A76 | a design pod

In this latest epsiode, I chat with Chris Ward a Seattle-based VP of Account Management at Digitas about how his broad curiosity for design, calm approach, and love of the outdoors fuel his work. Chris shares his origin story, why account managers should aim to be second-best at every job, and how he uses design thinking to solve real user problems. We also explore his personal projects, where he transforms his photography into tangible creations—from coffee-table books to retro park-poster prints—and how being outside helps him recharge. The conversation touches on finishing versus abandoning projects, balancing work and life, and the belief that everyone has the ability to ideate.Plus listen to our Human Spark Spotify Playlist~ NoelA76 and its episodes are created by Noel ChildsSeason 4 on the Human Spark is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 3 on Scale is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 2 on Change was produced by Noel ChildsSeason 1 on AI was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel ChildsOur theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton The outro was read by Trudie and Storey Childs If you like what you hear, please give us a rating.Or become a member of the A76 Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpodHave a question or comment, email noel@A76pod.comAnd follow us on Instagram

In this episode of A76, The Human Spark, I sit down again with friend of the pod Mick Champayne, a staff designer on Google’s Delight Team—the group behind those joyful little surprises on Google Search. Mick shares how she channels curiosity, humor, and serendipity into her work, from designing easter eggs for billions of users to keeping her personal illustration practice fresh. We discuss idea generation, staying inspired, and how simple habits—like collecting digital ephemera or snapping photos on morning runs—fuel inspiration. The conversation explores burnout, momentum, and the power of simply starting. It’s a reflection on delight, discipline, finding meaning in motion and the weirdness of humans. Hope you enjoy.~ NoelPlus this season I'm asking everyone who comes on the pod what song would be on their ideation soundtrack. Mick's has been added to our spotify playlistA76 and its episodes are created by Noel ChildsSeason 4 on the Human Spark is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 3 on Scale is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 2 on Change was produced by Noel ChildsSeason 1 on AI was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel ChildsOur theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton The outro was read by Trudie and Storey Childs If you like what you hear, please give us a rating.Or become a member of the A76 Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpodHave a question or comment, email noel@A76pod.comAnd follow us on Instagram

In this episode I catch up with Adam Weil, Senior Director of Research at Shapiro + Raj to talk about where good ideas come from and what separates the great ones from the noise.Adam’s career has spanned television networks to innovation agencies but what stands out most is his obsession with insightful storytelling. We talk about how he teaches younger researchers to transform data into stories that move people, how "iron sharpening iron” still sits at the center of his process and what The 13th Warrior taught him about ideating.He also shares how GenAI has become a thought partner in his workflow, how he knows when he’s found a kernel worth chasing, and why surrounding yourself with smart, curious people is the best way to sharpen your own thinking. Adam leaves us with a reminder that creativity might look like play from the outside, but it’s deeply demanding work—equal parts curiosity, humility, and practice.Plus this season I'm asking everyone coming on the pod what song would be on their ideation soundtrack, Adam's choice is the first added to the spotify playlist.~ NoelA76 and its episodes are created by Noel ChildsSeason 4 on the Human Spark is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 3 on Scale is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 2 on Change was produced by Noel ChildsSeason 1 on AI was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel ChildsOur theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton The outro was read by Trudie and Storey Childs If you like what you hear, please give us a rating.Or become a member of the A76 Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpodHave a question or comment, email noel@A76pod.comAnd follow us on Instagram

Welcome back  to A76.This season, we’re stepping away from algorithms and turning back towards the people behind the ideas.And because we find ourselves in a world where generative AI can spin out thousand of versions of anything—I keep wondering where do the truly original ideas come from?So in Season 4, we’re exploring what I’m calling ~ The Human Spark.I’ll be talking with designers, creators, and adjacent makers—people who’ve built things that are unique. And together, we’ll dig into the mindsets, the moments, and yes—the messy processes—that lead to something genuinely authentic.It’s not about the perfect workflow or the most advanced tool. It’s about that strange little flicker between inspiration and action that all of us have the capacity for and many of us spend our days chasing.So, if you’ve ever asked yourself how did they come up with that?—this season is for you.A new season of A76—The Human Spark is coming soon.~ NoelA76 and its episodes are created by Noel ChildsSeason 4 on the Human Spark is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 3 on Scale is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 2 on Change was produced by Noel ChildsSeason 1 on AI was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel ChildsOur theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton The outro was read by Trudie and Storey Childs If you like what you hear, please give us a rating.Or become a member of the A76 Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpodHave a question or comment, email noel@A76pod.comAnd follow us on Instagram

Welcome to this Patreon exclusive preview. If you’re new to A76’s Patreon or you’re listening to a preview for the first time, these exclusive episodes are where I talk about my production of the podcast, break down some of the discussions coming out of my free interviews. I bring new ideas here—things I’m kicking around—and I share additional content from those interviews.I used to call these Icebreaks because, well if you haven’t noticed we have an iceberg thing going on here at A76. And the podcast was named after a massive state-sized iceberg, an apt metaphor for UX design since the majority of our design work lies beneath the surface, unseen by the user but oh so critical.I’m changing it up for this Patreon exclusive; I’m both finalizing this season of scale and gearing up for an exciting season ahead. And if you’re a Patreon subscriber you’ll hear my season 4 announcement later in this episode plus a hilarious and insightful ThinkFast game Olivia Moore T. and I did. A special thank you to my Patreon subscribers. I couldn’t do this podcast without you and you’re helping me get this pod to carbon neutral. If you want to help support the pod, head over to the Patreon link in the show notes. A warm thank you even if you're just thinking about it.Thank you to all the designers, creators, and adjacent makers I interviewed this season. You're all amazing. Keep designing. Keep growing. And keep making a positive impact.~ NoelA76 and its episodes are created by Noel ChildsSeason 4 on the Human Spark is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 3 on Scale is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 2 on Change was produced by Noel ChildsSeason 1 on AI was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel ChildsOur theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton The outro was read by Trudie and Storey Childs If you like what you hear, please give us a rating.Or become a member of the A76 Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpodHave a question or comment, email noel@A76pod.comAnd follow us on Instagram

In this deeply personal and expansive conversation, I sit down with Olivia Moore T., a talented designer whose roots in Detroit, radio and tech have fueled a career in experience design. We explore her origin story, the tension between creativity and capitalism, how nostalgia is reshaping Gen Z’s approach and the increasingly blurry line between tools and culture. Our conversation veers from thoughtful to playful, from systemic critique to personal honesty—making this episode both a mirror for designers and a signal flare for where we might be headed next. I hope you enjoy.~ NoelA76 and its episodes are created by Noel ChildsSeason 4 on the Human Spark is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 3 on Scale is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 2 on Change was produced by Noel ChildsSeason 1 on AI was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel ChildsOur theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton The outro was read by Trudie and Storey Childs If you like what you hear, please give us a rating.Or become a member of the A76 Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpodHave a question or comment, email noel@A76pod.comAnd follow us on Instagram

Who really benefits from our current AI assistants? In this final episode of the NoelAI mini-series on A76, I go on a deeply personal and sharply critical journey of the current state of AI assistants. And ask why—after years of hype—we still don’t have an assistant that truly serves us.Blending design thinking, cultural critique, and speculative hardware, I posit a radically user-centric vision for an AI assistant built around human needs and not tech company agendas. What would it look like to ditch your iPhone and have something smaller, smarter, and more human by your side? And more importantly, what’s standing in the way?This is a call to reimagine. To push past uncanny interfaces and shallow convenience into something more meaningful and ultimately demand more from our digital tech.Keep designing. Keep growing. And keep making a positive impact.~ NoelA76 and its episodes are created by Noel ChildsSeason 4 on the Human Spark is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 3 on Scale is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 2 on Change was produced by Noel ChildsSeason 1 on AI was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel ChildsOur theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton The outro was read by Trudie and Storey Childs If you like what you hear, please give us a rating.Or become a member of the A76 Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpodHave a question or comment, email noel@A76pod.comAnd follow us on Instagram

Welcome back from our mid-season break! In today’s pod, I chat with Jennifer Andrews, who leads the Experience Design team in Digitas’ New York office. We chat about web1, her personal origin story, Japanese culture, her work in the Accessibility Center of Excellence and AI's impact on design.And afterwards I highlight recent episodes and share how you can support A76.Recent free episodes:030: The path to a carbon neutral A76 with Matt Saip029: Personalized micro-interaction fails with Noel ChildsRecent Patreon episodes:NoelAI Series  One / Two / ThreeKeep designing. Keep growing. And keep making a positive impact.~NoelA76 and its episodes are created by Noel ChildsSeason 4 on the Human Spark is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 3 on Scale is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 2 on Change was produced by Noel ChildsSeason 1 on AI was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel ChildsOur theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton The outro was read by Trudie and Storey Childs If you like what you hear, please give us a rating.Or become a member of the A76 Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpodHave a question or comment, email noel@A76pod.comAnd follow us on Instagram

My goal is to make A76 sustainable in as many facets as I can. And for my 30th episode, I'm sharing my introductory conversation with Matt Saip, Head of Technology at Digitas Chicago, where we discuss the tech side of achieving this goal. We have an open discussion about calculating the exact carbon footprint of my production, the potential for green web hosting and sustainable tech. Shedding light on an area we so often taken for granted, the energy it takes to power our digital lives is both instructional and inspiring. And this marks the beginning of my shared journey toward achieving carbon neutrality for A76. Thanks for joining me on this path.~ NoelA76 and its episodes are created by Noel ChildsSeason 4 on the Human Spark is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 3 on Scale is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 2 on Change was produced by Noel ChildsSeason 1 on AI was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel ChildsOur theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton The outro was read by Trudie and Storey Childs If you like what you hear, please give us a rating.Or become a member of the A76 Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpodHave a question or comment, email noel@A76pod.comAnd follow us on Instagram

Welcome to a new episode of A76. Today, we're taking a detour from our usual in-depth interviews with designers and makers to explore something a little different—micro-interactions and moments of personalization that could be vastly improved.If you're curious about what's happening over on our Patreon or if you simply want to support the A76 Design Pod, head over to patreon.com/A76designpod. By joining, you'll gain access to exclusive episodes and my original series on hyper-personalized AI assistants, dubbed NoelAI. In that series, I dive into topics of working for tech, personal risk concerns, the uncanny ID, conversational UI, behavioral habit mapping and debating the pros and cons of an AI assistant.Looking ahead this season, Matt Saip and I will discuss our journey in making the A76 Design Pod a carbon-neutral production including our insights, research, and plans for achieving this goal.Also, exciting news—I'll be announcing an in-person A76 event in Chicago, featuring an open debate panel, salon-style, towards the end of the season. Stay tuned for topics and details.A big thank you to all our Patreon members—your support makes this all possible.Now, let's dive into the world of personalization—specifically, the micro-interactions and moments that absolutely drive me bonkers. I can't turn off my designer brain when engaging with these frequently failing experiences, even in my daily life. And while it may sound harsh, my aim is to help us learn as designers by examining these small, fixable interactions. And all the examples we'll discuss are drawn from well-resourced brands, that should do better. While I'm not personally connected to these brands or their teams, these are interactions I've personally experienced. And while I have hundreds I could pull from, I've pulled five for example.I'm fully aware of the challenges involved in launching amazing digital experiences, from platform and database limitations to the inevitable concessions designers must make. If you've worked on any of the examples I discuss today, I'd love to hear from you. Reach out via email or on BlueSky. Enjoy!Example referencesEA Sports FCNordiTrack TreadmillsChipotle AppApple Ultra Watch & Suunto Race WatchMy NorthweA76 and its episodes are created by Noel ChildsSeason 4 on the Human Spark is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 3 on Scale is produced by Noel ChildsSeason 2 on Change was produced by Noel ChildsSeason 1 on AI was produced by Casey Hudetz and Noel ChildsOur theme music was composed and performed by Stella Solveig and mixed and mastered by Abbey Nettleton The outro was read by Trudie and Storey Childs If you like what you hear, please give us a rating.Or become a member of the A76 Patreon at patreon.com/A76designpodHave a question or comment, email noel@A76pod.comAnd follow us on Instagram