Design To Be Conversation

In today’s episode, I speak with Jeff Veen. Jeff is a Design Partner and Head of Platform at True Ventures, where he spends his time helping founders create better products. He does this as an advisor, as well, for companies like about.me, Medium, and WordPress. Previously, Jeff was VP of Design at Adobe after they acquired Typekit, the company he co-founded and ran as CEO.

Jeff was also one of the founding partners of the user experience consulting group Adaptive Path. While there, he led Measure Map, which was acquired by Google. During his time at Google, Jeff designed Google Analytics and led the UX team for Google's apps. Much earlier, Jeff was part of the founding web team at Wired Magazine, where he helped build HotWired, Web Monkey, Wired News, and many other sites. During that time, he authored two books: HotWired Style and The Art and Science of Web Design.

We dive into ways in which trust is established at work and how it’s necessary in order for people to be as creative – and successful – as possible. 

In today’s episode, I speak with Kat Vellos. Kat is a connection coach and trusted expert on the power of cultivating meaningful friendships. In her former career as a user experience designer, she researched, designed, and advised on the user experience of countless flows in digital products serving millions of people at companies like Slack and Pandora. With the publication of her books, We Should Get Together and Connected from Afar, Kat turned her background in UX design towards combating the loneliness epidemic to help millions of people experience greater wellness and fulfillment through thriving platonic relationships. Her interviews can be found in a variety of publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Communication Arts, Thrive Global, Yahoo Lifestyle, and Authority Magazine. Kat is also a sought-after speaker who has graced the stages of TEDx, San Francisco Design Week, Design for America, the Transforming Loneliness Summit, Rosenfeld Media’s DesignOps Summit and many more. 

We dive into what workplace loneliness is, the profound impact it can have on you, and how, through practical strategies, you can transform the experience of ‘just a job’ into an experience of community and a place of connection.

In today's episode, I speak with Randy Hunt. Randy is a multi-hyphenate designer, executive, artist, musician, and writer. Professionally: Randy is Head of Design Strategy at Kraken, a cryptocurrency exchange. He has served as Head of Design at Grab, Head of Design at Artsy, and VP of Design at Etsy. Randy is the author of Product Design for the Web. He also co-founded Supermarket, a curated design marketplace, founded Citizen Scholar Inc., and worked at Milton Glaser Inc. He is an active writer, lecturer, critic, and visiting designer at many colleges and universities. 

We dive into experiences that can unexpectedly elicit joy at work – like discovering and operationalizing a new strength or helping to bring someone else’s vision to life – as well as more intentional practices you can use – like getting clarity on your convictions through open conversation with people you trust.

In today’s episode, I speak with Scott Jenson. Scott has been doing user interface design and strategic planning for over 30 years. He worked at Apple on System 7, Newton, and the Apple Human Interface guidelines. He was the director of Symbian’s DesignLab, manager of mobile UX for Google, and a creative director at frog design in San Francisco. He was a founding member of the biotech company Color. Scott returned to Google working on the Chrome team in 2013 to work on IoT and Android. In 2021 he left to explore the world outside of Google and is now working at Ink & Switch, an industrial research lab. 

We dive into how to use meditation to create space for curiosity, how to be unattached to the result so you can be a better listener, and how – in order to be understood – you need to first understand yourself and the situation.

In today’s episode, I speak with Chine and Chuba Ezekwesili. Also known as the Ezeks Twins, Chine and Chuba are interdisciplinary designers, artists, and founders of Akanka, a design studio on a mission to create Heaven on Earth. Akanka achieves this mission by partnering with other visionaries to design and build ventures and movements. These include Future Africa, Stand to End Rape, #FixPolitics, and the School of Politics, Policy, and Governance (SPPG). At Akanka, they have worked with global brands that include Google, The World Economic Forum, Yale University, Duke University, Nexford University, GIZ, and Open Society Foundation. 

We dive into how to apply the Ezeks Twins’ nature-inspired Framework of Intention in 3 steps: slowing down to be present and get clarity, giving gratitude for what’s in front of you, and taking responsibility so you can make use of life’s lessons and blessings.

In today’s episode, I speak with Mike Gorgone. Mike is an Associate Director at EY. He is someone who loves being part of a creative, supportive and collaborative design team that builds engaging experiences for digital products at a company that fosters a culture that values design thinking and makes it a priority in how the company runs and solves problems. He currently gets to do all of the above in the Experience Design (XD) Group at EY. The Group is divided into Strategy, Creative, and Technology disciplines. The XD Group collaborates heavily with leadership and stakeholders to align with business goals and strategy.

We dive into all the ways that improv and design intersect, including how active listening helps you let go of ego, how patience gives you an opportunity to be present, and the momentum that comes from saying “yes, and…”

In today’s episode, I speak with Ran Segall. Ran has been a freelance web designer for 17 years — 6 of those as a full-time business owner. He started his career at big advertising and branding agencies, and as a freelancer, has served clients in many industries, including tech startups, social enterprises, and restaurateurs. By developing high-value skills, he scaled his freelance web design business to over $250k in yearly revenue. Since 2015, Ran has been sharing his learnings on his YouTube channel, Flux — the very foundation of Flux Academy. 

We dive into how to gain external self-awareness, how triggers can teach you what you value, and how to practice a ‘here to learn’ mindset.

In today’s episode, I speak with Sabrina Hall. Sabrina is a creative leader, product design manager, professor, and writer living in NYC. Currently, she is a Senior Product Design Manager at Etsy. With a career spanning over 14 years, she has collaborated with companies of all sizes. Sabrina is an activist, caring deeply about people and how design impacts others. She is a Board Member for the Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP) and previously served as co-chair of AIGA NY’s Mentoring program. She is also an Adjunct Professor at CUNY where she teaches design. Sabrina is passionate about accessibility in design, creating opportunities for emerging designers and advocating for equity within the field of design.

We dive into the impact and nuances of giving and receiving feedback: the role of power dynamics, the vulnerability that’s required in learning, the value of specificity, and how to navigate, call out, and clarify assumptions.

We’re excited to be back after a few months' break. We have many inspiring guests in store for you this time around. We’ll be diving into their insightful stories and sharing their actionable advice, so you can invest in your emotional intelligence to become more impactful in your career. 

In today’s episode, I speak with Terrence Williams. Terrence is a designer, illustrator, and storyteller located in San Francisco, CA. By producing work that encourages and celebrates an individual's authenticity, he proudly advocates for a more inclusive approach to design. He also strives to connect with audiences through courageous conversation. This has been a critical part of his growth as a voice in this industry, where he elevates designers of color and their intersectional narratives. Terrence hopes to inform, inspire, and empower others to take action and create more inclusive design cultures through the power of compassionate storytelling.

We dive into navigating spaces where you are “the only one,” finding authenticity, honoring the story of the community you’re serving, and the four mindsets of Relationship Design: compassion, intention, courage, and reciprocity.

Today’s show marks our 36th and final episode of the Design To Be Conversation podcast before we come back in February 2022. Before we dive into our episode for today, I want to take a moment to say thank you. Thank you for listening and supporting Design To Be Conversation and thank you to each of our incredible guests who have made each episode so insightful and impactful. I’m extremely excited for the future of Design To Be Conversation. We have an incredible lineup of guests planned for next year, so be sure to follow us along on social at design_tobe or head to designtobeconversation.com to be the first to know when we return. Now, let’s get into today’s episode.

Today, we are wrapping up our show with Raquel Breternitz. Raquel is an award-winning design leader and strategist with a resume spanning years of purpose-driven work experience from serving as Design Director for US Senator Elizabeth Warren to private sector credits at the New York Times, Pivotal Labs, and IBM. Raquel is a public speaker with works and topics connected by a passion for accessibility and inclusion, research-driven design thinking, and a hunger for tackling complex and challenging problems. She has spoken at Lesbians Who Tech, PluralSightLIVE, Wonder Women in Tech, and O'Reilly Design.

We dive into what it means to connect with your passions and ideals in design, the importance of prioritizing rest and well-being to manage burnout, and intentional ways to practice self-care that provides purpose and joy.