Podd: Beyond The Interface (BTI)

Lisa D. Dance: Companies don’t know how frustrating they are until it’s too late.

4 mars 2025 | 78 min

Laura Baker: Designers don’t need a seat at the table—they need to shape the conversation.

18 februari 2025 | 85 min

Jacalin Ding: Want influence? Prove you understand the business, the market, and the bigger picture.

4 februari 2025 | 76 min

Indi Young: Continuous discovery without guide rails... is just collecting anecdotes.

21 januari 2025 | 96 min

Felix Lee: From a 19-year-old kid who got scammed to building a global movement in design mentorship

7 januari 2025 | 99 min

Will Thomas: Leadership isn't a title — it's a skill you develop.

17 december 2024 | 90 min

Jason Beck: Don't let design systems box you in—start with pen and paper.

3 december 2024 | 89 min

Stephen Gates: Innovation slows when platforms bloat... Can Figma avoid Adobe's fate?

19 november 2024 | 88 min

Jason Mesut: The world needs Problem Solvers - Are you ready?

12 november 2024 | 99 min

In this conversation, Jason Mesut shares his journey from industrial design to coaching, emphasizing the importance of personal growth and the dynamics of coaching. He discusses the challenges of finding the right coach, the common scenarios he encounters in coaching sessions, and the development of his Shaping Design series, which aims to help individuals understand their unique skills and growth paths in the design field. In this conversation, Jason Mesut discusses the unexpected applications of design frameworks, the debate surrounding designer skill sets, and the challenges leaders face in navigating the evolving landscape of design. He emphasizes the importance of allowing designers to explore their creativity without the constraints of traditional roles, while also addressing the issue of role dilution and the need for organizations to support individual designers in their career growth. In this conversation, Jason Mesut discusses the importance of embracing constraints in design to foster creativity, the evolving landscape for new designers, and the significance of building relationships and empathy in the design process. He shares insights on how curiosity and active listening can enhance design practices and emphasizes the need for designers to navigate their roles in a rapidly changing industry. Jason also talks about his future projects, including a podcast focused on creativity and resilience in a capitalist world.

Episode Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmesut/

https://medium.com/@jasonmesut

https://medium.com/shapingdesign

https://medium.com/@jasonmesut/the-exhaustion-of-designer-skillset-expansion-and-dilution-65fe61f2ada2

Chapters:

00:00 Episode Intro

00:32 Introduction to Jason Mesut's Journey

06:21 Transitioning to Coaching and Personal Growth

11:17 The Dynamics of Coaching and Accessibility

18:24 Finding the Right Coach

24:10 Common Coaching Scenarios and Insights

25:12 Exploring the Shaping Design Series

31:15 Exploring Unexpected Uses of Design Frameworks

36:34 The Debate on Designer Skill Sets

41:48 Navigating Leadership Challenges in Design

47:04 The Individual Designer's Journey and Role Dilution

01:00:37 Embracing Constraints for Creativity

01:08:51 Navigating the Future of Design

01:18:33 Building Relationships and Empathy in Design

01:21:19 Jason's Future Endeavors and Insights

Keywords

coaching, design, career development, personal growth, leadership, UX design, mentoring, shaping design, designer skills, team dynamics, design leadership, role dilution, creativity, nurturing designers, empathy, career growth, humanity-centered design, constraints in design, future of design, designer skills

Shamas Aziz: Data-Driven CX and My 100-Day Job Challenge: The Secrets to Business and Career Growth

5 november 2024 | 79 min

Sham shares his extensive journey through the customer service and experience landscape in this conversation, highlighting the importance of data-driven insights and cross-functional collaboration. He discusses the evolution of customer experience roles, the significance of strategy, and the challenges of defining customer experience in today's business environment. The conversation also delves into the future of AI in customer service, exploring its potential to enhance customer interactions while emphasizing the irreplaceable value of human touch in complex situations. In this conversation, Sham from Sentisum discusses the integration of AI in customer experience, the challenges faced during career transitions, and the importance of networking and personal branding. He shares his journey through redundancies, emphasizing resilience and the power of relationships in securing job opportunities. Sham also highlights the significance of building partnerships in the B2B landscape and offers practical advice on finding one's voice and establishing a personal brand. Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shamasaziz/ Chapters: 00:00 Reunion and Career Journey 02:53 From Customer Service to Customer Experience 06:06 Data-Driven Insights in Customer Experience 09:14 Identifying and Solving Customer Issues 11:56 Cross-Functional Collaboration for Customer Experience 15:09 The Evolution of Customer Experience Roles 17:55 Understanding Customer Experience Definitions 21:08 The Role of Strategy in Customer Experience 24:13 Talent and Product Market Fit 26:56 Attracting Talent in Customer Experience 29:57 The Future of AI in Customer Service 32:56 AI's Role in Solving Customer Queries 35:54 The Balance of AI and Human Interaction 41:13 Harnessing AI for Enhanced Customer Experience 45:16 Navigating Career Challenges and Redundancies 51:04 The Power of Networking and Personal Branding 01:02:21 Building Partnerships in the B2B Landscape 01:11:42 Finding Your Voice and Building a Personal Brand

Ube Urban: You’re only bringing 10% of your true self to work...

29 oktober 2024 | 91 min

Amanda Cano: Innovation doesn't need permission, just get it done!

22 oktober 2024 | 88 min

Katral-Nada Hassan: Building strong relationships with the C-suite... It's non-negotiable.

15 oktober 2024 | 76 min

In this conversation, Nada shares her extensive journey in design, spanning over 15 years, highlighting her transition from consulting to in-house roles. She discusses the evolving landscape of design, the importance of building partnerships within organizations, and the need for designers to take on more strategic roles. Nada emphasizes the significance of community building in the design space, particularly in the Middle East, and the essential skills for leadership, including empathy and a growth mindset. The conversation also touches on the challenges faced by product managers and the continuous cycle of maintaining high-performing teams.

Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katral/

https://design.alraedahdigital.sa/

Takeaways

Nada's career began as an information architect, showcasing the evolution of design roles.
The importance of outcomes in defining a designer's role.
Problem-solving is a key skill for designers.
The shift towards in-house product teams is changing the consulting landscape.
Building partnerships within organizations is crucial for design success.
Designers must maintain their 'design soul' even in squad models.
Community building is essential for the growth of the design field.
Empathy and growth mindset are vital for effective leadership.
High-performing teams require continuous effort to maintain.
Not all designers need to transition into leadership roles; growth can occur in various forms.

Chapters

00:00 Journey into Design: A 15-Year Odyssey

05:01 Consulting vs. In-House: The Designer's Dilemma

09:58 Building Partnerships: The Key to Successful Design Teams

15:02 Squad Models: Balancing Integration and Design Soul

19:49 Design Thinking Workshops: Bridging Gaps Across Departments

24:56 Community Building: Elevating Design in the Region

30:12 The Future of Design: Strategy and Leadership

34:57 Navigating Relationships: The Role of Design Leaders

39:48 Empathy and Growth: Essential Skills for Leadership

44:47 The Continuous Cycle of High-Performing Teams

50:09 The Role of PMs: Redefining Responsibilities in Design

55:05 Personal Projects and Future Aspirations

Batsirai Madzonga: Being African isn't a limitation—it's what makes me special.

8 oktober 2024 | 95 min

Batsi shares his career journey, which started with founding a design studio in Zimbabwe and eventually led him to his current role as a design leader. He emphasizes the importance of building a personal brand and leveraging cultural values in design. He discusses the concept of the Ubuntu Framework and how it can shape design and leadership. Batsi also shares his approach to hiring, focusing on mindset and authenticity. He highlights the need for a fair and value-driven recruitment process. In this conversation, Batsirai Madzonga discusses the importance of cultural diversity and representation in design, the challenges young designers face, and the power of social media in shaping the design industry. They also talk about Batsirai's personal projects, including creating children's books celebrating African culture and developing the Sankofa typeface in collaboration with Google. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the future of design and the potential impact of AI and human connection.

https://madzonga.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/batsi/

Ubuntu Framework: https://a.co/d/4wBZvN7

Sankofa font: https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Sankofa+Display

Batsi's books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0C1DMH223

Takeaways

Building a personal brand and leveraging cultural values can enhance your career journey and bring a unique perspective to design.
Ubuntu, a concept rooted in African culture, emphasizes humaneness and community, which can shape design and leadership practices.
When hiring, focus on mindset and authenticity, and create a recruitment process that provides value to both the candidate and the organization.
Exploitation in design recruitment can be a problem, and it's important to find a balance between assessing skills and respecting the candidate's time and effort.
Diversity in teams, including different cultural backgrounds and perspectives, can spark creativity and innovation. Cultural diversity and representation are crucial in design to ensure a more inclusive and authentic creative industry.
Young designers may be more vulnerable to exploitation due to their lack of industry experience, and it is important for design leaders to speak out against unethical practices.
Personal projects can be a powerful way to address personal needs and make a positive impact in the world.
Social media can be a valuable platform for sharing perspectives, building a personal brand, and inspiring others.
The future of design is uncertain due to the exponential growth of AI, but the focus on human connection and leveraging cultural backgrounds can help designers navigate and adapt to the changing landscape.

Chapters

00:00 Batzy's Career Journey

08:12 Leveraging Cultural Values

15:28 The Ubuntu Framework

19:14 Mindset and Authenticity in Hiring

27:29 The Power of Diversity in Teams

43:09 Addressing Exploitation in Design Recruitment

54:33 Cultural Diversity and Representation in Design

55:00 Challenges Faced by Young Designers

57:30 The Power of Social Media in Shaping the Design Industry

59:21 Personal Projects: Celebrating African Culture and Making a Positive Impact

01:12:38 The Future of Design: AI and Human Connection

Parminder Mann: Not just Product Managers, everyone has a part to play in product development!

1 oktober 2024 | 79 min

Parminder shares his journey from working in a corner shop to becoming a VP of Product and Design at Africa's biggest FinTech. He emphasizes the importance of curiosity, communication, and prioritization in building successful products. Also, he discusses the need for open and direct communication in teams and how he encourages others to adopt this approach. He highlights the value of structuring communications, the power of following up with outputs, and collaborating effectively with executive stakeholders. Parminder advises aspiring leaders to create a development plan focused on personal growth and leverage their team members' expertise. Parminder shares his insights on developing as a leader in product and emphasizes the importance of focusing on just a few critical areas for improvement at a time to level up. He also discusses the value of feedback from colleagues and family members for faster growth and the benefits of reading books in navigating the leadership transitions at different stages of his career. Parminder highlights the need for adaptability in leadership, especially in remote work settings, and the challenges of managing product and design teams. The conversation also touches on the conflict between designers and product managers and the importance of demonstrating the value of design to stakeholders. In this conversation, Parminder discusses the role of product management and design in the tech industry. He emphasizes the importance of collaboration and the diverse skill sets needed in product development. Parminder also explores the evolving nature of product management and the impact of big technologies like AI and machine learning. He advises individuals entering the field to choose their craft, be collaborative, and focus on fundamentals like communication and organization.

Takeaways

Curiosity and a passion for adding value and making an impact are vital traits for success in product management.
Effective verbal and written communication is crucial for building successful products and collaborating with colleagues.
Prioritization and a focus on user experience are essential in product management.
Building a culture of open and direct communication can inspire and motivate teams.
Creating a personal development plan and leveraging the expertise of team members are essential for aspiring leaders. Develop a development plan and focus on a few critical areas for improvement as a leader.
Seek feedback from colleagues and family members to gain insights and identify areas for growth.
Read books on leadership that are relevant to your current career stage.

Demonstrate the value of design by showing the work and involving stakeholders in the process. Product management and design require collaboration and diverse skill sets.
The role of product management has evolved over time, and there is ongoing debate about its value and relationship with other roles.
AI and machine learning will impact the future of product management, particularly in areas like customer experience and innovation.
Individuals entering the field should choose their craft, be collaborative, and focus on fundamentals like communication and organization.

Chapters