This week on Catalyst, guest host Jod Kaftan is joined by Jim Kalbach, Chief Evangelist at MURAL, speaker, and author of Mapping Experiences and The Jobs To Be Done Playbook. Jod and Jim Kalbach discuss the evolving landscape of design, particularly in the context of AI. They explore the double diamond framework, the Jobs To Be Done methodology, and the importance of understanding customer needs through real-world research. Jim emphasizes the need for designers to embed customer insights into organizational workflows and the ethical responsibilities that come with design in the age of AI. Jim also shares how his experience as a Jazz Bassist informs his work in design - notably his ability to embrace the unknown. 

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Jim Kalbach

Jobs to be Done Toolkit 

Erica Flowers - Trade Your Double Diamonds for Steel 

Leo Frishberg - Presumptive Design 

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This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Tresa Gowland, Manufacturing and High Tech Industry Leader at Launch by NTT DATA. Tresa began her career on the factory floor and has since moved into a strategic role, helping organizations transform and modernize their manufacturing processes. Tammy and Tresa explore what it really takes to modernize manufacturing. They highlight the critical role of empathy, compassion, and active listening when introducing new technologies and tackling long-standing challenges. Tresa also shares why treating innovation like a factory can drive adoption and deliver meaningful, lasting value.

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Tresa Gowland 

From Sci-Fi to Shop Floor: Turning Bold Ideas into Reality

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In this episode from the archives, Tammy is joined by Sarina Malik, a graduate from Columbia University, to discuss the role of AI in shaping the future workforce. They discuss the challenges faced by Gen Z in entering the job market, the importance of AI literacy, and the ethical implications of using AI in education. Serena also shares about her experience leveraging technology to create positive change in the world.

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Project Pearls

Future Faces Foundation Manila  

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This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by AI Empowerment Solutions Leader at NTT DATA Christen Bell. Christen’s work focuses on how intelligent systems affect humans in the workplace and, more recently, human’s fears of AI. Christen shares her fascinating findings with Tammy on how AI adoption differs between industries and regions and what makes people more or less trusting of AI. Christen and Tammy also talk about how leaders can quell the perceived threat of AI in their workplaces - no surprise, it's by being human first! 

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Christen Bell 

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This week on Catalyst, guest host Jod Kaftan sits down with designer and expert in human-centered AI, Shelley Evenson. Shelley shares her insights on how designers and teams can achieve human-AI flow and how to spot the warning signs that a team is drifting into the realm of AI slop. Jod and Shelley also discuss the need for change management in AI transformations and talk about who in an organization should own an AI transformation? Is it HR? Is it IT? According to Shelley it’s a team endeavour that should start at the very top, with the CEO.

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Shelley Evenson 

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience 

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This week on Catalyst, Tammy speaks with Nate Berent-Spillson, the SVP of Engineering at Launch by NTT DATA. Nate is the type of guy who is always using technology in new and inventive ways. This week Nate and Tammy discuss the evolution of AI tools and Nate introduces the power of command line interfaces. Nate shares how using AI in innovative new ways can reduce cognitive load and reimagine user interfaces to enhance productivity and efficiency in the workplace. 

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Nate Berent- Spillson 

Markdown Guide 

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This week on Catalyst, Tammy speaks with Graeme Cuthbertson, Director of IT Operations and End-User Systems at Neurocrine Biosciences. They explore Graeme’s career across industries, including banking and biotech, and what those experiences have taught him about building empathy into technology. Graeme also highlights the importance of meeting customers where they are, the role of family support in personal and professional growth, and how human connection and thoughtful technology can elevate both employee and customer experiences.

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Graeme Cuthbertson 

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This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Mark Curtis, the co-founder of Fjord and a pioneer in the design, strategy and thought leadership space. Tammy and Mark discuss his extensive career and delve into the evolution of design over the past 3 decades. They also look to the future and explore how AI is transforming design and why it still can’t beat the human brain in some applications. Mark also talks about this new venture Full Moon, a project focused on the intersection of humans, technology, and business, and the resurgence of service design in response to the complexities of modern challenges.

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Mark Curtis 

Full Moon 

Moving Beyond “AI is just a Tool”: Shifts in AI Communication in 2026 - Medium 

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This week on Catalyst, Tammy Soares speaks with Prashant Hinge, Chief Information and Transformation Officer at MSIG USA. Prashant has been working in the insurance industry for 20 years and is an expert at building teams to create solutions that improve the user experience. Prashant discusses the importance of unlearning siloed ways of working in order to unlock collaborative and cross-functional creativity, a skill that’s especially important in the insurance industry. He also explains why in the current world of AI, we all need to become triathletes - meaning we now need to understand the business, need to know basic AI tools and need to develop core skills. He also talks about the opportunities that AI is unlocking for the insurance industry and how change management and ensuring you have good processes, data and people is key in ensuring success at scale. 

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Prashant Hinge 

State of AI in Business in 2025 

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This week on Catalyst, guest host Jod Kaftan sits down with automotive industry expert Clemens Conrad to discuss the evolution of mobility and the future of automotive design. Jod and Clemens discuss how car interiors are becoming more personalized and how OEMs are adapting to hyper-personalize the automotive experience. They also explore how cultural differences in transportation inform automotive design and break down some recent stats about which companies are leading the way in automotive design and innovation - some of the results might surprise you! 

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Clemens Conrad 

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