In this masterclass episode, host Dr Jovan Tan sits down with Professor Luca Iandoli, Dean of the Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies at St. John's University and founder of the St. John's University Design Factory, as well as Assistant Professor Nadya Shaznay Patel from the Singapore Institute of Technology's Business, Communication and Design cluster.

For decades, Prof Iandoli has connected seemingly opposing fields: complex engineering and computing logic on one side, and interface design, aesthetics, and human experience on the other. His research as a former Fulbright scholar at MIT's Centre for Collective Intelligence has influenced how universities develop vibrant innovation ecosystems.

On the other hand, Asst Prof Patel brings over two decades of experience designing futures-oriented toolkits and building intellectual agility in learners through critical design futures thinking, entrepreneurial readiness, and generative AI for creativity.

Together, they're co-authoring a new book, "Design Your Business: Transformational Pathways for Future-Ready Entrepreneurship," which reframes entrepreneurship as a twin dance of experimentation and transformation, anchored in a radical insight: the questions we ask matter far more than the speed of our solutions.

In this Master Class episode, you'll discover:

· Why most innovators are solving the wrong problems-and how to identify what's actually worth fixing

· How aesthetics shape human cognition and become a hidden competitive advantage in any venture

· The uncomfortable truth about problem-setting: it's a skill that must be learnt, not intuited

· Why futures thinking and critical design can stretch your imagination of what's possible

· Practical tools, such as question starters, card games, and AI sparring partners, that train your mind to linger longer in inquiry before rushing to solutions

· How to cultivate intellectual agility in yourself and others

Whether you're an entrepreneur stuck in execution mode, an educator shaping future innovators, or someone prepared to reconsider how you solve problems, this is your invitation to slow down, ask more insightful questions, and create something truly meaningful.

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Guests: Professor Luca Iandoli, Dean of the Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies, St. John's University & Assistant Professor Nadya Shaznay Patel, Business, Communication and Design Cluster, Singapore Institute of Technology

Hosted by: Dr Jovan Tan

Produced by: Low Tse Han & Dr Jovan Tan

Presented by: NUS Innovation & Design Programme (iDP) at the NUS Engineering Design and Innovation Centre (EDIC)