Event Design Collective PODcasts

Event Design Collective
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Design at the Speed of Change

  1. Monique Ruff-Bell TED #DESIGNtoCHANGE Year +2 with Ruud Janssen

    5D AGO

    Monique Ruff-Bell TED #DESIGNtoCHANGE Year +2 with Ruud Janssen

    In this #DESIGNtoCHANGE Podcast series, Monique Ruff-Bell, TED's Chief Program and Strategy Officer (https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniqueruffbell/ ), joined Ruud Janssen (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruudwjanssen/ ) to discuss TED's strategic evolution and its impact on event design. Reflecting on TED's 40-year history and Chris Anderson's 25-year stewardship, Monique highlighted the organization's commitment to fostering meaningful change through its flagship conference, specialty events, and global TEDx network, which now spans 4,500 annual licenses, surpassing pre-COVID levels. The conversation explored TED's thematic evolution, including the shift from "Ideas Worth Sharing" to "Ideas Change Everything" and the recent theme "All of Us," central to TED 2026 in Vancouver. After 12 years and 11 conferences in Vancouver, TED announced its move to San Diego, a decision shaped by a two-year selection process. Monique emphasized San Diego's unique attributes, including its biotech industry, military presence, and borderless ethos, as well as the community's enthusiasm, exemplified by engagement with the mayor and local business leaders. The move aims to refresh the conference experience while maintaining TED's core values of fostering hope, optimism, and emotive experiences. Monique shared insights into TED's specialty conferences, such as TED AI, TED Sports, TED Food, and TED Health, which provide deep dives into specific topics. She expressed optimism about integrating AI into event design, noting its potential to enhance efficiency and creativity while addressing societal implications. Upcoming initiatives include the climate change conference and the Content Institute, a new educational program led by Sal Khan, TED's Vision Steward, focused on AI and business principles. The session also addressed the challenges of curating content that balances innovation with attendee sensitivities. Monique described TED's efforts to create spaces for friction and diverse perspectives, noting attendee feedback and the organization's "mothering energy" in fostering a safe, human-centered environment. With 55-60% of attendees returning annually, TED's loyalty reflects its ability to sustain engagement through thoughtful design and transformative conversations. This dialogue offered a comprehensive overview of TED's strategic direction, highlighting its commitment to innovation, community, and meaningful change. See the key takeaways and Idea cloud here: https://www.snapsight.com/live-channel/5ef866a1-d85d-42f2-b9c6-55cce6228524/ad387ee1-521d-43ca-932c-64921fa6b1a5/attendee?tab=takeaways

    51 min
  2. Mehrad Jaberansari #DESIGNtoCHANGE BACKstage PODcast with Ruud Janssen

    5D AGO

    Mehrad Jaberansari #DESIGNtoCHANGE BACKstage PODcast with Ruud Janssen

    This DESIGNtoCHANGE podcast, hosted by Ruud Janssen, featured an engaging conversation with Mehrad Jaberansari, (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mehradj/ ) a leader in the Family Business Network (FBN) and Director of Strategic Engagement at the Conduit. The session explored the art and science of event design, guided by the principles outlined in the DESIGNtoCHANGE book and the Event Canvas methodology. Mehrad shared her journey from leading FBN’s Next Gen community to her current role at the Conduit, where she curates impactful events like the Climate and Future of Health conference, powered by the Wellcome Trust, and the Young Innovator Awards, which celebrate emerging impact entrepreneurs.

Ruud Janssen’s facilitation expertise provided valuable insights into creating safe spaces, fostering trust, and designing events that catalyze change. Merat discussed the importance of stewardship in event ownership, emphasizing her purpose statement: "energizing and mobilizing other units of positive change." The Conduit, a Covent Garden-based hub for changemakers, hosts over 150 events annually, including the Resilient Cities conference, the Sports and Impact event at Aston Villa stadium, and Malala Yousafzai’s upcoming appearance to discuss a film supported by her fund.

The conversation highlighted challenges such as maintaining rhythm, predictability, and depth in event design, while emphasizing the role of Chatham House rules, codes of conduct, and the Ubuntu concept in fostering safe spaces. Merat reflected on pivotal connections at FBN summits, including transformative experiences in Malaysia, and discussed the ethical desires driving changemakers. The AI for Good event in Geneva was mentioned as an example of leveraging technology for positive impact. The capital-content-community framework emerged as a key strategy for catalyzing change, alongside event culture analysis as a tool for measuring impact. This session offered a comprehensive look at designing events that inspire and sustain meaningful change.

    20 min
  3. Mehrad Jaberansari #DESIGNtoCHANGE ONstage PODcast with Ruud Janssen

    5D AGO

    Mehrad Jaberansari #DESIGNtoCHANGE ONstage PODcast with Ruud Janssen

    This DESIGNtoCHANGE podcast, hosted by Ruud Janssen, featured an engaging conversation with Mehrad Jaberansari, ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/mehradj/ ) a longtime leader in the Family Business Network (FBN) and Director of Strategic Engagement at the Conduit. The session explored the art and science of event design, guided by the principles outlined in the DESIGNtoCHANGE book and the Event Canvas methodology. Mehrad shared her journey from leading FBN’s Next Gen community to her current role at the Conduit, where she curates impactful events like the Climate and Future of Health conference, powered by the Wellcome Trust, and the Young Innovator Awards, which celebrate emerging impact entrepreneurs.

Ruud Janssen’s facilitation expertise provided valuable insights into creating safe spaces, fostering trust, and designing events that catalyze change. Merat discussed the importance of stewardship in event ownership, emphasizing her purpose statement: "energizing and mobilizing other units of positive change." The Conduit, a Covent Garden-based hub for changemakers, hosts over 150 events annually, including the Resilient Cities conference, the Sports and Impact event at Aston Villa stadium, and Malala Yousafzai’s upcoming appearance to discuss a film supported by her fund.

The conversation highlighted challenges such as maintaining rhythm, predictability, and depth in event design, while emphasizing the role of Chatham House rules, codes of conduct, and the Ubuntu concept in fostering safe spaces. Merat reflected on pivotal connections at FBN summits, including transformative experiences in Malaysia, and discussed the ethical desires driving changemakers. The AI for Good event in Geneva was mentioned as an example of leveraging technology for positive impact. The capital-content-community framework emerged as a key strategy for catalyzing change, alongside event culture analysis as a tool for measuring impact. This session offered a comprehensive look at designing events that inspire and sustain meaningful change.

    49 min
  4. Maryse Paquette #DESIGNtoCHANGE ONstage PODcast recording with Ruud Janssen

    APR 27

    Maryse Paquette #DESIGNtoCHANGE ONstage PODcast recording with Ruud Janssen

    This podcast episode featured Ruud Janssen interviewing Maryse Paquette, Director of Marketing and Communications at NERGICA, a Canadian research center focused on renewable energies. Maryse shared her journey from starting as an Oakley ambassador through event design certification to her current work organizing the annual Colloque des Energies Renewables event in Quebec. She discussed how events contribute to the renewable energy sector through connection and inspiration, and how her approach to event design has evolved over 15 years, incorporating lessons from the Event Design Certificate Program. The conversation explored the challenges of working in French versus English, the importance of measuring event impact using tools like the Kirkpatrick model, and the evolution of renewable energy events to include multiple sectors beyond just wind energy.

    41 min
  5. Maryse Paquette #DESIGNtoCHANGE BACKstage PODcast recording with Ruud Janssen

    APR 27

    Maryse Paquette #DESIGNtoCHANGE BACKstage PODcast recording with Ruud Janssen

    This podcast episode featured Ruud Janssen interviewing Maryse Paquette, Director of Marketing and Communications at NERGICA, a Canadian research center focused on renewable energies. Maryse shared her journey from starting as an Oakley ambassador through event design certification to her current work organizing the annual Colloque des Energies Renewables event in Quebec. She discussed how events contribute to the renewable energy sector through connection and inspiration, and how her approach to event design has evolved over 15 years, incorporating lessons from the Event Design Certificate Program. The conversation explored the challenges of working in French versus English, the importance of measuring event impact using tools like the Kirkpatrick model, and the evolution of renewable energy events to include multiple sectors beyond just wind energy.

    20 min
  6. Baris Onay #DESIGNtoCHANGE BACKstage PODcast with Ruud Janssen

    JAN 29

    Baris Onay #DESIGNtoCHANGE BACKstage PODcast with Ruud Janssen

    What happens when event design, AI, and strategic ambiguity collide? Episode 222 of Season 6 of the DESIGN to CHANGE Podcast explores exactly that question. In this conversation, host Ruud Janssen sits down with Dr. Barış Onay, a London-based strategist operating at the intersection of events, data, and digital transformation. What begins as a shared curiosity about AI’s role in event design quickly unfolds into a wide-ranging dialogue on leadership, incentives, and the often-underestimated cultural footprint of events. With more than two decades of experience, Barış traces his journey from architecture and urban planning into the global events industry—bringing with him a systems-oriented mindset and a deep comfort with ambiguity. He reflects on the evolution from improvised CRMs and spreadsheets to today’s sophisticated platforms, while making a clear point: technology only creates value when it is anchored in intended outcomes and behavior change. Tools follow strategy, not the other way around. The episode also dives into one of the most pressing challenges for event leaders today: understanding audiences well enough to design meaningful incentives. From B2B trade shows to complex, mission-driven and politically influenced events, Barış shares candid insights on decision-making under uncertainty and the role of the event leader as an orchestrator of diverse expertise. A highlight of the conversation is the discussion around Barış’ Event Strategy Bot—an AI-powered tool capable of analyzing an event’s strategic positioning and cultural relevance in minutes, simply by using publicly available information. For Ruud, this raises a compelling question: what if event owners, designers, exhibitors, and even investors could see the strategic quality of an event before committing resources? This episode is less about futuristic hype and more about practical foresight. It challenges event professionals to rethink how strategy, culture, data, and design come together—and why clarity of intent remains the most powerful design tool we have. 🎧 Listen to Episode 222 to explore how AI can support better conversations, better decisions, and ultimately, better events.

    19 min
  7. Baris Onay #DESIGNtoCHANGE ONstage PODcast episode with Ruud Janssen

    JAN 29

    Baris Onay #DESIGNtoCHANGE ONstage PODcast episode with Ruud Janssen

    What happens when event design, AI, and strategic ambiguity collide? Episode 222 of Season 6 of the DESIGN to CHANGE Podcast explores exactly that question. In this conversation, host Ruud Janssen sits down with Dr. Barış Onay, a London-based strategist operating at the intersection of events, data, and digital transformation. What begins as a shared curiosity about AI’s role in event design quickly unfolds into a wide-ranging dialogue on leadership, incentives, and the often-underestimated cultural footprint of events. With more than two decades of experience, Barış traces his journey from architecture and urban planning into the global events industry—bringing with him a systems-oriented mindset and a deep comfort with ambiguity. He reflects on the evolution from improvised CRMs and spreadsheets to today’s sophisticated platforms, while making a clear point: technology only creates value when it is anchored in intended outcomes and behavior change. Tools follow strategy, not the other way around. The episode also dives into one of the most pressing challenges for event leaders today: understanding audiences well enough to design meaningful incentives. From B2B trade shows to complex, mission-driven and politically influenced events, Barış shares candid insights on decision-making under uncertainty and the role of the event leader as an orchestrator of diverse expertise. A highlight of the conversation is the discussion around Barış’ Event Strategy Bot—an AI-powered tool capable of analyzing an event’s strategic positioning and cultural relevance in minutes, simply by using publicly available information. For Ruud, this raises a compelling question: what if event owners, designers, exhibitors, and even investors could see the strategic quality of an event before committing resources? This episode is less about futuristic hype and more about practical foresight. It challenges event professionals to rethink how strategy, culture, data, and design come together—and why clarity of intent remains the most powerful design tool we have. 🎧 Listen to Episode 222 to explore how AI can support better conversations, better decisions, and ultimately, better events.

    40 min
  8. Julius Solaris #DESIGNtoCHANGE PODcast with Ruud Janssen Year +4

    JAN 28

    Julius Solaris #DESIGNtoCHANGE PODcast with Ruud Janssen Year +4

    In this episode of the Design to Change podcast, Ruud welcomed back Julius Solaris 4 years on to discuss his work as an event consultant and creator, focusing on his contributions to the Event Design Handbook and his approach to documenting events. They explored the challenges and opportunities in the events industry, including the need for intentional change, adaptation to technological advancements, and the importance of authentic storytelling and ROI measurement. The conversation concluded with discussions about professional certifications, future collaboration opportunities, and the value of trusted advisors in the events industry.

    55 min
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Design at the Speed of Change

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