Sheryl Cababa
Author of Closing the Loop
Sheryl drives a human-centered design practice that is focused on systems thinking and evidence-based design, working on everything from robotic surgery experience design to reimagining K-12 education through service design. In her work with consultancies such as Substantial, frog, and Adaptive Path, she has worked with a diverse base of clients including the Gates Foundation, Microsoft, IHME, and IKEA. She holds a B.A. in journalism and political science from Syracuse University.
Sheryl is an international speaker and workshop facilitator. When she’s not in the office, she can be found at the University of Washington helping educate the next generation of Human-Centered Design and Engineering students. You might also find her biking around Seattle, or talking about her most recent complicated baking project.
Rosenverse talks by Sheryl:
" Executives often ignore potential negative consequences, but surfacing them at least provides awareness and mitigation possibilities. "
Integrating Systems Thinking Into Your Practice as a Designer
October 1, 2025
" Mapping is not just for presentation; it’s a practice to evolve your understanding of a complex problem space. "
Thinking in systems to address climate with Sheryl Cababa
June 12, 2024
" Designers need to have critical conversations with stakeholders about the direction and impacts of AI. "
Day 2 Panel
June 5, 2024
" Optimizing something for ease of use does not mean best for the user or humanity. "
Living in the Clouds: Adopting a Systems Thinking Mindset
June 6, 2023
" Temporary measures have a nasty habit of becoming lasting emergencies, especially with new crises always on the horizon. "
Expanding your Design Lens with Systems Thinking
March 28, 2023
" Community engagement is a powerful lever often left out of systems thinking processes. "
Expanding Your Design Lens with Systems Thinking
February 23, 2023
