1. CHELSEA OMEL
chelsea.omel15@rotman.utoronto.ca
© Chelsea Omel 2014

2. An undergraduate art class introduced me to simultaneous contrast, the optical effect of colors appearing to change based
on how they are juxtaposed.
In a way, this represents how I interact with the world. I find creativity and analysis equally compelling, and I believe there is
room for both.
Just as a blue background makes the orange square glow red, and the red draws out the yellow, I toggle between
perspectives to draw out the nuances of an idea.
I am a business student who loves dancing, and an art historian who loves finance. I find strategy in studios and grace in
spreadsheets. My ability to move between worlds is informed by empathy and curiosity, and I am confident that true
insights come from understanding people.
The following pages provide a snapshot of how I combined creativity, analysis and human-centered design on three recent
projects, as well as brief summary of how I fuel my passion.
© Chelsea Omel 2014 2
ABOUT ME

3. © Chelsea Omel 2014 3
COMPANY Royal Ontario Museum
TEAM Deputy Director of Collections & Research and
curatorial department heads
ROLE Project Coordinator, Author
TIMING 6 months
Project 1
Creating Centres of Discovery:
Breaking down silos and aligning internal activities to create
meaningful visitor experiences
ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN

4. Some of the world’s leading experts in science and civilization work at the ROM, but a tendency
towards disciplinary silos made trying to learn about or visit the museum feel a bit like this.
© Chelsea Omel 2014 4
The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is Canada’s largest museum, containing more than 6 million objects organized in more than 35
collection areas representing world cultures and natural history. Upon completion of a $300 million renovation, and in the face of
declining government funding, the museum needed a new strategy to increase attendance and better connect with its visitors.
How might we align the internal organization to create better visitor experiences?
CHALLENGE
Where’s
the door?
Credit: Brian Boyle. © Royal Ontario Museum, 2007.

5. PROCESS + INSIGHTS
© Chelsea Omel 2014 5
Insights
• Departmental pride was reinforcing the
silo effect – experts didn’t want to “dumb
it down.”
• Researchers felt the efforts they did put
toward public programs and exhibitions
went unappreciated, while taking valuable
time away from their research.
• Educators and public programmers
couldn’t connect with curatorial experts
because they were unaware of current
research projects, didn’t know who to ask
or how to get in touch.
Group designed by Tonielle Krisnski, List designed by Wilson Joseph, Blockchain designed by Jason D. Rowley all from the Noun Project Jason D.
Rowley all from the Noun Project
Ethnographic interviews and
working sessions with stakeholders
from across the organization revealed pain
points and diverse priorities.
Activity audits consolidated input
about current and future activities across
curatorial and functional areas. Having this
information in one place unlocked
previously unrealized opportunities for
collaboration across departments.
Sense-making and synthesis of the
collected data provided the starting point
for creating an integrated strategy for
working together.

6. The final output was a new model for aligning
activities according to thematic “centres” of
discovery,” which was approved by the Board of
Directors and adopted as an organizing principle along
three dimensions:
Leadership
Creating the function of centre Managing Directors to
liaise between subject matter experts and front-line
educators and coordinate planning.
Knowledge Management
Designing processes for coordinating activities and
communicating updates throughout the organization.
Strategy
Building a consistent framework for ensuring each
centre’s mission and objectives supported the
museum’s overall strategy.
The centres provided a conceptual framework for
staff to work differently across functions and
disciplines, breaking down the silos and opening
up new channels to connect with visitors so that
learning about the museum felt more like this.
© Chelsea Omel 2014 6
SOLUTION
Welcome

7. © Chelsea Omel 2014 7
COMPANY Royal Ontario Museum
TEAM Core exhibition project team, including lead project
manager and Manager of Exhibit Planning
ROLE Author and Editor
TIMING 5 months
Project 2
7 platforms, 700 jackposts and a Tyrannosaurus rex:
Creating consistency across North America
USER EXPERIENCE

8. Exhibitions had long been a core activity for the ROM, but it was the first time the organization had created a blockbuster
show with the intent of renting it to other cultural venues. Ultimate Dinosaurs featured 40-foot full-colour wall graphic and 9
complete dinosaur skeleton casts (including two of the largest carnivores known to Earth). Touring the exhibition would
allow the ROM to share this experience with new audiences across North America while increasing revenues, but while the
museum had built hundreds of shows, no one knew exactly how to package one for a tour.
©Chelsea Omel 2014 8
How might we help other cultural venues recreate the superior experience of a one-of-a-kind exhibition?
CHALLENGE
Ultimate
Dinosaurs
Box 1 of Many
!!!

9. © Chelsea Omel 2014 9
Insights
• Stakeholder groups only cared about
the sections that pertained to them
and ignored the rest.
• Exhibit planners selling the show to
potential venues needed materials
that would create confidence in the
product.
• Complex exhibitry, large specimens
and large crates put swing space at a
premium during unpacking and
installation.
Extensive stakeholder
interviews with internal staff and
external contractors helped me to set
the scope for the manual and
understand how it would be used.
PROCESS + INSIGHTS
Prototyping and testing
different formats provided useful
insights. We learned that a digital
document, easily scaled for printing
provided the flexibility required by
the full array of users working in the
galleries or at their desks.
Making a beautiful product
was just as important as making sure it
was functional. I worked with the
graphic designer who had created the
exhibition to design a document that
represented the look and feel of
the show.
© Royal Ontario Museum, 2013.

10. © Chelsea Omel 2014 10
The final product was a 300-page manual for
installing the exhibition from building the
platforms to mounting the last dinosaur
tooth.
Versatile format
Each chapter was tailored to the stakeholder
group who would use it the most.
Branded Design
Full color photographs and a clear brand
identity meant the guide could be used to
showcase the exhibition to potential venues.
Comprehensive Content
Covered every step of the installation
process, including preparing the space,
unpacking the crates, building the skeletons
and planning educational activities.
SOLUTION
“the best installation manual we’ve seen”
- Institutional user from borrowing venue
Within six months of completing the project, the museum secured contracts with well-known venues,
exceeding revenue targets
All images © Royal Ontario Museum, 2013.

11. © Chelsea Omel 2014 11
COMPANY 2014 Rotman Design Competition: Target
TEAM Kids of Empathy: 5 first year MBA students
from Rotman
ROLE 2nd Place Winning Team
TIMING 1 month
Project 3
Imaging the future of retail: Target in the Internet of things
STRATEGY AND FORESIGHT

12. Target is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States and one of the most respected brands in retail. They
recently celebrated their 50th anniversary and over those years the recipe for revenue growth was straightforward: open
more stores. However, the retail landscape has changed and consumers – more connected than ever – have increasing
expectations about how, when and where they want to shop. In response, a new breed of retailers are challenging Target’s
market share.
©Chelsea Omel 2014 12
How might Target disrupt its business model today to stay relevant for the next 50 years?
CHALLENGE
TARGET 2014
Source: 2014 Rotman Design Challenge official case package
TARGET 2064
?TARGET 2064

13. ©Chelsea Omel 2014 13
PROCESS
Ethnographic research based on an
observational study and 22 interviews with a
variety of individuals about their attitudes and
perspectives on shopping uncovered key
insights into what customers want and need
from a retail experience.
A definition of the future provided
the parameters for a solution that would still
be relevant 50 years from now. We imagined
four potential scenarios and created a matrix
for understanding how we could address
customer needs in each one.
Rapid iteration via prototypes and
visualizations allowed us to test our concepts.
Incorporating feedback into every version we
drove our initial idea from interesting to
ground-breaking by identifying and addressing
potential pain points.
A winning strategy based on Target’s
core competencies informed our final solution
and an implementation plan for Target to
achieve a true competitive advantage.

14. The future will be defined by hyper-connectivity, where
everyone and everything will be connected in the
Internet of Things.
©Chelsea Omel 2014 14
Two key insights emerged from our research:
INSIGHTS
The retail customer of the future will face ever increasing
pressures on their time; they will need to feel confident that
they are making the right purchasing decisions.
“Everyday stuff … I’m neutral about and hate
spending time on. Things for myself … I don’t
let anyone else buy. I don’t think they’ll get my
style.”
- Tom, Target customer of the future
Credit: Hmdigiart.com; News.bbc.co.uk; thehipsterdad.com

15. ©Chelsea Omel 2014 15
An operating system to link an ecosystem
of connected objects with the retail
customer of the future.
By connecting the fridge, the lamps, and the thermostat,
the Target Companion provides customers with peace of
mind in the Internet of Things. The Companion:
1. Takes care of basic needs – pre-emptively pre-
ordering basic household supplies like light bulbs
before users run out
2. Provides customized curated recommendations
based on user data
3. Available on the user interfaces of the future:
connects with personal wearable devices and smart
surfaces within the home.
Customers no longer need to think about basics and they
can get the suggestions and advice they want on more
involved purchases.
SOLUTION
Credit: http://linesearch.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06

16. ©Chelsea Omel 2014 16
STORYTELLING
Painting a picture of the future
In order to explain exactly how the Companion operating
system would transform the retail experience for Target
customers of the future, we told the story of Tom and how
Target Companion might fit into his life.
Original Illustrations of “Tom” by Jane Park
Tom’s link-enabled lamp indicates that the bulb is about to burn out. Normally he’d have the bulb added to his regular delivery of household supplies but
his wife’s birthday is coming up and his Companion not only reminds him but also recommends a dress she might like. Tom decides he would like to check
it out so he makes a trip to his local Target Showroom. Once there, he decides the dress is just right, so he adds it to his order. The next day he’s back at
home, the dress was a hit and his light bulb never even burnt out.

17. ©Chelsea Omel 2014 17
STRATEGY
Underlying the Target Companion is a two-sided platform of manufacturers who produce
link-enabled products and the consumers who use them with high switching costs for
both sides. This strategy builds on Target’s existing core competencies and provides a
sustainable competitive advantage.
Brand Experience
Deliver a strong brand that
customers trust to provide
curated recommendations
and great value.
Partnerships
Leverage existing
manufacturer partnerships
to create a new standard of
link-enabled products.
Data Analytics
Build on existing data
collection and analytical
capabilities to understand
customers and predict
their needs.
Product Mix
Continue to offer the right
combination of everyday
basics alongside exclusive
designer collaborations that
resonate with customers.

18. © Chelsea Omel 2014 18
Select Creative Projects
Light My Fire
FILM, THEATRE AND DANCE

19. © Chelsea Omel 2014 19
CHOREOGRAPHY
Mouvement perpétuel, Chris Chung,
film installation at Scotiabank Nuit
Blanche, Toronto, Canada, October
4, 2013
Alligator, Tegan and Sara, Dir. Marc
de Pape, 2010 (music video)
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Bird Bath, Dir. Rebecca Gruihn,
2011 (short film)
Our Future is Bright, Dir. Rebecca
Gruihn, 2009 (short film)
COSTUME DESIGN
A heart(less) Limit, choreographed
and performed by Niomi Cherney,
Toronto, Canada, 2009
Various dance performances,
Motus Dance School of St. Marys,
2007-2011
A THOUSAND WAYS TO TELL A STORY
I’ve danced a duet with an ironing board and faked a police car on film for $21. Dance, film and theatre continue to
fuel my creativity and provide the space to experiment with modes of communication that go beyond text or
presentations. I continue to seek out collaborations with artists I admire on projects that I am passionate about. Here
are some recent highlights:
Clockwise from upper left, photo credits: Chelsea Omel, Marc De Pape, Tyson Burger, Chelsea Omel, Andrea de Keijzer, Greg Biskup,
Arrow designed by Diogo Trindade from the Noun Project.

20. Thank you
© Chelsea Omel 2014 20
chelsea.omel15@rotman.utoronto.ca