Digging In with Kristen Castells, Director, Design Practice Lead

Digging In is a regular series of blog posts profiling UDig employees.  We hope this series helps you get to know our team and understand why we dig what we do! Today, we are sitting down with Kristen Castells, Director, Design Practice Lead. 

UDig: Tell us a little bit about your background and your role at UDig.

KC: I came from a digital agency background focused on digital advertising. Back then, there wasn’t much separation between graphic design and UX/UI, so I wore a lot of hats early on. I worked closely with startups in Atlanta, which gave me a real taste of fast-paced environments and the strategic thinking required to help those businesses grow.

From there, I moved into consulting at a very large global firm, where I had the opportunity to build and scale a sizable design practice. Eventually, I joined UDig to do that same thing here—grow a forward-thinking design practice from the ground up. We’ve grown from three designers last year to twelve today, most of whom are based in Atlanta, which is incredibly exciting.

UDig: Why UDig? What made us the right decision for you?

KC: UDig offered a very specific and exciting opportunity I was looking for. I’m happiest when I’m building something with people who share the same passion, whether that’s a product, a capability, or an entire practice. It’s rare to find that level of shared momentum at a company. 

UDig gave me the chance to build a new design practice where not only could I be influential, but the people I brought in could be as well. We’re not just shaping a team that we want to work in; we’re shaping how design influences the entire organization. It’s energizing to be at a company that’s genuinely eager to invest in design and let it evolve the way we deliver value.

UDig: What does “Ideas to Impact” mean to you?

KC: When I first joined UDig, I heard the word impact constantly and wasn’t quite sure what it meant. But it’s become really meaningful to me. It’s about making sure the value we intend to bring actually materializes, both in the work we deliver to clients and in our day-to-day operations.

With enterprise clients, it’s easy to lose sight of the why behind a project because of competing opinions and stakeholder complexity. “Ideas to Impact” is about staying flexible while keeping our eye on the goal. In past roles, I’ve walked away from projects thinking, “Why did we even do this?” —a lot of time and money wasted with no real outcome.

Here, it means that from ideation to execution, we’re constantly checking ourselves: Are we still driving the impact we set out to create? Even the smallest interactions—like a stand-up meeting—should create value, not just fill a calendar.

UDig: What’s one design principle you wish everyone – not just designers – understood?

KC: I wish more people understood design thinking and how powerful it is strategically. It’s not just about pushing pixels; it’s about exploring many possible solutions before choosing the best one.

Great problem-solving comes from examining multiple angles, doing extra brainstorming, and not settling for the first idea. Asking, “Are there other options here?” Can we fundamentally change outcomes, not just for designers, but for anyone working through complex problems? Below is a visual I really like about design thinking:

UDig: What is your favorite procrastination tool?

KC: I don’t have a ton of time to procrastinate these days, but when I do, I fall into reading random things online. Substack is a big one.

UDig: What did you want to be when you grew up?

KC: I was a really cynical kid. In middle school, if someone asked what I wanted to be, I’d say an “observationalist” because I loved watching people. I always knew I wanted to blend art and psychology. I wanted to be an artist as a kid, and that observational piece grew into an interest in psychology, which eventually connected to design. 

UDig: What’s the most played song in your library?

KC:  A go-to for me is Bonobo’s Days to Come album. It’s such a good album to work to. If I need something in the background while I’m deep in focus, that’s what I’ll put on. 

UDig: What trivia category would you be best at?

KC: Anything and everything plant related. I garden a lot. 

UDig: How would you spend your day if we told you to take the day off?

KC: I would garden all day while listening to an audiobook. I think I genuinely have a dirt addiction—I just need to get my hands in the soil. 

UDig: In 3 years, what do you hope to see UDig accomplish?

KC: I hope we’ve continued growing our enterprise clients and become widely known for our design and design-thinking capabilities. Honestly, I think we’ll get there even faster than three years. I’m so excited about where we’re headed.