Our Story

LUMA was created around a clear purpose: to empower anyone and everyone to make things better.

Helping everyone be more innovative

LUMA exists for a single reason, as our vision statement explains: to be a catalyst that empowers people to innovate, everywhere.

Our story begins within MAYA Design, a world-class design consultancy and technology research lab (acquired by BCG in 2017). As MAYA used human-centered design methods for all types of projects, clients would ask, “Can you teach us to work this way?” LUMA was founded in 2010 to do exactly that, and on a global scale.

Photo Illustration of three LUMAtics representing LUMA's three co-founders, shown standing with shovels around a cornerstone that reads
Illustration of three LUMAtics representing LUMA's three co-founders, shown standing with shovels around a cornerstone that reads "Est. 2010."
Photo Illustration of three icons representing the three categories of design skills around which the LUMA System of Innovation is organized: Looking, Understanding and Making.
Illustration of three icons representing the three categories of design skills around which the LUMA System of Innovation is organized: Looking, Understanding and Making.
Creating the LUMA System of Innovation

To teach people — and we mean A LOT of people — how to apply human-centered design, we needed an approach that was practical, easy-to-learn, flexible and scalable.

We did rigorous research, testing and assessment. From this work, we crafted a unique collection of human-centered design methods organized around three key design skills — Looking, Understanding and Making. These methods can be used individually or combined in different ways to address any and every stage of problem solving.

We call it the LUMA System of Innovation. You won’t find another approach to human-centered design like it anywhere.

Empowering innovation around the world

Today, people are learning and applying the LUMA System all over the world — in organizations of all types, in public programs held in cities around the globe, through our handbook, “Innovating for People,” and online through our one-of-a-kind digital platform, LUMA Workplace®.

We’re honored that since our founding, LUMA has grown primarily through word-of-mouth referrals from enthusiastic clients. As a catalyst that empowers people to innovate, we measure our success by what they achieve using the LUMA System of Innovation.

Working with organizations of all types

We work with organizations of all types, sizes and sectors — business, government, non-profit and education. The list includes more than 50 of the Fortune 500 companies.

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