About

I’m a design thinker who believes we can change ourselves, our organizations, our communities, our governments, and the world by design.

I work at OpenText as Director of Customer Experience. My current focus is on defining what it means to deliver holistic, intelligent experiences throughout the customer lifecycle. Experiences that change minds and spark action.

I’ve been immersed in the world of enterprise software for over 20 years. As a change agent, bringing the practice of experience design to three enterprise software companies has taught me about the importance of focusing on value, the language of business, and organizational change.

I grew up on the Canadian prairies, studying political science and communications at the University of Alberta, graduating with B.A. in Canadian Studies in 1986. I then headed east to study communications and cultural studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, graduating with a M.A. in 1989.  After stints being responsible for public affairs programming at a community radio station and running the legislative office of a Member of Parliament at the House of Commons, I moved to Kingston where I convinced a software company that my experience translating political jargon into something anyone could understand qualified me for a job as a technical writer.

I currently live in Kingston, Ontario, although I’m still a westerner at heart. An avid gardener and the bane of my neighbor whose mental model of a yard centers on grass, I have a keen interest in greening my community. I’ve xeriscaped my home environment and now have my sights set on the rest of Kingston.

“My job was to be loyally subversive.” The Creative Paradox

Follow me on twitter @joyce_hostyn

Email me at joyce_hostyn at yahoo dot com