What brought you to McKinsey?
My first encounter with McKinsey was through the Women in Tech event - a community gathering the firm holds every year focused on female professionals in technology. At the event, I networked with many McKinsey designers and consultants and learned about the exciting work the firm does in digital and design. I was intrigued by how McKinsey leverages the design skillset to solve challenging client problems. I was impressed by the passion of McKinsey designers to craft the best-in-class solutions. Ultimately, the dedication to use design to make a difference across industries and society made me want to be part of the firm.
What have you been able to do at McKinsey you couldn’t have done anywhere else?
McKinsey’s non-hierarchical culture encourages its people to constantly challenge each other to deliver the best outcomes. The supportive environment promotes open and transparent discussions. On my latest project, we use a weekly problem solving session to raise issues and discuss the best possible solutions collectively. My colleagues give me the support to bring my whole self to every discussion—my voice and opinions matter. During brainstorming and problem-solving, there is a platform for me to make a point regardless of my seniority or role.
Since joining McKinsey, has anything surprised you?
The thing that pleasantly surprised me is how closely design is integrated in engagements. At McKinsey, I work on multidisciplinary teams with business consultants, technicians, and designers to create the best possible solutions. We have day-to-day touch points to share our work and exchange ideas. The way a McKinsey team collaborates is seamless. For example, during customer interviews, while I’m conducting a contextual inquiry, business consultants tailor our hypothesis based on the intel we gain. While I facilitate an idea generation session, technicians are already leveraging the information to bring ideas to reality.
Working at the firm has helped me appreciate that complex and challenging problems require multidisciplinary solutions. McKinsey’s hyper-collaborative model allows me to work with and learn from individuals who are the best in their fields and they learn from me. My mentors and all my colleagues help me broaden my expertise, expand my skill set and grow.
More about Manman
Manman is a service designer and design strategist. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from the Communication University of China and a master’s degree in design thinking based on applied ethnographic research from Keio University. Manman is dedicated to applying a human-centric approach to make positive impact in industries and society.
Manman’s work at McKinsey focuses on energy and healthcare industries. She leads design oriented approaches in customer experience design and employee experience improvement for operational excellence.
Outside of work, Manman enjoys yoga, hiking and editorial design.