Ryan Scott, a seasoned design leader with an MBA from Berkeley, bridges the gap between design and business through his coaching practice. He delves into essential business skills every designer should master, emphasizing effective communication and storytelling. Ryan discusses the evolving role of designers in corporate settings, urging them to cultivate business acumen and negotiation skills. He highlights the importance of demonstrating design value amidst macroeconomic changes and advocates for community support to empower designers. A compelling conversation for anyone in the design field!

Pablo Fernández Vallejo, an educator and service design innovator, discusses the multifaceted impact of AI on service design. He emphasizes the necessity for design professionals to adapt their skills, advocating for critical thinking over mere technical proficiency with AI tools. The conversation dives into issues like the risks of AI bias, the role of diverse language representation, and the potential effects of AI on social inequality. Pablo also explores how AI might redefine user personas and the way designers collaborate, highlighting the importance of ethical practices in a rapidly evolving landscape.

I crossed a line... Recently, while working on redesigning our online community platform, my excitement got the better of me. I dove headfirst into prototyping a few things in the backend system. "How hard could it be, right?" (Keep this line in mind throughout the rest of the email.) Sure, I know a thing or two about programming, and if everything else fails, there's always AI to help out, right? Well, the honest conclusion a few days later, when we brought in a true expert developer, was that I had no clue what I was doing. Before the developer could implement the updates properly, we had to undo all the changes I had made. So we lost time, not once, but twice. The silly thing is, this seems to be a habit I can't shake. And I see it a lot around me as well: saying yes to challenges that are better left to experts. Of course, there are many situations where being confident and experimental gets things done. Instead of waiting and debating, we build a prototype and iterate from there. Frankly, this approach is encouraged and celebrated in our design process. But... there's a major pitfall. In the story above, the cost of my "how hard can it be?" approach was lost time. That's unfortunate but not something that will cause any major, long-term damage. Now, imagine working in a context where the stakes are much higher. Where you're intervening in people's lives. Where your solutions impact the well-being of communities. Where your approach has the potential to reduce—or increase—systemic inequalities. KA McKercher, our guest in this episode, argues that in those scenarios, we can't just rush in and take on every project that comes our way. Because when we do, and we go in with a beginner's mindset, chances are high that we might end up causing actual harm to the people who need help the most. In those situations, losing time on a project is the least of your worries. There are clearly much bigger stakes at play. So the tough question becomes: How do we know which challenges are a good fit for our skillset and which ones should we say no to? Especially when we want to do good and contribute to a positive outcome in those high-stakes challenges. Having the self-awareness to know you limits and limitations is a sign of maturity and professionalism. If you care about growing your self-awareness, this is a conversation you don't want to miss. --- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to Episode 220 04:00 Good intentions are not enough 06:30 Why this matters 09:00 Lived experience aligning to design 12:30 What's good enough? 14:30 What is co-facilitation 16:30 Emotional curiosity 20:30 Being conscious of the water 27:00 What to do 30:30 Is it a yes or no? 35:00 Intentions 38:30 What's within the scope 41:00 Material based practices 45:30 Impostor syndrome 48:30 Reviews on the article 50:00 Hoping the conversation evolves 52:00 When it's out of your scope 54:30 When to step away 58:00 Question to ponder --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/ka-mckercher Ethical Curiosity with Trans and Non-Binary Clients by Lucie Fielding (book) www.BeyondStickyNotes.com --- [ 3. CIRCLE ] --- Join our private community for in-house service design professionals. ⁠https://servicedesignshow.com/circle

Courtney Morgan, a design strategist and architect, discusses the often-overlooked power of dreams in service design. She encourages using dreams to align with our true selves and foster community empowerment. The conversation reveals how collective dreaming can transform design processes and enhance community engagement. Courtney also emphasizes the necessity of creating safe spaces for dialogue, nurturing curiosity, and allowing all voices to shape visions for the future.

Ru Butler, a service designer for an insurance firm in the UK, shares insights from the first four years of a community designed for in-house service design professionals. They discuss the evolution of the Circle community and the importance of co-creation. Topics include ethical dilemmas in service design, the introduction of AI enhancements, and the push for decentralized leadership. Ru emphasizes the strength of personal connections and the need for ongoing engagement, making it a vibrant space for learning and growth in the service design realm.

Jochem van der Veer, CEO of TheyDo, offers unique insights into journey management's evolution as he predicts trends for 2025. He emphasizes the shift from mapping to management and highlights the role of AI in enhancing customer experience. The conversation dives into the challenges organizations face in scaling these strategies and the importance of data integration. Jochem also teases an exciting upcoming conference, 'Beyond the Map,' underscoring the significance of community and collaboration in advancing service design.

Sloan Leo Cowan, a designer at Flux Studio focusing on community-based design, challenges the traditional service design process. They argue that instead of just 'designing with' users, we should 'design by' them, promoting true inclusivity. Sloan shares their personal journey from facing bullying to community activism, highlighting the importance of recognizing biases in design. They advocate for community-driven methodologies that empower local voices and enhance collaboration, ultimately pushing for more equitable solutions in design practices.

Kate Towsey, author of "Research That Scales" and a key figure in ResearchOps, joins to explore the nuances of scaling research in service design. She delves into the importance of high-quality research, the role of AI, and the real meaning behind 'scaling' in research contexts. Kate shares her journey of writing a book during the pandemic and emphasizes the need for collaborative environments to enhance research efficiency. Tune in for insights on how adaptable systems and community engagement can transform research practices!

Peter Compo, author of *The Emergent Approach to Strategy*, offers insights from his unique blend of chemical engineering and music composition. He discusses how traditional strategies can falter in today’s unpredictable environment, advocating for a flexible, emergent approach. Compo emphasizes the value of research, the interplay of creativity and structured frameworks, and the importance of building trust within organizations. He introduces concepts like the aspiration strategy triad to align actions with goals, all while encouraging a culture of continuous learning and adaptability.

Sylvie Abookire, part of the curation team for the Advancing Service Design 2024 conference, shares her insights on enhancing service design practices. She discusses the complex selection process for speakers, emphasizing diverse perspectives and collaboration. Sylvie highlights the conference's focus on equity, community, and sustainability, as well as her workshop on systems thinking. Tune in to discover how the conference aims to tackle contemporary societal challenges and the excitement surrounding this groundbreaking event!