XAVIER MASSÉ
DESIGNER | EDUCATOR
We design therefore…
we observe, we understand, we sense, we feel, we draw, we make, we share, we care, we tell, we innovate, we start again…
We are.
Currently, I coordinate and teach Interaction Design and Design strategies at George Brown College’s School of Design and ECV. I design and lead international academic programs, workshops and design Jams (charrettes) as well.
Professionally, I imagine interactions and experiences to engage businesses and public organizations with their users and customers. I build human centered designs to innovate and renovate products, services and brand experiences. I design strategically.
WORK
Leveraging more than 25 years of experience in the field of visual communication, experiential and interactive design, I decided to give back to the community by starting with teaching (in 2010) and now running academic programs.
I left my homeland in the southwest of France and landed in Toronto the year the Skydome went up in 1989. After a short stunt in advertising I quickly caught the Multimedia bug. Many moons later I look back and understand that each project had its own course while sharing key fundamentals.
I follow a co-creative and collaborative process that allows inter disciplinary design teams to be creative and innovative while guaranteeing the project to be delivered on target (strategy, timing and budget).
I have to thank my parents for encouraging me to pursue my interest in drawing and painting when I was a kid. Now, I wish I had more time to practice more often. Anyhow, once in a while I grab my paints, markers and iPad to capture our fascinating and complex world.
BIOGRAPHY
69 Dearbourne Avenue, Toronto ON M4K 1M6
“Ce n'est point dans l'objet que réside le sens des choses, mais dans la démarche.” -- Antoine de Saint‐Exupéry
Xavier teaches and coordinates the interaction design programs at George Brown College’s School of Design. Prior to that he was the Dean of ECV Creative Schools & Community Paris and the Director of International Curriculum Development. Going back to its roots, he is a graduate of the internationally renowned school, with a BA in Art Direction and Design in visual communication.
He started to teach Design Strategy, System Design (products and services) and Design Thinking at the Institute Without Boundaries and Interaction Design program at the Toronto George Brown College, School of Design in 2010. In between 2012 and 2016 he took part of the Digifest Toronto steering committee; a festival celebrating the future of education, creativity, entrepreneurship, game and technology. During this period he also cofounded Relay, an experiential and event design agency, where he was the senior creative and strategy director.
A thirty year international media industries veteran in Canada and France, his creative process towards experiential and interaction design lead him to believe in listening, inspiring, explaining, showing, learning and exchanging ideas and initiatives. Through his work with young designers he remains deeply in touch with the experimental edge of emerging trends, and the possibilities of tomorrow. XM believes in the right balance and complementarities between design research, strategy, conceptualization and prototyping. Along the way he earned a few awards with the Advertising and Design Club of Canada [ADCC], the Horizon Interactive Awards, the Design and Art Direction [D&AD] community based in London England, and the EDF “Sharing Energy 2030” international Challenge.
Prior to the creation of Relay, XM was the creative director of WOLFSON BELL a live event & motion graphics production studio in Toronto. And prior to that, at the very end of the 2Oth century, XM became the managing director of the web agency MEDIASYSTEM INTERACTIVE owned by PUBLICIS GROUP. Throughout his career, Xavier has developed original, inspiring, creative and interactive “memorable moments” for renowned companies such as, 3 Suisses, Auchan, Renault, Apple, Toshiba, Disney, Cap Gemini, Ernst & Young, Deloitte, Accenture, Scotia Bank, Toronto Board of Trade, Canadian Football League, National Magazine Awards, Toronto Life and much more.
Whenever possible Xavier likes to spend time with his tribe (spouse and three sons), hiking, canoeing and traveling. And when there is a little bit of time left, he tries to capture the complex textural beauty of our world [urban and nature] with drawing, painting and printmaking.
