We’re catching up with leaders in our community, and in this episode, we welcome Designer and Columbia Professor in Practice Harry West in conversation with our Designer in Residence Adam Royalty. West is currently a Principal at Invisible Design, and has served as CEO of frog and Continuum.
Learn about the role of Design in building a product; how Designers should (but don’t always) recognize their responsibility to humanity; and how Design and empathy in the free market economy can drive positive change.
Listen here: LINK
Dive into the details with these timestamps:
3:44 – What is Design and Design Thinking?
5:58 – How harnessing Design to improve customer experience can help grow your business.
8:00 – How can design help students thoughtfully approach challenges that they’re curious about in a way that makes a real difference.
11:07 – Designing to solve a problem: opting in versus opting out.
14:48 – How diversity in design creates bigger and better ideas.
16:08 – What does school instruction look like for the coming year, and how can empathy play a role in making it a positive experience?
26:15 – Craft or methodology? Continuing the democratization of Design while not losing sight of the artistry and talent involved.
30:35 – Acknowledging the role that design has in the overconsumption and inequality that exists in this world – and how the shock of 2020 can hopefully spur real, positive change.
34:48 – Learning to use Design as a weapon to protect the world rather than one to destroy it.