Joseph Assaf
While studying at IE School of Architecture and Design, I learned to observe, listen and take action in a creative and pragmatic manner. These skills have since allowed me to help clients develop their business-agility foundations as part of my role as an agile coach consultant. I also am the founder of the online creative architectural studio, JAE Architecture, which serves as a platform for architects and designers to share their projects. My combination of passions led to a vision of expanding architecture as a creative network.
"The program taught me to observe, listen and take action in a creative and pragmatic manner."
Originally from Lebanon, Joseph is an architect driven by the concept of acceleration. He sees today’s fast-paced and technologically driven landscape as an opportunity to reinvent the business world. When he comes across an old-fashioned business model, he immediately begins thinking of creative solutions to breathe life into it. But Joseph also understands the importance of focus. Throughout his professional career, he has acquired the necessary mindset to reach the end goal, while taking every opportunity to improve.
Joseph is currently based in Wiesbaden, Germany, where he works as an agile coach consultant at KEGON AG. As a Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) certified program consultant (SPC), he helps clients adopt and adapt to agile business environments. Joseph works to provide his clients with the best experience in their online workshops—a skill he learned from his own experience with IE University’s Liquid Learning Methodology.
He credits his time in the Master in Business for Architecture & Design with helping him develop a greater sense of self-confidence and growing as an entrepreneur. He successfully completed many projects alongside other talented team members, which further enhanced his leadership and cross-cultural communication skills.
Overall, Joseph defines his experience at IE School of Architecture and Design as being like a “Trim Tab” Literally speaking, trim tabs are the small rudders that are attached to and turn the larger rudders to maneuver a ship.
This echoes his new-found understanding of teamwork and leadership. He says the master’s helped him learn how to work smart and find his place, without worrying about being the most powerful individual.
The skills and knowledge he gained in customer design centricity and business planning foundation have directly enhanced the value he brings to his current position. Joseph chooses to not view his work as challenging, but instead, as a path for continuous learning, integration and delivery. Although he occasionally has to deal with difficult clients, he finds that with a bit more focus and thought, he will be able to lead them to success.
Joseph recommends that future program participants set goals for their journeys, and notes that drafting roadmaps based on facts, and later enhanced by personal visions, is an excellent way to succeed. In his future plans, Joseph wants to lead an adaptation framework that allows agile business models to work hand-in-hand with architectural endeavors.
