The Assembly 2025—Odysseys: Navigating the Future with Enduring Strategies

One North brought together clients across marketing, design, and technology to explore how enduring strategies can help organizations lead through uncertainty. With the rugged shores of Maine as our backdrop, the experience combined shared frameworks, human-centered insights, and intentional design to navigate the uncharted with focus and a renewed sense of possibility. 

Key Takeaways

As change continues to reshape how we work, create, and connect, the need for direction has never been more critical. This year’s conversations brought focus to what remains steady — enduring strategies that help us move forward with purpose. Other takeaways included:

1. Anchor to What Works: In a sea of shifting priorities, the most successful teams returned to what’s proven. Strategies like knowing your users, defining your voice, and measuring with intent aren’t outdated — they’re essential. These foundational elements continue to guide progress and clarity in uncertain conditions.
2. AI Needs a Human Lens: AI’s potential is undeniable — but it’s not the full picture. The tools we use are only as powerful as the frameworks behind them. Leaders build systems that balance automation with context, and machine intelligence with human understanding.
3. Design and Research Drive Business Results: Design and research are no longer niche disciplines—they’re critical to growth. Clear communication, meaningful storytelling, and unbiased user insight help organizations stand out, build trust, and stay relevant.

Sessions

Delve into this year’s sessions to explore how timeless strategies and modern insights can guide us through uncharted waters. We discovered how enduring principles can turn today’s complexities into tomorrow’s opportunities. 

View session recordings in the YouTube playlist above, and check out a recap of each session below.

Inspired by the Horizon: How Absence Creates Opportunity 

Ryan Schulz explores the concept of the sublime — an overwhelming experience that connects us to something larger than ourselves. Drawing on his experience as an art dealer, he shows how enduring strategies can be inspired by profound artistic experiences. And, despite everything that is new in the worlds of marketing and technology, how relying on enduring strategies can help us tackle any challenge. 

Enduring Design Principles: Simple strategies like knowing your users, defining your brand, and measuring your work aren’t relics. They’re the foundation for creating exceptional experiences, no matter how quickly technology evolves.

The Sublime as Strategy: Just as a great work of art can stir something deep and lasting, the most effective strategies do more than check boxes. They resonate. And that resonance is what makes a product, platform, or brand truly memorable. 

The Cost of Clutter: Overloading users with information or features diminishes impact. Clarity and focus aren’t just aesthetic choices — they’re strategic ones. 

Islands of Context: Finding Your Organization’s True North 

Jennifer Lill discusses the importance of bridging human intuition with AI. Although AI offers powerful capabilities, it’s our human ability to provide context and meaning that truly charts a course toward success. 

Understanding Comes Naturally to Humans: Human intelligence is shaped by years of cultural norms, emotional nuance, and shared experiences — all of which AI lacks. 

Context Isn’t Built In: AI is powerful at processing patterns, but it lacks the intuitive understanding humans rely on. Without built-in context, it often misses what feels obvious — requiring structure and guidance to interpret even basic information. 

Agentic Frameworks Show Promise: The future of AI lies in orchestration. Agentic systems that combine memory, planning, and tools help models act more intelligently, not just predictively.  

Ancient Brains: Leveraging Behavioral Bias Through Research 

Kathy Grunditz and Zach Schloss remind us of the human tendency to make illogical and contradictory decisions. To avoid these behavioral biases in research, they discuss the red flags to watch out for — and how a well-rounded approach combines testing, surveys, and observable patterns to draw out actionable observations. 

Bias is Everywhere: People often default to what they already know or believe. Bias — like confirmation bias, overconfidence, or social desirability — can quietly derail research and design unless it’s identified and addressed. 

Observe, Don’t Assume: To get closer to the truth, watch what people do — not just what they say. A well-rounded research approach blends observation, surveys, and found data to surface actual behavior, not just opinions. 

Design for Real People: User research isn’t about validating what you already think. It’s about getting out of your own perspective. As Don Norman says, “You are not the user.” That idea should guide every decision we make. 

Epic Designs: The Poetry of Visual Storytelling 

Jessica DeJong explores the art—and science—of crafting impactful visual narratives. She demonstrates proven design fundamentals to help all of us weave together the threads of visual expression, showing that design has the power to create cohesive and authentic experiences for brands and products. 

Design Communicates Intent: Design isn’t just about visuals — it’s how we convey meaning. Whether through presentations, interfaces, or storytelling, design gives form to ideas and helps audiences understand what matters. 

Focus is a Superpower: We live in an attention economy. Good design refines information down to what truly matters, helping audiences process faster and remember more. When every detail has a purpose, clarity becomes a competitive edge. 

Everyone Can Design Better: Design lives at the intersection of art, science, and craft. By applying a few core principles — like using visuals with purpose, editing for focus, and remembering that “slides are free”— anyone can elevate the way they communicate.

Designing Data Experiences to Better Steer the Ship 

Ben Magnuson emphasizes the importance of designing effective feedback loops to navigate rapid changes in technology and culture, specifically when it comes to people management. He explains how the principles of cybernetics — the study of control and communication — can help apply control systems theory to organizations, ensuring long-term organizational viability.  

Designing for Feedback: Complex organizations need systems that can self-correct. Just like living organisms, they require feedback loops to adapt in real time. Without mechanisms for reflection and adjustment, even smart teams risk making decisions in the dark. 

Don’t Overengineer the Solution: Great systems rely on both data and storytelling. When metrics and qualitative insight work together, teams adapt faster and more effectively.

Data Alone Isn’t Enough: As organizations grow in complexity, clarity becomes even more important. Simple, well-aligned systems are more adaptable in the face of change. 

Signs and Wonders: How Brands Create Value by Making Meaning

Kevin Leahy reminds us that brands make meaning – and meaning creates value. But in a world of changing norms and technology, brands must work harder than ever to make themselves seen, heard, and remembered. He explores how brands can communicate in ways that create value, attune themselves to significant cultural shifts, and contribute to a more meaningful future. 

Meaning Creates Value: Strong brands aren’t just recognizable — they’re resilient. They create value through emotional connection, cultural relevance, and customer loyalty. 

Authenticity is Layered: Brand authenticity depends on credibility, integrity, symbolism, and continuity. These attributes help audiences recognize and trust the voice behind the message. 

Brand as a Culture Shaper: Brands don’t just reflect the world around them — they help shape it. When aligned with culture, they guide behavior and perception in meaningful ways. 

Navigating Uncharted Waters: An Exploration of the Powers and Pitfalls of AI 

Kat Kollet and Jennifer Lill explain how to keep your head above water in today’s AI-driven world and guide your organization through the rising tide of AI opportunities. They encourage us toward confidence — and a proven framework — to steer AI initiatives toward success. 

Set the Boundaries: Organizations that don’t clearly define the role of AI risk building systems that become liabilities. Strategic frameworks ensure alignment and accountability. 

Iterate Intelligently: The most successful AI strategies start small and evolve through ongoing testing, learning, and refinement, not one-time implementation. 

Humans Stay Essential: AI isn’t an autonomous strategy. Human leadership, ethics, and creativity remain central to ensuring AI delivers real, sustainable value. 

Avoiding the Sirens’ Call of Complexity

Erik Akers says that we’re often fooled into thinking the more complex a solution is, the better it is. He explores how, when done correctly, a balance of simplicity and complexity can lead to more meaningful customer experiences. 

Start with the Problem: Too often, teams start building solutions before they’ve clearly defined the problem. Overengineering and premature optimization can lead to systems that are technically impressive — but strategically misaligned. 

Simplicity is a Strategic Choice: Complexity isn’t always necessary. When systems become entangled or overloaded, clarity suffers. Simpler architectures, rooted in what users and businesses truly need, are easier to scale and evolve. 

Bridge the Gaps: Marketing and engineering often bring different priorities to the table. Cross-departmental alignment helps connect personalization goals, platform capabilities, and development realities into a shared, actionable roadmap. 

Perspectives on Enduring Strategies for Innovation and Change 

We’re grateful to have been joined by Aaron Forrester, Director, Experience Design at CarMax; Shailee Seddiq, Senior Director, Head of Digital at FINRA; Isaac Heyveld, Senior Director, Design Operations at Salesforce; and Mike Adam, Executive Director at JP Morgan Chase‍, for a dynamic panel discussion, moderated by Jeanne Peterson, Managing Director, Client Account, at One North.

As marketing, digital, and technology landscapes evolve rapidly, our panelists emphasized the enduring value of foundational strategies in driving innovation and navigating change. The conversation highlighted how principles like brand strength, user-centered design, adaptable tech infrastructure, and data-driven insights remain essential in today’s dynamic environment. 

Strategic Focus & Challenges: Panelists shared current goals and challenges, including scaling innovation, aligning teams, and building internal support through clear, consistent communication. 

Proven Tools & Frameworks: Leaders rely on foundational values, guiding principles, design philosophies, and shared goals to steer teams through organizational and technological change. 

Timeless Design Practices: Simplicity, clarity, and empathy continue to anchor effective UX and design strategies. 

Influence & Advocacy: Storytelling, stakeholder alignment, and timing emerged as critical tools for gaining buy-in and advancing ideas within complex organizations. 

AI in Practice: The group discussed the promise and pressure of AI adoption, including the need to upskill teams, figuring out where it can have the most impact, help build efficiencies, and manage rapid transformation. 

Looking Ahead: Panelists closed with reflections on what excites — and concerns — them most about the future, from emerging technologies to shifting consumer expectations.