Beginners Guide to Design Thinking

Join Lucy, one of the co-hosts of the award-winning podcast 'A Beginner's Guide to Design Thinking' as she introduces her new podcast 'The Long Game with Lucy Patterson'.

A podcast for people noticing that the old systems feelincreasingly out of sync with the lives we’re actually living.

Expanding on her work in design thinking, she explores conversations based on the growing longevity economy and the intricacies of being alive at a point where human beings are suddenly living much longer lives than many of our institutions were ever built for.

This podcast is where Lucy and her guests process what this means from a design and cultural perspective. So join her for honest, intelligent conversations about identity, systems, culture, curiosity, and building lives and ideas that can actually last.

We’re all living longer. So we all need to get better at playing the long game.

Search 'The Long Game with Lucy Patterson' wherever you usually listen to your podcasts, then make sure you hit follow so you never miss an episode.

Episode 1 drops Monday 1st June 2026! 

You can also find Lucy on Substack where she writes about the same topic.

Here are the links to the bodies of work mentioned by the listeners who asked us questions this episode:

Candor Dennis - The Event Playbook Coffee Chat Series

Liz Atkin - Refreshing Comms

Vaughan Broderick - Innovation Playbook

In this reflective episode, Lucy and Tracy celebrate three years of their design thinking podcast, sharing personal growth stories, podcast successes, and lessons learned.

They engage with listener questions, discuss the importance of empathy in design thinking, and explore the future of the discipline, particularly around longevity, education and leadership.

The hosts also share humorous moments from their podcasting journey and reflect on the significance of external validation.

As 2026 looms, Lucy looks forward to releasing her solo spin-off podcast 'Rebel by Design (Thinking)' and Tracy looks forward to starting a new role. They both express excitement for future projects and the continued evolution of design thinking within their chosen fields.

Key takeaways:

• Listener numbers and retention rates have exceeded anything they could have hoped for since they started the podcast as a fun experiment 3 years ago.
• Resilience and adaptability are the key lessons they've learned whilst recording.
• Empathy is crucial in design thinking and product development.
• When adopted, design thinking principles can greatly benefit the education and longevity sectors, and aid with career progression.
• The importance of humour and fun in any journey.
• External validation is not the primary focus; the message is what matters.

As we press pause on our recordings for now, we'd like to thank every single listener and supporter. We've been blown away by the reach, engagement and connections we've had the pleasure of making this past 3 years. Don't forget to tune into Lucy's solo spin-off 'Rebel by Design (Thinking) in the new year.

In this episode, Lucy and Tracy explore the critical role of communication in design thinking and collaboration.

They discuss various communication styles, the impact of neurodiversity, and the importance of creating inclusive spaces for effective communication.

The conversation emphasises the need for empathy, avoiding jargon, and fostering curiosity to enhance understanding.

They also provide practical tips for facilitating brainstorming sessions and ensuring clarity in communication, ultimately highlighting that effective communication is essential for innovation and teamwork.

key takeaways:

• Communication is often assumed to be easy until it isn't.
• There are four main communication styles: visual, verbal, written, and kinesthetic.
• Neurodiversity plays a significant role in how individuals communicate and process information.
• Creating safe spaces for questions enhances inclusivity in communication.
• Empathy is crucial in understanding different communication styles.
• Avoiding jargon can improve connection and clarity in communication.
• Curiosity should replace the word 'should' to foster innovation.
• Facilitators should set the tone for open communication by modeling vulnerability.

• Communication is not just about words; it's about making people feel heard.

Chapters:

00:00 The Importance of Communication in Design Thinking

02:52 Understanding Communication Styles

05:41 Neurodiversity and Communication

08:46 Creating Inclusive Communication Spaces

11:25 The Role of Empathy in Communication

14:20 Overcoming Jargon and Assumptions

17:07 Facilitating Effective Brainstorming Sessions

20:00 Designing for Clarity and Connection

23:02 Communication Do's and Don'ts

25:44 Final Thoughts on Communication and Innovation

In this episode, Tracy Sharp discusses two influential books in the realm of design thinking: 'The Design of Everyday Things' by Don Norman and 'Designing Your Life' by Dave Evans and Bill Burnett.

Tracy emphasises the importance of understanding user behavior in design and how design thinking principles can be applied to career development. The conversation highlights the significance of prototyping, iterative processes, and being clear about personal values to enhance both product design and life design.

Key Takeaways:

• Think about the last book that inspired you.
• The Design of Everyday Things focuses on user interaction.
• Design errors are often misattributed to user mistakes.
• Prototyping is crucial in the design process.
• Designing Your Life applies design thinking to career choices.

• Iterate on your career path rather than making drastic changes.

• Be intentional about trying new things in your career.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Design Thinking Books

05:09 The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman

09:51 Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans

In this mini-episode, Lucy Patterson explores the themes of design thinking, creativity, and the importance of embracing the messy middle in life and business.

She reviews two impactful books, 'Tiny Experiments' by Anne Laure Le Cunff, and 'The Fax Club Experiment', by David Hieatt & The 32; sharing insights on how small, iterative actions can lead to significant growth and understanding.

The discussion emphasises the value of curiosity, reflection, and community in navigating life's challenges.

Key takeaways:

• Life doesn't work in linear bullet points.

• Treat failure as data, not drama.
• The messy middle isn't where you're stuck, it's where you start.
• Slow can be better than fast.
• Tiny experiments felt like a field manual.

• The Fax Club Experiment is an invitation to the uncomfortable.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Tsundoku and Book Obsession
• 01:11 Design Thinking and the Messy Middle
• 06:21 Embracing Curiosity Over Certainty
• 10:29 The Power of Reflection

In this episode Lucy and Tracy explore the multifaceted nature of innovation, emphasising the importance of iterative processes, understanding customer needs, and the role of design thinking in creating impactful solutions.

They discuss concepts like painstorming and jobs to be done, highlighting how small changes can lead to significant value. The conversation also touches on the importance of inclusivity and delight in design, as well as the necessity of implementation for successful innovation.

Chapters:

00:00 The Essence of Innovation

03:12 Understanding Innovation vs. Invention

06:05 The Concept of Painstorming

08:59 Jobs to Be Done: Adding Value

11:54 Iterative Innovation and Customer Focus

15:05 Design Thinking for Community and Sustainability

18:01 Questioning Assumptions in Innovation

21:31 Delight and Inclusivity in Design

24:22 Implementation: The Key to Successful Innovation

27:32 Learning from Past Innovations

30:21 The Future of Innovation.Key takeaways:

• Innovation is about small, iterative changes rather than grand inventions.
• Painstorming focuses on understanding user pain points to drive innovation.
• Jobs to be done is a framework for identifying customer needs and adding value.
• Inclusivity and delight are essential in design to enhance user experience.
• Implementation is crucial; ideas without execution are ineffective.
• The right ecosystem can support innovative ideas and ensure their success.
• Assumptions in innovation must be questioned to avoid failure.
• Design thinking should be accessible and free from jargon.
• Iterative innovation allows for rapid testing and feedback loops.
• Understanding customer jobs leads to more meaningful innovations.

In this episode Lucy Patterson and Tracy Sharp explore the theme of vulnerability and its critical role in design thinking and creative spaces.

They share personal stories of vulnerability, discuss the gender dynamics surrounding it, and emphasise the importance of creating safe spaces for open communication.

The conversation also highlights practical tools and techniques to encourage vulnerability in workshops; ultimately linking it to innovation and authenticity in both personal and professional contexts.

Chapters:

00:00 The Power of Vulnerability in Design Thinking

02:57 Personal Stories of Vulnerability

06:02 The Impact of Vulnerability on Creativity

09:08 Gender Dynamics and Vulnerability

12:12 Creating Safe Spaces for Vulnerability

14:58 Tools for Encouraging Vulnerability in Workshops

18:01 The Role of Vulnerability in Innovation

21:28 Final Thoughts on Vulnerability and Design Thinking

Key takeaways:

• Vulnerability is essential for creativity and innovation.
• Personal experiences of vulnerability can shape professional practices.
• Creating safe spaces is crucial for encouraging vulnerability.
• Gender dynamics influence how vulnerability is expressed and perceived.
• Vulnerability is not a weakness; it's a strength in design thinking.
• Authenticity fosters connection and trust in workshops.
• Facilitators should model vulnerability to encourage others.
• Workshops can serve as rehearsal spaces for real-life vulnerability.
• Tools like anonymous contributions can help ease the fear of sharing ideas.
• Vulnerability allows for messy honesty, which is more relatable than perfection.

In this episode, Lucy and Tracy explore the transformative power of curiosity within the context of design thinking.

They discuss the science behind curiosity, its role in personal and professional growth, and how it can be harnessed as a tool for innovation.

The conversation delves into different types of curiosity, the importance of creating safe, bold spaces for exploration, and how curiosity can lead to meaningful life design.

The hosts emphasise that while curiosity is essential, it must be paired with intention and clarity to drive effective outcomes.

Soundbites:

'Curiosity isn't just a nice to have, it's built into our daily interactions like a cognitive superpower.'

'Curiosity lights up the reward circuitry of your brain like the billboards on Times Square.'

'You need to feed your curiosity.'

Chapters:

00:00 The Power of Curiosity

01:27 Curiosity in Conversations

05:15 Curiosity and Brain Science

09:58 Curiosity vs. Chaos

10:48 Types of Curiosity

15:36 Making the Connection to Curiosity in Design Thinking

18:29 The Power of Curiosity in Understanding Others

19:46 Creating Safe Spaces for Exploration

23:33 The Robot, Pirate, Ninja Framework

28:28 Curiosity as a Life Design Tool

33:35 Curiosity as a Superpower for Growth

36:20 Practical Tips for Cultivating Curiosity

39:14 Next Episode - Design Thinking & VulnerabilityTopics: curiosity, design thinking, personal growth, professional development, creativity, problem solving, brain science, safe spaces, life design, innovation.

In this episode, Lucy and Tracy explore the relevance of design thinking in the age of artificial intelligence.

They discuss the historical context of AI, its integration into design processes, and the importance of maintaining a humanity-centered approach.

The conversation emphasises the need for empathy, creativity, and the unique insights that only humans can provide; even as AI becomes a more prevalent tool in design thinking.

Soundbites:

7:24 - 'AI is like the Ozempic of the corporate world.'

9:10 - 'Have we been mis-using design thinking in ways AIcan now replicate easily?'

12:57 - 'How do we integrate it without losing thehuman magic? That’s the brief.'

13:49 - 'It’s amazing for breadth, but it's got jack sh*t intuition.'

23:15 - 'I basically work to the principal of AI fast, then human slow, and AI plus human intelligence is where the true magic lies.'

28:59 - 'When we test with real humans, we spot the moments AI misses - that's the stuff that matters most. Design thinking is about empathy, creativity and testing. If we skip those steps, we’re not using AI, we’re just avoiding the hard stuff.'

Key takeaways:

• Design thinking is still relevant despite AI advancements.
• AI has been in development for much longer than perceived.
• The integration of AI into design thinking should enhance, not replace, human creativity.
• Real design thinking involves messy, human processes that AI cannot replicate.
• AI can assist in initial research but should not replace human insight.
• The importance of empathy in design thinking cannot be overlooked.
• AI can help generate ideas but lacks intuition and context.
• Using AI responsibly requires understanding its limitations and biases.
• Collaboration between AI and human intelligence can lead to innovative solutions.
• Testing with real humans is essential to capture insights that AI misses.

In this episode, Lucy and Tracy delve into the critical role that empathy plays in design thinking; emphasising its importance in creating products and services that truly meet the needs of users.

They discuss the consequences of neglecting empathy, share personal anecdotes, and provide practical tools and steps for fostering empathy in design processes.

The conversation highlights the need for inclusivity and accessibility in design, encouraging listeners to reflect on their own biases and assumptions.

Key takeaways:

• Empathy is essential in design thinking.
• Designing for the average ignores diverse user needs.
• Everyday experiences highlight the need for empathetic design.
• Empathy can improve product accessibility and inclusivity.
• Tools like the Wheel of Power and Privilege help identify biases.
• Recognising your starting point is crucial for progress.
• Engaging with users directly leads to better design outcomes.
• Design should be aspirational, not just functional.
• Small tweaks can make a big difference in inclusivity.
• An empathy audit can help reflect on biases and assumptions.

Sound bites:

• "Empathy isn't just a nice to have."
• "We need to be asking them, the users."
• "Recognise where you are. Start from there"
• "Design for aspiration as well as function."

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome Back and Season Three Introduction

01:08 Understanding Empathy in Design

02:28 The Importance of Empathy in Design Thinking

03:28 The Consequences of Lacking Empathy

07:20 Empathy in Everyday Life and Design

09:41 Tools for Enhancing Empathy

14:39 Practical Steps to Foster Empathy

19:56 Empathy Audit and Conclusion