Experience by Design

Perhaps one of the most immediate changes brought by the pandemic was the move to living online. It seemed like the world was going virtual, as people in business, education, organizing, and those trying to maintain social connection became boxes on screens. As we put more time into being online, we often found that there is a difference between being in person and being remote. Something is missing in the virtual experience.At the same time, there is this whole thriving online world in which masses of people regularly get together to view content, have conversations, and build community. On this episode of Experience by Design, we welcome long-time livestreamer and content creator Chuck KostALnik, otherwise known as Heyappl. From his early days in 2012 making videos for YouTube, to his current Twitch channel, as well as his work with the open source product Firebot, Chuck has been exploring how to make virtual moments that matter. We talk about seeing things from the viewer’s perspective, how dead air is not necessarily bad air, the danger of metrics, and digital brand management. We also talk about how products like Firebot can create “immersive theater”, and transform watching another person playing video games or “Just Chatting” into a unifying virtual experience. Finally we talk about creating inclusive experiences online, and the fighting back against flamers and hate raids. 

This past summer has brought greater attention to questions of racial and social justice, resulting from the George Floyd murder to other stories also depicting events that bring us back to an earlier time in American history. While this renewed focus is welcome to address issues that still need addressing, the topic of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice are by no means new. So while not new as topics, we are living in a new era. With this, we need a new generation of leaders to take the mantle forward. So the question can be asked, in what way can we engage younger generations in these topics to leverage their experiences and insights to move our work forward for a more just and inclusive society. To help us in this conversation, today we welcome to the Experience by Design studios Dan Egol and Desi Carson of the Inclusion Nextwork. The Inclusion Nextwork is a global network of emerging leaders who are passionate about innovating how organizations and communities approach diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice. Rooted in their previous work in the field, Dan and Desi take us through what an inclusive community looks like using their IDEAS framework. From Roundtable on a range of inclusive topics, to skills and leadership development, they talk about how to create new approaches to our long-standing issues.The key lies in co-creating a more just and equitable society across community building, resource strategy and opportunity finding.

One might think that by 2021, companies would already have an understanding of how to digitally transform. Also, one might think that they would have a strategy in place to do so. The truth, however, is that many companies neither have an understanding nor a strategy of engaging customers through digital means. As a result, a staggering 84% of customers say their digital experiences do not live up to their expectations. Further complicating matters is that companies often don’t even take the time to find out what their customers want. And even if and when they do, they are hesitant to even change.Today we welcome Howard Tiersky to the Experience by Design studios. Howard has been named one of the Top 10 Digital Transformation Influencers, and has helped some of the biggest brands and companies with their digital strategies. From a degree in cinematic arts and directing, to creating the first Ernst and Young internet set, Howard has extensive experience in constructing experiences. We talk about his new book “Winning Digital Customers: The Antidote to Irrelevance,” which lays out practical steps and proven approaches to make your company succeed in the digital environment. If you are not even sure where to start, Howard’s new book will direct on where you need to go and how to do it. 

We are living in the Age of Identity. Terms like fluidity and intersectionality speak to the moment of people exploring who they are across and within different contexts. People are free to choose from a wide variety of selves, each building on the other to create a range of self-expression. While this allows people to speak about who they see themselves as in multiple ways, it does create challenges to trying to reach those people through marketing. Michael Solomon is exploring new rules for a new marketing world. From a PhD in social psychology , Michael has spent a career looking at how to reach people through marketing. His new book, The New Chameleons: How to Connect with Consumers Who Defy Categorization, breaks down how those traditional marketing  boundaries are blurring. Also, it’s no longer just the individual heading out for a purchase. They’re checking with their friends and social media sites and doing research before even starting to buy anything. It’s as much about social validation as it is satisfaction from the purchase. In order to truly understand and meet people where they are at, Michael walks us through how we need to update old marketing tropes for the 21st century and embrace chameleon consumers.

What does chips and salsa, Meowoulf, and Burning Man have in common? What they all share is they are part of what our guest calls the Experiential Palate. They involve trying to connect with a person’s experiential aptitude to take in and appreciate what is being created for them. If you have salsa that is too spicy, no matter how good it might taste that is going to be overpowered by how overwhelming it is. Likewise, if you have an image that is too abstract or experimental, the viewer might not be able to connect with what the artist is trying to communicate. Anthony Rocco is an experience artist who is an architect of curiosity. Inspired by his education in cinema and directing, from the Latitude Society to Burning Man to his own creating of transformative leadership experiences for corporate clients, Anthony helps us unpack the underlying framework for what makes experience design work. For example, where does the value lie? He notes as designers it's our responsibility to design for the whole experience, not just the perception of it. Further, we open up the idea that curiosity mixed with design is about bringing stakeholders into the here and now so that we can see the often ignored and overlooked fabric of social life, to ask deeper questions and rethink how we conceptualize, construct, and frame our experiences. 

The experience of being a parent of a developmentally disabled, or neurologically atypical child, can be highly varied. Kids can have a range of functioning, challenges, abilities, and barriers. Regardless of our different experiences based on the unique situations we face, one thing is the same: all of us frequently need some form of help.This is where the folks from Jeb’s Game come in. Inspired into action by the story of Jeb, a young man with Down’s Syndrome who was having trouble learning how to read, a group of game designers, developers, sound and communication professionals, and educators who met on Reddit and organized themselves on Discord. Using an open source mentality, this group has been exploring how VR gaming can be used to help people with intellectual challenges learn how to read. We chat with Oliver and Kellan from Jeb’s Game about the process of bringing the team together, how they creating a VR-based learning experience, and how they keep the project on track. It is a great example of how sharing a strong purpose and mission can be the glue which holds an organization together and keeps work aligned. 

Despite being summer, it is a fallacy that academics get summers off. Especially in a pandemic year, it can feel like the pressures and stresses of academic work have been compounded. Making the transition to remote teaching provided its own unique challenges. On top of that are all of the requirements of the academic life. Committee work. Advising students, Doing research. Writing papers. Dealing with rejection and reviewer comments. It is enough to challenge even the most dedicated and patient professionals. While I wouldn’t place it in the category of being a roofer in the middle of summer, the academic life does have its own challenges and tribulations. Thankfully, our next guest has an outlet to help academics with their mental health and wellness. Dr. Wendy Ingram started to become concerned with the impact of academia on mental health as a graduate student. From what she saw around her with their peers, as well as a personal tragedy, Wendy saw the need for mental health services for academics. This, along with the reality that 50-60% of academics struggle with mental health issues, led her to create Dragonfly Mental Health, a mental health organization dedicated to academics whether graduate students or full professors. Calling academia the original Instagram, where all you see is the good stuff, we talk about the challenges of being constantly in a ‘headspace’ versus a ‘heart space.’ She discusses how academics need an outlet to discuss their mental struggle, how they work with universities and departments to create better mental health environments, how they have grown to over 160 volunteers in 25 or so countries, along with weekly virtual support sessions, and how to connect passions of purpose with metrics of worth. 

Our guest today Josh Linkner has had a pretty varied set of experiences that led to to writing his latest book, Big Little Breakthroughs. In fact, he describes himself as being a “strange mix of things.” From an early age he picked up guitar. That’s not necessarily notable, as lots of young kids pick up guitar. However, his interest led him to focus on jazz guitar, resulting in him even attending the Berkeley School of Music here in Boston. But his journey didn’t end there, as he ended up transferring to University of Florida to study business (as well as guitar). Afterward, he found himself drawn toward being a tech-startup entrepreneur, having a number of successes and as he describes it, plenty of failures. From there, he has become a well-known and much sought after professional speaker and venture capital investor, talking to audiences across industries as well as helping companies find their innovative spark. The author of four books, Josh and I talk about what it means to be innovative, and how little changes and small insights can lead to dramatic transformations. From his fascination with the video game Frogger, to our conversation on the need for change in our educational system, we explore the potential for creativity in all aspects of our lives, filling what he calls the creativity gap in organizations, and how Detroit serves him as the hub of his innovative approach and spirit for renewal. 

In the area of ethnomethodology and workplace studies, Jack’s work always served as a case study in how to apply academic research and industry impact. From his earlier days at the University of Oregon, to his move to the Institute for Research on Learning at Stanford, and then to the XEROX Palo Alto Research Center, and even today with the sustainable fisheries partnership, Jack has used ethnography to further design throughout his work.In this episode, we talk about how he arrived at this work from his dissertation on social movements. We then work through his 911 first responder training and research, which then led into his work with his wife Marilyn on Call Center operations. We then track how ethnomethodology is really the first human-centered design. Jack talks about how being a social broker to bring stakeholders together is an important element in workplace studies and turning findings into design outcomes. Finally, we explore how workplace studies and ethnographic studies of work has created an important framework for how design ethnography is done today.

Dr. Jacqueline Copeland grew up in Philadelphia, which she describes as a city of neighborhoods. But, just because you have neighborhoods doesn’t mean that everyone is neighborly. From those early experiences of people watching and trying to understand the dynamics of Philly, she became interested in exploring new worlds and understanding different cultures. Anthropology and philanthropy then became her new home from which she could explore and have a greater impact.We explore her work in philanthropy around the world, especially on the African continent, women in technology, and founding Black Philanthropy Month. She shares with us her passion for creating sustainable social justice movements, and why the social sciences are essential to building a better world. Some of her projects have included helping the Federal Reserve bank meet the capital financing needs of religious minorities, assisting corporate social responsibility efforts, and aiding in capacity building for grassroots social innovators. Finally, she helps us to understand how we can get started in philanthropy, social innovation, and social movements through giving time, talent, or treasure (or all of the above).