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A Design Mentor episodes
- EP 017 What story is your habit tracker telling?
Many people treat a habit tracker like a scoreboard. I see mine as a collection of honest questions I ask myself. Together they tell the story of the life I’m building. In this episode, I share how I choose what to track, and what those choices mean to me.
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▦ About & Support
⦚ Who is Sandy?
⦚ Buy me a coffee
⦚ [email protected]
--
▥ Elsewhere
⦚ Youtube (English Subtitles / 繁中字幕)
--
▧ Music
⦚ Epidemic Sound
--
▨ Stack
Hollyland Lark M2 / Canva
Everything Else
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◉ All content, recording and editing are by Sandy Hongsan Chen.
13 min - EP 016 A budget tracker is also design?
In this episode, I talk about the system I built out of pure necessity, why it turned out to be some of the best design work I've ever done, and why you've probably built something just like it yourself — you just never called it design.
◉ What have you designed for yourself lately? Tell me in the comments.
────────────────────
▦ About & Support
⦚ Who is Sandy?
⦚ Buy me a coffee
--
▥ Elsewhere
⦚ Youtube (English Subtitles / 繁中字幕)
--
▧ Music
⦚ Epidemic Sound
--
▨ Stack
Hollyland Lark M2 / Canva
Everything Else
--
◉ All content, recording and editing are by Sandy Hongsan Chen.
9 min - EP 015 I Had to Redesign My Own Life
Hey, it's been a year.
I stepped away because my own life needed rebuilding — quietly, slowly, in ways I couldn't do while also showing up here. This episode is about taking the opportunity to redesign with honesty and intention. I've come to believe the slowdown might have actually been an invitation, not a setback.
◉ If you're in the middle of your own redesign right now — I see you. Come sit with me for a bit.
🎨 Windows of Taipei
📫 Slow Weather
────────────────────
▦ About & Support
⦚ Who is Sandy?
⦚ Buy me a coffee
--
▥ Elsewhere
⦚ Youtube (English Subtitles / 繁中字幕)
--
▧ Music
⦚ Epidemic Sound
--
▨ Stack
Hollyland Lark M2 / Canva
Everything Else
--
◉ All content, recording and editing are by Sandy Hongsan Chen.
5 min - EP 014 Getting to the Core of Value
In this episode, I get to the core of value, and the term value proposition. It’s not as a buzzword, but a promise designers make. I share how creating my own “life kit” revealed that value isn’t just about function, but the overlap of intentions.
What you’ll hear
。What value proposition really means in design and life
。How function, need, delight, and sentiment create value
。Why every design is, at its heart, a promise
◉ What was a value you didn’t understand at first, but later came to truly appreciate?
────────────────────
▦ About & Support
⦚ Who is Sandy?
⦚ Buy me a coffee
⦚ [email protected]
--
▥ Elsewhere
⦚ Youtube (English Subtitles / 繁中字幕)
⦚ Instagram
--
▧ Music
⦚ Epidemic Sound
--
▨ Stack
Shure MV7+ / Descript / Canva
--
◉ All content, recording and editing are by Sandy Hongsan Chen.
9 min - EP 013 Users Light The Way—Seeing Design Through Their Eyes
Every user follows a journey, but unexpected roadblocks can change their path. By mapping these journeys, we can uncover frustrations, improve experiences, and create better designs. Let’s explore how user journeys shape both products and personal growth.
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▦ About & Support
⦚ Who is Sandy?
⦚ Buy me a coffee
⦚ [email protected]
--
▥ Elsewhere
⦚ Youtube (English Subtitles / 繁中字幕)
⦚ Instagram
--
▧ Music
⦚ Epidemic Sound
--
▨ Stack
Shure MV7+ / Descript / Canva
--
◉ All content, recording and editing are by Sandy Hongsan Chen.
10 min - EP 012 You are NOT your user — my learning lesson
Design isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about understanding people. In this episode, I dive into the biggest lesson I learned in design: you are NOT your user. Avoiding assumptions and embracing real-world insights can make all the difference.
◉ Can you think of the moment that changed your point of view on someone?
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▦ About & Support
⦚ Who is Sandy?
⦚ Buy me a coffee
⦚ [email protected]
--
▥ Elsewhere
⦚ Youtube (English Subtitles / 繁中字幕)
⦚ Instagram
--
▧ Music
⦚ Epidemic Sound
--
▨ Stack
Shure MV7+ / Descript / Canva
--
◉ All content, recording and editing are by Sandy Hongsan Chen.
10 min - EP 011 What are (digital) products?
In this episode, I break down what digital products are in the simplest way possible, sharing how I’ve explained my work to different people over the years—including my own mom. Design can often feel complex or abstract, but at its core, it’s deeply connected to our everyday experiences.I’ll guide you through how digital products are not so different from the physical items we rely on daily. By drawing these connections, I hope to make it easier to see the role design plays in how we interact with the world, especially as technology continues to evolve.
◉ I’d love to know—what’s your favorite physical product and your favorite digital product? What makes them special to you?
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▦ About & Support
⦚ Who is Sandy?
⦚ Buy me a coffee
⦚ [email protected]
--
▥ Elsewhere
⦚ Youtube (English Subtitles / 繁中字幕)
⦚ Instagram
--
▧ Music
⦚ Epidemic Sound
--
▨ Stack
Shure MV7+ / Descript / Canva
--
◉ All content, recording and editing are by Sandy Hongsan Chen.
10 min - EP 010 Pivoting is redesigning life through change
In this episode, I explore the concept of pivoting—not just in business, but as a powerful tool for personal growth. I share how my own pivoting moments, filled with uncertainty and courage, helped me reshape my life, and how witnessing others' pivots as a mentor has been equally inspiring.
What you'll hear:
⦂ Why pivoting isn’t about the destination but the process
⦂ The lessons I’ve learned from my own life transitions
⦂ How embracing change can lead to unexpected growth
◉ How do you relate to pivoting?
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▦ About & Support
⦚ Who is Sandy?
⦚ Buy me a coffee
⦚ [email protected]
--
▥ Elsewhere
⦚ Youtube (English Subtitles / 繁中字幕)
⦚ Instagram
--
▧ Music
⦚ Epidemic Sound
--
▨ Stack
Shure MV7+ / Descript / Canva
--
◉ All content, recording and editing are by Sandy Hongsan Chen.
8 min - EP 009 Empathy might not be what you thought it was
In this episode, I dive into the real meaning of empathy—not just as a design buzzword, but as a life-changing practice. I share how becoming a product designer helped me understand empathy on a deeper level, shaping how I connect with work, relationships, and even myself.
What you'll hear:
⦂ How design research transformed my view of empathy
⦂ Real-life examples of empathy in action
⦂ How empathy improves work, collaboration, and personal growth
◉ How do you relate to empathy?
────────────────────
▦ About & Support
⦚ Who is Sandy?
⦚ Buy me a coffee
⦚ [email protected]
--
▥ Elsewhere
⦚ Youtube (English Subtitles / 繁中字幕)
⦚ Instagram
--
▧ Music
⦚ Epidemic Sound
--
▨ Stack
Shure MV7+ / Descript / Canva
--
◉ All content, recording and editing are by Sandy Hongsan Chen.
9 min - EP 008 What if failure was the key to success?
In this episode, I reflect on how my understanding of success and failure has evolved over the years—shaped by personal loss, career shifts, and meaningful projects. I share a deeply personal story about losing my sister, how it changed my values, and how it redefined what success means to me.
What you'll hear:
⦂ Why success isn’t one-size-fits-all
⦂ How failure can be a powerful teacher
⦂ The role of meaningful work in personal growth
◉ What’s your most recent failure, and what did you learn from it?
────────────────────
▦ About & Support
⦚ Who is Sandy?
⦚ Buy me a coffee
⦚ [email protected]
--
▥ Elsewhere
⦚ Youtube (English Subtitles / 繁中字幕)
⦚ Instagram
--
▧ Music
⦚ Epidemic Sound
--
▨ Stack
Shure MV7+ / Descript / Canva
--
◉ All content, recording and editing are by Sandy Hongsan Chen.
10 min
About A Design Mentor
From the publisher's feed
A collection of thoughts from a product design mentor on how design is simply a part of life.