Design is Everywhere

Every teacher is a curriculum designer, creating experiences for people to understand and learn. In this episode, we explore curriculum design with an important lens: equity. In this episode, we explore curriculum design with an important lens: equity. Successful curriculum connects with kids of different backgrounds and learning styles, and contains content beyond a white-centric history and approach. We discuss with Design Museum Everywhere’s very own Director of Learning and Interpretation, Diana Navarrete-Rackauckas, and Dr. Aaliyah Samuel, who at the time of the recording was the Executive Vice President of Government Affairs and Partnerships at NWEA. Now, Dr. Aaliyah Samuel is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for State and Local Engagement at the U.S. Department of Education. The conversation also explores strategies for parents who were transformed into teachers almost overnight because of COVID-19. It’s all connected because our kids are growing up and learning in the context of a global pandemic — their learning experience has dramatically changed — and during a growing, global protest movement against police brutality against Black Americans. Our guests provide insights on how we can meet this unique moment for our kids and our communities. Plus we have our weekly dose of good design.   For links to resources we discuss on this episode, visit our show page:  From the Archive: Infusing Equity in K-12 Curriculum Design, In the Classroom & At Home

How does design influence the restaurant experience? In this episode, Sam chats with Greg Bleier, the Founding Principal of Studio UNLTD, an award-winning design firm whose work includes restaurants like Bavel, Otium, and Bestia. Greg walks through design choices that enhance the restaurant experience and how he and his team crafted the look of Bestia and Bavel. Later on in the show, they are joined by Chef Sang Yoon who is the Chef and Proprietor of Father’s Office, Lukshon restaurant, and the Chef and Partner of Two Birds/One Stone in St. Helena, California. Together, they dive into the importance of practical and functional design in restaurant spaces and how they are collaborating on a new project.   For links to resources we discuss on this episode, visit our show page: Your Table is Ready: Designing the Restaurant Experience   

How are designers rethinking the to-go cup? In this episode, Sam learns more about the NextGen Consortium to address the world’s single-use food packaging waste. In 2018, Closed Loop Partners launched the NextGen Consortium to bring together leading brands, industry experts, and innovators. Sam chats with Kate Daly, the Managing Director for the Center of Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners. Kate explains what a circular economy is and how the Consortium gleaned consumer insights for better designs. Later on, in the show, they are joined by Chris Krohn, who is a Portfolio Lead at IDEO, a global design company, which is running and designing the pilots in the San Francisco bay area on behalf of the NextGen Consortium. Chris explains the process of redesigning the reusable to-go cups and the concepts that came out of the NextGen Consortium.    For links to resources we discuss on this episode, visit our show page:  The To-Go Cup for A Better, More Sustainable World

In the first of our monthly Design is Everywhere live shows, Sam Aquillano learns how designers can be agents of change through their work. He is joined by Yvette Perullo, Co-Author of Renourish: Sustainable Graphic Design in Practice, and Co-Founder and Partner at Re-nourish, a nonprofit that works with designers to understand and advocate for design decisions that center people and the environment. Later on in the show, they are joined by Jessie McGuire, Managing Director at brand design studio, ThoughtMatter. Together they discuss her experience designing for socially progressive causes while spearheading creative projects and their advice for designers who want to do similar work. And they take questions from the live audience.   For links to resources we discuss on this episode, visit our show page:  Launching a Movement: Graphic Design for Social Change, Live Show

How can empathy be used as a tool for designers? In this episode, Sam is joined by Renae Geraci, who currently leads the Research & Operations team for Autodesk’s Architecture, Engineering & Construction Design Group to learn how research builds understanding of user’s needs. Renae talks about what led her to research and how user research is used. Later on in the show, they are joined by Jen Shaffer, the Director of User Experience at Optum. Jen wrote an article for our magazine called “UnitedHealth Group and Optum Emphasize the Care in Healthcare". Together, they chat about how designers use empathy as a tool in design and creating user personas. Jen shares more details behind her article and the surprises of her findings.   For links to resources we discuss on this episode, visit our show page:  Research-Fueled Design Insights

What is the power of story? In this episode, Sam is joined by Jon Campbell, Head of Innovation Capability at EPAM Continuum, to learn about the value of storytelling in design. They chat about how designers convey stories to bring impactful designs and how storytelling is used in the prototyping phase. Later on in the show, they are joined by Debbie Millman, designer, author, educator, and the host of Design Matters. Debbie shares her earliest interview experiences and how her process has changed over the years. Together, they discuss how podcasting has evolved and why design matters to them.   For links to resources we discuss on this episode, visit our show page: The Power of Story

What is the criteria for good design? In this episode, Sam chats with Karen Korellis Reuther, a former creative executive at corporations like Nike and Reebok and a 2021 Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellow to learn how design informs brand identity and how she characterizes good design. We learn more about Karen’s career leading creative teams and thinking about design in new ways. Later on in the show, they are joined by Ralph Wiegmann, the CEO of iF International Forum Design, the organization behind the prestigious iF Design Awards, to discover how design is judged. Ralph shares his practices, criteria, and the way the design field has changed over the span of his career. Together, they chat about the iF judging process and why design matters.     For links to resources we discuss on this episode, visit our show page:  What Makes Design “Good”?

How can futures thinking be used as a tool to change today? In this episode, Sam chats with Nedret Sahin, a Senior Experience Designer at Mad*Pow, on the way that some human problems can be addressed by design thinking. They are joined by Liz Possee Corthell, an Experience Strategist at Mad*Pow, to discuss futures thinking and how it can prevent burnout. Earlier in the pandemic, Nedret and Liz were faced with the question, “how do you safely bring people back into their offices?” What they uncovered were the tools to build personal resilience while working remotely. Together, they chat about the use of mental models, equity in design and the way burnout manifests.    For links to resources we discuss on this episode, visit our show page:  Using Futures Thinking to Prevent Burnout

How do we design for significant change in the workplace? In this episode, Sam is joined by Angie Lee, Partner and Design Director of Interiors at FXCollaborative to learn how workspaces can adapt to be more inclusive and offer different typologies of space. Angie explains the problems that architects and designers may face to create better work environments and how portable technologies can be embedded in the office. Later on in the show, Sam and Angie are joined by Natasha Bonugli, the Global Principal of Design for Unispace Global. Together, they discuss emotional literacy, digital body language, and the creative process while working remotely.  For links to resources we discuss on this episode, visit our show page: Remote Readiness: Designing for Change in the Workplace

How does the design of a space lead to success in educational settings? In this episode, Sam is joined by Taryn Kinney, a Principal at DLR Group, to learn how space can influence a student’s educational success. What are the different phases of learning? And how can space affect those phases? Taryn brings her architecture background and education in Organizational Psychology to make the design of schools better for the student and the educator. Later on in the show, they are joined by Phillip Nowlin, Principal at Canyon View High School, to learn how he and Taryn collaborated to make the design of Canyon View High School. Phillip describes the look, feel, and energy of Canyon View High School and how educators can use design to make a difference in learning.    For links to resources we discuss on this episode, visit our show page:  How Design Transformed a School