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DESIGN THINKER PODCAST

Dr. Dani Chesson and Designer Peter Allan

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Welcome to The Design Thinker Podcast, where we explore the theory and practice of design thinking. Join co-hosts Dr Dani Chesson and Designer Peter Allan as they delve into the principles, strategies, and real-world application of design thinking. Each episode takes a deep dive into a topic within design thinking, discussing the foundational theory and bringing theory to life by showcasing the application of theory into practice to solve real-world challenges. 🔍 Theoretical Insights: Build ...
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This week I was lucky enough to have Dr. Dani Chesson on the podcast to talk about context. Dr. Dani is an intellectual, a designer, a professor, and an absolute WEALTH of knowledge. During our chat we talk about Context; how important it is, how to frame it, and how to plan for it. From her time to the corporate world to her time in the lab, she h…
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In this episode, Peter steps into the spotlight, recounting how his skydiving experiences shaped his perspective on courage, self-talk, goal-setting, and teamwork. As Peter Peter reflects on this skydiving journey, he draws parallels between skydiving and working in organizations. In this episode, you will • discover the power of visualization for …
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This week I was joined by Jonathan Lowenhar. Jonathan has become someone that I turn to VERY regularly to get my brain moving in the right direction. He is a beacon of sorts. A north star. And so damn funny and kind. This week we talk about finding purpose, creating purpose and what staying in your purpose requires of you, all while building someth…
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In this episode, Dr. Dani shares her nontraditional career path from aspiring law student to graphic designer to leading corporate transformations. A two-time university dropout, Dani discovered design while on the path to law school, which led her to attend design school and hone her passion for designing solutions. She explains how the lessons fr…
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WE ARE BACK! After a summer + some off, Build for Better Thursday are back in action, and I could not be more excited than to kick it off with my friend and incredible design leader J.B. This episode very much resembles my conversations with J.B. in life, running the gamut in topics from AI to Gen-Z to Elon, and just like in real life I walked away…
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In a world that glorifies busyness, breaks are dismissed as unimportant and a barrier to productivity. However, this isn't actually the case. In this episode, Dr. Dani and Designer Peter discuss the often overlooked but essential practice of pausing. They explore the power of micro, mini, and mighty pauses and discuss how intentional breaks can inc…
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Do you struggle with perfectionism? Is it holding you back? In this episode, Dr. Dani Chesson and Designer Peter Allan explore how perfectionism hinders progress and keeps us trapped in a cycle of self-doubt and share tips on how to break free from the trap. In this episode, you will • understand the difference between helpful and harmful perfectio…
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We often focus on creating a seamless customer experience (CX), but what happens when we ignore employee experience (EX)? In this episode, Dr. Dani and Designer Peter dive into the often-overlooked connection between EX and CX, exploring why great customer experiences depend on happy, engaged employees. In this episode, you will: • understand the d…
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Customer Experience (CX) is vital for businesses in the 21st century, but do we know what we mean when we say CX? In this episode, Dr Dani and Designer Peter explore CX. In this episode, you will • understand what CX is and what it is not • learn why CX is a vital aspect of business success • discover how to design and operationalize a winning CX W…
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Experience — a term that's become ubiquitous in business, but do we really know what we mean when we say Customer Experience, Employee Experience, Patient Experience, and the like? In this episode, Dr Dani and Designer Peter explore the anatomy of an experience. In this episode, you will: • learn what is meant by experience • understand the macro a…
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Emotions are central to the human experience, influencing every aspect of our personal, professional, and social lives. They are complex and multifaceted, shaping how we perceive and interact with the world. Research suggests that up to 95% of our decisions are driven by emotions, underscoring their powerful impact on our choices. In this episode, …
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Have you heard of BANI? Are you ready for it? The term VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) was coined in the 1980s to describe the context of the world. Four decades later, is this term still relevant? The term BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, Incomprehensible) was coined in 2020 to describe the current environment. In this epi…
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My guest this week is Alex Craig. Alex is the Founder of Triple Play Studios, a Shorty, Clio and Webby award winning Marketing Studio that has cracked the code on making Viral content and experiences for huge brands. Alex is one of those creatives that just has that spark. Whether it's shipping potatoes in the mail or having someone SMILE for an en…
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What are the ethical obligations of design research? In this episode, Dr Dani and Designer Peter explore the importance of informed consent when doing design research. From historical examples like the Tukaseegee experiments to contemporary design research, this episode explains why it is important for participants to fully understand their involve…
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What is discovery work? How does it help reduce risk and deliver better outcomes? In this episode, Dr Dani and Designer Peter dive into the "how-to" of discovery work to explain what it is, why it is important, and tips on how to get started. In this episode, you will • discover the importance of discovery work • learn how to get started with disco…
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This week, I'm thrilled to have Lee Elliott join me on the podcast. Lee is a founder, a marketer, an industry vet and my favorite thing of all, a bit of a rascal. We tackle the ins and out of Generalism - when it's good, when it's not so good, what the future of it is, and when specialists are the best and the worst. We also talk a bit about philos…
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How might we use privacy law to build trust with customers? Often regulations are viewed as an obligation, something organizations need to comply with to stay out of legal trouble. However, what if regulations can be more than that? What if regulations can provide us a way to build trust and create better experiences for customers? In this episode,…
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Over the past several years, the relevance of design thinking has come under scrutiny. Is it a fad that has run its course? Is design thinking still useful? In this episode, Dr Dani and Designer Peter dive into these questions. In this episode, you will • explore how design thinking has evolved over the years • learn about what is working and what …
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This week I am joined by Entrepreneur, Author, Connector and all around gentlemen Jeremy Berman. Jeremy is the Co-Founder of Good United, the worlds first fundraising platform for social networks, as well as Author of the new book "One-Click to Give". Good United is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary, so it only felt right that the subject of …
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My guest this week is Danny Nathan. Danny is the Founder of Apollo21, a product dude, a UX designer, and so many more things, top among them a good friend. When I first mentioned the podcast to Danny, I barely got the idea out before he said "I want to talk about Failure". Danny has an ethos of "Failing Beautifully", which is a perfect topic to div…
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Organizational tensions are inevitable and become increasingly complex as organizations scale. In this episode, Dr Dani and Designer Peter discuss the three most common organizational tensions and strategies for navigating them. In this episode, you will • discover the three most common organizational tensions that keep teams stuck • learn how to l…
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This week I am joined by Evan Shaprio. Aside from being a renowned media executive and innovator, known for his transformative work at IFC TV and Sundance Channel, he also happens to be one of the voices I most look forward to hearing from. Be it on LinkedIn, his Newsletter or his Podcast, Evan is one of those people you just kinda need to hear fro…
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This week I was so genuinely delighted and excited to have Barry join the podcast. Aside from being a respected and adored Product person in the digital space, Barry is also the Co-Founder and President of Highwire Improv in Baltimore. In this episode, we dive into all the things Barry has taken from his Improv work and how they have influenced him…
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This week I am joined by CEO, Pilot and former Punk rocker Andy Seavers. With Andy's background and absolutely infectious energy, the only possible topic to center on was "The Rush". What does the Rush mean? Well in this episode we talk about running a company, flying a plane, playing a golf and so much more all from the comfort of Andy's office...…
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Context plays a pivotal role in shaping our understanding of the world. From everyday conversations to pondering the meaning of life, context is at the center of meaning-making. An action that might seem irrational can be perfectly reasonable when you understand the context. What does context mean for Design Thinkers? Why is it important to the pra…
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This week is a bit of the departure from the norm...with my guest Ryan Anthony, Co-Founder and CEO of DIRT, we decided to just talk about what's happening right now in our worlds. From being present in the moment, to creating community, to the very best we can hope for AI to the most scary, we definitely danced. But Ryan is so thoughtful and so gen…
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Design Thinking, where did it come from? How is it being used today? What will its purpose be in the future? Join Dr Dani and Designer Peter as they delve into the history of Design Thinking and explore its prospects. In this episode, you will • Learn about the roots of Design Thinking • Hear stories of how Design Thinking is being applied today • …
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This week I am lucky enough to have Ben Kvalo join me for a conversation on location and it's impact on work. Ben left Netflix and started Midwest Games last year, and has been sharing the entire journey on social media. Being that I left the Beast Coast myself and have settled into the South East, we had no shortage of things to think through. We …
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What is Design Thinking? In this back-to-basics episode, Dr Dani and Designer Peter define Design Thinking. In this episode, you will • learn about how Design Thinking is defined • understand why Design Thinking is important • hear examples of how Design Thinking can help We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text!…
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This week I am joined by John Rogers. Aside from years of experience building teams and culture, John is also a listener of the podcast, which made for great fun. The topic this week is Understanding, and specifically how John has built a career and a reputation around leveraging understanding in all facets of business. It's a particularly importan…
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Do you struggle with accepting failure as an opportunity for growth? In this episode, Dr Dani and Designer Peter are joined by Life and Business Coach Chris Taylor, author of the book Avoiding Propeller Blades. In this episode, you will • learn the power of accepting failure as an inevitability when trying something new • hear stories about how qui…
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Happy Valentines Day! I couldn't think of a better way to come back from Winter hiatus then on this day with this guest. This week I have the indelible Bryony Cole on. Since I first saw her speak almost 10 years ago I have veraciously consumed her content. And given her standing as the foremost expert on Sex Tech in the world, I couldn't think of a…
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How do you know the best way to get others to resonate with the story you want to tell? In the final episode of our series on storytelling, Dr Dani and Designer Peter explore the three modes of storytelling; oral, visual, and written. In this episode, you will • learn about the three modes of storytelling • understand how to select the right mode f…
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Storytelling is everywhere. It shapes the culture of our families, social groups, and organizations. In part two of our series on storytelling, Dr Dani and Designer Peter explore how stories can motivate action in organizations. In this episode, you will • hear about how the stories we share shape culture • understand how stories inspire action • l…
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Ever wonder how the stories you tell yourself might be holding you back? In this episode, Dr Dani and Designer Peter explore how the stories we tell ourselves might be holding us back from designing solutions. In this episode, you will • hear examples of the stories we repeat to ourselves that keep us stuck • understand how to identify the stories …
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This week I am joined by Cherian Thomas, a powerhouse in the Digital Out of Home space, Entrepreneur, Marketing wiz and all around great guy. From his upbringing abroad and moving across the world 2 different times, to selling his company to T-Mobile, to hiring practices and even some DOOH specific talk, we cover a lot of ground this episode. So ha…
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The third of a three-part series on the three lenses of design thinking, this episode explores the desirability lens. In this episode, you will be able to understand what desirability means and why it is important learn the techniques Design Thinkers use to identify desirability hear real-world examples of how to put desirability into practice So, …
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This week I am joined by Kayla Rochelle, a Photographer extraordinaire, social media wizard and world class mother. On this episode we talk about the challenge of balancing a business, a relationship, a household and your own sanity. If the name and face are not familiar to you, give the first five minutes of the episode a listen and you'll find ou…
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The second of a three-part series on the three lenses of design thinking, this episode explores the viability lens. In this episode, you will be able to understand the key questions to consider when assessing a solution for viability learn how the viability lens contributes to better solutions hear real-world examples of applying the viability lens…
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This week I am joined by Engineer and Data extraordinaire Brian Muller. Brian is uniquely positioned to weigh in on how AI tools are changing the development landscape, both for the better and maybe the not-so-better. From how to set up your organization to how to teach your team to leverage the tech for the better, Brian and I talk extensively abo…
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The first of a three-part series on the three lenses of design thinking, this episode explores the feasibility lens. Join Dr Dani and Designer Peter as they take an in-depth look at feasibility. In this episode, you will be able to • learn about the five components of feasibility • understand how ignoring feasibility can lead to impractical solutio…
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This week I kept it to a quick solo episode reflecting on the practice of gratitude and giving thanks...it felt appropriate. In case you decide not to listen, I am so beyond Thankful for all of you, and my amazing guests to this point, and my guests to be. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to do this and if you are enjoying it half as much …
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This week I am joined by Julian Placino. Julian has made a career building world-class recruiting organizations. What makes Julian special is that he has managed to build processes and procedures into a human-first approach, blending metrics and measurement with meaning. We talk about the role "People" and "Fit" have in shaping your company and pro…
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This week I am joined by Designer, Strategist, and all-around curator of things Jason Osburn. From our love of comedy to being delighted by the smallest things, Jason shares his philosophy on not only designing digital products and experiences but also moments in your life. Jason's approach to things has always been something I aspire to. He has a …
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To say I am excited about this one would be a wild understatement. This week the often-quoted author, innovator, and line-pusher Tom Goodwin joins the podcast. We talk about relentless curiosity, the pursuit of betterment, and why this podcast, my book, and the platform is all his fault. Tom is genuinely one of my favorite people to talk to and thi…
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This week I am joined by the brilliant Erin Madorsky. Erin is a strategist, rainmaker, killer communicator, and overall industry BA. In this episode, you can learn how an art background helps Erin translate complexity into organizational action and just how impactful self-work truly is in effectively leading teams.…
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This week I am blessed by the presence of Walter Geer. Walt is a lighthouse in the space, constantly pushing what is acceptable, what is celebrated, and what SHOULD be happening. In this episode Walt and I discuss the power of access and what it means to have a seat at "The Table". From his position now as a Chief Experience Design Officer to his e…
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This week I am joined by Ryan Bricklemyer, who heads up Operations for T-Mobile Advertising. Ryan is a Swiss army knife, Product / Operations / Strategy and so, so much more. The topic this week is Unmixed signals, or more specifically how Ryan navigates communication between different parts of an organization. From big teams to small ones, from ti…
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This week I am joined by Calvin Carter, Co-Founder and CEO of Talon Labs, and the Founding CEO of Bottle Rocket Studios. In this episode, Calvin talks about the importance of Modeling Behavior and the impact it has not only on organizations and products but also on the leaders themselves. From apps to astrophotography, we cover a lot in this episod…
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In the introductory episode, we are graced by the one and only Nick Childs. Nick is a powerhouse in the creation space - from Ads to Films to Speeches to Articles, Nick GETS storytelling. So we dive into how important narrative is, what he's learned on his journey, and why he doesn't actually like the title of this episode...…
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