Studio

We are committed to creating a world that is accessible and beneficial to all by using design as a tool for bettering people’s lives.

Our story

O/M was founded in San Francisco by Rob Young in 2013. As a Google and Apple alumni with 13 years of previous product design experience, Rob’s goal was to create a small and mighty creative firm focused on utilizing his in-house expertise to solve complex design problems with clients.

As a new father, Rob also wanted to create a company that would always prioritize its people and allow them the opportunity to grow professionally without sacrificing their personal lives. As a first step towards this goal, he named the company after his kids, Oliver and Margot.

An image of a piece of art in one of the studio space. The painting is of a colorful matchbook with the words “Still Chill” on the front flap.

Since then, Lisa Adang joined the agency as a co-founder and has been instrumental in helping the company level up through improved organizational practices focused on creating an equitable workplace.

An image of Lisa, the studio’s co-founder and partner, sitting in an orange, modern-style chair. She is wearing round glasses, hoop earrings, and a black button-up shirt with khaki capri pants.

In 2020, the company became fully distributed with employees working across the United States. Additionally, O/M became focused on a refined vision to create, through our work as designers, a world that is accessible and beneficial to everyone.

An image of the studio team hiking in Joshua Tree National Park during a recent company retreat.

Our design principles

Products are often designed with an unspoken majority in mind, resulting in user experiences that don’t reflect the values, beliefs, and needs of everyone. Throughout history, this precedent has led to products and experiences that are inaccessible and harmful for historically excluded communities.

We design digital products and experiences that are useful, accessible, and affirming. This means identifying potential areas of exclusion, collaborating with historically excluded communities, and finding solutions that eliminate barriers and create a more just world.

Center excluded communities

Amplify historically excluded voices and respect the nuances of people’s needs.

Honor people’s agency

Empower people through flexible and transparent experiences.

Innovate with intention

Interrogate existing conventions to innovate responsibly.

Take responsibility

We are accountable for the real world consequences of what we design.

Set a new standard

Start with accessibility and create experiences that affirm people.