How child-like fearlessness can benefit the innovative workplace
Patrick Hunter, a technical lead from DXC Technology’s New Orleans Digital Transformation Center (DTC), is responsible for stimulating innovation and creativity to problem solve and leverage user experience design methodologies. Patrick sits on the New Orleans DTC leadership team as an ambassador, working to ensure DXC’s strong reputation in the community, onsite and with customers. Outside of work, Patrick is nationally recognized as a live performance painter, and he frequently uses his artistic skills at the DTC.
What’s the difference between working at the Digital Transformation Center vs. a traditional office?
In my experience, at the DTC we have collaborative workspaces where customers can come in, present their challenges and their vision of the future. We can take that concept and quickly turn it into reality by developing proofs of concept and minimally viable products to satisfy rapid innovation for the customer. I think that’s the exciting part — we get to be a part of the process and see and hear the voices that matter.
There is a lot of youthful energy here, and everything in the office is about being agile, from the types of furniture we have to rooms that are convertible or that have whiteboards so we can collaborate. Being in this highly collaborative workspace reminds me of being in college. Working in this type of space really promotes creativity. I feel as if it also promotes personal expression, which I felt was missing in the more traditional workspace where I spent over 10 years.
How have you used your artistic ability in your career at DXC?
My role is to use images to communicate technical solutions while supporting customer and Scrum engagements. I use pictures to help root cause analysis and ideation to facilitate more collaboration. I like to say, in the simplest form ideas are invisible, and the quicker you can make an idea visible (i.e., through pictures), the quicker we can collaborate, innovate and ideate on it.
What is your advice to fellow employees who also want to incorporate their digital skills and artistic talent?
We understand with digital transformation that change is expected and constant. The critical skills of the 21st century, such as information literacy, critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication and flexibility, can be strengthened and enabled through digital technology and the arts. Technology literacy in how we use data is foundational, and the arts provide us the tools to effectively collaborate and tell a story that engages our employees, customers and customers.
Why would you recommend someone work at the New Orleans Digital Transformation Center?
If someone is looking for an opportunity to collaborate, have influence on the final product, be involved in every aspect of the process and in projects that have a huge impact, the DTC is a great place to be. I believe it’s an amazing opportunity to be able to be in a place where we can create our own careers to a large extent and yet have the support of a large company.
Learn more about DXC Technology’s Digital Transformation Centers.