I recently caught up for coffee with John Collins, also based in Dublin, and the former Director of Content for Intercom and now an independent consultant working in content marketing for businesses around the world.
In this conversation we chat about the role of Content Marketing vs Product Marketing and chat about the massive growth of Intercom over the 7 years that John was there. I put John on the spot (you’re welcome John!) and asked him for the 5-key learnings during this period and also the things that they did that led the business to generating over 1/4 million business leads in that time. 

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John Collins 'The business of value-led content marketing at Intercom & beyond'

The Human Centered Design is the premier podcast for human-centered design enthusiasts on the internet with over 1 million downloads and is led by Gerry Scullion.
As the leading destination for insights, skills, and expertise, our mission is to empower individuals keen on designing a more inclusive and positive future for everyone. Join us as we convene thought leaders from diverse fields—service design, user experience, interaction design, and product management—to delve into the nuances of the craft. Our engaging discussions aim to illuminate what it truly means to adopt and excel in a human-centric design approach. Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to the field, "This is HCD" offers valuable perspectives to enhance your understanding and application of human-centered design principles. Tune in to explore how we can collectively make a meaningful impact on the world around us through intentional and thoughtful design.
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Welcome to another episode of This is HCD. We're joined by Genevieve Gaudet from Nava. She sheds light on her role as Director of Design, which revolves around enhancing access to essential government services for the people of America. Genevieve contrasts the allure of big tech in Silicon Valley, with its potential for higher earnings and work on innovative products, against the meaningful work undertaken daily at Nava in Los Angeles. She delves into the significance of their efforts, emphasising the impactful difference they make in people's lives through their dedication to public service. Sit back, relax and enjoy this episode.

linkedin.com/in/genevievegaudet


Nava Labs: Learn more about Nava Labs


Navigator Decision Support Tool: Nava Labs' partnership with Benefits Data Trust to learn about how AI might be able to support professional navigators in their work to connect people to public benefits and services


Designing the unseen: How Nava designers use service design to enable government institutions to build public trust


Nava's Careers page: Always adding new roles to join the growing multi-disciplinary team using design and technology to make government services more simple, effective, and accessible to all.


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Designing Tomorrow: Genevieve Gaudet for Nava

We’re thrilled to welcome the incredibly talented Jessica Hische to the Human Centered Design Podcast. Jessica, a renowned lettering artist and author, based in San Francisco, shares her journey from studying graphic design to becoming an illustrator and author of children's books. Known for her exquisite typography and eloquent visual storytelling, Jessica's work is nothing short of breathtaking.
As we delve into her creative process, Jessica shares insights into the tensions and harmonies within her work, balancing the roles of writer and illustrator with grace and skill. We explore her recent ventures into children's literature with books like "My First Book of Fancy Letters", "Tomorrow I'll Be Brave" and "Tomorrow I’ll Be Kind," gaining valuable perspective on her artistic journey.
Don't miss this opportunity to dive into the mind of a true design luminary and gain inspiration from her remarkable portfolio. Be sure to check out the show notes and description for a link to Jessica's captivating work — it's truly worth exploring!
https://jessicahische.is/

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"Creative Journeys: From Design to Storytelling with Jessica Hische"

Welcome to another episode of the Human Centered Design Podcast, this time with someone I hold in the highest regards for their contribution to the world of design. It's Dave Gray, co-author of Gamestorming, and author of The Connected Company, and one of my favourite all-time books, not just design books, Liminal Thinking.
Now this episode was really open and free-flowing, mainly because I think it was recorded quite late in the night for me, so we discussed lots of topics. Different topics, but mainly going to cover off some of the main points here. We talk about the power of drawing and visualisation, the influence of belief systems on reality, and the importance of finding common ground with those that we're working with.
Dave shares his insights on facilitating workshops and encouraging active participation, something many of us are really struggling with. As well as nurturing creativity and challenging beliefs. This conversation really highlights the need for trust and open-mindedness. How do we get that in order to drive meaningful change?
Dave also discusses his experience and how he got his first break, really creating infographics for newspapers, and then teaching others to draw to create that alignment. Now he shares the story of starting his company, XPLANE, and the power of information visualisation.
We really stress the importance of creativity and design, and the challenges of that the notion that only some people are creative, something that I face many times when I'm training. Now he introduces the concept of being a possibilitarian and encourages testing assumptions and pushing boundaries.
Dave also discusses his new endeavour, School of the Possible, a community that you might be interested in as it explores creative projects and cultivates positive possibilities. It's an incredible episode, Dave's incredible. Go grab a coffee, a slice of your favourite cake, or maybe a few biscuits. Sit back and enjoy.

linkedin.com/in/davegray

Campfire call – SCHOOL OF THE POSSIBLE

Visual Thinking – Hi there! (xplaner.com)


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Visualising Complexity: with Possibilitarian Dave Gray

Welcome to The Human Centered Design Network Podcast. In today's episode, I'm diving into conversation with Graham Nolan, the Head of Design for Accenture Song in Ireland. We're going to be discussing an Accenture Trends Report, which as many of you know, is an annual report that's been created for the last 16 or 17 years, I believe. And we're particularly going to be focusing on the role of generative AI. And we're exploring both the benefits and the challenges. From responsible data usage to governance. So we'll discuss how organisations and individuals can benefit from having their own localised AI.
Now, we highlight the critical importance of understanding AI's impact on trust, ethics, and brand creation. It's fascinating to see how AI is transforming tasks like search, turning traditional search bars into something that's a little bit more efficient, and also that gives us the power of having some conversational tools.
We're going to try to understand revolutionising customer service and the interactions that surround both customer service and interaction touch points. Now, despite the fears of AI replacing jobs, we discuss what it's more likely to do in terms of automating tasks, freeing the employees for better use of their time and more strategic and creative efforts, which most businesses out there are really interested in doing.
Another interesting point in this conversation, is the apparent lack of customer obsession in many organisations. That was identified in the trends report. And this is reflected in practices like shrink inflation, reduced staffing and surge pricing, pushing the boundaries of customer forgiveness.
Now, Accenture Ireland is always on the lookout for talented designers and hosts. It's a vibrant design chapter connecting designers across the company. The trends report is now available to download digitally and encourage you to connect with Graham on LinkedIn for more insights.
Stay tuned to The Human Centered Design Network Podcast as we unpack the evolving trends and discuss what organisations like yourselves need to design and create a better future for all.

linkedin.com/in/grahamnolan

https://www.accenture.com/content/dam/accenture/final/accenture-com/document-2/Accenture-Life-Trends-2024-Full-Report.pdf


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”AI Insights: Ethics, Trust, and Branding with Graham Nolan”

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Today on the show, we're joined by Jenni Parker, a passionate designer from Humaly in the UK, specialising in social impact. Jenni comes highly recommended by my very good friend Rachel Dekas.
In this episode, we delve into the realm of impactful work, exploring Jenni's perspective on what it entails and what it doesn't. We discuss the criteria Jenni uses to select projects, offering valuable insights for anyone eager to make a difference.
Jenni's insights are truly inspiring, and I'm incredibly grateful for her time and wisdom. I'm certain you'll find our conversation enlightening, so let's jump straight in!

linkedin.com/in/jenniparker

designhumanly.com


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John Collins 'The business of value-led content marketing at Intercom & beyond'

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