Jason E.C. Wright
“I am Founder of Burntsienna Research Society, a design research agency.”
We’re a critical-thinking led research practice, developing projects in design, craft, + urbanism with greater depth.
We also lead workshops to help large agencies + creative entrepreneurs develop more mindful research practices for their initiatives.
What steps did you take to get where you are now?
I was in the fashion retail industry for twenty years, from store management to buying, store layouts to boutique openings, wholesale programming to product development + many things between. After many years of consulting, I found that I was more passionate about research, and that many brands were not as deep in their research practices in product development, not to mention missing the wealth of knowledge in art books.
So in 2018, I founded Burntsienna Research Society to focus on better research practices, making more analogue resources available, while guiding creative entrepreneurs on how to deepen their culture literacy to be more mindful in their practices, avoiding culturally insensitive gaffes white dialing in to their true mission + vision for products with deep meaning; projects with stronger feeling.
For other people in your field, what do they usually lack?
Most people want to do well, want to do deep work to be more culturally aware or cite better sources of inspiration, but lack a framework of steps/guidelines to make sure they’re actually doing it right; digging as deep as needed. To that end, we published The Burntsienna Standards for Mindful Research: part manifesto, part guidebook to broadening awareness + finding better cultural reverence points.
What are you working on right now?
Our CASA sessions have proven a great benefit to founders + creative entrepreneurs to make smarter pivots, or simply return with clarity to the roots of why they started, so that has kept us busy.
We are developing a number of craft, design, + urbanism projects as well, while slowly re-engaging with various platforms for lectures or speaking workshops around The Burntsienna Standards.
Some very fun projects + products to be introduced over the next several years. We’re excited to play in these new spaces.
We are all Slashies with multiple skills, which one do you wish you could do more often?
Designing. Which has been wonderful to break into more with some of our recent research projects. I can lose hours learning new design techniques + figuring out how best to present a concept visually, infused with all the relevant cues in very subtle ways. It’s my favourite puzzle: visual communication of intention though design.
What is frustrating you right now?
Everything is a lesson, so I genuinely do not get frustrated by much. You either learn where to strengthen, or find where you’re already strong. The experience of failing on the path to figuring is beautiful.
If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
Correspondence + calendar updates. It’s a tedious thing that requires regular touchpoints in certain areas, yet is incredibly important. However, it is something that with assistance could streamline operations for more creative bandwidth to apply to client work + special projects.
Let's bring out the time machine. What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
I believe everything has happened at the time it was meant to happened; I couldn’t have moved on any opportunity I wasn’t mentally or personally ready for, regardless of anyone’s advice. To quote the Oracle from The Matrix : ‘No one can see beyond a choice they do not understand’.
If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
Neil DeGrasse Tyson. His approach to the scientific method, critical thinking, + the steady work of ‘failing regularly while always looking to disprove what you think you know’ is an ever-present example of mental elasticity. Conversations with him would just expand my capacity for new perspectives while strengthening any existing perspectives with the hard proof of consistency over time.
What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I am open to booking more lecture engagements on The Burntsienna Standards; for creative leadership teams at design firms, or part of design/tech conference panels or workshops.
We are always open to help founders + creative entrepreneurs find clarity through our CASA sessions (Clarity And SWOT Analysis).
Long term, we would love to work on more urbanism projects, specifically on public art or public space programming for community, with community involvement.
What is your ideal client?
For The Burntsienna Standards lectures : architecture firms, creative/design agencies, tech or design conferences
For CASA : boutique agency founders, independent creatives, small F&B or retail owners
For special projects : uniform design, industrial/product design projects, artisan/handmade project development, or quality of life/public space projects in urbanism.
What is your rate?
CASA : 100/hr for Vision/Mission Discovery; 250/hr for Product/Protocol Development
Lectures : standard speaker rates; flexible. email for inquiries.
Special Projects : project-budget + scope-of-work based. email for inquiries.
DESCRIBE A CLIENT/JOB/PARTNER YOU WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE. WHAT ARE YOUR DEAL BREAKERS?
Decisiveness is a superpower. We can only help those who have decided + committed to a specific vision; an indecisive client will find themselves spending more money + time to only arrive back to start. It’s not fun for anyone.
Decide. Commit. Evaluate. Repeat.
How should someone approach you about working together?
CASA : enroll via questionnaire at burntsienna.org/casa
Lectures / Special Projects : director@burntsienna.org with specific requests, date/duration details (lectures) or general brief/deliverables (special projects)
This member profile was originally published in October 2015, updated June 2020.