A76 | a design pod

In my latest episode of A76, I talk with veteran journalist, author, musician, politics editor for MassLive & friend—John L. Micek. John reflects on three decades of reporting, storytelling, and understanding what makes communities tick and traces his winding path into journalism. He also shares how ideas spark from everyday observations, train rides, and simple curiosity. And the conversation explores knowing when to let an idea go, the value of teaching the next generation of storytellers, and the unseen labor behind his craft. Thoughtful, honest, and full of hard-earned wisdom, John offers insightful perspectives on creativity, discipline, and following the ideas that refuse to leave you alone. Hope you enjoy 🎧 📓 ✍🏼

A76 was created by Noel Childs
And is executive produced & hosted by Noel Childs

Season 5: Walk Your Dog is produced by Noel Childs
Season 4: The Human Spark is produced by Noel Childs
Season 3: The Art and Science of Scale is produced by Noel Childs
Season 2: Managing Change was produced by Noel Childs
Season 1: AI and the Double Diamond Model was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel Childs

Our theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig
and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton

If you like what you hear, please give us a rating and become a member of A76's Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpod
Have a question or comment, email [email protected]

I reconnect with Andreas Refsgaard, an artist and creative coder based in Copenhagen whose art blends algorithms, interaction, and playful experimentation. Andreas shares what he’s been up to since his first appearance on A76—teaching workshops, building museum installations, and expanding his “weird AI art” practice (his words)—all the while reflecting on why surprise and interaction remain central to his work. He breaks down how new tech spark his ideas, how building (not brainstorming) unlocks breakthroughs and why testing half-baked concepts in front of real people shapes his direction. Check out his creative projects at the link above. 

~ Noel

A76 was created by Noel Childs
And is executive produced & hosted by Noel Childs

Season 5: Walk Your Dog is produced by Noel Childs
Season 4: The Human Spark is produced by Noel Childs
Season 3: The Art and Science of Scale is produced by Noel Childs
Season 2: Managing Change was produced by Noel Childs
Season 1: AI and the Double Diamond Model was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel Childs

Our theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig
and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton

If you like what you hear, please give us a rating and become a member of A76's Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpod
Have a question or comment, email [email protected]

I chat with Chicago-based videographer and creative Cal Engel to trace one of the more unconventional career journeys—from the early days crafting internal videos, the sudden leap to touring the world with the Jonas Brothers, and eventually starting his own production company, AV Collective. Along the way, he breaks down how constant visual consumption informs his ideas, and why unplugging often sparks his clearest ideas. Our conversation explores shifting projects, telling real people's stories and the chaos that can fuel great creative projects. The human spark on several layers. Hope you enjoy!

~ Noel

Checkout the spotify playlist of ideation songs selected by everyone I've interviewed this season.

A76 was created by Noel Childs
And is executive produced & hosted by Noel Childs

Season 5: Walk Your Dog is produced by Noel Childs
Season 4: The Human Spark is produced by Noel Childs
Season 3: The Art and Science of Scale is produced by Noel Childs
Season 2: Managing Change was produced by Noel Childs
Season 1: AI and the Double Diamond Model was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel Childs

Our theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig
and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton

If you like what you hear, please give us a rating and become a member of A76's Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpod
Have a question or comment, email [email protected]

In the latest episode of A76, The Human Spark, I talk with Kevin McElroy, Executive Creative Director at Razorfish in Chicago, about designing with empathy and leading teams in a constantly shifting landscape. Kevin shares his amazing path from dreaming of Disney, to Detroit automotive to working with Benetton in Venice, culminating in global digital experiences today. He breaks down his human-centered design approach—immersing in products, focusing on real people, and using your senses to get unstuck. And the conversation dives into team-based ideation and leveraging folks outside the creative capability. It’s a look at intuition, collaboration, and keeping the approach fun for your creative team. If you care about nurturing an ideation culture and crafting ideas with impact, this one's for you.

Plus a reminder—this season I'm asking everyone coming on the pod what song would be on their ideation soundtrack. Checkout the spotify playlist here.

~ Noel

A76 was created by Noel Childs
And is executive produced & hosted by Noel Childs

Season 5: Walk Your Dog is produced by Noel Childs
Season 4: The Human Spark is produced by Noel Childs
Season 3: The Art and Science of Scale is produced by Noel Childs
Season 2: Managing Change was produced by Noel Childs
Season 1: AI and the Double Diamond Model was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel Childs

Our theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig
and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton

If you like what you hear, please give us a rating and become a member of A76's Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpod
Have a question or comment, email [email protected]

In this latest epsiode, I chat with Chris Ward a Seattle-based VP of Account Management at Digitas about how his broad curiosity for design, calm approach, and love of the outdoors fuel his work. Chris shares his origin story, why account managers should aim to be second-best at every job, and how he uses design thinking to solve real user problems. We also explore his personal projects, where he transforms his photography into tangible creations—from coffee-table books to retro park-poster prints—and how being outside helps him recharge. The conversation touches on finishing versus abandoning projects, balancing work and life, and the belief that everyone has the ability to ideate.

Plus listen to our Human Spark Spotify Playlist

~ Noel

A76 was created by Noel Childs
And is executive produced & hosted by Noel Childs

Season 5: Walk Your Dog is produced by Noel Childs
Season 4: The Human Spark is produced by Noel Childs
Season 3: The Art and Science of Scale is produced by Noel Childs
Season 2: Managing Change was produced by Noel Childs
Season 1: AI and the Double Diamond Model was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel Childs

Our theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig
and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton

If you like what you hear, please give us a rating and become a member of A76's Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpod
Have a question or comment, email [email protected]

In this episode of A76, The Human Spark, I sit down again with friend of the pod Mick Champayne, a staff designer on Google’s Delight Team—the group behind those joyful little surprises on Google Search. Mick shares how she channels curiosity, humor, and serendipity into her work, from designing easter eggs for billions of users to keeping her personal illustration practice fresh. We discuss idea generation, staying inspired, and how simple habits—like collecting digital ephemera or snapping photos on morning runs—fuel inspiration. The conversation explores burnout, momentum, and the power of simply starting. It’s a reflection on delight, discipline, finding meaning in motion and the weirdness of humans. Hope you enjoy.

~ Noel

Plus this season I'm asking everyone who comes on the pod what song would be on their ideation soundtrack. Mick's has been added to our spotify playlist

A76 was created by Noel Childs
And is executive produced & hosted by Noel Childs

Season 5: Walk Your Dog is produced by Noel Childs
Season 4: The Human Spark is produced by Noel Childs
Season 3: The Art and Science of Scale is produced by Noel Childs
Season 2: Managing Change was produced by Noel Childs
Season 1: AI and the Double Diamond Model was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel Childs

Our theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig
and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton

If you like what you hear, please give us a rating and become a member of A76's Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpod
Have a question or comment, email [email protected]

In this episode I catch up with Adam Weil, Senior Director of Research at Shapiro + Raj to talk about where good ideas come from and what separates the great ones from the noise.

Adam’s career has spanned television networks to innovation agencies but what stands out most is his obsession with insightful storytelling. We talk about how he teaches younger researchers to transform data into stories that move people, how "iron sharpening iron” still sits at the center of his process and what The 13th Warrior taught him about ideating.

He also shares how GenAI has become a thought partner in his workflow, how he knows when he’s found a kernel worth chasing, and why surrounding yourself with smart, curious people is the best way to sharpen your own thinking. Adam leaves us with a reminder that creativity might look like play from the outside, but it’s deeply demanding work—equal parts curiosity, humility, and practice.

Plus this season I'm asking everyone coming on the pod what song would be on their ideation soundtrack, Adam's choice is the first added to the spotify playlist.

~ Noel

A76 was created by Noel Childs
And is executive produced & hosted by Noel Childs

Season 5: Walk Your Dog is produced by Noel Childs
Season 4: The Human Spark is produced by Noel Childs
Season 3: The Art and Science of Scale is produced by Noel Childs
Season 2: Managing Change was produced by Noel Childs
Season 1: AI and the Double Diamond Model was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel Childs

Our theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig
and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton

If you like what you hear, please give us a rating and become a member of A76's Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpod
Have a question or comment, email [email protected]

Welcome back  to A76.

This season, we’re stepping away from algorithms and turning back towards the people behind the ideas.

And because we find ourselves in a world where generative AI can spin out thousand of versions of anything—I keep wondering where do the truly original ideas come from?

So in Season 4, we’re exploring what I’m calling ~ The Human Spark.

I’ll be talking with designers, creators, and adjacent makers—people who’ve built things that are unique. And together, we’ll dig into the mindsets, the moments, and yes—the messy processes—that lead to something genuinely authentic.

It’s not about the perfect workflow or the most advanced tool. It’s about that strange little flicker between inspiration and action that all of us have the capacity for and many of us spend our days chasing.

So, if you’ve ever asked yourself how did they come up with that?—this season is for you.

A new season of A76—The Human Spark is coming soon.

~ Noel

A76 was created by Noel Childs
And is executive produced & hosted by Noel Childs

Season 5: Walk Your Dog is produced by Noel Childs
Season 4: The Human Spark is produced by Noel Childs
Season 3: The Art and Science of Scale is produced by Noel Childs
Season 2: Managing Change was produced by Noel Childs
Season 1: AI and the Double Diamond Model was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel Childs

Our theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig
and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton

If you like what you hear, please give us a rating and become a member of A76's Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpod
Have a question or comment, email [email protected]

Welcome to this Patreon exclusive preview. If you’re new to A76’s Patreon or you’re listening to a preview for the first time, these exclusive episodes are where I talk about my production of the podcast, break down some of the discussions coming out of my free interviews. I bring new ideas here—things I’m kicking around—and I share additional content from those interviews.

I used to call these Icebreaks because, well if you haven’t noticed we have an iceberg thing going on here at A76. And the podcast was named after a massive state-sized iceberg, an apt metaphor for UX design since the majority of our design work lies beneath the surface, unseen by the user but oh so critical.

I’m changing it up for this Patreon exclusive; I’m both finalizing this season of scale and gearing up for an exciting season ahead. And if you’re a Patreon subscriber you’ll hear my season 4 announcement later in this episode plus a hilarious and insightful ThinkFast game Olivia Moore T. and I did. 

A special thank you to my Patreon subscribers. I couldn’t do this podcast without you and you’re helping me get this pod to carbon neutral. If you want to help support the pod, head over to the Patreon link in the show notes. A warm thank you even if you're just thinking about it.

Thank you to all the designers, creators, and adjacent makers I interviewed this season. You're all amazing. 

Keep designing. Keep growing. And keep making a positive impact.

~ Noel

A76 was created by Noel Childs
And is executive produced & hosted by Noel Childs

Season 5: Walk Your Dog is produced by Noel Childs
Season 4: The Human Spark is produced by Noel Childs
Season 3: The Art and Science of Scale is produced by Noel Childs
Season 2: Managing Change was produced by Noel Childs
Season 1: AI and the Double Diamond Model was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel Childs

Our theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig
and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton

If you like what you hear, please give us a rating and become a member of A76's Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpod
Have a question or comment, email [email protected]

In this deeply personal and expansive conversation, I sit down with Olivia Moore T., a talented designer whose roots in Detroit, radio and tech have fueled a career in experience design. We explore her origin story, the tension between creativity and capitalism, how nostalgia is reshaping Gen Z’s approach and the increasingly blurry line between tools and culture. Our conversation veers from thoughtful to playful, from systemic critique to personal honesty—making this episode both a mirror for designers and a signal flare for where we might be headed next. 

I hope you enjoy.

~ Noel

A76 was created by Noel Childs
And is executive produced & hosted by Noel Childs

Season 5: Walk Your Dog is produced by Noel Childs
Season 4: The Human Spark is produced by Noel Childs
Season 3: The Art and Science of Scale is produced by Noel Childs
Season 2: Managing Change was produced by Noel Childs
Season 1: AI and the Double Diamond Model was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel Childs

Our theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig
and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton

If you like what you hear, please give us a rating and become a member of A76's Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpod
Have a question or comment, email [email protected]