Erika Ito & Sherry Wu

Product Designers

VMware Tanzu Labs & EDOCODE

Building Bridges, not Walls: Improving Team Wellbeing through Inclusive Communication

As designers work in teams to create products, it is important that we are able to navigate complex conversations and communicate effectively with our colleagues, who may come from diverse backgrounds and hold different perspectives, to create inclusive products that reflect a range of perspectives and experiences. However, leading those conversations and consolidating diverse opinions may not be easy.
In this workshop, we will engage in various activities to practice creating an inclusive environment that supports open communication and constructive feedback.
We will introduce specific facilitation techniques and methods that Tanzu Labs and EDOCODE practice daily. By combining these techniques, we hope to improve team communication and contribute to better team well-being

About Erika & Sherry

Erika Ito is a product designer at VMware Tanzu Labs (formerly Pivotal Labs). Her job is to help teams become more agile by developing software together using Lean XP, an agile methodology. As a designer, I bring user perspectives to the team, working hands-on in all design aspects, from user research to delivery.

Sherry is a product designer currently based in Tokyo, Japan. In her current role at EDOCODE, she’s working on tools that would empower small-to-business owners. She grew up in China and the US and graduated from Carnegie Mellon University, majoring in Human-Computer Interaction and Communication Design. Before moving to Japan, she lived and worked in Bay Area, California.