Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast AIGA Design Podcast
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| Graphic Designers After Graphic Design with Jarrett Fuller | 29 Sep 2026 | 00:56:19 | |
Hosts Giulia Donatello and Lee-Sean Huang welcome Jarrett Fuller, a designer, writer, educator, editor, and podcaster. He is an assistant professor and director of undergraduate programs in Graphic & Experience Design at North Carolina State University, director of the design studio twenty-six, and host of Scratching the Surface. He's edited or co-edited four books, and his writing has appeared in Fast Company, The Architect's Newspaper, Eye Magazine, and Design Observer. His work has won awards from Communication Arts and The Type Directors Club, and he was previously an editor at Eye on Design and a designer at Facebook, Warby Parker, and The Whitney Museum of American Art. Drawing from his new book, Graphic Designers After Graphic Design: Designer as Publisher, Researcher, Change Maker, Performer, Artist (Princeton Architectural Press), Jarrett explains why graphic design is far from dead. They explore how the field's lack of strict boundaries is its superpower, letting millennial and Gen Z designers expand into publishing, research, activism, performance, and fine art. In This Episode * Graphic designers persist. Jarrett contrasts a future where design persists without human designers with one where designers thrive by reclaiming their practice beyond commercial silos. * The "superpower" of a blurry discipline. Unlike architecture or industrial design, graphic design has always resisted definition. Jarrett argues that this is what allows the discipline to keep expanding and adapting to new cultural moments. * Designer as publisher. Jarrett discusses how designers move beyond shaping the container for someone else's text and become cultural producers when they control the content and make it public. * Social change and activism. Revisiting manifestos like First Things First, Jarrett shows how making complex political ideas visual and legible remains a fundamental form of social action. * Performance, unscripted risks, and rapid prototyping. Drawing on his interview with Silvio Lorusso, Jarrett and Lee-Sean compare design research and public presentations to stand-up and improv, favoring risk, live feedback, and mistakes over slick corporate TED Talks. * Resisting the "AI sameness trap." Reflecting on his recent Fast Company essay, Jarrett argues designers fear AI only because they've been designing for lowest-common-denominator sameness. He calls for radical experimentation and cultural difference. * Going back to the roots (graphe). Jarrett revisits the Greek root of "graphic," reminding us that graphic design is medium-agnostic and encompasses studying, writing, drawing, and giving shape to the world. * Flipping design education. Jarrett proposes redesigning design curricula to start with history, ethics, and critical theory, saving tools and software for last. Resources * Book: Graphic Designers After Graphic Design: Designer as Publisher, Researcher, Change Maker, Performer, Artist by Jarrett Fuller https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/graphic-designers-after-graphic-design * Article: Design is on its deathbed. Long live design!, Fast Company https://www.fastcompany.com/91582682/design-is-on-its-deathbed-long-live-design * Jarrett Fuller's Website: https://jarrettfuller.com * Scratching the Surface Podcast: https://scratchingthesurface.fm * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jarrettfuller * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarrettfuller * Book Recommendation: Fine Design by Scott Klinker https://www.setmargins.press/books/fine-design/ * Documentary Recommendation: Robert Wilson and the Civil Wars (1986): https://www.criterionchannel.com/robert-wilson-and-the-civil-wars * Book Recommendation: How to Begin: Letters to a Young Artist by Edmund de Waal https://www.edmunddewaal.com/news/how-to-begin * AIGA Design Podcast Feedback and Voice Memos: podcast@aiga.org | |||
| Democratizing Foresight: Who Gets to Shape the Future? with Tameka Vasquez, Founder, The Future Quo | 02 Sep 2026 | 00:50:03 | |
In this episode, hosts Giulia Donatello and Lee-Sean Huang welcome Tameka Vasquez, futurist, leadership strategist, and founder of The Future Quo. Drawing on over a decade in tech, including serving as the first Head of Marketing at Sidewalk Labs inside Google, Tameka breaks down why foresight isn't fortune-telling or prediction, but a practical decision-making mindset. Together, they explore how to democratize futures thinking, push back against corporate greed, and establish human-centered "rules of engagement" as AI rapidly transforms creative practice. In This Episode ⚬ Challenging the status quo. Tameka shares how a desire to tell stories and shape new possibilities connects her journey through corporate communications, tech marketing, Sidewalk Labs, academia, and independent foresight work. ⚬ Becoming a futurist. Tameka recalls studying AI’s impact on the corporate workforce back in 2015—a decade before it became mainstream—and getting certified in strategic foresight at the University of Houston. She defines a futurist as someone who assesses emerging possibilities to make more intentional decisions in the present. ⚬ Democratizing foresight. Tracing foresight back to its roots in military strategy, Tameka explains why futures thinking shouldn't be confined to elite consulting decks. She advocates for putting these tools into everyday hands so everyone can participate in co-creating the future. ⚬ Setting rules of engagement for AI. Addressing the short-term corporate greed driving current tech adoption, Tameka rejects the idea that AI’s trajectory is inevitable. She compares AI to a child or a guest in a home: it only knows what we teach it, and humans must establish the collective rules of the house. ⚬ Lessons from entrepreneurship. Reflecting on her transition from startups to founding her own advisory firm, Tameka discusses suspending conventional rules with purpose, capturing market "vibes" through signal scanning, and learning to navigate profound independence and uncertainty. ⚬ Practicing "futuring" as a daily verb. Tameka outlines daily habits to hone foresight, such as taking stock of subconscious observations, asking probing questions, and being a student of history. Resources ⚬ The Future Quo – https://thefuturequo.com ⚬ Between Shifts (Substack) – https://betweenshifts.substack.com ⚬ Tameka Vasquez on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamekavasquez ⚬ The Future: A Very Short Introduction by Jennifer Gidley – https://amzn.to/45P11Cq ⚬ AIGA Design Podcast Feedback – podcast@aiga.org | |||
| Crafting Your Narrative: From Hackathons to AI with Sally Chung, Founder, Designpreneurs | 19 Aug 2026 | 00:59:36 | |
In this episode, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello sit down with Sally Chung, a designer, startup founder, professor at Parsons School of Design, and former faculty member at SVA. From her early days as a founding designer at Saks Fifth Avenue to building an SMS AI beauty chatbot in 2016 and leading zero-to-one ventures at BCGX, Sally has continuously navigated the balance between corporate scale and entrepreneurial agility. She shares how she founded the Designpreneurs Hackathon to build a thriving ecosystem connecting designers, universities, and tech founders, and offers an insider’s look at how AI is reshaping interaction design education and hiring expectations at Parsons. In This EpisodeBuilding AI before the hype. Sally reflects on co-founding Hello Ava in 2016—an SMS AI beauty advisor—years before ChatGPT went mainstream. The experience taught her that technology alone never wins; true product-market fit comes from listening directly to user frustrations rather than focusing on the tech itself. Designing a career narrative. From corporate in-house teams to living in a co-worker's basement to launch a startup, Sally discusses why designers must stop apologizing for a "zigzag" career path and proactively craft their own strategic narrative. The survivor mindset in innovation. Drawing on her work launching ventures at BCGX, Sally outlines why smart ideas fail and what keeps surviving companies alive: rapid market adaptability, relentless testing loops, smart distribution channels, and a founder's resilience. Cultivating an ecosystem through hackathons. Sally breaks down how a weekend project to help her SVA students build portfolios evolved into the Designpreneurs Hackathon—a tight-knit community that pairs hackers with senior mentors from IDEO, Meta, and Spotify, resulting in real hires, startup acquisitions, and venture funding. The shift in design hiring. Sally reveals why a "pixel-perfect" portfolio no longer guarantees a job. As execution becomes automated, top design leaders are hiring for strategic systems thinking, multi-stakeholder navigation, and versatility across non-UI or agentic experiences. Rethinking design education at Parsons. Advising on curriculum changes, Sally emphasizes that design schools should stop teaching software tools that students can learn on TikTok, and return to analog craftsmanship, strategic problem-solving, and a foundational creative eye. What remains human. Reflecting on her panel at South by Southwest, Sally highlights that while AI can optimize toward goals, only humans can choose which goals matter. She stresses that real, in-person community is the ultimate antidote to digital loneliness. ResourcesSally Chung's Official Website – http://sallyhychung.comSally Chung on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallyhchung/Sally's Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/sallyinutopiaDesignpreneurs – https://www.designpreneurshackathon.com/Same As Ever: A Guide to What Never Changes by Morgan Housel – https://amzn.to/4qpoTWMAIGA Design Podcast Feedback – podcast@aiga.org | |||
| AI’s Magic Wand in the No-Collar Economy with Martin LeBlanc, Chief Experience Officer at Magnific | 05 Aug 2026 | 00:47:07 | |
In this episode, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello welcome Martin LeBlanc, Chief Experience Officer at Magnific (the AI creative platform formerly known as Freepik). A designer and entrepreneur with 25 years of experience across computer science, business, and creativity, Martin founded Iconfinder—which grew into a global design asset marketplace before being acquired by Magnific. Together, they explore how generative AI is shifting creative execution, why large organizations struggle to adapt to systemic changes, and how designers can retain control of their creative authorship. Martin also provides a live walkthrough of Magnific's node-based canvas, illustrating how generative AI can be integrated into repeatable, professional design systems without training on user data. In This Episode Empowering vs. disrupting design. Reflecting on his 25 years in design, Martin acknowledges that AI disrupts old workflows while empowering creators to reinvent how they build. He stresses that designers historically adapt and win when they actively direct new technology. The "Magic Wand" product philosophy. Magnific balances two priorities: keeping tools simple for beginners via auto-settings, while embedding granular, professional controls just beneath the surface for advanced directors. Rewriting the rules of production. AI lowers financial and technical barriers for independent creators. Complex ad campaigns and visual effects that once required massive studios or green screens can now be produced by solo creators or small teams. Designing repeatable systems. Demonstrating Magnific's node-based canvas ("Spaces"), Martin shows how prompts, manual edits, vector design, and automated translations combine to form shareable, repeatable production pipelines. The "Tsunami" moment and pivot. Martin details how Freepik navigated its shift to an "AI-first" company and rebrand to Magnific. Seeing how AI would disrupt traditional stock assets, the company launched an internal "Labs" unit to develop future-facing tools. The "No-Collar Economy" and taste. As AI lowers technical hurdles, a designer’s true value shifts to discernment, curation, and taste—knowing what to keep, what to scrap, and how to refine the final 20% of a piece. IP, authorship, and data privacy. Magnific protects user rights with full commercial licenses, zero customer data training, and a downloadable "lineage" metadata trail to help designers prove human authorship. Getting started through side projects. For designers overwhelmed by rapid AI updates, Martin advises focusing on hands-on side projects and workflow mechanics rather than chasing tool hype. Resources
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| Norm Design: The Invisible Architecture of Social Challenges with Jeff Leitner | 14 Jul 2026 | 00:51:54 | |
In this episode, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello sit down with Jeff Leitner, the co-founder of UX for Good, architect of Norm Design, and a partner to organizations ranging from the US State Department and NASA to Harvard Medical School. Together, they unpack the core ideas behind his Summer 2026 Stanford Social Innovation Review article, "The Science of Norm Design," exploring why smart, well-funded initiatives fail roughly 70% of the time. Jeff shares his extensive experience studying the "invisible architecture" of social environments. He offers a critical challenge to the design industry, inviting practitioners to look past boilerplate briefs and standard user research to systematically uncover and design for the unwritten rules that dictate human behavior. In This Episode Here is the section trimmed down by 25% for a faster, punchier read, with all text formatted in plain text:
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| The Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life with Ian Bogost | 07 Jul 2026 | 01:02:16 | |
In this episode, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello sit down with Ian Bogost, a writer, designer, media scholar, contributing writer at The Atlantic, and professor at Washington University in St. Louis. Together, they explore the concept of "dematerialization" and the core ideas behind his latest book, This Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life. Ian shares how his multifaceted career, navigating both software design and cultural criticism, functions as a dialectical machine for understanding how human meaning is constructed. He challenges contemporary design dogmas around "frictionlessness" and outcomes-based UX, offering a refreshing invitation for designers to embrace mundane constraints, celebrate accidental experience, and reconnect with the sensory enchantment of everyday life. In This Episode
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| Design and Hope with Rinat Sherzer | 30 Jun 2026 | 00:53:17 | |
In this episode, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello welcome back Rinat Sherzer—a biotech engineer, transdisciplinary designer, artist, and adjunct professor at Parsons School of Design whose work sits at the intersection of science, technology, and social justice. Together, they discuss the deep human construct of hope, unpacking how it differs from mere wishful thinking and exploring how designers can act as vital conduits for it. Rinat shares her journey from scientific training to social innovation, the unpredictable ripple effects of her global projects, and how she balances multi-sensory design, teaching, and motherhood through an intentional quarterly focus. In This Episode
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| Seth Johnson on Earning the Right to Change Things | 02 Jun 2026 | 00:48:50 | |
What does it actually take for design to matter inside a massive organization? In this episode, hosts Giulia Donatello and Lee-Sean Huang sit down with Seth Johnson to talk about design at enterprise scale, and what designers get wrong about building influence. Seth Johnson is Design Director at IBM's Chief Data Office, where he leads a team driving AI-first enterprise data transformation. Over a 12-year tenure at IBM, his work has evolved from designing artifacts and experiences toward designing the conditions under which good design can happen at scale. Before IBM, he founded a Minneapolis-based design practice. He has served as president of AIGA Minnesota and as an adjunct faculty member at Parsons School of Design. In This Episode From a used bookshop to IBM. Seth's path to design started at age 12, flipping through Dorfsman & CBS in a used bookshop, and seeing for the first time what design could look like as a system at scale. That same impulse, he says, is what he's still chasing at IBM, just at a different altitude. Design as infrastructure. At IBM's Chief Data Office, Seth's team exists to provide the company with a single, trusted view of how the business is performing. Design's role there is turning data from something people dread into something they rely on every day. The business doesn't care about design. And it shouldn't. Seth's most provocative argument: design only earns influence when it connects itself to outcomes leadership actually cares about: revenue, risk, speed, and fewer defects. Designers are always outnumbered. That means assimilating into the organization's dominant rhythms before earning the right to ask anyone else to change. Treat your team like volunteers. Seth's core leadership philosophy, drawn from years of running AIGA Minnesota: talented people decide every day how much energy and creativity they're willing to invest. You might get the work, but you won't get the commitment. And you definitely can't fake caring at scale. The era of the lone genius is over. On design education: Seth argues that schools still do a reasonable job of preparing designers to work independently, but fall short in preparing them to lead within teams. Design is a team sport, and design students should be partnering across disciplines—biology, nursing, public policy—before they ever step into practice. Resources Mentioned
Subscribe to the AIGA Design Podcast on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/aigadesign Send us your questions, comments, and voicemails at podcast@aiga.org. | |||
| Has Design Lost Its Bite? With Benjie Wilhelm | 20 May 2026 | 01:01:20 | |
Designers today face massive challenges around education, certification, pay, and power. In this episode, hosts Giulia Donatello and Lee-Sean Huang sit down with Benjie Wilhelm to name the elephant in the room and talk about what it would actually take to fix the structural issues. Benjie is an Assistant Professor of Design at Arizona State University (ASU), Director of Strategic Initiatives at UCDA, and a brand strategist "hellbent on making the world a better place." Together, they examine what a design association should look like over the next decade and discuss why designers need to stop thinking of themselves as artists and start acting like tradespeople. In This Episode The flattening of the profession. About 80% of designers today are self-taught or bootcamp-trained, while 90% of design work is freelance. Benjie argues this isn't just a workforce trend. It's a sign of a profession without a floor, and the consequences run from pay compression to ethical accountability gaps. Artists vs. tradespeople. Benjie's central provocation: designers need to stop identifying as artists and start thinking of themselves as tradespeople. An architect can't build a building that falls down. A plumber can't flood your house. But designers can build platforms that undermine democracy and currently face no professional consequences for doing so. The RGD model. Canada's Registered Graphic Designers designation began as a provincial act in Ontario when a group of designers organized, lobbied, and had their certification standards ratified. Benjie sees it as a repeatable model and has been studying it closely as a possible path for the US. Certification, unions, and collective action. AIGA's Professional Designer and Design Leader certifications are a start, but Benjie argues the industry needs something closer to a union model, where certification has legal weight, pay floors are enforced, and designers have the standing to say no to harmful work. "Your concerns are beneath me." Lee-Sean shared that during the SVA unionization campaign, one colleague dismissed the effort entirely because they could afford to treat teaching as charity work. Benjie uses this as a window into a deeper problem: a succession crisis in design, where prestige and platform stay concentrated in the same hands, and the people most affected by broken systems are the ones least able to fix them. The broken pipeline. The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis's Talent Disrupted report found that 52% of college graduates are underemployed at initial labor-market entry and that 45% remain underemployed 10 years later. Benjie sees this firsthand, teaching portfolio and professional practice at ASU, and refuses to pretend the path is clearer than it is. Resources
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| Design the Context, Not the Object with Todd Bracher, Three-Time International Designer of the Year | 15 May 2026 | 00:43:47 | |
What if the designer's real job isn't to design the object at all? In this episode, hosts Giulia Donatello and Lee-Sean Huang sit down with Todd Bracher -- industrial designer, founder of Bracher and BetterLab, and author of two books -- to dig into a practice built on removing ego from the design process and letting context drive the answer. From a Pratt exam that accidentally changed his career, to a decade across four European countries, to unlocking a NASA scientist's 25-year-old patent, Todd makes the case that design's most powerful move is understanding the system before touching the object. In This Episode The accidental industrial designer. Todd originally applied to Pratt Institute as an illustrator. A complex respirator brief on a Pratt entrance exam made him ask, "What is this thing?" The answer was industrial design, and he never looked back. Designing the context, not the tree. Todd's framework, laid out in his book Design in Context, argues that designers make a fundamental mistake when they start designing the object without first mapping the "governors" -- finance, legal, supply chain, competition, human needs -- that will ultimately determine the output. His metaphor: a tree's shape isn't an opinion, it's the result of its ecosystem. Design should work the same way. BetterLab and the patent moat problem. Many of the world's most promising scientific breakthroughs sit unused -- stuck in litigation, sitting in drawers, or bought up by companies with no intention of using them. BetterLab is Todd's venture platform to change that. One example: partnering with a former NASA scientist whose UVC light patent for hand sanitization had been sitting unused for 25 years. Visionary execution. The BetterLab manifesto holds that visionary solutions don't spread on merit alone; they require visionary execution. Getting design into the room with scientists, not just at the end of the process, is the intervention. Ergonomics as wellness. After nearly 20 years collaborating with Humanscale, Todd traces the shift from ergonomics as basic human measurement to ergonomics as a long-term health discipline. Humanscale's gravity mechanism does away with knobs and levers entirely, using the sitter's own body weight to instantly adjust the chair. Legacy brands in the age of AI. The competitive threat for heritage companies often isn't a competitor's product -- it's the experience gap. Consumers who use Spotify and Airbnb every day bring those expectations to every brand. Links & Resources
About Todd Bracher Todd Bracher is an industrial designer and founder of Bracher, a Brooklyn-based studio, and BetterLab, a research and design hub at the intersection of science and design. Named International Designer of the Year three times, he has designed products for Herman Miller, 3M, Zanotta, and Issey Miyake, holds over two dozen patents, and has brought more than 200 products to market. His 2025 book Design in Context is his framework for strategic differentiation through context-based design. His Phaidon monograph, Observations, Research, and Design, covers 25 years of insights, failures, and lessons learned. | |||
| The Future of Design Education: Building a Global Studio with Bryan Clark (Falmouth University) | 08 May 2026 | 00:57:12 | |
How can design education bridge the gap between global digital collaboration and local physical making? In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, we sit down with Bryan Clark, Head of Graphic Design at Falmouth University, to discuss why online learning is a deliberate "feature" for the modern designer, and not just a fallback. In this episode, we explore: - The Global Studio Concept: How Falmouth leverages a global cohort to create a "hybridized" professional practice environment that mirrors the modern design industry. - Geo-Tagged Making: How students build a "collective map" of physical making facilities, like bookbinding shops and 3D printing labs, in their own local cities. - Intercultural Problem Solving: Why having a student in New York solve a design challenge for someone in Mumbai is a critical skill for the 21st-century designer. - AI & Creative Curiosity: Bryan’s perspective on navigating the "hot topic" of AI with a balance of healthy skepticism and fascinated curiosity. - Interdisciplinary "Surprise": A look at unique collaborations, including a project that turned typographic systems into musical compositions. About Our Guest: Bryan Clark leads Graphic Design at Falmouth University in the UK. With a career split between high-level industry practice (Pentagram spin-offs, Lewis Moberly) and design education, he is uniquely positioned to discuss where design is headed. Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro to the AIGA Design Podcast & "Eyes on Design" 1:40 – Bryan’s journey: From Pentagram spin-offs to Falmouth University 5:33 – Why online design education is "a feature, not a fallback." 10:45 – Designing for the 21st Century: "Design can save the world." 23:12 – The Geo-Tagged Map: Connecting global students to local making 31:11 – Interdisciplinary projects: Turning typography into music 38:07 – Facing the AI question: Curiosity over fear 50:17 – Redesigning the status quo: Food, health, and legislation Discount for AIGA members: AIGA members can receive a £1,000 GBP (approx. $1,346 USD) tuition discount on any part-time, online master's degree from Falmouth University, including their MA Graphic Design (Online). This would make total tuition over two years £11,150 (approx. $15,186).* Terms and conditions apply, contact Falmouth University for more details. MA Graphic Design (Online): online.study@falmouth.ac.uk
Thumbnail graphics by Falmouth students Dalal Elsamannoudi (center) and Tove Martens (right) This video is part of our "Eyes on Design" season, inspired by the legacy of the Eye on Design magazine. We are exploring the critical, connecting, and future lenses of design practice. Subscribe to AIGA Design for more conversations with design leaders. Leave a review or get in touch at podcast@aiga.org Watch and subscribe to the video versions of the AIGA Design Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBsiKvJPy6IFH0oasM3T0KsGrnnLoKhSK | |||
| Sustainability, education, and the iF Design Awards with Lisa Gralnek | 09 Apr 2026 | 00:54:03 | |
In this episode, we speak with Lisa Gralnek, Managing Director of iF Design USA and Global Head of Sustainability and Impact at iF Design. We cover the scale and rigor behind the iF Design Award, one of the world's most recognized design competitions since 1953, and how iF has made sustainability a core, embedded criterion in its judging process. We also discuss the launch of the iF Design Academy, what it means to close the gap between design and business fluency, and the risks of outsourcing critical thinking to AI tools. Plus, we reflect on why design thinking became its own victim, what head-heart-hands means in an age of AI, and what we might be collectively unlearning as machines take on more of the work. TOPICS : - Lisa's path from political science and fashion to design leadership - How the iF Design Award jury process works across 93 categories and 9 disciplines- Why sustainability now accounts for 20% of the iF scoring criteria — and what that shift has taught applicants and jurors alike - The circular economy and the "R ladder" of repairability, reusability, and recyclability - iF Design's two free-entry competitions: the iF Design Student Award and the iF Social Impact Prize, both aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals - The launch of the iF Design Academy and why designers need more than design education to lead- The upcoming course AI Strategy for Design Leaders (June 2026) — led by Tey Bannerman, former McKinsey partner- Why design thinking became a buzzword without operationalization — and what it would take to bring it back - What the documentary Modernism, Inc.: The Eliot Noyes Design Story says about the long history of design and corporate power - The tension between AI efficiency and the tactile, hands-on learning that makes designers designers- What we might be collectively "unlearning" as AI tools take on more of the creative process RESOURCES MENTIONED: - iF Design: https://ifdesign.com/en/ - iF Design Award: https://ifdesign.com/en/if-design-award-and-jury - iF Design Academy: https://ifdesign-academy.com/ - iF Design Trend Report (5th annual edition releasing April 28): https://ifdesign.com/en/trend-report - iF Design Student Award: https://ifdesign.com/en/if-design-student-award - iF Social Impact Prize: https://ifdesign.com/en/if-social-impact-prize - Future of XYZ podcast: https://ifdesign.com/en/podcast-future-of-xyz-by-if-design - Lisa Gralnek, "Where Are All the Designers?" (Fast Company): https://www.fastcompany.com/91374558/where-are-all-the-designers - Ellen MacArthur Foundation: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/ - Modernism, Inc.: The Eliot Noyes Design Story (2023): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29215800/ - UN Sustainable Development Goals: https://sdgs.un.org/goals - AIGA + Yale SOM: Business Perspectives for Creative Leaders: https://www.aiga.org/professional-development/business-perspectives-for-creative-leaders - Subscribe to the AIGA Design Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/aigadesign/ - Questions or feedback? Email us at podcast@aiga.org | |||
| Branding as a Cultural Force with Robin Landa | 17 Mar 2026 | 00:40:32 | |
In this episode, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello welcome distinguished professor, author, and creativity expert Robin Landa. Recently honored with the 2025 Stephen Heller Prize for Cultural Commentary, Landa discusses her prolific career as the author of 27 books and her evolving philosophy on design’s role in society. The conversation spans Landa’s origin story: from designing Barbie clothes as a child to honing her craft as a writer. We also explore her latest work, which frames branding not merely as a commercial tool, but as a significant cultural force with ethical responsibilities. Major Themes
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| Humanizing Data Through Design with Giorgia Lupi | 24 Feb 2026 | 00:46:35 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello sit down with Giorgia Lupi to explore her journey from an architecture student and musician in Italy to a pioneer of data humanism and partner at Pentagram in New York City. Giorgia discusses her latest books, her Love Letter to the New York City subway, and why she recently broke up with ChatGPT. Whether you're a seasoned designer or a curious learner, Giorgia’s insights invite us to see data as a profoundly human, creative, and essential storytelling tool. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Introduction to Giorgia Lupi and her focus on data humanism 02:00 - Giorgia’s early influences: architecture, music, and data collection at her grandmother’s tailor shop 05:00 - Spark moments: designing band album artwork and transitioning into data visualization 06:40 - Discussing her book Speak Data and the process behind it 09:00 - The human stories within data: interviews with leading thinkers on data’s meaning 13:15 - The Dear Data project: weekly postcards and framing personal data conversations 16:00 - Inspired by data visualizations and how personal relationships shape data storytelling 18:00 - Data as a love letter to the NYC subway system: poetic visualization of transit data 25:00 - Designing data for children: This Is Me and Only Me and engaging young audiences 27:30 - The challenge of complex data: finding human stories in big or aggregated datasets 30:20 - Designing the data set: choosing what to include and how to add context 32:00 - Combining qualitative and quantitative data: mentoring teams and storytelling strategies 34:30 - The evolving role of data in design and how to navigate cross-disciplinary data practices 38:00 - Perspectives on AI: cautious optimism, data as a resource, and preserving human creativity 43:00 - Inspirations and making for the sake of making: art exhibitions, painting, and experimentation 45:30 - Final thoughts: cultivating critical thinking and curiosity in a data-driven world REFERENCES
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| Why paper still matters in the age of digital and AI | 06 Feb 2026 | 00:43:37 | |
In this episode, Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello host Andy Curson and Rob Slowe from Arctic Paper as they dive into sustainable papermaking, the role of print in a digital age, and collaborations with emerging designers. Discover how Arctic Paper balances environmental responsibility with innovation, and how print continues to evolve as a meaningful medium for creativity and storytelling.
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Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to the Eyes on Design theme and guests from Arctic Paper | |||
| Introducing "Eyes on Design," AIGA's 2026 Programming Theme | 05 Feb 2026 | 00:17:49 | |
Join co-hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello as they kick off a brand-new season of the AIGA Design Podcast. We’re diving deep into our new programming theme, "Eyes on Design." Whether you’re a long-time listener or brand new to the show, Lee-Sean and Giulia take a moment to (re)introduce themselves and share the backgrounds (and biases) they bring to design discourse. Have a story to tell? We’re scouting for guests! Send your pitches to podcast@aiga.org. Join the conversation: We love hearing from you. Drop us an email or a voice message with your thoughts on the new season The AIGA Design Podcast is 100% member-supported. Join AIGA today at aiga.org to support our work and connect with our community of design professionals, educators, and leaders. | |||
| Designing for the World We Live In: Aleksey Fedorov on Meaning, Performance, and Brand Impact | 23 Dec 2025 | 00:47:35 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello sit down with Aleksey Fedorov, Director of Global Brand Marketing at Microsoft, for a wide-ranging conversation on branding, performance, and the evolving role of design in society. Aleksey reflects on his nonlinear career path and how moments of tension, uncertainty, and failure have shaped his creative practice. Together, they unpack how brands can move beyond metrics to create meaning, build trust, and reflect the complexity of the world we live in. The conversation also explores the role of AI in creative work, the importance of inclusion and representation in brand systems, and what it means to design not just visuals, but immersive, living worlds. Drawing on his experience at Microsoft and his involvement with AIGA, Aleksey shares insights on how institutions and brands must continue to evolve, embracing discomfort and staying grounded in human values to remain relevant and impactful. Episode Recommendation: Book: Art Since 1900 Newsletter: Benedict Evans Movie: Her Show: Andor | |||
| The Human Element People First: Devika Menon on Participatory Service Design | 17 Dec 2025 | 00:34:38 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello engage in an inspiring conversation with Devika Menon, a service design and delivery lead at the City of Philadelphia. They explore Devika's diverse career journey, from her early days in animation film design to her current role in civic design. The discussion highlights the importance of human-centered design, the challenges of working within government systems, and the significance of participatory service design. Devika shares insights on navigating uncertainty, the impact of cultural experiences on design thinking, and the value of collaboration in creating sustainable change. Episode Recommendations: Book: Good Services: Decoding the Mystery of What Makes a Good Service Book: Braiding Sweetgrass | |||
| Shaping Your Path: Kevin Flores on Career Growth, AI and Design Leadership | 09 Dec 2025 | 00:55:33 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello engage in a thought-provoking conversation with Kevin Flores, an experienced product and design leader, founder and coach. They delve into Kevin's diverse career journey, from his early days in Silicon Valley to his experiences with major corporations like LinkedIn and Verizon. The discussion highlights the importance of adaptability in design careers, the evolving role of design leaders, and the significance of personal branding. Kevin shares insights on navigating the challenges of the design industry, the impact of AI on design processes, and the value of cultivating a unique design sense. He reminds designers that even as AI evolves, maintaining a sharp critical lens remains an essential skill. Episode Recommendations: Kevin's Book: Design Career Handbook Short Film: Powers of Ten Book recommendation: Orbiting the Giant Hairball | |||
| Balancing Anger and Hope: George Aye on Pissed Off Optimism in Design | 29 Sep 2025 | 00:52:34 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello speak with George Aye, co-founder of Greater Good Studio, about his concept of “pissed off optimism”, the tension between acknowledging what’s broken and believing in the possibility of meaningful change. The conversation explores the power of community, the realities of navigating race and identity in the design profession, and the transitions and trade-offs that come with moving from designer to business owner. George also reflects on the principles that guide his studio, the importance of ethics in design education, and the role designers can play in supporting social change. The episode concludes with inspirational media recommendations and a call to action for designers to connect with local nonprofits. | |||
| Navigating Intersections: Sahar Chung on Design, Performance, and Inclusivity | 09 Sep 2025 | 00:51:24 | |
In this insightful episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello are joined by Sahar Chung, Director of Product Strategy at Multiplayer. Sahar shares her unique career journey, from her early days as a NASA contractor to becoming a leader in the UX field. The conversation delves into the evolution of UX research as a strategic partner, the importance of building inclusive methodologies, and the critical role of relationship-building in design. Learn about Sahar's co-founding of Confetti Q&A, a platform for community-driven discussions on industry challenges. Connect with Sahar Chung: Sahar’s recommendation: Fantasy High Join us for the 2025 AIGA Design Conference, October 9-11 in Los Angeles, California – https://www.aiga.org/design/aiga-design-conference Watch the video version of this podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MscLQyFFwVI | |||
| Embracing Change: Helder Santo's Journey in Design and Technology | 30 Jul 2025 | 00:44:21 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello sit down with Helder Santo, a partner at Unnamed, to explore the dynamic intersection of design, technology, and performance. Helder shares his journey through the evolving landscape of digital marketing and design, highlighting key moments from his career at renowned creative agencies. The conversation delves into the concept of a regenerative design ecosystem, the challenges of venture building in creative agencies, and the transformative potential of AI in design. Helder emphasizes the importance of embracing change, building trust, and fostering innovation within teams and client relationships. Connect with Helder Santo: Helder’s recommendation: Severance Join us for the 2025 AIGA Design Conference, October 9-11 in Los Angeles, California – https://www.aiga.org/design/aiga-design-conference | |||
| Beyond the Brand: Building Ideas Worth Rallying Around with Sunny Bonnell | 08 Jul 2025 | 00:36:41 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello speak with Sunny Bonnell, Co-Founder & CEO of Motto, about the powerful intersection of design and performance. Sunny shares her nonlinear career journey, emphasizing the importance of stirring emotion and inspiring action through creativity. The conversation delves into the essentials of brand transformation, the significance of visionary leadership, and how the design ecosystem is rapidly evolving with technology. Sunny also discusses her book, 'Rare Breed,' which encourages leaders to embrace their unique and defiant traits as strengths, and introduces Vision Camp, a program aimed at cultivating visionary leaders. The discussion explores the necessity of resilience, the pursuit of perfection in one's craft, and how to build brands around ideas worth rallying around. In a rapidly evolving industry, how can we turn our unconventional traits into a catalyst for visionary leadership and impactful brand transformation? Connect with Sunny Bonnell: Sunny Bonnell’s book: Rare Breed: A Guide to Success for the Defiant, Dangerous, and Different Sunny’s recommendation: Jiro Dreams of Sushi Join us for the 2025 AIGA Design Conference, October 9-11 in Los Angeles, California – https://www.aiga.org/design/aiga-design-conference | |||
| Catalyzing Change: Maria Fernanda La Rotta on Strategic Design for an Inclusive Future | 24 Jun 2025 | 00:47:13 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello speak with Maria Fernanda La Rotta, co-founder and head of strategy at Switch Strategy, about her dynamic career journey and the mission of her company to champion inclusion and drive innovation. Maria reflects on the strategic value of a design MBA, her commitment to empowering the next generation through her teaching role at Parsons, and how Switch Strategy specializes in developing niche markets for growth. The conversation also explores the challenges and opportunities within the current market, the critical importance of strategic design in solving business problems, and the evolving impact of AI on the industry. The discussion delves deeper into how inclusion drives business value, the necessity of advocating for it to enhance business performance, and the power of being a connector of ideas and people. How can strategic design be a catalyst for embedding genuine inclusion in today's evolving business landscape? Connect with Maria Fernanda La Rotta on LinkedIn Switch Strategy: https://switchstrategy.co/ Maria Fernanda’s book recommendation: Steal like an Artist Join us for the 2025 AIGA Design Conference, October 9-11 in Los Angeles, California – https://www.aiga.org/design/aiga-design-conference | |||
| Design at Scale: Richard Moross and the Story of MOO | 21 May 2025 | 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 | |||
| Designing Change in Bureaucracy with Ivan Boscariol | 06 May 2025 | 00:54:08 | |
In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello speak with Ivan Boscariol, Senior Innovation Specialist and public service designer at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Ivan shares his journey from a background in international relations to working at the intersection of design, innovation, and public service in Latin America. The conversation explores what it means to be a designer within a large public institution, and how to navigate the cultural and bureaucratic complexities that come with the territory. Ivan reflects on the importance of intentionality in design, the need to adapt innovation processes to local contexts, and why trust and collaboration are essential to driving change. He also unpacks the multiple meanings of design practice—as a verb and as a noun—and how those interpretations shift across cultures. Offering a fresh perspective, Ivan highlights the often-overlooked upsides of bureaucracy, and how structure can actually support innovation within large, complex organizations like the IDB. From the challenges of scaling solutions to the power of relationship-building, this episode offers valuable insights into designing for impact within systems that are often slow to change—but full of potential. What if we viewed bureaucracy not as a barrier, but as a material we can design with? Ivan's LinkedIn Documentary: Horizon Zero Dawn | |||
| Designing Memory: Exploring Syria’s Creative Legacy with Kinda Ghannoum | 21 Apr 2025 | 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 | |||
| Humanizing Creativity Through Physical Design with Michael Kaye of Sylvain | 03 Apr 2025 | 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 | |||
| Making Work Suck Less with Erin Shems, Ezippy Co., Creative Operations Agency | 04 Mar 2025 | 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/ | |||
| How to Work Less, Earn More with Karl Sakas | 18 Feb 2025 | 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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| Scott Berkun on Why Design is Hard | 23 Jan 2025 | 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 | |||
| Data Visualization & Migration with Marta Foresti & Federica Fragapane from the LAGO Collective | 09 Jan 2025 | 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? | |||
| Assembling Tomorrow with Scott Doorley & Carissa Carter from the Stanford d.school | 18 Dec 2024 | 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 | |||
| Design + Performance (New Season/Theme) with Gary Jaffe, Independent Filmmaker | 11 Dec 2024 | 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 | |||
| Robert Brunner on Designing Products for Scale | 17 Sep 2024 | 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. | |||
| Clip: Robert Brunner on changing his major to design | 26 Aug 2024 | 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. | |||
| Community Engagement & Cultural Change with Jenn Stucker | 12 Aug 2024 | 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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| Clip: Community Engagement & Cultural Change with Jenn Stucker | 31 Jul 2024 | 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." | |||
| Designing Airline Brands with Edmond Huot | 15 Jul 2024 | 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. | |||
| Designing a Design Conference with Lee-Sean Huang (Special Episode) | 03 Jul 2024 | 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. | |||
| Clip: Designing Airline Brands with Edmond Huot | 01 Jul 2024 | 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. | |||
| From the Margins to the Mainstream with Vault49 | 18 Jun 2024 | 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. | |||
| Pivoting your Creative Business with Matthew McIver | 20 May 2024 | 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. | |||
| Clip: Margins and Padding of Running a Studio with Matt McIver | 03 Apr 2024 | 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. | |||
| Crafting a Career Roadmap with Sarah Doody | 18 Mar 2024 | 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. | |||
| Clip: Designing Your Career with Sarah Doody | 07 Mar 2024 | 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. | |||
| Why design research is stuck with Danny Spitzberg and Humphrey Obuobi | 20 Feb 2024 | 00:47:28 | |
Has design research hit a plateau? In this episode, Danny Spitzberg and Humphrey Obuobi, two design researchers in the San Francisco Bay Area, and Lee-Sean Huang, senior director of learning and programs at AIGA delve into the challenges and explore the gap between personal and professional learning in design research. Topics include:
🔍 Danny Spitzberg, a user research expert in the cooperative economy, co-founded the Workers’ Algorithm Observatory. He sheds light on auditing algorithms for workers and allies, advocating for concrete improvements in digital technology standards. 🔍 Humphrey Obuobi, founder of LETS Studio, focuses on building infrastructure for a healthier democracy. A student-researcher with UC Berkeley’s Possibility Lab, Humphrey is dedicated to local, community-powered social innovation. 📖 Read Danny and Humphrey's Q&A article published on AIGA.org 🙋 LETS Studio, Humphrey's professional practice, invites collaborations and volunteers at letsstudio.org. 🔬 The Workers’ Algorithm Observatory advocates for algorithmic accountability; explore their studies at wao.cs.princeton.edu. 📫 Subscribe to AIGA newsletters for the latest podcast and content news. | |||
| Clip: Why Design Research is Stuck | 14 Feb 2024 | 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. | |||
| Welcome to the 2024 Season of AIGA Design Podcast: MARGINS | 05 Feb 2024 | 00:06:43 | |
Designing success outside the lines – AIGA's 2024 journey begins at the margins. Welcome to the first episode of the 2024 season of the AIGA Design Podcast! Join Lee-Sean Huang, senior director of learning and programs at AIGA, as he explores the theme "MARGINS" and sets the stage for an exciting year of AIGA Design programming. 🎟️ Register for the Yale BPCL Open House webinar. 📚 Learn more about the AIGA Professional Design Certification. 🏆 Learn more and enter AIGA Design Competitions. 📫 Subscribe to AIGA newsletters for the latest podcast and content news. Want to join us as a guest on a future show? Fill out this form here. | |||
| Clip: Colton Schweitzer on UX bootcamps and gaps in design curricula | 12 Dec 2023 | 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 | |||