I'm Maggie Smith. My curiosity for uncharted problem spaces often leads me to wear a number of different hats. What's most important to me no matter the role, is having the space to listen, ponder, and experiment. I'm fascinated by the intricacies of the human mind and how we learn, establish shared understanding, build connections, collaborate and generate ideas. Much of my work revolves around investigating how emerging technologies will allow for deeper thought, broader impact, and richer experience. I tend to seek out environments that are highly collaborative, teams that encourage breaking boundaries, and individuals that are energized by diving into the deep end of complexity. Lately I’ve been exploring human-agent collaboration, agentic AI systems, and what becomes possible with multi-modal generative experiences.
I am currently working as the Lead Service Designer for the Platforms and Innovation team in the Office of the CTO at Avanade, the world's leading expert on Microsoft.
Most leaders know that planning for AI is a non-negotiable, but fewer realize that a successful AI strategy must go beyond a focus on productivity to transform the way work gets done and prepare the workforce to continuously innovate and evolve with the accelerating rate of change. Disrupt Avanade was formed to design and execute against a strategy for transforming the way work gets done at Avanade through the application of generative AI.
Strategist
Following the abrupt transition to remote work in 2020, the 'new normal' has created a hospital workforce experience marked by cognitive overload, frustration, and burnout. We worked with a children's hospital to reimagine what communication and collaboration can look like with M365 for a workforce that is empowered through simplified tools, streamlined workflows, and universal standards founded on trust.
Lead Service Designer
Learnie is one of the many in-flight experiments of the Disrupt initiative where we are reimagining work at Avanade. Learnie looks to push the bounds of what can be possible for workforce upskilling when generative AI is leveraged to provide on demand, personalized, responsive and intentional learning content.
Experience Strategist and Designer
Playfulness facilitates insightful, divergent thinking. I wouldn't be who I am at work without prioritizing play.
These are the things that are currently keeping me curious, creative, and inspired.
Big Mind: How Collective Intelligence Can Change Our World
Geoff Mulgan
The Overstory
Richard Powers
What will non-deterministic product interfaces feel like? These experiences could require an unprecedented amount of trust in technology as end users find themselves relinquishing control of what they long believed to be freedom of choice.
I wonder if the satisfaction of finding the thing that you didn't know you were looking for is driven by the delightful feeling of "happening upon something" without much effort. It makes me wonder what a world will look & feel like when we can always get exactly what we ask for. I hope we keep a little space for the serendipity of discovery, even if it means keeping some of the "friction" we're working so hard to eliminate in our day to day experiences.
Flower illustrations with colored pencils
Homemade soups and stews
Floral arrangements
The best way to reach me is through X [formerly Twitter] or LinkedIn @MaggieGSmith
Avanade - IT Consulting and Professional Services
Lead Service Designer
Platforms and Innovation, Office of the CTO
2025-Present
Digital Experience and AI Strategy Manager
Workplace Advisory, Manager
2024-2025
Experience Design Lead
NE Talent Community Lead, Senior Consultant
2022-2024
Senior UX Designer
Experience Design Consultant
2021-2022
UX Designer
Senior Experience Design Analyst
2020-2021
Experience Design Analyst
2019-2020
Junior UX Designer
UX Design Intern
2018
Freelance
Graphic Design, Web Design and SEO
2015-2019
University of Richmond
M.S. Business Administration Concentration in Marketing
Visual and Media Arts Practice
Summa Cum Laude
Design Research & Service Design
Avanade
2020
Designing for Environmental Sustainability and Social Impact
Acumen
2020
Digital Product Management: Modern Fundamentals
Coursera - University of Virginia
2020
Facilitator of Human-Centered Design Thinking
LUMA Institute
2020
Practitioner of Human-Centered Design Thinking
LUMA Institute
2019
Service Design
Ecosystem mapping, service blueprinting, touchpoint orchestration and prototyping, front-stage and back-stage experience design
Design Thinking
In-person, hybrid and remote workshops
Research and Analysis
Mixed-method research including surveys, interviews, usability testing, contextual inquiry, ethnography, behavioral analytics
UX Design
Process flows, journey maps, personas, sketching, wireframes, prototyping
Experience Strategy
Storytelling
Information Architecture
Business Process Design
Product Strategy
Systems Mapping
3D Modeling
XR Experience Design
Project Management