MAYA

MAYA Honored on Great Place to Work Rankings

MAYA was recognized as #22 on The 7th Annual Great Place to Work ® Rankings: 2010 Best Small & Medium Workplaces Presented by Entrepreneur®. The list was narrowed down from over 400 nominated companies and each company was evaluated on five areas: credibility, respect, fairness, pride, and camaraderie.

"The Cloud" as Hindenburg?

Journalist James Fallows calls Mickey McManus’s reference to “The Cloud” as Hindenburg the “pithiest single sentence” he heard at the Aspen/Atlantic Ideas Festival. Mickey was a keynote at the Festival on July 7, 2010.

Many businesses are finding less to worry about by shifting IT services to independent providers

In this Pittsburgh Business Times article about cloud computing, Mickey McManus takes a contrarian view, arguing that there are risks when businesses put their data into a few cloud companies.

The Southside and Design - Delta Magazine

An article in Delta Airlines “Delta Sky Magazine” features an inside look at MAYA and our neighborhood. Hint: the good stuff starts on page 113!

The Art of the Spinoff

An article in Inc. magazine talks about how MAYA Design grows by incubating, and then spinning off, successful businesses.

Fast Company Expert Blog

Fast Company Expert Blogger Shawn Graham visited MAYA and got the scoop on how we foster a culture of innovation.

MAYA Named an Exceptional Workplace

MAYA Design has been selected by Inc. magazine and Winning Workplaces as one of 20 winners of the 2010 Top Small Company Workplaces competition – the best small and mid-sized places to work in the country. Inc.’s June issue features the 20 winners, as well as the 20 finalists. Nearly 500 companies completed applications for the contest.

The Hybrid Problem Solver

During the Economist’s Idea Economy Conference Mickey McManus was on a panel of experts discussing the role of design thinking to the business of solving problems. This was a lively and insightful dive into the intersection of design and business. About 45 minutes long.

Blogging Innovation

Braden Kelly, editor of Blogging Innovation, interviews Mickey McManus at The Economist’s “Innovation: Fresh Thinking for the Ideas Economy” summit in Berkeley, California.

Interactions: March/April 2010

Chris Pacione, who heads our LUMA Institute, writes about the “Evolution of the Mind: A Case for Design Literacy.”

Fox Business Online, Small Business Spotlight

Mickey McManus explains how MAYA makes complicated, powerful products easier to use.

MAYA Develops Solar-powered Interactive Display for Phipps

MAYA Design, based on Pittsburgh’s South Side, has developed a solar-powered interactive display to be rolled out as part of the new Center for Sustainable Landscapes, a “living building” under development at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

Forbes.com Video Network

MAYA’s CEO Mick McManus talks about the key to good design.

MAYA One of the Best Small Companies to Work for

PITTSBURGH, PA, June 29, 2009 – MAYA Design, a leading technology design and innovation lab, is one of America’s best companies to work for in small business, according to the Great Place to Work Institute (GPTW), ranking number 16 out of all the small and medium companies throughout the U.S. that where evaluated by the institute.

The rankings, which were unveiled at a ceremony held today at the Society for Human Resource Management Annual Conference in New Orleans, marks MAYA Design’s first appearance on the list as one of the nation’s top places to work.

“We are proud to be recognized by the prestigious Great Place to Work Institute as being one of the best small companies to work for in America,” stated Mick McManus, President and Chief Executive Officer of MAYA Design. “This honor is a reflection of our company’s values, culture and dedication to provide our employees with a positive and team-oriented work environment.”

The organizations that appear on the Best Companies to Work for list are defined as a place where employees trust the people they work for, have pride in what they do, and enjoy the people they work with. Honorees were selected based on employee surveys and anonymous interviews.

Some of the top drivers of the company’s commitment to being a great workplace, as identified by MAYA Design, are corporate social responsibility, morale, and dedication to excellent customer service. Other initiatives that contribute to the company’s designation as a great employer include its Babies in the Workplace Policy, education assistance policy and quarterly profit sharing.

“Ranking number 16 in the Best Companies to Work for in America is a result of our dedication to our employees, our focus on innovation and organizational success,” said Dutch MacDonald, Chief Operating Officer of MAYA Design. “We work hard to keep our employees happy as they are an essential asset to our organization.”

About MAYA Design

MAYA Design is a leading technology design and innovation lab that works to turn human experiences with technology products into positive, fruitful interactions. For over 20 years, MAYA Design’s team of experts in human sciences, engineering and design have been working with a range of Fortune 500 companies and start-up businesses to design innovative products and solutions that improve the interactions between people and information. For more information, please visit www.maya.com.

About the Society for Human Resource Management

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. Representing more than 250,000 members in over 140 countries, the Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession. Founded in 1948, SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the United States and subsidiary offices in China and India. Visit SHRM Online at www.shrm.org.

About Great Place to Work Institute, Inc.

The Great Place to Work Institute, Inc. is an international research and consulting firm dedicated to building great workplaces. The Institute uses its employee survey and assessment process to select the companies appearing on the annual “Society for Human Resource Management 50 Best Small & Medium Companies to Work for in America” list and “FORTUNE’s 100 Best Companies to Work For” list. In addition to its global headquarters in San Francisco, it has 29 affiliates in countries throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia.

"A Family Affair"

Fortune Small Business features some of the best small companies to work for. MAYA’s Bring Your Baby to Work policy is highlighted.

MAYA's goal: Make the technology of tomorrow work better

Mickey McManus, president and CEO of MAYA Design says that to be ready for “the trillion-node network,” everyone must innovate.

Smartmoney.com

See Mickey McManus’s interview with SmartMoney about the importance of taking smart risks and diversifying during a downturn.

Wall Street Journal Digital Network

Mickey McManus claims that companies need to design two years out into the future, and that innovation and development are the key to survival in the economic downturn.

MacDonald Sends Architectural Students Out into the Community to Learn

The Pittsburgh Business Times wrote an article about how MAYA’s VP of Operations, Dutch MacDonald (a registered architect), teaches the business side of architecture to architectural students at Carnegie Mellon University.

In MAYA's "kiva," where it is, is what it is.

The Pittsburgh Business Times interviewed Mick McManus about how MAYA’s circular “kiva” with its nearly 360-degree whiteboards (hey, we had to have a door) makes ideation sessions more fruitful (and fun). Modeled after the round ceremonial chambers of the ancient Anasazi culture of the American Southwest, MAYA’s kiva encourages both freedom of interaction and the visual expression of ideas.

The full version of this article is printed in the November 7, 2008 edition of the Pittsburgh Business Times.

Investing in Innovation

Design and innovation reporter Reena Jana from Business Week talks about innovation during these tough economic times.

A New Era In Robotics Has Arrived!

The Wall Street Journal picked up our exciting work in Edible Robotics. It was something we did in good fun as part of something called Robot250. So, not only do we make powerful technology easy to use, we can make it edible too.

For more clips and background (or to make your own edible robot) check out our MAYAmake site

Pittsburgh Technology Council: The MAYA Sign

A Pittsburgh Technology Council blog features an article about our shiny new programmable MAYA sign.

Design Thinking in Core77

Our press release announcing the launch of a new venture specifically devoted to the emerging need for design thinking in organizations is picked up by Core77

Pop Star: Mickey McManus

MAYA president and CEO Mickey McManus is interviewed by Pop City Pittsburgh about our vision of the future and how we help clients to prepare for it.

SoloHealth Wins Three Awards, Including 'Best in Show'

Just six months after MAYA helped SoloHealth go from an idea for a vision-testing kiosk to having the actual product fielded in Wal-Mart stores, SoloHealth won three awards at an important trade show in their industry, including “Best in Show,” “Best Healthcare Deployment,” and “Best New innovation in a Kiosk Deployment.” The lead judge said, “It was unlike anything else. This unique application is practical, fun to use, and presents a breakthrough technology platform that demonstrates the ability to make an enormous impact on people’s eye health, as well as the ability to drive revenue in the vision market.”

Day care's new frontier: Your baby at your desk

USA Today’s Stephanie Armour profiles MAYA Design and several other companies that have drawn attention for allowing (even welcoming) babies of employees into the workplace.

Sky Radio: Pervasive Computing

Interview with Mickey McManus about pervasive computing.

Community Catalog Selected as Top IT Project 2006

InfoWorld chose the Community Catalog as the Top IT Project for 2006. Read the full article here.

MAYA Design hiring as a result of new clients

Small piece noting openings at MAYA due to growth in our lineup of clients.

The Uncommon Information Commons

MAYA’s Information Commons improves bioinformatics analysis.

Old habits in New Realities

Smart City Radio interview with Mick McManus about our work with the Carnegie Library.

MAYA Design is in this month's Inc Magazine

“Brave New Office” July, 2006 Francine Gemperle, a relatively new mom, and a talented Human Scientist, at MAYA is interviewed, along with a photo shot of her and her son, Milo, at our Pittsburgh office. They both look fabulous. A couple of points related to the article — we are pro Mom and pro Dad, not just pro Mom. We are gender insensitive. MAYA spelling is incorrect.

Brave New Policy: Babies In the Office

This look at MAYA’s baby-friendly workplace included focused on designer Francine Gemperle and her son, Milo.

Everyday gadgets go 'smarting' off

MAYA in the thick of everyday products and Pervasive Computing.

Missing data at the center of the storm

Josh Knauer and Pari Sabety of the Brookings Institution on the need for accurate, available, accessible and detailed local neighborhood information.

What does "Innovation" really mean?

MAYA’s director of human sciences, David Bishop, talks about balancing innovation against a client’s tolerance or capability for implementing innovative design.

Designing buildings and services from the end user's viewpoint

Covers MAYA’s information architecture and experience design work for the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

Allegheny County data-sharing initiative to launch soon

MAYA’s technology behind the Information Commons will also make it possible for healthcare organizations to share data.

Information Commons: a bright star for the future of information

Chris Jablonski talks to Josh Knauer about how the Information Commons liberates information by abandoning the relational database and client/server models.

Designing the Future of Information

White paper from Harbor Research, Inc on the design of information systems for the future.

Two unique initiatives—the “Information Commons” of MAYA Design and “Internet Zero” from MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms—offer simple, proven foundations for the intense complexity of a global information economy.

Fetish: Constant Reminder

Features Eaton | Home Heartbeat as the perfect peace-of-mind tool for paranoid homeowners.

Avoiding Renovator's Remorse: Home Networking

Contrasts Eaton | Home Heartbeat with expensive, complicated systems.

InfoCommons

Audio interview with Josh Knauer about MAYA’s Information Commons.

Project to Centralize Local Information

Discusses the Information Commons with Chris Sweeney, chief executive of 3RC.

Constant Reminder

“Seems to be the perfect solution…It’s such a simple system (very Apple Computer-esque), yet I can see it being very powerful.”

Three For The Road

Along with other innovative devices, Travel + Leisure called Home Heartbeat “easy — and fun — to use.”

Wireless's New Hookup

Talks about ZigBee wireless sensors, including the Home Heartbeat work MAYA has done for Eaton.

Home Heartbeat on CBS' Early Show

Danny Lipford, host of “Today’s Homeowner,” shows Home Heartbeat on the CBS Early Show while covering the 2005 International Builders Show in Orlando.

The Internet of things

“The Internet of Things” is how the Boston Globe described the technology behind Home Heartbeat.

Carnegie Library Putting Customers First

Mentions MAYA’s role in a system-wide overhaul of public information spaces.

Public Information Belongs in Public Hands

MAYA’s Josh Knauer makes the claim that “citizen power depends on free access to taxpayer-sponsored data.”

Complexity Yields to Collaboration

Describes MAYA’s approach to design and the benefits of our “intentionally chaotic” workspace.

Future Watch: Taming Data Complexity

A brief introduction to some of MAYA’s vision for a public Information Commons and our technological breakthroughs that free data stranded in islands of information.

Military Uses Private Sector Supply Tactics

As a product developed by MAYA Viz, our sister company, MAYA’s Visage research pays off for the military (“Over a period of weeks, who knows how many lives that saves, how much faster the job gets done?”) and makes the leap to business and medical applications.

Carnegie's Library Legacy

Mentions MAYA’s role in improving the experience of users as part of a $40 million system-wide makeover of Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Libraries. It’s part of MAYA’s approach to physical information architecture and environmental user-interface design, analyzing an entire environment as a user interface.

Dude, What's in Your Car?

Includes a brief profile and quote from Peter Lucas about automobiles packed with technology: “To have all of these things within your grasp is to control your part of the universe.”

Virtually There?

Covers a pilot project at the University of California San Francisco’s Carol Franc Buck Breast Care Center. Dr. Laura Esserman and her colleagues worked with Oracle and MAYA on a virtual-team/virtual-tool pilot project to bring “more brains to bear more quickly on more-important problems.”

New Web site will map the region's green scene

Introduces greenpittsburgh.net’s interactive Greenmap, designed by MAYA.

Taming the digital beast

Discusses MAYA’s role in the usability aspect of computer-human interaction.

Executive in the Spotlight: The battle against the Ugly Alliance

Profile of MAYA founder Peter Lucas and his views on information-centric design and civic computing.