Nodes of Design#121: Designing for Collision with James Song

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the ‘Nodes of Design’ podcast! I’m Tejj, and today we have a very special guest joining us. Our show is all about exploring the intersections of design, technology, and human connection, and today we’re in for a treat.

It’s my pleasure to introduce James Song– a seasoned design executive with over 20 years of experience building teams, products, and brands that sit at the nexus of digital innovation and tangible human experiences. James is currently the VP of Design at Tinder, where he leads the charge on brand, product, and content design as well as user research. His impressive career also includes being the Head of Design for Meta AI Research, where he helped develop next-generation experiences driven by breakthrough AI research. Prior to that, he was Director of Product Design at Uber, responsible for platform services, micromobility, design systems, and user research – all aimed at building smarter cities and enhancing how we move. And before all of that, as a Creative Director at frog design, he led teams to drive human-centered innovation at the intersection of design, technology, and brand for both enterprises and early-stage startups.

Today, we’re excited to dive into a topic that’s resonating deeply with our community – ‘Designing for Collision.’ This theme encapsulates how unexpected, sometimes even serendipitous, interactions in our hyper-connected world can spark creativity and lead to truly innovative solutions.
So, whether you’re a seasoned design professional, a beginner, or simply curious about how technology is reshaping human connections, stay tuned – this conversation is bound to offer insights, practical advice, and a lot of inspiration.

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This podcast aims to make design education accessible to all. Nodes of Design is a non-profit and self-sponsored initiative by Tejj.