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In this episode, Devin and Won You discuss the profound impact of AI on the design and technology sectors. They explore how AI tools have already enhanced productivity in their workflows, raising both opportunities and concerns for the future role of designers. Key topics include the commoditization of design, potential loss of craftsmanship, and broader economic consequences of AI replacing traditional jobs. 

Ethical considerations around AI, such as copyright issues and ethical content production, are also examined. The episode highlights advancements in web and product design, speculates on the future work landscape, and emphasizes the value of AI in streamlining tasks, enabling more efficient business operations, and democratizing design capabilities for solopreneurs and creatives. Challenges faced by junior designers and the importance of responsible scaling and apprenticeship models are also discussed.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:19 The Impact of AI on Design and Society

00:46 Using AI in the Design Process

01:38 Challenges and Limitations of AI in Design

02:41 Experimenting with AI Art

03:44 AI's Role in Client Projects

05:48 The Future of Design Jobs with AI

06:13 Balancing Vision and AI Capabilities

07:21 AI as a Design Partner

08:03 The Evolution of Design and AI

10:21 The Commoditization of Design

11:58 The Role of Craft in a Post-AI World

21:13 The Future of Design Education

34:51 Ethical Considerations in AI Art

37:09 The Ethics and Future of AI

37:45 Job Displacement and AI

39:01 Creativity in the Age of AI

42:25 Capitalism and Value Creation

45:54 Technological Innovations and Their Impact

49:12 The Future of Work and AI

58:35 The Digital Universe and AI

01:06:36 Journey into Design

01:13:12 Evolution of Design Tools

01:13:24 AI and the Future of User Interfaces

01:14:59 AI's Impact on Customer Portals

01:16:55 AI-Generated Dashboards and Design Systems

01:22:27 No-Code Tools and AI-Assisted Development

01:23:35 AI's Role in Product Design Business

01:29:30 Challenges and Opportunities in Design Education

01:31:37 The Case for Apprenticeship Models

01:46:25 Final Thoughts and Contact Information

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A production of Outserve Group LLC. Visit www.experienceleader.com for more.

#Entrepreneurship #ExperienceLeader #CustomerExperience #JTBD #CX

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Why do we have so many managers, but so few leaders? What does it even mean to be a leader? How do you become one? In this episode, I talk with Jennifer Borchardt, VP of Experience, Financial Services at Publicis Sapient about how to cross over into leadership. 

The episode begins with Jennifer reflecting on her journey and how her view of leadership has evolved over time. Jennifer has worked in various roles within the sector, most recently leading an experience practice for financial services at a large global digital transformation consultancy. Jennifer and Devin discuss the difference between management and leadership, with the consensus that the two roles involve different skills and mindsets. 

Jennifer emphasizes the importance of sharing a vision with a team and letting individuals figure out how to achieve it. Serious about mentorship, Jennifer shares her experience providing guidance to others in their careers, attributing her success to individuals who poured into her life and offered their insight and wisdom. The conversation concludes with Jennifer’s thoughts on humility, mentorship, meaning in work, and the importance of rest alongside labor.

00:00 Introduction to Leadership vs Management
00:08 The Importance of Vision in Leadership
00:54 Guest Introduction: Jennifer Borschart
02:44 Jennifer's Career Journey and Current Role
04:25 The Path to Leadership and Its Challenges
11:03 The Impact of Leadership on Personal Growth
12:09 The Intersection of Leadership and Personal Interests
15:23 The Role of Humility in Leadership
18:08 The Struggle Between Leadership and Management
27:19 The Role of Leadership in Financial Services
31:20 Taking Control of Your Life Through Financial Understanding
32:50 The Influence of Personal Background on Leadership
33:34 Is Adversity Necessary for Good Leadership?
37:24 The Importance of Rest and Reflection in Leadership
43:59 The Role of Mentorship in Leadership Development
48:43 The Impact of Intrinsic Motivation and Humility in Leadership
52:23 The Significance of Your Work and Its Impact on Others
56:14 Closing Thoughts on Leadership and Career Growth

Join other customer-obsessed product leaders by signing up for the Experience Leader Newsletter: https://www.devinwsmith.com/subscribe

A production of Outserve Group LLC. Visit [www.devinwsmith.com](http://www.devinwsmith.com/) for more.

#Entrepreneurship #ExperienceLeader #product #productstrategy #productmanagement #Jobstobedone

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Show Notes

Episode Overview
In this episode, Chris Spiek, a luminary in the product development sector,me to discuss the transformative potential of the Jobs to be Done theory in business strategy. Chris shares his journey of collaborating with Apple to bring the innovative tap-to-pay feature to market, and how one feature born out of JTBD Research created a feature single-handedly responsible for 50% of company revenue. Tune in to hear the story.

Key Takeaways

1. Collaboration with Apple: Chris highlights the journey of developing the tap-to-pay feature, which promises to revolutionize payment systems for small business owners.
2. Customer-Centric Approach: Chris underscores the necessity of shifting focus from the loudest voice in the room to the customer's needs and experiences.
3. Implementing Jobs Theory: Begin with foundational knowledge acquired from resources like "Competing Against Luck", and learn the art of customer interviews to gather actionable insights.
4. The Importance of the First Win: Secure an initial success story to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Jobs theory in your organization, fostering a culture of customer-centric innovation.

Quotes

1. "Every time you take a credit card payment, people say it's like, I can feel the money going into my checking account, which is pretty magical." - Chris Spiek describing the user experience of the tap-to-pay feature.
2. "How do you move the loudest voice out of the center of the conversation and the customer into the center of the conversation?" - Chris Spiek on adopting a customer-centric approach.
3. "You're going to have to take a leap of faith based on the findings and learn from the outcomes." - Chris Spiek on implementing the Jobs theory.
4. "All you got to do is get one win to prove to the rest of the organization that,  this is worth it." - Devin Smith on the significance of securing the first win.

Resources Mentioned

• Competing Against Luck - A foundational book for understanding the Jobs theory.
• Rewired Group - Innovation Consulting and courses for mastering Jobs to Be Done Interviewing

Ways to Connect with Chris Spiek

• Twitter - Follow Chris for more insights on product development and innovation.
• LinkedIn - Connect with Chris to stay updated on his latest ventures and collaborations.

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• X: @devinwsmith

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Send us a text

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Horst Schulze, a visionary leader in the hotel industry. He shared his insights on the importance of purpose and belonging in the workplace, the role of leadership, and how his faith has influenced his approach to business and relationships.

Key Takeaways

1. The importance of purpose and belonging in the workplace: Mr. Schulze emphasizes that companies should hire people not just to fulfill a function, but to be part of a purpose and offer them a sense of belonging. He cites a large worker survey that found the number one thing employees value in their job is a sense of belonging.
2. The role of leadership: Leaders need to have a strong sense of purpose themselves and be able to transfer that to their team. If leaders lack clarity or conviction, they cannot effectively inspire their team to strive for excellence.
3. The power of service and relationships: Mr. Schulze argues that customer loyalty is built on trust, which is primarily established through relationships, not products. He believes that companies should focus on serving their customers well and building strong relationships with them.
4. The vision of a leader: When Mr. Schulze started Ritz Carlton, his vision was to create the finest hotel company in the world. He carefully considered whether this purpose was good for all stakeholders - investors, employees, customers, society, and his community - and whether it was something that would be approved by God.
5. Continuous improvement: Mr. Schulze believes in the importance of continuously striving for excellence, both in business and in personal life. This involves regularly asking yourself how you can do better in your work, relationships, and moral and ethical conduct.
6. The influence of faith: Mr. Schulze's faith has greatly influenced his approach to business and relationships. He believes in loving and respecting all people, and sees his employees and customers as his neighbors. His faith has also given him a sense of purpose and conviction in his work.

Resources

• Excellence Wins: A No-Nonsense Guide to Becoming the Best in a World of Compromise by Horst Schulze
• The New Gold Standard: 5 Leadership Principles for Creating a Legendary Customer Experience Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company by Joseph Michelli
• Arch and Tower Plus
• Capella Hotel Group

Connect with Horst Schulze

• LinkedIn
• Twitter

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• X: @devinwsmith

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In this episode of Experience Leader, Devin talks with legendary hotelier, co-founder of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, and founder of Capella Hotel Group, Horst Schulze. They talk about his remarkable story and how he creates the best hotels in the world. This is the first part of a two-part series that will get you fired up to pursue excellence in your life and work.

Enjoy the conversation.

Join other industry leaders by signing up for the Experience Leader Newsletter.

A production of Experience Leader LLC.

Links
Learn more about Horst Schulze
Learn more about host Devin Smith
Learn more about the Experience Leader Podcast

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Some people just get the need for great CX because it’s a part of who they are, and it is definitely a part of Ashley Jones, CEO and Founder of Love Not Lost. 

Love Not Lost is a non-profit that provides portrait photography for people who have a terminally ill loved one so that they can capture memories together while they still can.

In this episode, Devin talks with Ashley about how she started Love Not Lost and the way the organization cares for donors, photographers, and benefactors.

Enjoy the conversation.

Join other industry leaders by signing up for the Experience Leader Newsletter.

A production of Experience Leader LLC.

Links
Learn more about Love Not Lost
Connect with Ashley Jones on LinkedIn
Learn more about host Devin Smith
Learn more about the Experience Leader Podcast

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Have you ever encountered pure energy?  Devin comes close when he sits down with Nate Brown, Co-Founder of the CX Accelerator and Senior Director of CX at Arise.

Nate and Devin talk about their experience at CX Forums Experience Atlanta ‘23 and about why experience matters!

Enjoy the conversation.

Join other industry leaders by signing up for the Experience Leader Newsletter.

A production of Experience Leader LLC.

Links
Connect with Nate Brown on LinkedIN
Listen to the Experience Matters (Podcast) with Nate Brown
Learn more about hosts Devin Smith
Learn more about the Experience Leader Podcast

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On this episode, Devin chats with his colleague Joe Rapoza, Senior Manager of UX Design at Charles Schwab, about whether UX Designers make good entrepreneurs.

Enjoy the conversation.

CX Forums ATL 23 is coming. Use Discount Code “Devin20” to save 20% on tickets! Get tickets HERE.

Join other industry leaders by signing up for the Experience Leader Newsletter HERE.

A production of Experience Leader LLC.

Links:
Learn more about Joe Rapoza.
Learn more about hosts Devin Smith .
Learn more about the Experience Leader podcast.

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On this episode, Devin sits down with Utibe Bassey (Head of Customer Experience, Dominion Energy) to discuss her revolutionary idea of LOVE as a KPI for any business that wishes to dominate its category. She breaks down the tenets as;

L - Leadership
O - Offer (Products & Services)
V - Value Proposition
E - Engagement

Enjoy the conversation.

Join other industry leaders by signing up for the Experience Leader Newsletter HERE.

A production of Experience Leader LLC.

Links:
Learn more about Utibe Bassey.
Learn more about hosts Devin Smith .
Learn more about the Experience Leader podcast.

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• X: @devinwsmith

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Does Design Thinking work? Or does it oversimplify design, misrepresent it to the business world, and try to place designers? Steve Nedvidek joins Devin on the podcast in this episode to discuss it all.

Steve teaches design thinking at Wake Forest University, is responsible for introducing design thinking to Chick-fil-A, and is himself a designer.  He is the perfect person to address recent critique of design thinking, in which a well-known designer claims that design thinking oversimplifies what design is, misrepresenting it to the business world, and ultimately tries to replace design itself.  Devin’s own experience with design thinking has been far more positive than this critique suggests, and Steve agrees that there is more to the story than what this critic asserts.

Steve can understand the critic’s perspective when design thinking is thought of in one particular way, but Steve conceives of it much differently. Coming from the angle of his own background as an artsy kid having to try to explain to people what he did, Steve explains how design thinking was the language he needed to communicate what he was doing to people who did not know how he did what he did.  In his experience, design thinking most certainly works, and helps facilitate connections between designers and non-designers.  It is a discipline, mindset, and process that both enables understanding between people and helps non-designers to employ design concepts to solve problems - all without making the designer superfluous.  

Design thinking, Steve says, calls us to think more deeply about the order of things.  It adjusts the brain to the discipline of knowing what comes next, helps keep teams grounded in the central problem they’re working to solve, and promotes customer-centricity by demanding a team start with the customer rather than the product.  Not only does design thinking foster empathy, but it is a living structure (rather than an equation or rigid set of rules) that also helps businesses to function effectively.  It provides the structure for a business to play the long game, focusing on good solutions and stakeholder value rather than speed and immediate results, and following a methodology that takes one step at a time.    

Links:

Learn more about Steve Nedvidek.

Learn more about the Experience Leaderpodcast.

Learn more about hosts Devin Smith and David Antoline.

Learn more about episode sponsor Active Digital.

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