Steve Diller

Innovation Practice and Experience Design Studio Leader

As head of Cheskin’s Experience Design Studio and the company's innovation practice, Steve brings more than 20 years of market research and consulting experience to each of the studio’s engagements. Steve is an experience strategist who believes that the most effective way for companies to deepen relationships with their customers involves the development of emotionally meaningful experiences, be it through branding or product usage. Such experiences constitute the cornerstone of effective brand and product innovation in an era of rapid technological change.

In addition to his work with Cheskin, Steve was a professor at Columbia College, Chicago teaching courses on advertising and marketing psychology, social marketing, market research, media, and political propaganda. Steve also owns a film production company and has produced and directed several feature films. Steve has also contributed to numerous books, including The Human-Computer Interaction Handbook, The Principles of Trust, and Newspaper Brand Development. He is a co-author of Making Meaning: How Successful Businesses Deliver Meaningful Customer Experiences.

Diller received a Bachelor’s Degree in History from Carleton College in 1980, a Master’s Degree in Public Policy Studies from the University of Chicago in 1984, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Film from Columbia College in 1990.