Engin Ayaz: Are We Underestimating the Power of Communities?

Dec 10

Written By sara .

In a world where individualism often prevails over community collaboration, Engin Ayaz, Co-founder and Co-CEO of the strategic design consultancy ATÖLYE, believes in the transformative power of communities to address the complexities of our current global challenges and drive innovation. His journey underscores the pivotal role that collective strength plays in unlocking new pathways to success and resilience within an ever-evolving landscape.

But what does the term “community” actually mean? Some might describe it as “a group of people sharing common characteristics or interests,” while others may refer to it as “a sense of identity and belonging among those living in close proximity.” Yet, the definition that resonates with me is as follows: a community is a group of individuals united by a narrative that forms their identity. As Professor Lowe explains, this means that a community consists of people who share a story so significant that it becomes a defining aspect of who they are. This shared narrative forges connections among them and shapes their values, beliefs, and actions, cultivating a profound sense of belonging.

How do we develop this shared narrative? At ATÖLYE, they merge disciplines and cultivate thriving communities within organisations to address complex problems while innovating and creating a lasting impact. Through focused learning programmes and innovation hubs, they connect change-makers, empowering and activating them for effective mobilisation.

This commitment to fostering collaboration and creativity can be traced back to Ayaz’s upbringing in a family steeped in traditional business values, which encouraged him to explore a more creative route. He recalls, “What my parents always nudged me to do is just to take risks when I can, listen to my intuition, and have the ability to choose less trodden paths.” This encouragement steered him toward a distinctive educational track at Stanford University, where he studied neuroscience, architecture, and engineering. Here, curiosity and exploration emerged as the cornerstones of his learning. “I just found myself thriving in this more curious generalist place, where I would delve into certain subjects in depth, then migrate to others and connect the dots,” he elaborates.

After graduation, Ayaz delved into sustainability consulting with Arup, tackling ambitious global projects that required bridging various disciplines. This experience highlighted the need to understand human behaviour in creating effective designs. He explains, “You can build a green building, but if the people inside are not exposed to those decisions and aren't changing their behaviour, it falls short.”

This insight sparked a renewed commitment to community engagement, leading him to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in interaction design and co-found ATÖLYE in 2013. Named after the Turkish word for "workshop," derived from the French term “atelier,” ATÖLYE began as an academic offshoot of Stanford University’s d.school and New York University’s Tisch ITP. Since then, it has evolved into an international consultancy dedicated to exploring design and innovation through a community-driven approach.

Ayaz reflects on his entrepreneurial journey, describing the experience of starting in Turkey as both “a blessing and a curse.” The limited competing voices for long-term thinking and creative collaboration made it easier for his team to attract like-minded individuals. “The right people started showing up,” he notes, leading to rapid momentum. However, the challenges posed by Turkey's volatile political and economic climate, including currency devaluation, have often strained progress and morale.

Despite these obstacles, Ayaz asserts that their Turkish roots have helped them navigate the Middle East market, providing a familiarity that Western entities often lack. Nonetheless, the region's own instability presents additional hurdles in planning and execution. The COVID-19 pandemic further complicated their community model, which initially relied heavily on physical interactions.

Ayaz acknowledges that “it’s pretty difficult” to persuade organisations to invest in long-term projects; typically, it requires "eight or ten leaders" who are genuinely committed to ATÖLYE's mission. The organisations´ focus lies not on tactical assignments but on nurturing long-term relationships, particularly within the public sector in the Middle East, where there is a greater appreciation for legacy projects. However, he recognises that the current instability within the consulting market adds complexity to these efforts. Despite these challenges, Ayaz notes positive developments, stating that eleven years after the founding of ATÖLYE, the organisation has established a presence in Istanbul, Dubai, and Amsterdam.

On a personal note, Ayaz believes that entrepreneurship “takes the good parts of you” but also “exaggerates the shadows.” This underscores for him the importance of self-reflection; he acknowledges that one of the most valuable things he can do for the organisation is to focus on personal growth, understanding his "limiting beliefs" and "blind spots." This self-awareness enables him to face diverse challenges more effectively.

Adaptability in the face of uncertainty is also key for Ayaz. He states, “We simply cannot predict all that much in life,” advocating for a balanced approach that holds consistent principles while remaining receptive to new perspectives and signals. He also emphasises the significance of setting boundaries to maintain personal integrity and enhance effectiveness within the organisation.

Ayaz firmly believes that communities can act as powerful catalysts for transformation within organisations, particularly as traditional models often falter due to their slow and fragmented nature.

“I think these communities can actually be quite a powerful lever because current organisational models are not effectively driving change; they are too slow or too fragmented. Betting on everyone changing their behaviour is not realistic,” he asserts. Instead, he advocates for identifying and mobilising a select group of proactive, motivated individuals—those already engaged as team members, community contributors, or clients. By skillfully coordinating and activating these individuals, organisations can tap into significant potential, as they are often eager to go the extra mile when nurtured with a sense of purpose and provided with clear frameworks for collaboration.

To build effective community hubs, the core thesis remains the same regardless of whether the organisation is public or private: it’s essential to engage small groups within each company to foster awareness that leads to practice. This involves weaving trust, learning, building confidence, generating momentum, and ultimately achieving mastery. As individuals progress—some becoming trained trainers or community managers—others might rise to lead organisations, as seen in imece, a social innovation platform that brings together individuals and organisations dedicated to driving meaningful change. In Imece, a former intern now manages the entire operation. As highlighted by Ayaz, this journey demonstrates that success is independent of age and expertise; rather, it hinges on the mindset and commitment individuals bring to the process.

For Ayaz, community building serves as a valuable resource for public institutions in identifying pain points and designing effective solutions to address the complex challenges faced by cities. “You don't need all the citizens; you just need one or two percent of them - the most proactive ones.” he asserts, emphasising the power of engaged citizens in driving meaningful change.

In this line, the Community Playbook outlines three foundational components for building and running a new community: Identity - What values, skills, and knowledge does this community aim to build? How does this community define success? Experience - What experiences do members share? What regular activities take place? What content creates value for members? What are the community’s guidelines? What roles can members play? Structure - Who runs the community? How is it organised? How are decisions made within the community? What channels does the community use to communicate and gather? What is the community management structure?.

When it comes to measuring impact, Ayaz points out that while numerous frameworks and tools exist, “it's less the framework that matters, but how to build it into a habit and drive accountability.” He warns against crafting strategies in an "over-planning mode" and suggests fostering the right rituals for revisiting strategic plans. Given that context shifts rapidly, the ability to adapt becomes essential for success.

“I think strategic design has to work in such a way that you can have a thesis of what the agenda is for the next two to three years, but you commit to the next three months of work. It's a bit less focused on outputs, but more on outcomes, basically, because output is very much about deliverables—like in the architecture sector, where you design a building per year. However, when you're doing intangible work, you may not be able to outline all the steps ahead”, he explains.

How do we build organisational systems and habits that are more relevant in an ever-evolving context? At ATÖLYE, the entire team engages in quarterly sessions focused on collective sense-making. They explore questions such as, “What has happened? What is to come? What are we learning? What are we appreciating? What do we need to change?”. This practice provides everyone with a comprehensive view of the organisation's current state, emphasising that strategy should be informed by insights gathered from the network rather than dictated solely by top-down decisions. Ultimately, Ayaz points out the need for organisations to confront the often-overlooked “massive execution gap” that can arise from implementing a strategy that hasn't been co-created and designed in a way that reflects the team's needs.

Looking to the future, Ayaz highlights the importance of organisations harnessing the potential of proactive community members. By fostering a shared mission and purpose among motivated individuals, organisations can more effectively tackle complex issues such as sustainability and innovation.

“What is needed is that they have a sense of alliance and camaraderie, along with clear boundaries, frameworks, and incentives. This ensures that their effort does not come in a big burst that quickly dissipates, but instead continues over time. This is a key factor in unlocking many challenges organisations face," he explains.

Engin Ayaz’s journey challenges us to rethink the role of communities within organisations. By leveraging these networks, we can significantly enhance innovation and foster long-term success, while developing meaningful shared narratives and paving the way for transformative change.

Engin recommends

Book: Dark Matter and Trojan Horses: A Strategic Design Vocabulary, by Dan Hill

How can companies be part of the solution?

Harness Community Power: Recognise the strength within your community. Engage with like-minded individuals and leverage their collective potential to address complex challenges and drive innovation.
Embrace Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Explore how integrating diverse perspectives and expertise can enhance problem-solving within your organisation. Encourage collaborative environments that blend different fields of knowledge.
Prioritise Proactive Individuals: Identify and empower motivated community members or team members who are ready to take initiative. Mobilise them to create a ripple effect of positive change within your organisation.
Adapt to Change: Foster a culture of adaptability within your organisation. Encourage open communication and flexibility in strategies to respond to evolving contexts and unforeseen challenges.
Reflect and Learn: Implement regular reflection practices within your team, allowing for collective sense-making. Use these sessions to assess progress, recalibrate strategies, and derive insights from shared experiences.
Aim for Long-term Impact: Shift your focus from merely completing tasks to building long-term relationships and initiatives that contribute to sustainable growth. Invest in projects that create lasting benefits for your community and organisation.