Best DesignThinkers Podcasts (2025)

1
Pali Palavathan 44:09

Play Pause

5h ago44:09

44:09

This week on the DesignThinkers podcast, I’m joined by Pali Palavathanan, co-founder and creative director of Templo. Based in London, Templo is a purpose-led design studio known for bringing creativity and activism together—working with clients like the UN, Amnesty International, and GF Smith, alongside grassroots organizations fighting for justic…

1
Keith Sawyer: Become more creative by learning to see 28:14

3h ago28:14

28:14

This is a preview of a premium episode on Design Better. To listen to the whole episode, head to our Substack: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/keith-sawyer The key to creativity isn’t about having brilliant ideas in isolation, but about cultivating our ability to observe the world around us, and make the intuitive leaps that connect disparate ide…

1
Jae Park: Designing a new generation of vehicles at Ford, and why friction matters in the creative process 47:11

2d ago47:11

47:11

Visit our Substack for bonus content and more: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/jae-park As designers and creatives, many of us spent years of our career looking at blank canvases and attempting to find the best place to start solving the problems in front of us. Now that AI can churn out designs and imagery, not to mention writing, video, and eve…

1
088. Why This Firm Stopped Chasing Clients- and Got More Done 29:24

3d ago29:24

29:24

Managing a law firm’s workflow can be tricky, especially when you’re juggling a long list of active matters and chasing unresponsive clients. In this episode, I’ll share how one firm, after years of using Kanban, finally broke through the delivery bottleneck with a simple but powerful shift in their approach. You'll hear the key changes they made t…

1
Pablo Martin 46:44

7d ago46:44

46:44

This week on the DesignThinkers podcast, I’m joined by Pablo Martin, Creative Director at MUBI. A legend in editorial design, Pablo has spent four decades shaping the visual language of publications and brands across Spain, the UK, and beyond. His journey has taken him from a work placement with Massimo Vignelli to co-founding the Barcelona-based s…

1
087. Change Management for Law Firms: How to Engage Your Team from Day One 17:26

10d ago17:26

17:26

When you introduce new processes in your law firm, you're asking your team to rethink how they get things done, and that’s a bigger challenge than most realize. In this episode, I explore why the usual approach to change management often misses the mark in law firms. I also discuss why involving your team from the start is critical to getting real …

1
Leadership & Strategy + Fighter Pilots + Design Education with Jason "TOGA" Trew — DT101 E145 53:31

12d ago53:31

53:31

When I first connected with Jason Trew (callsign: TOGA), I knew this conversation would challenge some assumptions about where design thinking belongs. Jason is an Air Force fighter pilot and strategy leader turned professor. What emerged from our conversation wasn't just another story about design thinking adoption, but a deeper exploration of wha…

1
Astro Teller & Ivo Stivoric: Why moonshots require unlearning everything you know 27:27

16d ago27:27

27:27

This is a preview of a premium episode. To hear the full episode, head to our Substack: ⁠https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/astro-teller-and-ivo-stivoric-why⁠ When a company talks about taking a “moonshot,” it often ends up being something trivial: a new emoji keyboard, or delivering a pizza in less than 30 minutes. But at X, the Moonshot Factory, w…

1
Debra Bishop 41:33

15d ago41:33

41:33

This week on the DesignThinkers podcast, I’m joined by Debra Bishop—an award-winning creative director and one of editorial design’s most influential voices. Over the past four decades, Debra has shaped the look and feel of some of publishing’s most iconic titles—from her early days at Rolling Stone, to launching magazines at Martha Stewart, to ser…

1
086. From Chaos to Consistency: Lessons from a Decade of Agile Lawyering with Jeff De Francisco 39:15

17d ago39:15

39:15

When Jeff De Francisco noticed his less tech-savvy colleagues billing more hours for the same estate planning work, he uncovered an injustice that would reshape his entire practice. The disparity wasn't about knowledge or skill. It was about efficiency, and the billable hour was punishing him for being good at his job. In this episode, I sit down w…

1
Henry Modisett: Perplexity’s VP of Design on embracing ambiguity and leading with curiosity 47:27

23d ago47:27

47:27

Find bonus content and more on our Substack: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/henry-modisett AI isn’t just another layer in our digital toolkit—it’s reshaping the tools themselves, and in the process, transforming how we work, think, and solve problems. Henry Modisett, VP of Design at Perplexity, is in a unique position to challenge many of the no…

1
Nadia Tzuo 49:14

22d ago49:14

49:14

This week on the DesignThinkers podcast, I’m joined by Nadia Tzuo—an Emmy Award–winning motion designer and director whose title sequences have become cultural touchstones. Nadia’s work spans television, film, and streaming, with credits on The Last of Us, Shogun, American Horror Story, Pachinko, Star Trek Beyond, and Captain Marvel. Her sequences …

1
085. Make Work Visible: Using Kanban Boards To Manage Your Law Firm’s Capacity 24:53

24d ago24:53

24:53

Knowledge work hides in ways that physical work never could. That invisibility creates a dangerous pattern: you say yes to one more matter and before you know it, your entire team operates beyond capacity. In this episode, I use real examples from law firms using Kanban boards to demonstrate how making your work visible can fundamentally change how…

1
Stephen Gates 56:37

29d ago56:37

56:37

This week on the DesignThinkers podcast, I’m joined by Stephen Gates—global design leader, keynote speaker, and host of The Crazy One podcast. Stephen’s career has spanned more than 20 years leading creative teams at companies like Apple, Citi, InVision, and McCann, where he’s built award-winning work across branding, product design, and customer e…

1
Elizabeth Lin: Rethinking design education in the age of AI 20:11

29d ago20:11

20:11

This is a preview of a premium episode on Design Better. Head to our Substack to get access to the full episode: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/elizabeth-lin Have you played around with Cursor? If not, it’s time. Designers with no coding skills are passing Cursor Figma files and getting working apps out the other side. And if you have no design,…

1
084. Technical Debt in Law Firms: How Small Shortcuts Create Big Problems 14:45

1M ago14:45

14:45

In this episode, I’m diving into a concept that may be quietly hindering your practice: technical debt. In short, technical debt occurs when you take shortcuts to save time, but they end up costing you more in the long run. I’ll walk you through how technical debt shows up in your firm and why tackling this issue head-on is crucial to prevent burno…

1
Nick Foster: Could, Should, Might, Don't—a new way to think about designing for the future 59:26

1M ago59:26

59:26

Most designers are comfortable in the world of known problems—we talk to users, gather insights, iterate based on feedback. But what happens when you're designing for a future that doesn't exist yet? When you're creating products for people who haven't been born, or technologies that might not emerge for years? Today's guest has spent decades desig…

1
Veronica Fuerte 45:12

1M ago45:12

45:12

This week on the DesignThinkers podcast, I’m joined by Verònica Fuerte. Verònica is the founder and creative director of Hey Studio in Barcelona. Since launching the studio in 2007, Verònica has built one of the most recognizable and beloved visual identities in contemporary design: known for bold color, geometric forms, and a relentlessly optimist…

1
083. Delivery Debt is as Bad as Financial Debt, and Your Law Practice May Be Drowning in It 24:36

1M ago24:36

24:36

In this episode, I’m revisiting the concept of delivery debt: the promises you’ve made that remain unfulfilled. Just like financial debt, taking on too much delivery debt can snowball and overwhelm your firm. And it’s not just about the practical cost; it’s also psychological. The mental load of these unfinished commitments affects your focus, your…

1
Tim Brown: Allbirds co-founder on mission-driven design and entrepreneurship 22:27

1M ago22:27

22:27

This is a preview of a premium episode. Head to Design Better to hear the whole thing: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/tim-brown Sometimes your career takes an unexpected turn—and that pivot can lead to something bigger than you imagined. Tim Brown, co-founder of Allbirds, has been there. After a stint as a professional soccer player, Tim found h…

1
Rachel Gogel 53:33

1M ago53:33

53:33

This week on the DesignThinkers podcast, I’m joined by Rachel Gogel. Rachel is an independent creative executive shaping the future of design at the intersection of brand, culture, and technology. After building multidisciplinary teams at places like GQ, The New York Times, Meta, and Godfrey Dadich, Rachel launched her own consultancy in 2020. Sinc…

1
082. The Best Way to Word Your Checklists 8:44

1M ago8:44

8:44

In law firms, a lot of time is wasted when work gets passed back and forth because the deliverables aren’t meeting the expected quality standards. This happens when tasks are considered “done,” but the results don’t meet the actual requirements or the unspoken expectations, causing frustration and delays. These unnecessary back-and-forths can grind…

1
Matt Raw: Balancing legacy and innovation at The New York Times 46:49

2M ago46:49

46:49

Visit our Substack for bonus content and more: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/matt-raw Matt Raw, Interim VP of Design at The New York Times, and his team have a tough job. Their work is seen by millions every day who come to the Times website and apps for information they can trust, presented clearly, across platforms, striking a stylistic balan…

1
Kemp Attwood 51:19

2M ago51:19

51:19

This week on the DesignThinkers podcast, I’m joined by Kemp Attwood, partner at AREA 17. With a background in creative writing and new media design, Kemp has spent nearly two decades working at the intersection of design, strategy, and technology. He has helped shape AREA 17’s global vision—leading interdisciplinary teams across Paris and New York …

1
081. Task Engines in Law: Why Some Cases Sabotage Your Firm’s Productivity 22:33

2M ago22:33

22:33

Task engines are quietly draining your law practice's productivity right now. These hidden culprits show up as certain case types, jurisdictions, or even internal projects that generate a lot of tasks but little tangible progress or return. It’s something a litigation boutique in Oregon learned the hard way when a surge in Washington State cases al…

1
The Brief: Microscopes and telescopes 9:49

2M ago9:49

9:49

Microscopes and telescopes By Aarron Walter A friend and former colleague called me recently to catch up and get my perspective on an important question. He leads a product team at a major tech company and the design team had just been moved under him. He’s an exceptional product thinker with a sharp grasp of engineering systems and shipping proces…

1
Introducing Season Three of the DesignThinkers Podcast, Coming August 6th 1:18

2M ago1:18

1:18

We’re back with a third season of the DesignThinkers Podcast. DesignThinkers is Canada's largest graphic design conference. For twenty-five years, the Association of Registered Graphic Designers has been bringing together visionaries from a range of disciplines to explore creativity and the design process. This podcast is an extension of that missi…

1
080. AI for Legal Workflows: The Potential and the Pitfalls 31:26

2M ago31:26

31:26

AI tools in legal workflows are making waves, but are they really the productivity boosters they’re cracked up to be? While these tools can help speed up certain tasks, like research and drafting, they can also introduce significant risks if we’re not careful. In this episode, I dive into the promise and pitfalls of AI task engines and automation t…

1
Rhiannon Bell: Designing the future of search at Google 20:15

2M ago20:15

20:15

This is a preview of one of our premium Design Better episodes. To listen to the whole episode, head over to our Substack and subscribe: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/rhiannon-bell We all rely on search—sometimes dozens of times a day—to make sense of the world around us. But behind that simple white box is a vast, dynamic system that has to un…

1
079. Make Space Before September: A Call for Rest and Intention 20:11

2M ago20:11

20:11

Summer brings its own pressures - family obligations, vacation planning, and the nagging feeling that your practice needs constant attention. The temptation to squeeze in work between beach trips or check emails during family gatherings can rob you of the very reset this season offers. In this episode, I'm exploring the importance of using summer a…

1
Bonus Episode: Inside Sonos's distributed research & design process for the Arc Ultra 30:52

2M ago30:52

30:52

For many creative people, music is a central part of life. Count us in that camp. We’ve long admired Sonos products for their quality and easy integration into our homes, and everything they design is beautiful. The integration of design and technology is often a challenge for companies. From the outside, it would seem that Sonos has something figu…

1
Noah Levin: AMA with Figma's VP of Design on their latest releases 1:03:43

2M ago1:03:43

1:03:43

Figma is central to most designers' workflow these days (certainly is here at Design Better). So it's important to get familiar with all of the latest features. Who better to give us the back story of the releases announced at Config than Noah Levin, VP of Product Design at Figma. Join us for a conversation with Noah and a closer look at how Figma …

1
078. Build Financial Clarity into Your Law Firm with CFO Danielle Hendon 1:01:28

2M ago1:01:28

1:01:28

Law firm owners often feel overwhelmed by their financial statements, staring at QuickBooks reports that seem to tell only half the story. The disconnect between having financial data and understanding what it means for strategic decision-making creates unnecessary anxiety and missed opportunities. In this episode, I'm talking with Danielle Hendon,…

1
Design Better Live AMA at The New York Times 46:42

3M ago46:42

46:42

We were recently invited to the The New York Times where we spoke with Matt Raw, the interim head of design at the Times. Eli and I are accustomed to interviewing, but this was a different experience for us as this time we were the ones telling our story. Matt and the Times design team were curious about the origin story of Design Better, what we’v…

1
077. The BEST System for Managing Legal Work: Kanban for Lawyers Part 3 38:40

3M ago38:40

38:40

Legal teams face a unique challenge that factory floors and software developers rarely encounter: managing dozens of active matters simultaneously while dealing with constant interruptions from clients, opposing counsel, and courts. You're juggling multiple cases, each with its own timeline, dependencies, and unpredictable external factors that can…

1
The Story of Natalie Nixon - Move, Think, Rest 1:31:50

3M ago1:31:50

1:31:50

In this episode, we chat with Creativity Strategist Natalie Nixon about the connections between dance, creativity, and personal growth. She shares transformative insights from her experiences in ballet, modern dance, and open water swimming, emphasizing the importance of embracing vulnerability and imperfection. We discuss her upcoming book, "Move,…

1
Video Rewind: Kamasi Washington: A jazz genius on collaborative lessons learned from Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Lauryn Hill, and more 1:01:15

3M ago1:01:15

1:01:15

This is the second installment in our series of video rewind episodes, with an interview featuring jazz legend Kamasi Washington. Watch the full episode on our Substack: ⁠https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/video-rewind-kamasi-washington-a⁠ Jazz is a constantly evolving art form, offering some of the richest lessons in creative collaboration. A melod…