow DC product people for a casual opportunity to connect and learn more about all things product from our ProductTank members. Whether you are a seasoned veteran or interested in diving into product management, all are welcome! 🏢 Where: The Admiral in Dupont (1 block from Dupont Metro) -- Guests will be asked to open their own tab. There is no minimum required. 🕒 When: 3/31/26 6:00-8:00 PM 👋We hope to see you there!

Spring is almost here and we're getting ready. The blossoms might be out, the Nats Home Opener is Friday (4/3), and your tech drawer still looks like 2019 😕 Reboot Hour is your monthly Tuesday reset — a casual hangout at Carpool in Ballston where you can play pool, pinball, shuffleboard, or darts, grab a drink, and meet other tech, startup, and climate folks in the DMV. No agenda, no presentations, no speeches. Just a good excuse to get out on a Tuesday and kick off the week before Opening Day. Got old phones, tablets, or laptops collecting dust? Spring cleaning season is the perfect time to bring them in. We professionally wipe all data and get devices to people who actually need them. But bringing a device is totally optional — showing up is the whole point. Think of it as your warmup for the Nats Home Opener. Shake off winter, clear some space, and start the season right. **Details:** Tuesday, March 31st 6:00 – 8:00 PM (drop in anytime) Carpool — 900 N Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA Right off the Ballston Metro **What to bring:** Just yourself. Old devices welcome but not required. A friend, or meet a new one! **What to expect:** Pool, pinball, shuffleboard, darts, drinks, zero pressure — and a baseball game at the end of the week.

Join us for trivia at Lost Dog Cafe in McLean, Virginia located at 1690 Anderson Rd every Tuesday evening. Trivia begins at 7pm, but please consider joining earlier, around 6:45pm, since seating’s first-come-first-served. The nearest metro is McLean. Questions? Text 202-925-0001.

Discover the power of your breath to manage your mind and experience instant peace & calm. Join a 60-minute free Workshop and get a glimpse of the Sudarshan KriyaTM- The breathing technique that is revolutionizing the lives of millions. What you’ll discover at ‘Beyond Breath’ ✔ A taste of the Sudarshan KriyaTM, a breathing technique taught in the Happiness Program ✔ An instant energy booster that awakens & relaxes your mind - Take it home and practice daily! ✔ The peace & calm of a unique guided meditation ✔ Secret keys to manage your mind ✔ The power of surrounding yourself with positive, like-minded people. You can use your breath to master your thoughts and emotions - the key to managing the quality of your day. The Happiness Program At the end of this workshop you may enroll into the Happiness Program (3 days, 3 hours each day) to learn the Sudarshan KriyaTM, a science-backed, rhythmic breathing technique through which you can: Tap into a reservoir of energy and use it as you please! Relieve deep-rooted stresses and anxieties Uplevel your productivity Overcome emotional blocks, move on from past events and shed limiting beliefs Heal your body & gain power over your mind Experience the true state of meditation Learn more about the Happiness Program & the Sudarshan KriyaTM in our introductory workshop 'Secrets to Meditation'. register: http://aolf.live/introSKY

Let's get together to play some competitive coed doubles volleyball. **COST**: FREE **Court Type**: Outdoor grass **Minimum Skill Requirements**: Solid BB (click [here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PojSi4qdlRsv1msCHhvpQ43iDc4FfzQwpWCc3kafVMY/mobilebasic) for details) Attention: 1. This event is **not always on a first come, first served basis**. [Good doubles partner](https://docs.google.com/document/d/14weEw-P52XKx0P8K2l-ZOFtYU61wmfdkSkopbG5avro/) and those who can bring a net and ball, may get priority over others on the waitlist. 2. Since skill levels are **self-reported**, some attendees may not meet the expected level in reality, so we encourage you to choose a partner you can enjoy the game with, and since this is a competitive event, it is okay if you make a strong team and win all the games. 3. Each person must help set up and take down one net, leaving some nets unset for latecomers. **Smiley Social documents:** 1. [Group Rules](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HrG35p_0M08leRvCp8XWG3CMkr_GL928XFabl5T6Dvg) 2. [Smiley Social Volleyball Levels](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PojSi4qdlRsv1msCHhvpQ43iDc4FfzQwpWCc3kafVMY/edit) 3. [Good doubles partner](https://docs.google.com/document/d/14weEw-P52XKx0P8K2l-ZOFtYU61wmfdkSkopbG5avro/) 4. [Liability Waiver](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W2mq-7m99lmvd7gdWYaSUFtvVg4UGnzV6koafAbHmco)⁷

Join us on **Thursday, April 2nd** for **Kickback & Connect** in **Washington, D.C.** From magazines to motion design and from newsrooms to nonprofits, if you make things in D.C., you’re invited. This is a low-key happy hour bringing together designers and creatives across disciplines in the DMV to kickback, connect, and share ideas—no panels, no pitches, no pressure. We hope to see you there! **Music by: Friends on Mars** Hosted by Good People DC and **[SPD](https://www.spd.org/)**, a nonprofit design community rooted in publishing and creative excellence. No cover charge = no excuse not to come Must be 21 to enter. Please drink responsibly.

UXDX, Refresh DC, Friends of Figma, and User Experience University are joining forces for a night of good drinks, great convos, and even better connections. Whether you're a UX designer, researcher, product manager, or engineer, if you work in the product space, this night is for you. Come connect with the people shaping DC's design and tech scene. What to expect: — Network with DC's UX, product, and engineering community — A chance to WIN a free ticket to UXDX during our giveaway — Score 25% off tickets to UXDX just for attending! Bring a friend (or two) and we’ll see you there!

Whether you're new to Insight meditation or an advanced practitioner looking for like-minded people to sit with, you're welcome to join us at our Sunday morning drop-in group, sponsored by the Insight Meditation Community of Washington. Insight meditation cultivates our natural wisdom and compassion. Meditation practice develops concentration, which allows us to calm and steady the mind. This class includes a 30-minute lightly-guided meditation, followed by a short talk and time for questions and discussion. The size of the group usually runs somewhere between 25-40 people in-person and between 12-25 online. Chairs are provided, or you may bring a sitting cushion or bench. You may also use the blankets and bolsters offered by the yoga studio. **We offer both in-person and online attendance.** To learn more about our topics and teachers, view our videos or **get the Zoom link**, visit our [class page](https://imcw.org/event/?eventId=735&utm_source=MeetUp&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=vienna-drop-in).

**AI-Supported Creative Exploration** *For Unassuming Intuitives & Practicing Creatives* (Please note that this event has not been organized or endorsed by The Writer's Center.) This meetup is part of AI as Creative Partner — A Practice Group, a set of open, non-sequential creative labs you can join at any point. We use AI as a thinking partner—not to replace your ideas, but to help surface and shape them without overthinking or pressure. You bring fragments—ideas, impulses, unfinished concepts. With AI as a supportive collaborator, we explore how those fragments can become clearer, more coherent, and ready to share if and when you want to. No technical background is required. If you can talk or type, that's enough to work with AI here. This session is intentionally low-commitment and flexible: * Arrive late or leave early * Work quietly or observe * Ask questions, or simply watch the process unfold There's no presentation and no expectation to finish anything. Showing up as you are is enough. **CREATIVE WORK, GENTLY - AN OPEN PRACTICE NIGHT** This is not a workshop or a class. It's a calm room where people show up to work creatively—without urgency, performance, or pressure—using AI as a thinking partner. Come for 20 minutes or stay the whole time. Work quietly, observe, or ask questions. This space adapts to how you arrive. **HOW TO FIND US** Look for the room with the door open on the lower level. Look for the guy with the screen projector and ambient light and sound. Feel free to just walk in and settle. **(*This is an independent meetup using rental space at The Writer's Center. The Writer's Center has not organized or endorsed this event.*)**

At this event you'll discover how to better understand and control your subconscious mind, helping you overcome doubts and fears. If you have anger issues, depressions and anxieties. this event will show you how to overcome them.

**THE POWER OF THE SUBCONSCIOUS OVER YOU** You are welcome to arrive 15 minutes early for refreshments! At the lecture "The Power of the Subconscious", the speaker will clearly and understandably explain topics such as: What is the exact definition of the Subconscious Mind? How does it inflict unwanted feelings and anxiety in you? What determines how much pressure it exerts on a person? What exactly is the goal of the subconscious? This is not just a lecture where you sit quietly and listen. It's interactive and LIVE, so you can ask questions at any time. And the most important topic: **HOW DO YOU TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR SUBCOUNSCIOUS!** This group is sponsored by the Dianetics Life Improvement Center.

Title: Beyond Cryptography: Geometric Symmetry & Parity Stability Summary: Decoding Chaos: Using Quantum-Inspired Symmetry Metrics to Detect Stealth Attacks in High-Stakes Infrastructure. Agenda: Why symmetry matters after the proof is done. Symmetry as an Invariant Symmetry as a Security Primitive Trust as a Continuous Function Live Thought Experiment Engineering, Implications & Open Questions Move away from traditional bit-matching and discuss "Symmetry Drift." Explain how system states can be modeled as high-dimensional manifolds where an attack represents a geometric deformation.T(t)=f(symmetry stability,parity consistency,temporal coherence) Speaker: Vijay Krishna Vijay is a security engineer focused on runtime observability and symmetry drift in cryptographic systems. He is the founder of Vyapti Resonance and the creator of the Quantum Security Probe (QSP), a telemetry-driven integrity monitoring framework for post-quantum infrastructures. His work bridges theory, engineering, and long-lived system behavior, emphasizing measurable trust over binary verification. Vijay has 9 accredited licenses in Quantum Computing. Career Snapshot: Microsoft → DuPont → Rockefeller Capital Management → Morgan Stanley → New York Life → Founder, Vyapti Resonance Across this trajectory, Vijay has operated at the core infrastructure layer of organizations—cloud platforms, identity systems, distributed compute, reliability engineering, and governance frameworks. His work has consistently involved systems that cannot fail, particularly in regulated financial and insurance environments. This enterprise grounding strongly informs his academic and research outlook: quantum and AI systems must be operable, governable, auditable, and teachable, not merely theoretically elegant.

We meet to learn and practice American Sign Language and to grow our familiarity with Deaf culture. Facilitated by hearing folks (with a connection to a professional interpreter) using Deaf-created content. People of all ASL skill levels are welcome! As we learn, we hope to connect more with the Deaf community in Central Ohio. Join us as you're able! Come regularly or just once - whatever you're looking for! Each meetup will explore different topics related to ASL/Deaf culture, and will feature time to practice conversation with one another. Just bring yourself and a willingness to learn!

Pay attention! We’re delaying a week for those of you who may be on Spring break and/or celebrating the holiday. Ok, no pancakes, but waffles-a-plenty. Join the local UX and Digital Design community for a casual monthly breakfast. Look for us upstairs!

**The Data-Driven Brand: Using Analytics to Shape Perception** Can you use analytics to improve tacos? This being CBUSDAW, we think the answer is probably “yes”, but we’re not sure how to implement or test this theory. For our April meetup we’ve got Sara Kear, CMO of Condado Tacos, to investigate this delicious question. Sara will explore how she blends quantitative data and qualitative customer feedback to shape brand positioning and drive business decisions. We all know that marketing and analytics go way beyond attribution. Sara will show how Condado uses customer insights to inform product and pricing strategy. She’ll also highlight how Condado leverages customer feedback at scale to influence operational priorities, positioning marketing as the voice of the customer across the organization. In the last 12 years Condado has gone from one location in Columbus to 52 locations across 10 states, so we’re guessing there’s more to that growth than really good guac (though the guac probably helps). Ultimately, this talk focuses on the intersection of art and science—using data to inform creativity and build a brand that resonates with customers in a measurable way. **About Our Speaker** Sara Kear is Chief Marketing Officer at Condado Tacos, where she oversees brand, restaurant design, menu and pricing strategy, off-premise including catering, and customer data strategy. Since joining in 2021, she has helped grow the brand from 19 to 52 locations while building a data-driven marketing organization focused on loyalty and customer insights. Condado has since been named to the Inc. 5000, recognized as Breakout Retailer by Chain Store Age, and consistently ranked among FastCasual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)

**Understanding the Columbus Housing Market** An easy‑to‑understand snapshot of the Columbus housing market, highlighting current conditions and key factors influencing buyers, sellers, and homeowners. This is a relaxed, no‑pressure event where you can ask questions and get practical advice. Hosted by: Katie McCartney, Broker & Senior Real Estate Specialist® (SRES)

Central Ohio Radio Enthusiasts—CORE—is an informal community for anyone enthusiastic or curious about radio—whether you're new to radio and want to learn or you've been tinkering for years and want to share. Ham radio operators, GMRS users, Meshtastic fans, software-defined radio nerds, makers, and technical and non-technical folks are all welcome. No experience required or expected. This month we have **WiFi HaLow: Introduction and Practical Use** with **Alex Barbur**. Details are are [core.radio](https://core.radio).

**TBA**

The Fellowship of the Star Schema: Transforming OLTP Data for Power BI One does not simply build reports on OLTP data. Join us on an epic journey from the depths of raw, normalized tables to the shining halls of a well-modeled star schema fit for Power BI greatness. We will demystify the differences between OLTP and OLAP, walk through star schema vs snowflake (and why Power BI has a clear favorite), and show you the compression differences between normalized and columnar storage that will make you never look at an OLTP model the same way again. We will cover the different types of dimensions, when to use them, and how to handle Slowly Changing Dimensions without losing your mind. You will leave knowing exactly how to identify a bad model, how to convert OLTP data into a clean star schema, and how to forge relationships that rule them all. Whether you are a data wizard, a curious hobbit, or somewhere in between, your models will never be the same.