AIGA Design Podcast (AIGA, the professional association for design)
Explore every episode of AIGA Design Podcast
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
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| 17 May 2022 | Design Adjacent with Catherine Clark, Founder and Paul McDowall on changing spaces, designing around people, and not being perfect | 00:47:14 | |
In 2001, Catherine and Paul joined forces to create an original agency concept, built around the idea that true collaborative thinking and different perspectives can solve brand challenges holistically—and better. Together, with their talented team of brand architects, they partner with some of the world’s most forward-looking brands. Their strategic and creative guidance has helped brands better our world by tackling the important topics such as sustainability, health and wellness, and empowerment head on. Catherine sets the vision for the business and shapes the strategic direction for the work. Growing up in Paris as a child of parents who worked for the United Nations, she was brought up in an international community, steeped in colorful stories, beliefs, and values. That ultimately fueled her passion for entrepreneurship and the potential she sees in people and businesses to make our world better. Paul is the creative force behind the business. He grew up in Liverpool, UK, a hotbed of creativity with many musicians, writers and artists. His surroundings shaped his perspective and created a deep-seated curiosity to create, make and explore the potential in things. His guidance inspires new ideas and unlocks new ways of thinking. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 08 Feb 2022 | Design Adjacent with Pek Pongpaet on careers, writing code, power of play in problem solving | 00:42:17 | |
About Pek Ponpaet Pek is the founder of Impekable, a digital product studio that helps enterprise and B2B SaaS companies create better products through user experience design. Impekable has designed and created products for X, Alphabet’s moonshot factory, Adobe, Twilio, Pentair, two startups acquired by Palo Alto Networks. Impekable has been recognized as one of America’s fastest growing businesses on the Inc. 5000 list 3 times in a row. Prior to Impekable, Pek designed and developed next generation user interfaces at Accenture Technology Labs’ HCI group, and created interactive experiences for clients including Tesla and USAF at digital agency Roundarch Isobar. Pek loves helping startups and is a product mentor at accelerators and incubators including TechStars, 1871, and Bosch’s Chicago Connectory. He also has a design podcast called What is UX where he interviews design leaders from companies such as Tesla, Netflix and Youtube on the topic of user experience design. He helps enterprises and startups achieve their goals through product strategy, world class user experience design, software engineering and app development. He is also a mentor, helping others by sharing his story and offering advice to those in startups and product development. Pek's podcast: What is UX? https://whatisux.co/ About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 16 Dec 2021 | Design Future Now with Robert Smith, author of Stop Looking For Zebras | 00:30:56 | |
In this previously live-streamed episode of Design Future Now , host Lee-Sean Huang has a conversation with Robert Smith about mentorship, coaching, running an agency, and more. Robert Smith is a creative director, agency owner, author, creative coach, professor and founding member of RGD (Association of Registered Graphic Designers). After 30 years in the creative industry, Rob is as inspired, driven and energized as he was the day he started his career. Through Think-Smith, Rob’s helps other designers and design teams feel the same way with workshops, coaching and strategies. Pre-order Robert’s new book Stop Looking For Zebras on the Think-Smith site here: https://www.think-smith.com/stoplookingforzebras Watch the captioned video version of the interview here: https://www.aiga.org/inspiration/talks/robert-smith-design-future-live-with-robert-smith | |||
| 16 Apr 2020 | Giorgia Lupi on Data Humanism | 00:24:46 | |
This episode is adapted from a webinar conversation that Design Future Now host Lee-Sean Huang had with Giorgia Lupi, an information designer, advocate for Data Humanism, and a partner at Pentagram. Prior to joining Pentagram, Giorgia was a co-founder of Accurat, a data-driven design firm with offices in Milan and New York. She has been named One of "Fast Company's" 100 Most Creative People in Business, and she recently joined MIT Media Lab as a Director’s Fellow. She has spoken at conferences like TED and Adobe’s 99u and has exhibited her work at places including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. You can view the closed-captioned video of Giorgia Lupi's full webinar, which includes a visual introduction to her work here: https://www.aiga.org/aiga/content/tools-and-resources/commitment-to-community/data--design-pop-up-qa-with-giorgia-lupi/ | |||
| 17 Mar 2022 | Michael Arndt on Snails & Monkey Tails: A Visual Guide to Punctuation & Symbols | 00:30:20 | |
Join host Lee-Sean Huang for Design Future Live, an interview show about how the design industry is changing as a discipline and opportunities this creates for the design community. In this episode, we will be talking with Michael Arndt about his upcoming book, Snails & Monkey Tails A Visual Guide to Punctuation & Symbols. This interview was originally livestreamed on Tuesday, March 15, 2022. Order Snails & Monkey Tails from Amazon or wherever you get books: amzn.to/3JhYqEh Michael Arndt is an award-winning graphic designer and author and illustrator of several books including Cat Says Meow and other animalopoeia, My Heart Grows, Minimal New York City: Graphic, Gritty, and Witty, One Yellow Sun, Thoughts Are Air, and rAinbowZ. His love of language and typography inspired this book. Michael lives in New York City with his dog Clooney and his cat Greta. In his spare time, he can be found online correcting other people’s punctuation. | |||
| 14 Jun 2022 | Design Adjacent with Lisa Sasaki, Interim Director of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum on field trips, creating connections between people and objects, and museums without walls | 00:36:53 | |
Lisa Sasaki is currently the interim director of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum. The new museum was established by Congress in late 2020 as part of the Smithsonian. Lisa was appointed interim director in March 2021and before joining the Smithsonian, she was the director of the Audience and Civic Engagement Center at the Oakland Museum of California. Lisa was the director of program development at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) in Los Angeles from 2003 until 2012, where she directed major institutional projects. During her tenure at JANM, she supervised the museum’s curatorial, public programs, web, education and collections departments and managed and led the strategic planning for programs, exhibitions, audience development and fundraising. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 13 Oct 2022 | Design Adjacent with Camille Finan, Host and Producer of Remodel Your Life Podcast on false assumptions, finding allies in your space, over meeting expectations, and internalizing functionality | 00:44:02 | |
For more than 25 years, Camille Finan has been building kitchens and helping women create something beautiful. She started her journey in a rather unexpected way though. She was a business development consultant and taught marketing to graduate students in California, and while she loved helping people start and grow small businesses, she didn’t feel she had the chance to be very creative with her hands. She shut down her business and went back to the basics. She dug ditches and hung drywall in the beginning but slowly over time, she realized she really loved carpentry and joined the carpenters union. That led her down a path of exploring different kinds of carpentry, eventually falling in love with kitchens. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 30 Nov 2021 | Design Adjacent: Isaiah Steinfeld on entrepreneurship, mentorship, and the future of design | 00:33:12 | |
Isaiah Steinfeld is a proven startup veteran and innovation leader with the unique ability to deeply empathize with the user/customer while creating a big product vision. In the entrepreneurial space, he focuses on innovation capability that helps identify, develop, and invest in new future-focused opportunities. In this episode of AIGA Design Adjacent, Bennie Johnson talks with Isaiah about entrepreneurship, mentorship, and the future of design. About Isaiah Steinfeld Isaiah Steinfeld has successfully built, launched, and scaled disruptive products and businesses (Lyft, Intuit Workforce) for over a decade. Steinfeld most recently participated in the On Deck Founder Fellowship program, researching and building in the early stages of his next startup. Before On Deck, Steinfeld held a leadership role as a Digital Product Leader and Entrepreneur at Nike inside their Advanced Innovation division: Valiant Labs, where he led global exploration around emerging technologies like AI/ML, IoT, XR, and Blockchain and founded new business ventures/startups to help create the future of sport and commerce for Nike. In addition to leading and growing companies, Isaiah publicly speaks and writes about innovation, design, and technology. He is also actively involved in the tech community serving as a mentor, advisor, and investor with various startups, funds, and early-stage accelerators (TechStars, Berkeley Blockchain, MIT Technology Review, and more) focused primarily on early and growth-stage companies in the software and emerging tech space. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 22 Sep 2022 | Fireside Chat with Robin Petravic, Co-owner and Managing Director of Heath Ceramics | 00:44:44 | |
AIGA Executive Director Bennie F. Johnson talks with today's leaders in design, business, and technology, focused around the topics of leadership growth, the future of work, and creating a culture of design. Join us in welcoming Robin Petravic, Co-owner and Managing Director of Heath Ceramics. Heath Ceramics is the 2022 AIGA Corporate Leadership Awardee. Founded in 1948 in Sausalito, California, is an American maker of goods for the home. The company is best known for its handcrafted tableware and architectural tile in distinctive glazes. Led by husband and wife, Robin Petravic and Catherine Bailey, who are shaping the relationship we have to things we own, and the way we come to own them. | |||
| 16 Dec 2019 | AIGA Design Future Now Extended Trailer | 00:02:49 | |
Season 1 Trailer Transcript
Tina Park: When we explain something like this, people say, "so how is that design?"
Lee-Sean Huang: Maybe that should be the name of the podcast, "So How Is That Design?
Jack Roberts: It's really an identity crisis. We had this shared struggle, this shared identity of designers against the world, and struggling for their say at the table and really working very hard for it. But it's not that different than so many other social movements.
Jodi Forlizzi: We are no longer designing one thing, but we're designing systems of interconnected services, people, and resources. That means that designers really need to shift the way that they think and the way that they design.
Sarah Gibbons: We can create culture, and businesses can start to embed design at a strategy level. We haven't even started to see the effects of what that can mean for the products we create and the businesses that become.
Lee-Sean Huang: How is design changing as a discipline and profession and how do we face these challenges and opportunities as a community? We explore these questions and more on Design Future Now from AIGA, the professional association for design.
Jack Roberts: I am a little bit cowboy and a little bit Indian. I'm both Cherokee Native American and also grew up in the Wild West of Oklahoma, a place not many people venture out of, to places like New York or Los Angeles or Paris, where I spend most of my time.
Growing up in the Cherokee nation, the way that I did, moving around as much as I did and reinventing myself constantly, I started to notice these patterns. And really to me, design is ultimately about finding the insights of patterning and clustering and pulling those out and weaving them together into something that's meaningful. It's really about meaning-making, and storytelling is essentially the same thing. It's the vehicle that allows us to make meaning.
I have a queue of over a hundred websites I've designed that I'll never do anything with simply because it's my stress relief. And I think that the stories that I tell ultimately have a real design through-line.
Miya Osaki: With tech and healthcare right now, it is at a breakneck speed. And we're not sure if the right things are getting designed. And we may not know that, but now's the opportunity for designers to get involved, to try to influence that.
To get to the areas that we want to impact in healthcare, we really have to think about what are patients doing. What are doctors doing? How do we want them to do things differently in the future?
We want to improve the experience for cancer patients, or we want to change a conversation between a patient and a doctor. And that's really different than saying we're going to redesign the signage in an emergency room. We think it's a shift to defined our space before implementation because you really have to focus on the needs of users, and that's what design does best. But in healthcare, if you don't do that very early in the process, you kind of lose your window of opportunity.
Email: podcast@aiga.org // Leave us a voicemail: https://anchor.fm/designfuturenow
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| 04 Feb 2022 | Special Edition: More mentorship, please! But what does that mean? | 00:47:15 | |
“Mentorship” is one one of those warm fuzzy words. We know we want it. We know it’s a good thing. But what exactly does mentorship mean, and how do we make it work for our own unique needs? How can we be more effective mentors and mentees? We explore these questions in this special edition of the AIGA Design Podcast, where we revisit the voices of experts who have spoken to our community over the last few years. We also do a deep dive into AIGA NY’s Mentorship Program to understand what it takes to structure and sustain meaningful professional relationships. This episode was produced and hosted by Lee-Sean Huang, director of design content and learning. Additional production assistance by Tanvi Bihani. Special thanks to Stacey Panousopoulos. View the full transcript of the episode here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/artllnubjirixo0/AIGA-Podcast-MoreMentorship.txt?dl=0 Here are all of the guest voices you will hear on the show (in order of first appearance):
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| 19 May 2022 | Fireside Chat with Bennie F. Johnson and Lynda Decker, Creative Director at Decker Design | 00:42:16 | |
Join AIGA's Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with design industry leaders and innovators. These conversations seek to inspire dynamic new conversations in and outside of the design community. This episode's guest is Lynda Decker, Creative Director at Decker Design. Watch the video version of this episode here: https://vimeo.com/707103701 This episode was originally livestreamed during the AIGA Design + Business Conference 2022. | |||
| 08 Nov 2021 | ReStart: Molly Murphy on using data to design hybrid experiences | 00:33:34 | |
Molly Murphy is Co-Managing Director of Gensler's New York office. Molly champions collaboration, design innovation, and entrepreneurial thinking. She co-founded the Digital Experience Design (DXD) practice, overseeing its operational strategy and implementation across multiple offices as well as co-founded Intelligent Places, the firm’s expertise in harnessing data analytics to advance performance of the built environment. This episode was originally published as a video recording on AIGA.org. You can watch the captioned video here: https://www.aiga.org/inspiration/talks/molly-murphy-the-restart-with-molly-murphy | |||
| 14 Dec 2021 | Design Adjacent - Terry Irwin on wicked problems, shifting mindsets, and tango | 00:35:05 | |
On this episode of AIGA Design Adjacent… Terry Irwin is a professor in the School of Design at Carnegie Mellon University and the Director of its Transition Design Institute. From 2009 until 2019, she was the Head of the School of Design, where she led the faculty in a redesign of curricula at the undergraduate, masters and doctoral levels to place design for society and the environment at the heart of all programs. In this episode of the AIGA Design Adjacent, Bennie Johnson talks with Terry about wicked problems, shifting our mindsets, waking up the knowledge we already have, and tango. About Terry Irwin Terry Irwin is a Professor in the School of Design at Carnegie Mellon University and the Director of its Transition Design Institute. From 2009 until 2019 she was the Head of the School of Design, where she led the faculty in a redesign of curricula at the undergraduate, masters and doctoral levels to place design for society and the environment at the heart of all programs. In 2003 Terry briefly left the field of design and moved to Devon, England to undertake a master’s Degree in Holistic Science at Schumacher College/Plymouth University, with the goal of learning to design in a more sustainable and socially responsible way. After completing her master’s degree, Terry joined the faculty at Schumacher College and taught design to students from diverse backgrounds such as biology, ecology, physics, sociology and activism. In 2007 she moved to Scotland to undertake doctoral studies at the Centre for the Study of Natural Design at the University of Dundee. Since completing those studies, Terry’s efforts have been directed toward seeding and catalyzing positive, systems-level change within design education and practice. Her recent work has focused on making the tools and approaches used by designers available to transdisciplinary teams working to address complex, systems problems. In 2015, along with co-creators Gideon Kossoff and Cameron Tonkinwise, Terry launched Transition Design, a new area of design focus aimed at addressing wicked problems and catalyzing societal transitions toward more sustainable, equitable and desirable long-term futures. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 05 Dec 2022 | The Black Experience in Design: Identity, Expression & Reflection with Anne H. Berry, Jennifer Rittner, and Kelly Walters (RECORDED LIVE in Seattle at the AIGA Design Conference) | 00:37:51 | |
The Black Experience in Design: Identity, Expression & Reflection spotlights teaching practices, research, stories, and conversations from a Black/African diasporic lens. Lee-Sean Huang, AIGA's director of design content and learning interviews editors Anne H. Berry, Jennifer Rittner, and Kelly Walters about the purpose, people, and processes behind the book. This episode was recorded live at the AIGA Design Conference in Seattle in October 2022. Fast Company recently named The Black Experience in Design one of the best design books of 2022. | |||
| 10 Dec 2021 | Design Future Now: Studio HMVD on navigating appropriation and reuse of creative work with integrity | 00:35:23 | |
In this special edition of Design Future Now, host Lee-Sean Huang has a conversation with Studio HMVD partners Heather-Mariah Dixon and Abigail Kerns about their branding and content production studio, creative appropriation, navigating permissions and licensing for creative content, and more. Studio HMVD http://studiohmvd.com/ Watch the video version of this episode here: https://www.aiga.org/inspiration/talks/heather-mariah-dixon-abigail-kerns-design-future-now-with-studio-hmvd Links to professionals mentioned in the show:
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| 29 Apr 2020 | Richard Ting on Digital Craft | 00:41:46 | |
Richard Ting, Executive Vice President, Global Chief Experience Officer, and US Chief Creative Officer at R/GA talks with Design Future Now's Lee-Sean Huang about digital craft, moving from "human centered design" to "humanity centered design," and more. Richard is a C-suite partner to R/GA’s global client roster. Richard has 20 years of experience in building, guiding, and directing world class digital design teams to envision, pilot, and commercialize innovative digital products, services, and customer experiences. Richard is also a co-Founder and Partner in R/GA Ventures and has worked with and advised more than 80 early-to-growth stage startups. While overseeing and setting the vision for R/GA’s global team of multi-disciplinary designers, Richard ensures that his teams are highly skilled in design thinking, product innovation, service design, commerce, prototyping, and digital marketing. In recent years, Richard has worked with a wide range of companies including Nike, Samsung, Google, Verizon, and Equinox and has received nearly every major industry creative award, including the Cannes Titanium Lion, the D&AD Black Pencil, and the Grand CLIO. Throughout his career, Richard has been a much sought-after industry leader and has served on a number of creative award show juries such as The One Show, The Art Director’s Club, the International CLIO Awards, and the London International Awards. Additionally, Richard has spoken at prominent conferences such as Cannes, RISE, SXSWi, and CES and written articles for Harvard Business Review, The Atlantic, Huffington Post, and Advertising Age. Richard currently serves on the AIGA National Board of Directors and National Conference Chair and is an executive member of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Aside from his professional pursuits, Richard has deep subject matter expertise on sports, sneakers, and hip hop music. To learn more about Richard, follow @flytip on Twitter. | |||
| 12 Aug 2024 | Community Engagement & Cultural Change with Jenn Stucker | 00:48:23 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, host Lee-Sean Huang interviews Jenn Stucker, Associate Professor and Chair of Graphic Design at Bowling Green State University. They discuss the importance of community engagement in design, the expanding definition of design as a profession, the role of design communities like AIGA in career development and standard setting, and more.
Additional Notes:
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| 25 Jan 2022 | Design Adjacent: Cheryl Heller on career changes, innovation, doing things the hard way, and being an entrepreneur | 00:42:28 | |
Cheryl Heller is a leader, designer, scholar, business strategist and an author. Her experience spans corporate, philanthropic, nonprofit, and academic worlds, and in each role and organization, she has created and grown groundbreaking programs. She founded two companies and created successful new programs at the School of Visual Arts in New York and Arizona State University. She has taught creativity to leaders around the world, helped grow clients’ businesses from small regional enterprises to multi-billion global market leaders, launched category-redefining divisions and products, reinvigorated cultures, and designed strategies for hundreds of successful entrepreneurs. About Cheryl Heller Cheryl Heller is a leader, designer, scholar, business strategist and an author. Her experience spans corporate, philanthropic, nonprofit, and academic worlds, and in each role and organization, she has created and grown groundbreaking programs. She founded two companies and created successful new programs at the School of Visual Arts in New York and Arizona State University. She has taught creativity to leaders around the world, including the USA, UK, Kenya, Mexico, Ghana, Sierra Leone, India, China and South Korea. She has helped grow clients’ businesses from small regional enterprises to multi-billion global market leaders, launched category-redefining divisions and products, reinvigorated cultures, and designed strategies for hundreds of successful entrepreneurs. Cheryl’s most recent position was ASU’s Director of Design Integration and Professor of Practice in Innovation U, she launched the first transdisciplinary STEM MS program in innovation and venture development, relaunched and scaled a transdisciplinary undergrad program, and developed curriculum for an engineering design program. Prior to joining ASU, Cheryl launched and chaired the first STEM master’s program in Design for Social Innovation at the School of Visual Arts in New York. She has also led a multi-year project using design to support youth as they age out of foster care and she recently completed her doctoral research on the performative role that language plays in our ability to design for social equity. And, in 2014, Cheryl was awarded the AIGA Medal for her contribution to the field of design: “Recognized for deftly embodying the many dimensions of communication design and for inspiring and guiding people and organizations to use design for social innovation as a strategic tool to improve the human experience.” About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 15 May 2020 | Bobby Alexis and Roger Manix on Play | 00:51:09 | |
In this final episode of season 1, we hear from Bobby Alexis and Roger Manix, co-founders of a new company called Ludolo, which helps remote teams increase creativity, productivity, and develop a sense of belonging, through play. We talked about the importance of play even during a pandemic, the neuroscience behind play, the challenges and opportunities of starting up during a crisis, and more. Design Future Now is a production of AIGA, the professional association for design. | |||
| 18 Feb 2025 | How to Work Less, Earn More with Karl Sakas | 00:51:21 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, host Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello interview author and consultant Karl Sakas ("Say Kiss”). Karl’s clients often call him their “agency therapist.” They discuss the challenges agency owners face, including misconceptions about agency ownership, pricing strategies, and the importance of understanding market rates. Karl shares insights on productizing services, revenue growth, and how to escape the daily grind of agency ownership. The conversation emphasizes the need for agency owners to work smarter, not harder, and to focus on their strengths while delegating tasks effectively. They also delve into various aspects of running an agency, including the challenges of client strategy and sales, the importance of visualizing the future of the agency, understanding cultural differences in business practices, and the multifaceted nature of performance in leadership.
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| 29 Oct 2021 | ReStart: Dr. Tracy Brower on hybrid work, happiness, and creativity. | 00:27:31 | |
Tracy Brower is a PhD sociologist who studies the sociology of work, future of work, workers, and the workplace. Tracy is a principal with Steelcase's applied research and consulting. She is also the author of the Secrets of Happiness at Work and Bring Work to Life by Bringing Life to Work. She's a contributor to forbes.com and fast company among other publications. The ReStart from AIGA is a new content series that helps the design community move forward from COVID by posing salient questions and providing practical strategies Watch the video version of this interview: https://www.aiga.org/inspiration/talks/dr-tracy-brower-the-restart-with-dr-tracy-brower | |||
| 21 Oct 2020 | Lee-Sean gives an update and discusses design and storytelling with Anne-Laure Fayard | 00:28:08 | |
Hi everyone! It's been awhile. COVID-19 shook up our production plans, and we have pivoted to focus on the Design Future Live show on the @AIGADesign Instagram, Wednesdays at 1 pm Eastern. Tune in to this special bonus episode to get a quick update from Lee-Sean and learn how to get a discount code for the upcoming AIGA Design Conference, November 9-14, now 100% online. Lee-Sean also shares the story of his professional journey and shares thoughts on design and storytelling in our crossover with the Design Thinking Roundtable podcast hosted by Anne-Laure Fayard. Anne-Laure is Associate Professor of Innovation, Design and Organizational Studies at New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering and faculty advisor to the NYU chapter of Design for America. Subscribe to the Design Thinking Roundtable podcast on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/designforamerica Or on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/43BX6v41muO31yYRSG0oxL?si=Z0_tHH7UTFSW0CIBsvR_EQ | |||
| 22 Sep 2021 | Megan Marini and Priyanka Jain of 3x3 on Community-Centered Urban Design | 00:27:18 | |
This is the audio version of a livestreamed conversation between Lee-Sean Huang and Megan Marini and Priyanka Jain, co-founders and principals of 3x3 Design.
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| 18 Dec 2024 | Assembling Tomorrow with Scott Doorley & Carissa Carter from the Stanford d.school | 00:44:08 | |
In the second episode of this season of the AIGA Design Podcast, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello interview Scott Doorley and Carissa Carter, professors at the Stanford d.school, discussing their career and their new book Assembling Tomorrow. Their motivation to write the book came from the feeling of how unsettling they believe the world is right now and the belief we can craft a better tomorrow. Carissa believes Design is not just about the products we create but the experiences that create and the system that we live in. In the book, they introduce the concept of Runaway Design and the unpredictability of technology's evolution. They delve into our interactions with materials, physical and digital, and explore the implications that might arise from it. Their book navigates in a fiction and non-fiction space and tackles speculative design methods. Scott and Carissa argue that design begins as fiction since everything is imagined before it’s created. Scott reflects on the fact that society is changing things but challenges listeners by asking: What do we actually want to change? The conversation also touches on their evolving relationships with AI tools and how this is part of their creative process in an exploratory way. They share how some of their students are exploring AI’s limitations in the physical world and reflecting on how this highlights the depth of human knowledge. They believe their work is bringing visibility to the invisibility brought by technology. What about you? How are you shaping the future you believe in? Assembling Tomorrow: https://amzn.to/3P3QzP7 Watch the video version of the AIGA Design Podcast on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBsiKvJPy6IEKSanoWtz2-xFggU0ncuBM | |||
| 06 Oct 2022 | Design Adjacent with Chris Hervochon, Better Way CPA, virtual CFO for marketing and creative agencies and nonprofit organizations | 00:36:21 | |
On this episode of AIGA Design Adjacent…Moving from hobby to work, taking advantage of the experts in your corner, value of a business coach, investing in yourself, making data work for you, and being helpful with Chris Hervochon, Better Way CPA, Virtual CFO for marketing and creative agencies and nonprofit organizations Chris Hervochon, CPA, CVA is the sole proprietor of his CPA firm. Chris Hervochon provides outsourced accounting and tax preparation for small businesses and individuals. Before starting his own CPA firm, Chris spent ten years between forensic accounting and corporate accounting and finance. He has been featured in publications such as the Journal of Accountancy, Accounting Today, AMEX Open Forum, Parakeeto Podcast, The Agency Management Institute Podcast and the Digital Marketing Agency Builders Podcast for his industry knowledge and accounting expertise. Chris' passion for the accounting and finance industry is evident by a number of extra-curricular programs. He volunteers as a committee member of the AICPA Young Member Leadership Committee, and lead of the Retention Task Force. Chris is a member of the Business & Industry and Government Affairs Committees, as well as the CPE Facility Task Force of the South Carolina Association of CPAs. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 15 Jul 2022 | Design Future Live with Beat Baudenbacher | 00:30:29 | |
This episode is a recording of a livestream on 7/12/2022 with Lee-Sean Huang, AIGA's Director of Design Content and Learning and Beat Kaspar Badenbacher, Chief Creative Officer of loyalkaspar and author of the upcoming book, Somewhere Yes: The Search for Belonging in a World Shaped by Branding. | |||
| 23 Dec 2019 | Jack Roberts, Cherokee author, designer, educator, and filmmaker | 00:39:41 | |
Jack Roberts talks to AIGA's Lee-Sean Huang about design, storytelling, leadership, and more. Episode transcript: https://www.aiga.org/aiga/content/inspiration/design-future-now/episode-2/ Jack Roberts is the founder and chief executive of storylab® the global narrativedesign® firm dedicated to transforming the human story. Through storylab® Jack consults Global Top 100s and Fortune 50 companies on narrative design®, storytelling, data synthesis, innovation, change design, communication design, media design, strategic design, business design, creative leadership and leading creatives. He is the inventor of the narrativedesign® framework which is a unique blend of design thinking and storytelling. storylab® uses the framework to transform cultures and build innovative stories in every sector. Additionally, they are using it in the development of original content in global markets from the upcoming traditional TV series, Dadless, to a slate of feature films, as well as new forms of narrative altogether. AIGA, the professional association for design, advances design as a professional craft, strategic advantage, and vital cultural force. As the largest and most influential community of design advocates, AIGA brings together practitioners, enthusiasts, and patrons to amplify the voice of design and creates the vision for a collective future. AIGA defines global standards and ethical practices, guides design education, inspires designers and the public, enhances professional development, and makes powerful tools and resources accessible to all. Join us for the 20th AIGA Design Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 30 to April 1, 2020. For more information and registration, visit designconference.aiga.org. | |||
| 25 Oct 2022 | Design Adjacent with Shauna Carey, Chief Executive Officer, IDEO.org on gratitude, social impact, finding the best solutions, challenges, curving paths, and small steps to the future | 00:25:19 | |
Shauna Carey currently serves as Chief Executive Officer, leveraging her deep expertise in both design and social impact to oversee the strategy and vision for IDEO.org. Previously, in her role as Executive Design Director & Chief Communications Officer, Shauna worked alongside design teams and communities to surface insights to unlock new possibilities, create narratives that inspire action, and share stories about the impact of design. Over the past nine years at IDEO.org, Shauna has worked on projects and programs focused on advancing health equity, criminal justice reform, refugee rights, gender equality, and climate resilience. She also previously served as Managing Director and co-lead of our New York studio. Prior to joining IDEO.org, Shauna worked to expand access to quality education and health care at organizations like Room to Read and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. She also helped launch and grow a number of mission-driven startups in Europe and the San Francisco Bay Area. A social scientist at heart, Shauna holds a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Outside of work, she’s happiest barefoot on a beach somewhere or at home in Brooklyn, where she can usually be found wandering around with a strong cup of coffee in hand. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 28 Apr 2022 | Design Future Live with JoAnn Holmes on Intellectual Property and Web3 | 00:33:54 | |
This episode is a recording of an interactive livestream hosted by Lee-Sean Huang, AIGA's director of design content and learning, in conversation with JoAnn Holmes, an IP and digital asset attorney and host of the "Your Business Ally" podcast. Jo helps creators develop smart Web3 strategies to monetize intellectual property. Her expertise helps clients navigate a range of IP and Web3 topics, including , NFTs, blockchain tech, regulations, taxes, and contracts. Jo will also be doing a workshop on intellectual property and Web 3.0 at the AIGA Design + Business Conference, May 4-6 (Online). Join us: https://www.aiga.org/design/design-conferences/aiga-design-business-conference Watch the video version of this episode here: https://vimeo.com/703971387 | |||
| 20 Sep 2022 | Design Adjacent with Llisa Demetrios, Chief Curator, Eames Institute on infinite curiosity, chain reactions, design as a method of action, addressing needs, creating connections, and sustainability | 00:37:12 | |
Llisa Demetrios, the youngest granddaughter of Ray and Charles Eames, is a third generation maker, following in the footsteps of her creative legacy. Llisa is leading the Eames Institute as Chief Curator, and has previous experience as an Archivist at the MoMA, Eames Official, and has dedicated her life to keeping the Eames name present throughout design endeavors. Additionally, Llisa is on the Board of Directors for the Petaluma Arts Center, and is a passionate bronze sculptor. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 26 Nov 2021 | Design Future Live with Pek Pongpaet | 00:32:24 | |
Join host Lee-Sean Huang for an interview show about how the design industry is changing as a discipline and opportunities this creates for the design community. In this episode, we will be talking with Pek Pongpaet about design entrepreneurship, mentorship, and more. This episode originally aired as a livestream on November 17, 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=180uN44_vbI Pek Pongpaet is the founder of Impekable, a digital product studio that helps enterprise and B2B SaaS companies create better products through user experience design. Impekable has designed and created products for X, Alphabet's moonshot factory, Adobe, Twilio, Pentair, two startups acquired by Palo Alto Networks. Impekable has been recognized as one of America's fastest growing businesses on the Inc. 5000 list 3 times in a row. | |||
| 01 Mar 2022 | Design Thinking? Thank an Engineer. | 00:43:15 | |
This episode is the audio version of Steven McCarthy's article in Dialectic (Volume III, Issue I): "Design Thinking? Thank an Engineer, read by Lee-Sean Huang. Dialectic is an open access scholarly journal of thought leadership, education and practice in the discipline of visual communication design published by the AIGA Design Educators Community and Michigan Publishing. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3998/dialectic.14932326.0003.102 Abstract: The methodology of Design Thinking is pervasive across design disciplines, and to some degree business culture, with many crediting its origins to the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design — the “d.school” — at Stanford University. The d.school was preceded however by decades of curricular innovation, studio practice and research by faculty in Stanford’s Department of Mechanical Engineer- ing and Department of Art as they hosted the Joint [Graduate] Program in Design. Three engineering professors in particular developed concepts in “creative engineering,” “visual thinking,” and “concep- tual blockbusting” that will be shown to be foundational to design thinking. Their ideas influenced Stanford design alumnus David Kelley whose company IDEO brought design thinking to corporations and institutions globally. Biography: Professor Steven McCarthy (MFA, Stanford University) has been on the University of Minnesota graphic design faculty since 1998, and recently achieved emeritus status. He taught graphic design at Northern Kentucky University for nine years prior to this. His long-standing interest in theories of design authorship as both scholar and practitioner has led to lectures, exhibits, publications and grant-funded research in a dozen countries. McCarthy’s creative work has been in over 135 juried and invitational exhibitions, and has been awarded inclusion in the AIGA annual and in Graphis Poster. Institutional ‘special collections’ that have acquired McCarthy’s work include these universities and art and design academies: Yale, Harvard, Stanford, Virginia Commonwealth, Minnesota, Cincinnati, Ohio State, the Art Institute of Chicago and Washington (Seattle). He has published written work in Design Issues, Eye, Visible Language, Visual Design Scholarship, The Poster, and Visual Communication among others. His book on the topic of design authorship, The Designer As... Author, Producer, Activist, Entrepreneur, Curator and Collaborator: New Models for Communicating was published in 2013 by BIS Publishers, Amsterdam.
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| 17 Dec 2019 | Sarah Gibbons and Jodi Forlizzi, AIGA Design Conference 2020 Speakers | 00:15:50 | |
Sarah Gibbons, Chief Designer, Nielsen Norman Group, and Jodi Forlizzi, Professor and Geschke Director, HCII, Carnegie Mellon University, talk to Lee-Sean Huang about their work and how they have applied and expanded their expertise in communication design to the wider context of services and systems. Both Sarah and Jodi are scheduled to speak at the 20th AIGA Design Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 30 to April 1, 2020. For more information and to register for the conference, visit designconference.aiga.org. Transcript: www.aiga.org/aiga/content/inspiration/design-future-now/episode-1/ About AIGA | |||
| 23 Aug 2022 | Design Adjacent with Margot Bloomstein, Author, Principal of Appropriate, Inc. on interpersonal relationships, leading with the human side, what a company can do to demonstrate trust | 00:36:49 | |
Margot Bloomstein is one of the most prominent voices in the content strategy industry. She is the author of Trustworthy: How the Smartest Brands Beat Cynicism and Bridge the Trust Gap and Content Strategy at Work: Real-World Stories to Strengthen Every Interactive Project and the principal of Appropriate, Inc., a brand and content strategy consultancy based in Boston. As a speaker and strategic adviser, she has worked with marketing teams in a range of organizations over the past two decades. The creator of BrandSort, she developed the popular message architecture-driven approach to content strategy. Margot teaches in the content strategy graduate program at FH Joanneum University in Graz, Austria, and lectures around the world about brand-driven content strategy and designing for trust. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 21 Dec 2021 | Fireside Chat with Randy J. Hunt, former Head of Design at Grab | 00:44:24 | |
AIGA Executive Director Bennie F. Johnson talks with today's leaders in design, business, and technology, focused around the topics of leadership growth, the future of work, and creating a culture of design. Join us in welcoming Randy J. Hunt, Head of Design at Grab, where he leads a team of designers, writers, engineers, and researchers who create Southeast Asia’s Super App. Watch the captioned video version of this interview here: https://www.aiga.org/inspiration/talks/randy-hunt-fireside-chat-with-randy-hunt | |||
| 20 May 2024 | Pivoting your Creative Business with Matthew McIver | 00:45:25 | |
What does an evolving design studio look like and how do you make money while maintaining your passion? In this episode, AIGA Member Matthew McIver, a creative entrepreneur and owner of Commence Studio, and Lee-Sean Huang, senior director of learning and programs at AIGA, unravel the intricacies of pivoting business models and pricing strategies. Join us as we we explore Matthew's entrepreneurial journey over the past 15 years, uncovering valuable lessons learned and the evolution of Commence Studio's approach to business and client relationships. Topics include: 1️⃣ Entrepreneurial journey: Explore the lessons learned and key milestones that shaped Commence Studio's evolution. 2️⃣ Navigating margins and profitability: Dive into the strategies for managing both creative and financial margins to foster maximum creativity and business success. 3️⃣ Business model pivots: Learn how Commence Studio adapted its pricing strategies to meet the changing demands of the market. 💼 Matthew McIver is a creative entrepreneur and owner of Commence Studio based in Reno, Nevada. Commence Studio is a B2B Brand and E-commerce Agency that helps purpose-driven companies be seen & heard. 🎧 Learn more about Matthew's agency journey here. 📫 Subscribe to AIGA newsletters for the latest podcast and content news. | |||
| 21 Apr 2025 | Designing Memory: Exploring Syria’s Creative Legacy with Kinda Ghannoum | 00:29:54 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, Kinda Ghannoum shares her captivating journey from architecture into the vibrant world of graphic design, emphasizing her passion for preserving cultural heritage through the Syrian Design Archive. Hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello discuss with Kinda the vital role design plays in documenting history, elevating cultural identities, and inspiring future creativity amidst political challenges. Kinda explores the nuanced relationship between her Polish and Syrian heritage, revealing how these cultural layers enrich her creative process and contribute to her distinct approach to design. She emphasizes accessibility and storytelling, underlining the significance of sharing design resources widely and effectively. The conversation delves into the broader landscape of Arabic visual identity, showcasing how each Arab country preserves tradition while cultivating unique design aesthetics. Kinda highlights Arabic script's integral role in visual storytelling and cultural representation. She also shares her experiences collaborating on the Syrian Design Archive, underscoring collective storytelling and teamwork in promoting cultural understanding and appreciation. How do you preserve cultural authenticity while embracing modern design practices? Connect with Kinda Ghannoum on Instagram Explore the Syrian Design Archive on Facebook and Instagram Kinda’s book recommendation: The Arab of the Future Join us for the 2025 AIGA Design Conference, October 9-11 in Los Angeles, California – https://www.aiga.org/design/aiga-design-conference | |||
| 15 Mar 2022 | Ian Lynam on the Impossibility of Silence: Writing for Designers, Artists & Photographers | 00:38:08 | |
Join host Lee-Sean Huang for Design Future Live, an interview show about how the design industry is changing as a discipline and opportunities this creates for the design community. In this episode, we will be talking with Ian Lynam about his book, The Impossibility of Silence: Writing for Designers, Artists & Photographers. This interview was originally livestreamed on Wednesday, March 9, 2022. Watch the video version of the interview here: https://www.aiga.org/inspiration/talks/ian-lynam-design-future-live-with-ian-lynam Buy The Impossibility of Silence on Artbook.com. Use code AIGAMEMBER25 for 25% off: https://www.artbook.com/9789493148390.html From the publisher of The Impossibility of Silence: Despite the seemingly common expectation that art should be able to speak for itself, creators are often asked to explain the process behind their work, their experiences in their vocation, and, perhaps most dauntingly, the meaning conveyed by any particular piece. Drawing upon his own unique career trajectory across multiple fields as a writer, designer and teacher, Tokyo-based artist Ian Lynam offers readers a variety of approaches to writing about creative fields.Called “the Hunter S. Thompson of design writing,” Lynam uses his industry knowledge and sharp sense of humor to convey his philosophy on writing specifically in a professional creative setting. This volume is not so much a straightforward how-to guide on how to write an artist’s statement as it is an honest meditation on how difficult—and how important—it is for creators to have the facilities to articulate the ethos behind their own work. Lynam encourages readers to think of the blank page as another sort of canvas, a space of potential, a landscape on which an artist may explore themselves and their work farther than they thought possible. Lynam provides both inspirational text as a jumping-off point for readers as well as concrete techniques in terms of craft. | |||
| 31 Jul 2024 | Clip: Community Engagement & Cultural Change with Jenn Stucker | 00:00:53 | |
Full episode coming August 12, 2024 Jenn Stucker, Associate Professor and Chair of Graphic Design at Bowling Green State University: "As a person that chairs my program, I often have to meet with prospective students and their parents. And I talk about those common notions, right? It's like, 'okay, so where did your interest come from?' And I'm sure, and I hear things like 'logos, brochures, t-shirts, you know, that's why I'm interested in this.' And I said, 'you know, those are great.' I said, 'but I want you to know it is much more than that.' And I said, 'at the heart, it's about improving everyday lives.' That is a core tenet of the way we feel about it here, and that we do that through experience and behavior. Start small, but think big. I think we all want to save the world. We all want to do really, really big, impactful things. But things happen through cultural shift and cultural change. And so, Yes, there are big flashbang things that make change happen great, you know, but there's also things that have to happen incrementally, and why not be part of that incremental space change." | |||
| 15 Jan 2020 | Miya Osaki and Tina Park, Healthcare Experience Designers, Educators, and Podcasters | 00:41:19 | |
"So, how is that design?!" Miya Osaki and Tina Park, founders of Diagram Design, educators at the School of Visual Arts, and podcasters at Yah No Podcast talk with Lee-Sean Huang about the urgent need for design in healthcare and their unconventional paths to getting to where they are now. Transcript: https://www.aiga.org/aiga/content/inspiration/design-future-now/episode-3/ Miya brings her skills in interaction design, human-centered research, storytelling, and behavior design to create experiences that improve outcomes and empower patients. Prior to founding Diagram, Miya served as Director of Experience Design at Johnson & Johnson's Global Strategic Design Office where she created innovative solutions for patients managing chronic conditions. She has received patients and awards for device designs and interfaces for people living with diabetes. She is the pioneer recipient of a Design Matters Fellowship with the UNICEF Innovation team. Miya was recently appointed as Chair to MFA Design for Social Innovation at the School of Visual Arts. Miya earned an MFA from Art Center College of Design, Media Design Program and a BA in Printmaking and Art History, UC Santa Cruz. She has received 2 patents and awards for her blood glucose meter UI designs. Tina has had significant experience in leading innovative research within healthcare organizations. At Johnson & Johnson's Global Strategic Design Office she pioneered a design research team implementing innovative research methods that uncover the voice of the patient. She has also held research posts at Stanford University Hospital working on Project HealthDesign – a grant funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and with the Palo Alto Medical Foundation on Diabetes management. She has served as an adjunct instructor in The School of Visual Arts’ master’s program, Design for Social Innovation. Tina holds a BFA from Pratt Institute and an MFA from Art Center College of Design. Her work has been published in several textbooks and international journals. AIGA, the professional association for design, advances design as a professional craft, strategic advantage, and vital cultural force. As the largest and most influential community of design advocates, AIGA brings together practitioners, enthusiasts, and patrons to amplify the voice of design and creates the vision for a collective future. AIGA defines global standards and ethical practices, guides design education, inspires designers and the public, enhances professional development, and makes powerful tools and resources accessible to all. Learn more at aiga.org/about. Join us for the 20th AIGA Design Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 30 to April 1, 2020. For more information and registration, visit designconference.aiga.org. | |||
| 25 Oct 2021 | Fireside Chat with Robbie Tseng, Vice President, Growth Design at HBO Max | 00:39:12 | |
AIGA Executive Director Bennie F. Johnson talks with today's leaders in design, business, and technology, focused around the topics of leadership growth, the future of work, and creating a culture of design. Join us in welcoming Robbie Tseng, Vice President, Growth Design at HBO Max. This Fireside Chat was originally livestreamed on October 13, 2021. Watch the captioned video version here: https://www.aiga.org/inspiration/talks/robbie-tseng-fireside-chat-with-robbie-tseng As the largest professional membership association for design, AIGA offers you deep personal connections with your community. Your membership dues are an investment in yourself, your profession, and a network of creative changemakers, problem solvers, and professionals. Join today: https://aigadsgn.org/3iEEqRa | |||
| 04 Dec 2023 | Colton Schweitzer on Kickass UX | 00:47:50 | |
In this episode Colton Schweitzer, co-founder of Kickass UX and Lee-Sean Huang, senior director of learning and programs at AIGA talk about:
Use code AIGA75 for $75 off your first month of Kickass UX's UX/UI Expert course AIGA's Design Futures research referenced in the episode Colton's cartoon alter ego, Kitty AF recently released a holiday book How the Cat Ruined Christmas Irish Bouzouki clip by PhotoCapeBreton via Pixabay This is the final episode of 2023. Happy holidays! See you next year. | |||
| 22 Dec 2021 | Fireside Chat with Theresa Fitzgerald, VP Creative, Sesame Workshop | 00:38:24 | |
AIGA Executive Director Bennie F. Johnson talks with today's leaders in design, business, and technology, focused around the topics of leadership growth, the future of work, and creating a culture of design. Join us in welcoming Theresa Fitzgerald, Vice President of Creative at Sesame Workshop. Watch the captioned video version of this Fireside Chat here: https://www.aiga.org/inspiration/talks/theresa-fitzgerald-fireside-chat-with-theresa-fitzgerald | |||
| 15 Feb 2023 | Rodrigo Canales and Michael Bierut on Business Perspectives for Creative Leaders | 00:08:31 | |
“If you want to be a truly effective designer, you need to make sure that whatever it is that you’re designing is also designed to reside within a broader and more complex organization…and is not just solving for the problem that you are analyzing, which is what designers are excellent at.” - Rodrigo Canales Rodrigo Canales, Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Yale School of Management, and Michael Bierut, Partner at Pentagram discuss the challenges that designers face as we advance as leaders in our careers and how the Business Perspectives for Creative Leaders program equips design leaders to address those challenges. Join us for our Business Perspectives for Creative Leaders open house on Thursday, February 16 at 3 pm Eastern. RSVP: https://my.aiga.org/event-details?id=04831ca3-ba96-ed11-a81b-000d3a000cf9 And learn more about the program here: https://www.aiga.org/professional-development/business-perspectives-for-creative-leaders | |||
| 04 Oct 2022 | Design Adjacent with AIGA Medalist Archie Boston on design spirituality, art, culture, and industry, learning for the sake of knowledge, capturing history, and helping others through design | 00:40:36 | |
Archie is a nationally known art director, designer, author, business owner, and educator. He was chair of the Graphic Design Program at California State University Long Beach for 12 terms and was named Outstanding Professor of the Year in 2004. He has also operated his design-consulting firm, Archie Boston Graphic Design, since 1972. He was the first African American recipient of the prestigious AIGA Fellows Award from the Los Angeles Chapter of AIGA in 2007. The Fellows Award recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to raise the standards of excellence in practice and conduct within their local or regional design community. In 2021, he was the recipient of the AIGA Medal for expanding voice—he was recognized for his longstanding commitment to his students as an educator, mentor, and profound influence on the community of Los Angeles, as well as his bold, funny, polemical designs from a lifetime body of work. Archie and his brother, David, are the creative force that created the 2016 documentary, Black Pioneers of the Sunshine City, which has been shown on WEDU in the Central Florida area during Black History Month, since 2017. He was also interviewed and his posters were featured in the documentary, The Real Mad Men of Advertising of the 1960’s, which was donated to The Smithsonian Museum in 2018. As one of the few African-American graphic designers in California, he impacted generations of designers as an educator, writer, and designer. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 04 Mar 2025 | Making Work Suck Less with Erin Shems, Ezippy Co., Creative Operations Agency | 00:51:02 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello interview Erin Shems, a creative operations leader and entrepreneur who has built a career on getting things done. Erin’s unconventional journey started early—first going to work, then going to school—and led her to industries she’s always been drawn to, from video games to toys.Erin is passionate about mental health and human-centered processes, advocating for workplaces where people can be their authentic selves—starting with how they dress and speak. She challenges the idea that authenticity and performance are opposites, instead proposing that authenticity itself is a type of performance. We shift and adapt depending on who we’re with, how we feel, and the dynamics of our work environment.She shares insights from her years leading operations in creative industries, bridging the gap between design, marketing, and business teams. Erin reflects on how technological progress shaped her entry into the industry and speculates on the next generation’s behaviors, especially in the age of social media and AI. She also discusses workplace trends, pointing out how large companies often replicate each other’s initiatives in a “follow-the-leader” mode.Now an entrepreneur, Erin is on a mission to help people make work suck less. She offers practical advice on improving daily routines and embracing more fulfilling professional lives. Her motto? Make work fun again.How do you bring authenticity to your work?Erin’s company: ezippyco.comErin’s linkedin page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinshems/Substack: https://lostwallettheory.substack.com/?utm_source=global-searchJoin us for the 2025 AIGA Design Conference, October 9-11 in Los Angeles, California - https://www.aiga.org/design/aiga-design-conferenceListen/Subscribe to the audio version of this podcast on your preferred platform - https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/aigadesign References mentioned in this episode:The Cerulean Sweater Scene from The Devil Wears Prada: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rDTRuCOs9gThe Straat Museum (Amsterdam): https://straatmuseum.com/enPowerhouse Museum Ultimo (Australia): https://powerhouseultimo.insw.com/ | |||
| 12 Jul 2022 | Design Adjacent with Dave Garrett, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer at PMI on articulating a vision, co-developing solutions, changing methodology, and having impact | 00:33:09 | |
Dave Garrett, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer, drives PMI’s growth strategy by working across the organization to define, test, and deliver solutions that enable individuals and organizations to create impact and propel change. Dave was the co-founder, President and CEO of ProjectManagement.com (formerly Gantthead.com), an online community for project professionals, established in 2000 and acquired by PMI in 2014. Since joining PMI, he has held several leadership roles, including dual role as Director of Digital Presence and CEO of ProjectManagement.com. Dave’s passion for project management led him to serve in multiple volunteer positions for PMI prior to becoming employed by the organization. Earlier in Dave’s career, he also created Project Pain Reliever, a just-in-time handbook for managing projects and has published and bylined dozens of articles related to project management, technology trends, and more. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 03 Apr 2024 | Clip: Margins and Padding of Running a Studio with Matt McIver | 00:08:44 | |
In this preview clip, Matthew McIver and Lee-Sean Huang, AIGA's senior director of learning and programs, discuss the important role of financial margins and padding in business. The AIGA Design Podcast will be going on a brief mid-season spring hiatus and return with our full episode with Matthew on May 20, 2024. 💼 Matthew McIver is a creative entrepreneur and owner of Commence Studio based in Reno, Nevada. Commence Studio is a B2B Brand and E-commerce Agency that helps purpose-driven companies be seen & heard. 📫 Subscribe to AIGA newsletters for the latest podcast and content news. | |||
| 05 May 2022 | Fireside Chat with Bennie F. Johnson and Katrina Alcorn, General Manager, Design at IBM | 00:46:59 | |
Join AIGA's Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with design industry leaders and innovators. These conversations seek to inspire dynamic new conversations in and outside of the design community. The guest in this episode is Katrina Alcorn, General Manager, Design at IBM. This Fireside Chat was recorded and streamed live at the 2022 AIGA Design + Business Conference. Watch the video version of this interview here: https://vimeo.com/706580811 | |||
| 18 Jun 2024 | From the Margins to the Mainstream with Vault49 | 00:49:38 | |
This episode features John Glasgow and Jonathan Kenyon, co-founders of Vault49, which has partnered with the best of the best, from the most recognizable global brands to celebrities and start-ups. Named Global Design Agency of Record for two of Diageo’s biggest brands, Baileys and Guinness, Vault49 also counts Netflix, Gatorade, and Doritos as current clients. Cannes Lions, Clio, D&AD, DBA Design Effectiveness, Pentawards, Design Week, and Dieline have all honored Vault49 with the highest awards. With an ongoing commitment to racial justice in and beyond the creative industry, Vault49 is also a proud founding partner of THE SWAP. This unique creative and cultural exchange program inspires and empowers young people from underrepresented communities. | |||
| 23 Jun 2021 | Esther Mun on the joy of staying small and making tangible things | 00:25:38 | |
Esther Mun co-founded Little Fury Design in 2006 with her partner Tina Gaudin. Little Fury is an independent design studio of artists that specializes in creative strategy, branding, packaging, and illustration. Esther is a graduate of the school of visual arts SVA in New York, where she earned a degree in graphic design. Before starting Little Fury Design, Esther worked at pentagram and at Duffy and partners. Links to things referenced in the episode:
This episode of Design Future Now was originally recorded as a video livestream. Watch the original unedited video interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnCgJMvdDU8&t=32s | |||
| 03 Jun 2021 | R. Michael Hendrix on What Musical Minds Teach Us About Creativity and Innovation | 00:27:55 | |
R. Michael Hendrix is the author of Two Beats Ahead: What Musical Minds Teach Us About Innovation, co-written with Panos A. Panay. Michael is also a partner and global design director at IDEO. He teaches entrepreneurship at the Berklee College of Music. In this episode of Design Future Now, host Lee-Sean Huang talks with Michael about lessons and mindsets from music that designers and other creative leaders can incorporate into their work.
Links to work referenced in the episode:
Follow @AIGADesign on LinkedIn, Facebook, or YouTube to get updates on the latest events and livestreams. | |||
| 07 Mar 2024 | Clip: Designing Your Career with Sarah Doody | 00:01:29 | |
On the next episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, guest Sarah Doody discusses applying product design principles to your career, crafting a career roadmap, and more. Full episode release: March 18, 2024. 🤝 Sarah Doody is the founder of Career Strategy Lab, a program that helps UX and product professionals at all career stages navigate their job search and articulate their skills and experience through individualized and group coaching. She is also the host of the Career Strategy Lab podcast. Topics include: 1️⃣ Crafting a career roadmap: Discover the value of setting short and long-term goals to guide your professional journey. 2️⃣ Building your compass statement: Learn how to articulate your vision and filter opportunities that align with your career aspirations. 3️⃣ The power of anti-networking: Explore strategies for building meaningful relationships and standing out in a crowded job market. | |||
| 27 Nov 2020 | Fireside Chat with Kayo Roehm, 3M Design Officer | 00:36:51 | |
AIGA Executive Director Bennie F. Johnson and 3M Design Officer Kayo Roehm have a conversation about leadership in design at the 2020 AIGA Design Conference | |||
| 09 Feb 2023 | Hugh Dubberly on design as finding balance in systems and why problem solving is not enough | 00:06:22 | |
"Thinking of design as problem-solving is an improvement over thinking of design as art, but as we move into a world of systems, the idea of solving a problem may be replaced by the idea of finding balance in a system..." This clip from Hugh Dubberly is from a never-before-released interview conducted in 2019 at NC State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Hugh will be teaching a workshop on Generative AI for Designers with Shelley Evenson, managing director of Song at the AIGA Executive Leadership Summit (Alexandria, VA, March 12-14, 2023). Learn more and sign up for the AIGA Executive Leadership Summit: https://www.aiga.org/design/design-conferences/aiga-executive-leadership-summit More about Hugh: http://www.dubberly.com/about | |||
| 11 Oct 2022 | Design Adjacent with Paul Taylor, Chief Creative Officer and Founding Partner, BrandOpus on cracked eggs and iconic brands | 00:37:14 | |
Paul Taylor is the Chief Creative Officer and Founding Partner at global branding agency BrandOpus. Founded in 2007, BrandOpus creates meaningful and connected brand experience for some of the world's most revered brands. Fusing wisdom with wonderment, his role today is to lead all creative output across the London, New York, Chicago and Melbourne studios. Paul has served brand experience for a wide portfolio of brands including Nestlé, Kraft Heinz, McCain, Britvic and First Direct. His work has been recognized by the likes of D&AD, The Design Business Association, Pentawards and The Drum. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 15 Dec 2019 | AIGA Design Future Now Teaser | 00:00:59 | |
When we explain something like this, people say, "so how is that design?"
Maybe that should be the name of the podcast, "So How Is That Design?
It's really an identity crisis. We had this shared struggle, this shared identity of designers against the world, and struggling for their say at the table and really working very hard for it. But it's not that different than so many other social movements.
We are no longer designing one thing, but we're designing systems of interconnected services, people, and resources. That means that designers really need to shift the way that they think and the way that they design.
We can create culture, and businesses can start to embed design at a strategy level. We haven't even started to see the effects of what that can mean for the products we create and the businesses that become.
How is design changing as a discipline and profession and how do we face these challenges and opportunities as a community? We explore these questions and more on Design Future Now from AIGA, the professional association for design.
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| 20 Sep 2023 | Steven Steiner on designer archetypes, career coaching, and communicating your value | 00:38:38 | |
What is your designer archetype? Are you a generalist, strategist, researcher, architect, artist, author, or design operations person? How does knowing your archetype help you progress in your career? We discuss these archetypes and more in this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast with our guest Steven Steiner. Steven Steiner is a Career Coach for Designers who helps them get what they want next with the right levels of industry knowledge, rigor, and moral support. Steven’s career achievements include 15+ years as an award-winning designer, manager, and educator. He’s held roles in-house, start-up, and agency teams for international and regional brands where he delivered results for TV, kiosk, responsive web, and mobile experiences. Now, he wants to help YOU reach YOUR career goals. Visit careercoachfordesigners.com to learn more about how Steven can help you right now and join the Career Community for Designers that he hosts on Slack. Connect with Steven on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevensteiner/ | |||
| 23 Jan 2020 | Kim Erwin, healthcare delivery designer and researcher | 00:13:11 | |
Are you a designer curious about working in healthcare? Or you already work in healthcare and are curious about the value of design to improve patient and provider experiences? Kim Erwin shares her wisdom and insights about the role of design and designers in the healthcare multi-system. Transcript: https://www.aiga.org/aiga/content/inspiration/design-future-now/episode-4/ Kim Erwin, MDes, is Associate Director of the Program for Healthcare Delivery Design at the University of Illinois Chicago, and research professor at the UIC School of Design. As Associate Director, Kim works with the UI Health System, other research-oriented health systems, and design strategists to apply design methods to healthcare delivery. Together, they work to align evidence-based interventions with human behavior in order to accelerate adoption by patients and clinical staff. Kim's work leverages systems planning, human-centered research, broad stakeholder engagement and immersive communication to engage organizations in achievable next steps. Prior to joining UIC, Kim was an Associate Professor at IIT’s Institute of Design and Director of its Center for Collaborative Healthcare Design. AIGA, the professional association for design, advances design as a professional craft, strategic advantage, and vital cultural force. As the largest and most influential community of design advocates, AIGA brings together practitioners, enthusiasts, and patrons to amplify the voice of design and creates the vision for a collective future. AIGA defines global standards and ethical practices, guides design education, inspires designers and the public, enhances professional development, and makes powerful tools and resources accessible to all. Learn more at aiga.org/about. Join us for the 20th AIGA Design Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 30 to April 1, 2020. For more information and registration, visit designconference.aiga.org. Follow @AIGAdesign on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. | |||
| 19 Nov 2021 | Fireside Chat with Judy Wert on design career paths | 00:42:49 | |
AIGA Executive Director Bennie F. Johnson talks with today's leaders in design, business, and technology, focused around the topics of leadership growth, the future of work, and creating a culture of design. Join us in welcoming Judy Wert, Co-Founder, Wert&Co Executive Search. Judy has been working with the leadership of innovative companies for over 25 years. She has earned an international reputation as a pivotal force in executive search. A trusted authority in the world of design and business, Judy is also known for bringing an added dimension to her work—a humanistic approach—fostering deep relationships through empathy, intuition, and curiosity. This episode was originally livestreamed on November 10, 2021 as part of the first ever AIGA Career Festival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U1pQXPUaH8 Wert&Co: https://www.wertco.com/ | |||
| 31 Jan 2020 | Deborah Littlejohn and Randa Hadi, Data, Damn Lies, and Disruption | 00:21:27 | |
We hear from an educator and a student who are researching, teaching, and practicing design in an age of data and disruption. Professor Deb Littlejohn demystifies the buzzword "Big Data" and explains why she has her students tell lies with data. MFA student, Randa Hadi opens up about her hopes and fears for the design profession and how she's facing the future head on. Deborah Littlejohn is a design researcher and educator, developing coursework in graphic design history, design research methods, and graduate studios. By examining the tools and technologies through which people experience design, Dr. Littlejohn’s work is guided by questions addressing the relationship between visual communications, new information environments, data literacy, and the ability of people understand, learn, and take action. https://design.ncsu.edu/staff/deborah-littlejohn/ Randa Hadi is a designer, researcher, and architect by training. She is a visual thinker with an interest in bridging the gap between architecture and graphic design by creating spatial experiences in both the physical and digital world. https://randahadi.com/ | |||
| 20 Oct 2022 | Design Adjacent with Rebecca Tegtmeyer and Marty Maxwell Lane on collaboration, importance of seeing people in person, shared values and goals, and working through challenges | 00:33:09 | |
Our guests are authors of the book, “Collaboration in Design Education: Case Studies & Teaching Methodologies” which you can learn more about here: https://collabdesigned.com/. Rebecca Tegtmeyer is a graphic design educator and practitioner. Through her active research, writing, making, and teaching agenda she investigates the role of a designer and the creative process through a variety of forms – from static to dynamic, time-based to print. Working both individually and collaboratively, she approaches design as a catalyst in facilitating systems that challenge and inspire – further extending the capabilities and responsibilities of a designer in today’s complex world. Current collaborative research projects focus on prioritizing the student experience and strengthening the values of design education. She is also examining the role of hand sewing in designing data visualizations that bring awareness to the economic inequities of motherhood. Currently, Rebecca is an Associate Professor and the Associate Chairperson in the Department of Art, Art History, and Design at Michigan State University. She teaches undergraduates and graduates in the areas of interaction design, motion design, typography, user experience, and branding design. She is an active contributor to both the BFA in Graphic Design and the BA in Experience Architecture degree programs. Marty Maxwell Lane is a graphic design educator, maker, researcher, and writer. Her research focuses on design that facilitates learning and empowerment through investigations pertaining to design pedagogy, collaboration, and participatory design. Her active role in the design community has led her to present at competitive conferences in Cyprus, Berlin, London, Rome, Toronto, and the United States. Marty served as a regular contributor to the design magazine Parse (subsidiary of How magazine) and several other academic journals, magazines, and books such as Failing Forward and Type Rules! The Designer’s Guide to Professional Typography. As a long-time AIGA member, Marty has served on numerous boards, including as Director of Education for the Kansas City Chapter, Co-chair of the national AIGA Design Educators Steering Committee, and AIGA National Board Member. She is currently an advisor for the Northwest Arkansas Chapter. Marty is currently an Associate Professor of Graphic Design in the School of Art at the University of Arkansas, where she also serves as the Director of the School. She specializes in human-centered design, design pedagogy, and leadership. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 02 Apr 2020 | Amanda Makulec on Communicating COVID-19 Data | 00:27:55 | |
Amanda Makulec is a visual analytics advisor who uses visualization, storytelling, and design thinking to transform how teams and organizations use data. She shared her expertise with Lee-Sean Huang about how to design, visualize, and interpret data related to the COVID-19 / Coronavirus pandemic. Episode transcript with resource links: https://www.aiga.org/aiga/content/inspiration/design-future-now/episode-10 Amanda is the senior data visualization lead at Excella and holds a masters of public health from the Boston University School of Public Health. She worked with data in global health programs for eight years before joining Excella, where she leads teams and develops user-centered data visualization products for federal, nonprofit, and private sector clients. Amanda volunteers as the operations director for the Data Visualization Society and is a co-organizer for Data Visualization DC. Find her on Twitter at @abmakulec. And to read about how data visualization practitioners can create responsible visualizations: https://medium.com/nightingale/ten-considerations-before-you-create-another-chart-about-covid-19-27d3bd691be8 | |||
| 02 Nov 2021 | Design Adjacent: Dominic Grijalva on finding creativity in a pandemic year | 00:42:00 | |
Dominic Grijalva is a designer who primarily works on marketing and advertising projects that call for eye-catching imagery. His passions also lie in branding and identity design, as well as digital media projects that range from large scale such as digitally projected sets for theatre and live events to gifs and animations. Although California bred, he is currently living in Washington Heights, Manhattan and serves as Product Manager for TeeRico by Lin-Manuel Miranda. In this episode of AIGA Design Adjacent, host Bennie Johnson talks with Dominic about finding creativity in a pandemic year, being a Hamilton fan, and Broadway. About Dominic Grijalva As a freelance designer with nine years of professional experience, Dominic Grijalva's talents cover a wide range of media including marketing and advertising campaigns that call for eye-catching imagery, stunning digitally projected sets for theater and live events, merchandise inspired by your favorite Broadway shows, and silly gifs that loop on your phone screen. Dominic is proud to have been recognized by AIGA, Communication Arts, Giphy, the Adobe Design Achievement Awards, and 99u for his print design and digital artwork. His original projection visuals for Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, and other titles have been featured in multiple regional productions around the world including the Kennedy Center. When not so busy chasing inspiration, Dom can be found in a theater catching a show, tending to his house plants, singing and writing new music, or walking his Shiba Inu, Nala. Although California bred, Dominic lives in Washington Heights and serves as Product Manager for TeeRico by Lin-Manuel Miranda. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 30 Jul 2021 | ReStart: Teaching Roomies and Zoomies with Allan Chochinov | 00:25:30 | |
The ReStart from AIGA is a new content series that helps the design community move forward from COVID by posing salient questions and providing practical strategies. We are kicking off the series here on the podcast, and will be publishing interviews and panel discussions and other expert content across AIGA’s channels over the next few weeks. In this episode, host Lee-Sean Huang talks with Allan Chochinov about his research and experimentation dealing with the challenges of hybrid teaching, with some students in the room, and some students on Zoom.. Allan is an educator writer, speaker, and advocate for the power and capacity of design. He's the founding chair of the MFA in Products of Design at the School of Visual Arts in New York.
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| 13 May 2022 | Fireside Chat with Bennie F. Johnson and Michael Bierut, Partner at Pentagram | 00:50:44 | |
Join AIGA's Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with design industry leaders and innovators. These conversations seek to inspire dynamic new conversations in and outside of the design community. This episode's guest is Michael Bierut, Pentagram partner and AIGA Medalist. Watch the video version of this episode here: https://vimeo.com/706622293 This episode was originally livestreamed during the AIGA Design + Business Conference 2022. | |||
| 15 Jul 2024 | Designing Airline Brands with Edmond Huot | 00:43:55 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, host Lee-Sean Huang explores the process of aviation branding with guest Edmond Huot. Their conversation also focuses on how to build and maintain relationships with various client and community stakeholders, including local and Indigenous peoples served by airlines and airports. Edmond Huot is the Chief Creative Officer of Forward Studio, where he leads the New York City-based firm’s global branding practice, which focuses primarily on the airline, aerospace, and transportation sectors. A true AvGeek at heart and originally from small-town Canada, Huot started his career in the early 1990s. He has turned his childhood fascination with aviation into his career. Edmond has worked on a wide range of airlines around the world, from Hawaii to Alaska to sunny California, focusing on their brand concepts, passenger experience, and liveries. The core of Edmond’s design philosophy centers around a deep respect for how airlines are cultural icons for their communities, nations, and the traveling public. He is committed to creating brand experiences that are authentic and resonate deeply with people. Storytelling is central to his design approach, using elements to convey an airline’s identity and values effectively. | |||
| 28 Jun 2022 | Design Adjacent with Ritesh Gupta, Founder of the Useful School on re-visioning design education, radical changes, impact of design, and finding a coach | 00:38:44 | |
Ritesh Gupta is the founder of Useful School, the world’s first pay-what-you-can online design school for people of color. He specializes in product design, product management, branding, typography, and growth analytics. Ritesh has collaborated or worked for companies including Wieden+Kennedy, Mother Design, 2 Shark Tank companies, Sagmeister & Walsh, R/GA and Cooper Hewitt. His work has been featured in Adweek, AIGA Eye on Design, It’s Nice That, Wallpaper, Print Mag, Brand New, The Dieline, and more. He is also a volunteer for Where Are The Black Designers?. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 22 Mar 2022 | Design Adjacent with Matt Mullenweg on working remote vs distributed work, music, distractions, and augmented reality | 00:46:37 | |
About Matt Mullenweg Matt Mullenweg, founding developer of WordPress, the Open Source software used by over 40% of the web, including this site. WordPress is a part of who Matt is; he can’t not work on WordPress. The company celebrated 15 years in 2018. The project touches a lot of people, something he’s recently begun to appreciate and he considers himself very lucky to be able to work on something he loves so much. In late 2005, Matt left WordPress to found a company called Automattic, which is now the force behind WordPress.com, Jetpack, WooCommerce, Simplenote, Longreads, The Atavist, and many other products. The company’s mission—make the web a better place. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 23 Nov 2021 | Fireside Chat: Art Taylor (Special Giving Tuesday Edition) | 00:42:03 | |
Join AIGA's Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with Art Taylor, President and CEO of BBB Wise Giving Alliance (https://give.org/). This Giving Tuesday Fireside Chat isn’t just about giving money; it’s about giving time, space, and recognition to those who are and have been systemically underrepresented in design. Bennie and Art will discuss the need for an allied vision set on supporting and magnifying new perspectives that have otherwise been shadowed by the majority. This conversation originally aired as a livestream on Monday, November 22. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIsctkAhfmk | |||
| 21 May 2025 | Design at Scale: Richard Moross and the Story of Moo | 00:38:41 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello speak with Richard Moross, founder and CEO of Moo, about his journey from early entrepreneurial experiments to building a globally recognized print and design company. Richard reflects on the evolution of Moo, the balance between quality and scale, the value of thoughtful company culture, and how hybrid work is reshaping collaboration. The conversation also explores the deeper relationship between design and performance, the importance of making design accessible to all, and how inspiration can come from unexpected places—like film, or a trip to the supermarket. Richard shares his personal leadership rituals and offers recommendations for films that continue to spark his creativity. How do we navigate the duality of crafting exceptional design while making it accessible to all? Movie Recommendations: Watch the video version of this podcast interview on the AIGA Design YouTube Channel | |||
| 13 Sep 2022 | Fireside Chat with Rick Griffith | 00:52:58 | |
AIGA Executive Director Bennie F. Johnson talks with today's leaders in design, business, and technology, focused around the topics of leadership growth, the future of work, and creating a culture of design. Join us in welcoming Rick Griffith, the 2022 AIGA Design Conference Chair, who will share his vision and the theme for this year’s upcoming conference in October taking place in Seattle, WA. Rick Griffith has been a full-time designer, occasional writer, teacher, activist and printer, who produces, collects and loves artifacts (often made of paper) that are sometimes qualified to be discussed as art. He also participates in a studio called MATTER, and every Saturday he works in the shop at MATTER; these are both enterprises and collaborations with his Partner Debra Johnson. | |||
| 27 Sep 2023 | Clip: Steven Steiner on Designer Archetypes | 00:04:20 | |
What is your designer archetype? Are you a generalist, strategist, researcher, architect, artist, author, or design operations person? How does knowing your archetype help you progress in your career? We discuss these archetypes and more in the full episode of the AIGA Design Podcast with Steven Steiner: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aigadesign/episodes/Steven-Steiner-on-designer-archetypes--career-coaching--and-communicating-your-value-e29h0h4 Steven Steiner is a Career Coach for Designers who helps them get what they want next with the right levels of industry knowledge, rigor, and moral support. | |||
| 22 Nov 2021 | ReStart: Nicole Belyna on human resources lessons from the pandemic | 00:27:43 | |
Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP is a field services director at SHRM and possesses more than 15 years in human resources, specializing talent management and leadership. In this episode of The ReStart from AIGA, Nicole and host Lee-Sean Huang talk about HR lessons learned from the first year and a half of the pandemic and ways for people managers to adapt and lead their teams forward. Download the SHRM report referenced in the episode here: https://www.shrm.org/ResourcesAndTools/hr-topics/people-managers/Pages/2020-lessons-learned.aspx This episode was originally published as a video recording on AIGA.org. You can watch the captioned video here: https://www.aiga.org/inspiration/talks/nicole-belyna-restart-with-nicole-belyna | |||
| 12 Dec 2023 | Clip: Colton Schweitzer on UX bootcamps and gaps in design curricula | 00:05:22 | |
Listen to the full interview with Colton Schweitzer, co-founder of Kickass UX here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aigadesign/episodes/Colton-Schweitzer-on-Kickass-UX-e2ci2ke Use code AIGA75 for $75 off your first month of Kickass UX's UX/UI Expert course | |||
| 09 Jan 2025 | Data Visualization & Migration with Marta Foresti & Federica Fragapane from the LAGO Collective | 00:57:08 | |
In the third episode of the season of the AIGA Design Podcast, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello interview Marta Foresti and Federica Fragapane. Marta is the founder and CEO of LAGO Collective, as well as a visiting senior fellow at ODI Global and the Moleskine Foundation. Federica is an independent information designer who has collaborated with organizations like Google, the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the European Union, BBC Science Focus, Columbia University, and La Lettura. Marta and Federica discovered each other’s work through social media and realized they shared a common motivation: using design to create impactful projects. Their mutual interest in the movement of people as a global phenomenon led them to collaborate at LAGO Collective. Through their work, they’ve come to understand that design’s power goes beyond representing data or creating beautiful visuals; it can actively perform and generate knowledge. Marta explains that at LAGO Collective, projects often begin with a desire to tell a story, followed by research, rather than starting with a research question to guide the story. Federica challenges traditional imagery used in data visualization by introducing new symbols that offer an alternative narrative. She emphasizes the importance of intentionality in the design process, ensuring that the visuals align with the intended message and impact. They also discuss how to work with both qualitative and quantitative data to craft compelling storytelling through data visualization. For Marta and Federica, their projects are not just about presenting information but about performing for the audience—engaging them in a meaningful way. Both Marta and Federica are committed to introducing new stories that influence public discourse, challenge dominant narratives, and combat misinformation. They envision LAGO Collective as a space where people can have open conversations that inspire change. What topic would you bring to LAGO Collective for a new conversation? | |||
| 24 Jul 2021 | Navigating the disruptions in design education with Lefteris Heretakis | 00:28:03 | |
This episode is adapted from a livestreamed conversation between Lee-Sean Huang and Lefteris Heretakis on the challenges and opportunities in design education. Lefteris Heretakis is a designer and lecturer. Since 1996, Lefteris has worked as a visual communicator with a wide range of clients ranging from startups to multinationals. He’s currently teaching design at IE University in Madrid Spain. His reflexive research is focused on the real-world challenges in education and the unprecedented shifts that have taken place over the past 20 years. Lefteris is also the host of two podcasts: the Design Education Talks podcast by the New Art School and the Designer Talks Podcast by the Chartered Society of Designers. And also since 2019, Lefteris has been organizing the Design Education Forum, a two-day international event that brings practitioners from all over the world to share their experiences teaching art and design.
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| 01 Jul 2024 | Clip: Designing Airline Brands with Edmond Huot | 00:00:42 | |
Full episode coming July 15, 2024 Edmond Huot: "What's the dream? what are people aspiring to? As a creative and someone whose job it is to provide that path for our clients to understand and celebrate what that means to be human when you travel, whether it's this perception of glamour, whether it's an appreciation of traveling great distances to see people we care about to never lose sight of that part of the equation and to figure out ways to weave it into product innovation and efficiencies of the business, that's I think an important part, that's the part that I get the most enjoyment out of...figuring out how to build stories around things that we take for granted." Edmond Huot is the Chief Creative Officer of Forward Studio, where he leads the New York City-based firm’s global branding practice, which focuses primarily on the airline, aerospace, and transportation sectors. A true AvGeek at heart and originally from small-town Canada, Huot started his career in the early 1990s. He has turned his childhood fascination with aviation into his career. Edmond has worked on a wide range of airlines around the world, from Hawaii to Alaska to sunny California, focusing on their brand concepts, passenger experience, and liveries. The core of Edmond’s design philosophy centers around a deep respect for how airlines are cultural icons for their communities, nations, and the traveling public. He is committed to creating brand experiences that are authentic and resonate deeply with people. Storytelling is central to his design approach, using elements to convey an airline’s identity and values effectively. | |||
| 28 Oct 2023 | Pentagram 50 at the 2023 AIGA Design Conference | 00:50:41 | |
Debbie Millman interviews Pentagram partners Emily Oberman, Giorgia Lupi, Marina Willer, Natasha Jen, and Paula Scher. Recorded LIVE at the 2023 AIGA Design Conference in New York City! | |||
| 20 Jul 2023 | Learning with Ritesh Gupta, Useful School | 00:36:54 | |
We are back for a special summer special edition of the podcast. We are catching up with Ritesh Gupta, founder of Useful School, which offers 12-week online pay-what-you-can classes in product design, branding, decolonization, and financial wellness aimed at beginner and advanced creatives of color. Applications to the Useful School fall cohort are due August 18, 2023. Learn more: https://www.usefulschool.com/ Listen to our original 2022 interview with Ritesh here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aigadesign/episodes/Design-Adjacent-with-Ritesh-Gupta--Founder-of-the-Useful-School-on-re-visioning-design-education--radical-changes--impact-of-design--and-finding-a-coach-e1jt5if Check out AIGA's professional development and learning opportunities on our website: https://www.aiga.org/professional-development/aiga-passport-to-learning | |||
| 08 Mar 2022 | Design Adjacent with Brandi Parker on sustainability, evolving behaviors, future considerations, and designing recycling | 00:42:33 | |
Join us for a new episode of Design Adjacent were we talk sustainability, evolving behaviors, future considerations, and designing recycling. What is the future of sustainable design and how do we implement realistic change? As Head of Sustainability at Pearlfisher, Brandi Parker, challenges designers to find answers to those questions. About Brandi Parker Brandi Parker is Head of Sustainability at Pearlfisher. Sustainability is fundamental to how Pearlfisher operates and creates, and is the foundation of the work of all of their teams. In her role, Brandi challenges Pearlfisher's designers to think about the end game at the start, and encourages their clients not to problem-solve based on ease, but on brand experience and environmental impact. She is revered by both for offering innovation and problem-solving, grounded in practicality, which comes from her many years of experience and expertise in technical realization. She firmly believes that the future of sustainable design does not just come down to materials – and managing waste – but implementing realistic and incremental change through a multi-disciplinary approach. By understanding changing culture, continuing to innovate with cutting-edge materials and processes, and joining this with the power of design, Brandi believes we can help change people’s behavior and encourage more sustainable actions and choices. This is where tangible, positive and long-term change will come from. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 23 Jan 2025 | Scott Berkun on Why Design is Hard | 00:41:09 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello and guest Scott Berkun, author of Why Design is Hard, discuss the complexities of design, touching on themes such as the challenges designers face, the importance of understanding business contexts, and the role of curiosity as a superpower. We explore the concept of 'gravity problems' in design, emphasizing the need for designers to navigate organizational politics and influence effectively. The conversation also explores the myths surrounding design, the evolving identity of designers in the workplace, and the impact of AI on the future of design. Takeaways
References & Recommendations Why Design is Hard (Scott’s book) - https://amzn.to/4amlzUb Jaguar Rebrand Video, “Copy Nothing” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLtFIrqhfng Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life (reference for “gravity problems”) - https://amzn.to/40yeM6D Netflix documentary about Paula Scher referenced in the episode - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCfBYE97rFk Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life - https://amzn.to/3C7icUA Scott Berkun’s website - https://scottberkun.com/ Watch the video version of the AIGA Design Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/AIGAdesign | |||
| 19 Oct 2021 | Design Adjacent: Abby Allen on the strategy of design and beauty of storytelling | 00:51:02 | |
Abby Allen is the Founder of Neon Butterfly and as long as Abby can remember she has been fascinated with people and why they do what they do. In that vein she was drawn to the world of communications and has worked in advertising and marketing for over 15 years at some of the largest agencies across the country on brands like Twitter, Olay and Garnier. And just recently, she launched a new reimagine tomorrow project with Disney, reimaginetomorrow.disney.com, a platform amplifying underrepresented voices. In this episode of AIGA Design Adjacent, host Bennie Johnson talks with Abby about the strategy of design, the beauty of storytelling, and what it means to be authentic. About Abby Allen Through her company, Neon Butterfly—the only creative agency of its kind run by a woman of color—Abby offers brands, organizations, and individuals a unique understanding of cultural trends, human behavior, and consumer insights. The latest example is Reimagine Tomorrow, a visionary creative campaign and digital platform developed for Disney that launched in early September. The initiative amplifies underrepresented voices and champions the importance of accurate representation in media, helping Disney bring their commitment to DE&I to life in a meaningful way. Abby’s unique ability to understand people and why they do what they do is born from her experience as a biracial woman in America fused with 20 years working for and leading global brands like Olay, Twitter, and Garnier, at ad agencies like Saatchi & Saatchi, TBWA Chiat Day, and Publicis as well as thousands of hours of study in Tibetan Buddhism and yoga. Her mission is to revolutionize the impact of media on society and change the limiting beliefs we have about ourselves and others, helping organizations infuse their efforts with messaging and practices that promote a better world for us all. Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s the smart thing to do. You can find her on IG @abbymallen and @_neonbutterfly About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 03 Jul 2024 | Designing a Design Conference with Lee-Sean Huang (Special Episode) | 00:18:42 | |
In this special episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, Lee-Sean Huang, Senior Director of Learning & Programs, takes listeners behind the scenes of the planning process for the 2024 Design Conference (Online, October 10-12). How do we select speakers for the conference? Why are we doing an online conference this year, and what are the challenges and opportunities around that? And how is AIGA responding to the broader context of what is going on with design associations, conferences, and the industry at large? Listen all the way through this special episode to get a coupon code for $50 off tickets for the 2024 AIGA Design Conference. AIGA Design Educators Community Call for Proposals: This call for proposals seeks submissions from educators, graduate students, and industry professionals that address ideas and topics connected to the theme Margins as it applies to design education and research. Proposals of 500 words or less are due by Friday, July 26, 2024. No extensions will be offered. Does your company want to sponsor a session at the AIGA Design Conference? Or do you have questions or ideas for the conference or the podcast? Send us a message or a voicemail at podcast@aiga.org. P.S. The 2025 AIGA Design Conference will be back in person: October 9-11 at the Westin Bonaventure in Downtown Los Angeles. | |||
| 14 Feb 2024 | Clip: Why Design Research is Stuck | 00:00:59 | |
Preview clip of our upcoming episode with Danny Spitzberg and Humphrey Obuobi on Why Design Research is Stuck. Full episode release on February 20, 2024. | |||
| 17 Sep 2024 | Robert Brunner on Designing Products for Scale | 00:43:50 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, host Lee-Sean Huang talks with Robert Brunner, Chief Designer at Beats by Dre and Founder and Partner at Ammunition. With over 40 years of experience, Brunner began his career at Apple when the company did not yet have a design team. He later became a partner at Pentagram before founding his own design studio. When asked about the early years of his career, he shared that growing up in a household where both parents were makers inspired him and continues to influence his work. While in university, he initially believed civil engineering was the right path for him. However, after reflecting more deeply on his passion, he realized that industrial design was his true calling. He founded Ammunition two decades ago, and the studio continues to thrive. Ammunition is a multidisciplinary studio that keeps the products they design at the center, making sure they create products that matter. He is also committed to focusing on the economics of product development, particularly when it comes to scaling. He shared the challenges faced in designing Beats by Dre over the past 19 years, as well as in developing Square, which democratized credit card transactions for small business owners. When it comes to generative AI, while he acknowledges its potential to support design automation and development refinement, he believes that the connection design creates with people cannot be outsourced. The advice Robert shared with us and tells his kids as well is that when you see yourself working on a project in the middle of the night and don’t care how late it is, you have found your passion and your purpose that will allow you to grow. | |||
| 18 Mar 2024 | Crafting a Career Roadmap with Sarah Doody | 00:43:06 | |
How do you package your unique career journey? In this episode, Sarah Doody, founder of Career Strategy Lab™, and Lee-Sean Huang, senior director of learning and programs at AIGA, delve into the intricacies of crafting a career roadmap to navigate your professional journey. Join us as we explore the importance of setting short and long-term goals, building your compass statement, and leveraging unique strategies to stand out in the design industry. Topics include: 1️⃣ Crafting a career roadmap: Discover the value of setting short and long-term goals to guide your professional journey. 2️⃣ Building your compass statement: Learn how to articulate your vision and filter opportunities that align with your career aspirations. 3️⃣ The power of anti-networking: Explore strategies for building meaningful relationships and standing out in a crowded job market. 🤝 Sarah Doody is the founder of Career Strategy Lab™, a program that helps UX and product professionals at all career stages navigate their job search and articulate their skills and experience through individualized and group coaching. She is also the host of the Career Strategy Lab podcast. Since 2021, professionals who have worked with Sarah have increased their salaries by 40% on average and have been hired at prestigious brands such as Microsoft, Amazon, Salesforce, Nordstrom, Spotify, Blue Origin on average in 3.5 months. The program has been so successful since it’s launch that the combined salary of program graduates hired topped nearly $6 million. Sarah has been named a Future of Work expert by Forbes and is a regular Forbes.com contributor. She has also been featured in Fast Company, Insider, Fox Business, and more. Sarah is also to author her first book, The Product of You: How to Design, Market, and Sell Yourself in Your Career, forthcoming in 2024. ✨ Connect with Sarah on YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter. 📫 Subscribe to AIGA newsletters for the latest podcast and content news. | |||
| 20 Jul 2022 | Fireside Chat with Art Chantry | 00:52:11 | |
Fireside Chat with design leader and 2017 AIGA Medalist Art Chantry and AIGA Executive Director Bennie F. Johnson. They discuss best practices and learnings from their career in representing yourself in your work and approaching graphic design as a language we all speak. This episode was originally livestreamed as part of the third annual AIGA Portfolio Festival in July 2022. | |||
| 20 Dec 2021 | Fireside Chat with Alex Center, Owner, CENTER | 00:54:06 | |
AIGA Executive Director Bennie F. Johnson talks with today's leaders in design, business, and technology, focused around the topics of leadership growth, the future of work, and creating a culture of design. Join us in welcoming Alex Center, Owner of CENTER, a branding and design studio in Brooklyn, NY. Prior to opening his own studio, Alex worked for over a decade for The Coca-Cola Company where he led the strategy and design vision for the billion dollar beverage brands vitaminwater, smartwater and POWERADE. Over the years, Alex has designed packaging that has been in hands across the globe, created breakthrough marketing campaigns and launched innovative new products. Watch the captioned video version of this interview here: https://www.aiga.org/inspiration/talks/alex-center-fireside-chat-with-alex-center | |||
| 02 Mar 2020 | Sloan Leo on Community Building as Design Practice | 00:42:08 | |
Community centered design strategist Sloan Leo chats with Lee-Sean Huang about community building as design practice and the intersections of social innovation and justice. Sloan is director of social innovation at The Vaid Group, designer in residence at MFA Design for Social Innovation at the School of Visual Arts, and a board member of AIGA New York. | |||
| 19 Apr 2022 | Design Adjacent with Minal Bopaiah on being stewards of equity, storytelling, and being a reluctant entrepreneurship | 00:42:12 | |
Minal is an author, speaker, and strategic consultant with more than 20 years of professional experience. Her areas of expertise include human-centered design, behavior change science, and the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion as they relate to media, marketing and communications, and organization design. As the Founder and Principal Consultant of Brevity & Wit, Minal is passionate about designing for equity. Her work includes working with NPR’s news managers to design a system for diversifying news sources. She is also the creator and facilitator for the DEI Executive Forum, a six-month cohort learning experience for general managers in public media that helps them become more equitable leaders and develop a strategic plan to accomplish their DEI goals. Minal’s previous work includes being an educational content specialist for Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind Sesame Street and its international co-productions, and a press intern for Doctors Without Borders. She is a sought-after keynote speaker, and her thought leadership has been published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review and TheHill.com. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 03 Apr 2025 | Humanizing Creativity Through Physical Design with Michael Kaye of Sylvain | 00:54:17 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello interview Michael Kaye, Chief Design Officer at Sylvain, to explore the intersection of design, branding, and the evolving creative landscape. Michael’s journey, driven by a compelling shift from fine arts to practical design, highlights his unique approach to creativity—balancing aesthetic expression with real-world functionality. Michael delves into the nuances of book cover design, illustrating how typography becomes a storyteller's essential tool and how book jackets can function as powerful mini-brands for authors. He emphasizes the importance of context, encouraging designers to deeply understand cultural references and trends to create work that resonates authentically. With the rise of AI tools reshaping the design industry, Michael reflects thoughtfully on their potential, advocating for their role as enhancers rather than replacements of human creativity. He underscores the importance of maintaining physicality and sensory experiences in design, ensuring emotional depth and layered meaning remain intact amidst digital advancements. This conversation also touches on the challenges designers face with algorithms influencing digital experiences, highlighting the ethical considerations required to preserve authenticity and integrity. Michael’s approach champions creativity rooted in genuine human connection, meaningful engagement, and intentional performance. How do you balance innovation with authenticity in your design practice? Michael Kaye on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayemichael/ Sylvain’s website: https://sylvain.co/ Join us for the 2025 AIGA Design Conference, October 9-11 in Los Angeles, California – https://www.aiga.org/design/aiga-design-conference | |||
| 26 Aug 2024 | Clip: Robert Brunner on changing his major to design | 00:01:09 | |
This clip is a preview of our upcoming AIGA Design Podcast with Robert Brunner, Chief Designer at Beats by Dre and Founder and Partner at Ammunition. With over 40 years of experience, Brunner began his career at Apple when the company did not yet have a design team. He later became a partner at Pentagram before founding his own design studio. The full episode with Robert Brunner, which also happens to be our season finale, comes out on September 17, 2024. | |||
| 31 May 2022 | Design Adjacent with Regina Bain on preserving a legacy, musical storytelling, clown class, and what it means to listen and respond | 00:34:15 | |
Regina Bain is the Executive Director of the Louis Armstrong House Museum (LAHM). She is an artist, leader, facilitator and program designer with over 16 years of experience building non-profit capacity for organizational growth. Before joining LAHM, she served as Associate Vice President of the Posse Foundation. Posse is a national leadership and college access program which helps to send teams of students or “Posses” to top colleges and universities. Regina is committed to social justice. She facilitates and trains others to facilitate conversations on social identity, leadership and group dynamics. She is currently the co-chair of Culture @3’s anti-racism subcommittee. She serves on the national advisory council of Urban Bush Women (UBW). UBW is a dance company that galvanizes artists, activists and audiences through performances, artist development and community involvement. She produces The Drama Podcast, leads the Yale Black Alumni Association and serves on the Yale Board of Governors. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 11 Dec 2024 | Design + Performance (New Season/Theme) with Gary Jaffe, Independent Filmmaker | 00:23:04 | |
This is the kick-off episode introducing the new season of the AIGA Design Podcast with our new theme, DESIGN + PERFORMANCE. The theme is open for designers to interpret it in their own unique ways, bringing individual perspectives to the table. In this episode, we explore how we approach design considering the nuances of performance in creative fields. Host Lee-Sean Huang interviews independent filmmaker Gary Jaffe about his professional journey and creative process. They delve into multiple interpretations of "performance" and its tangible and intangible roles in filmmaking. They discuss the decisions a film director makes (and doesn’t make), emphasizing the importance of trusting the team you work with. They highlight the need to create space for individuals to fully perform their roles, allowing the team’s collective skills to shine. For Gary, much like in business, a film carries its own vision. Setting clear goals for how the movie should look is essential, but embracing the unexpected reality is also a vital part of the creative process. As designers, everything we experience serves as inspiration for our work. Ensuring a clear reference point from the beginning helps keep the project on track and aligned with everyone involved. Gary believes that the way he presents himself reflects his creative identity and aligns with the style of work he produces. What about you? How do you perform design? Watch/subscribe to the video version of the AIGA Design Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxpZCam3dhI&list=PLBsiKvJPy6IEKSanoWtz2-xFggU0ncuBM | |||
| 03 May 2022 | Design Adjacent with Bret Recor on shifting the agency model, being a true partner, and environmental impact | 00:41:18 | |
Bret is an industrial designer, entrepreneur, and investor. He is the founder and director of the award-winning design studio, Box Clever, which is renowned for creating physical products and experiences that delight consumers and build category-leading brands. The studio is responsible for designing best-selling products including Away luggage, Caraway cookware, and July air conditioners. The San Francisco-based design practice operates at the intersection of industrial design, brand strategy, and investment. Bret’s expertise lies in balancing creative vision with real-world experience and engineering prowess. He understands the nuances of taking an idea from concept to market. Specializing in consumer products, and with focus on the creation of physical experiences that enhance human relationships, Box Clever operates under the belief that anything can be successfully designed. He is committed to executing a challenge to its most brilliant realization. To do this, he balances creative vision with real-world experience of industrial design, brand strategy, and business ventures. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 16 Nov 2021 | Design Adjacent: W. David Hubbard on the hows and whys of creativity | 00:29:20 | |
W. David Hubbard is Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Verizon. He leads Verizon’s marketing, intellectual property, and new media law and policy team. David also serves as general counsel for the philanthropic Verizon Foundation, dedicated to solving critical social issues in the areas of education, health care and energy management, particularly in underserved communities. In this episode of AIGA Design Adjacent, host Bennie Johnson talks with David about not only the creative field but his path and why creativity was instrumental in career and offers listeners an opportunity to hear how legal and marketing can work together. About W. David Hubbard W. David Hubbard serves as Vice President & Deputy General Counsel for Verizon Communications. He is located in Basking Ridge, New Jersey and leads Verizon’s Consumer Marketing and Products and Growth and Revenue legal team which provides support for Verizon’s portfolio of Consumer businesses including Verizon Wireless, Verizon Telecom, Verizon Consumer Markets, and Visible, among others. He and his team provide support to Verizon Consumer Group’s Chief Revenue Officer and are responsible for providing legal counsel and guidance for all consumer products, devices and services; business initiatives and national advertising and marketing campaigns targeting consumers in all media; marketing strategy; advertising litigation; regulatory and network compliance; promotions; sweepstakes; external communications; corporate responsibility and compliance with state and federal regulations as well as applicable consumer protection laws. In addition to the above, Mr. Hubbard previously led Verizon’s Intellectual Property and Digital media legal teams and served as the General Counsel for the Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon which is dedicated to solving critical social issues in the areas of education, healthcare and energy management, particularly in underserved communities. About AIGA Design Adjacent AIGA Design Adjacent is a monthly podcast series with AIGA’s Executive Director, Bennie F. Johnson, in conversation with industry leaders who are innovating and designing the future. These conversations expand beyond the design community, encompassing industries and areas that intersect with design and shift the ways in which we think about and interact with each other and the world around us. About Bennie F. Johnson Bennie F. Johnson is the Executive Director of AIGA, the professional association for design. Bennie thrives on the connections between marketing, technology, education, and innovation. With experience in strategic and consumer marketing, brand management, and innovation management, he is drawn to opportunities that allow him to lead and create new modes for business engagement. He has broad experience growing brands, businesses, and organizations with a special focus on venture launch and brand relaunch business environments. | |||
| 18 Nov 2020 | Fireside Chat with Dantley Davis, Twitter Chief Design Officer | 00:32:48 | |
AIGA Executive Director Bennie F. Johnson and Twitter Chief Design Officer Dantley Davis have a conversation about leadership in design at the 2020 AIGA Design Conference | |||
| 07 Dec 2020 | Fireside Chat with Ben Williams, R/GA Global Chief Experience Officer | 00:39:23 | |
Join AIGA Executive Director Bennie F. Johnson and R/GA Global Chief Experience Officer Ben Williams for a conversation about leadership in design. This Fireside Chat was recorded at the 2020 AIGA Design Conference. This is the final episode of Design Future Now for 2020. We'll be back next year. Happy Holidays! Design Future Now is produced by Lee-Sean Huang and AIGA, the professional association for design. Follow us: @DesignFutureNow on Instagram and @DesignFutureNow on Twitter. | |||