Experience by Design

Gary David
  • 4.9 (9)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Biweekly

This is Experience by Design, a podcast that brings new perspectives to the experiences we have everyday. Does standing in line always have to suck? Why are airports so uncomfortable? What does it mean to be loyal to a brand? Why do you love being connected but dislike feeling tethered to your smart phone? Can we train people to care about the climate? Join Sociologist Gary David and Anthropologist Adam Gamwell on an expedition to the frontiers of culture and business through the lens of human experience. We're here to make sense of the madness with leading psychologists, cognitive and social scientists, entrepreneurs, and business leaders.

  1. 1d ago

    Spiritual and Health Experiences with Justin Roethlingshoefer

    This past weekend, I had the distinct displeasure of participating in an event called “The Muddy Dash,” put on by the company EventLab. I used to put on bike race events, and I have participated in I don’t know how many athletic events. Without a doubt, this was by far the absolute worst experience in almost every way from an event planning standpoint. Way too many participants for the venue, resulting in standstill traffic on single lane roads for over an hour. Not enough staff to process the participants. An unimaginative course with few built obstacles. The “EPIC PARTY” at the end was just a guy in a tent playing music. The whole affair was pretty chaotic and sad, well under what was marketed on the website.  This wasn’t a one-off situation either. If you go online and look at reviews for Muddy Dash, you’ll find many of the same comments. Regardless of the location around the US, it seems that the experience is just as bad. It takes real commitment to continuously go that far below expectations and seemingly do nothing to fix it.  On the other hand, it was a great example of what happens when you get THE UN-WOW wrong. Another positive from the day was the way in which the participants created a wonderful vibe despite the other short-comings. It was especially great how you had people of different body types, ages, athletic abilities, costumes, all creating this kind of “community of the moment”, laughing and joking with one another. We were all there to have fun through physical activity. There was no timer and no one seemed to care about their speed. We just wanted to be active in a different kind of way than just going to the gym or going for a run. It is amazing how people coming together to exercise can even overcome the greatest attempts to sabotage an experience. My guest today knows a lot about exercise and physical fitness. Justin Roethlingshoefer grew up in Canada playing hockey (as one does). His focus on fitness then extended to his college major in Exercise Science and a masters in Exercise Physiology. From there, he worked with teams such as Washington Capitols, Anaheim Ducks, and the National Hockey League as a performance coach. Today, he is the Director of Performance for The Hockey Summit and the Founder of “Own It,” a health system for high performing leaders. He also is the author and founder of Holy Health, which is his effort to bridge “Scripture and science, helping individuals, pastors, and churches restore health of body, mind, and spirit.” And the book Holy Health is coming on August 11th.  We talk about his early interest in physical fitness and transformation, leading to his current focus today.  Justin talks about the need to take a more holistic approach to health that incorporates the spiritual with the physical. While there is a growing interest in health and wellness, these messages leave out an emphasis on optimizing the body in order to live one’s calling. Justin also talks about the importance of identity transformation, breaking generational patterns of alcoholism, abuse, poverty, and privilege to embrace the potential of a different life. While that might start with the body, it also has to include the spirit as well.  We also talk about the Canadian band The Tragically Hip, and the importance of coming together whether that be to watch a band on its final tour, to embrace exercise, or to live a spiritually-inspired life.  Justin Roethlingshoefer on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-roethlingshoefer/ Own It Coaching: https://ownitcoaching.com/   “Holy Health” Book: https://holyhealthbook.com/   Justin Roethlingshoefer Books: https://justinroethlingshoefer.com/books/

    Spiritual and Health Experiences with Justin Roethlingshoefer

  2. Jul 31

    Connecting Customer and Employee Experience with Tamar Cohen

    As I have been working on my book “The UN-WOW,” I’ve been talking to a lot of people in experience design and experience management about whether or not my idea for the book makes sense. Two things have emerged from these conversations. First, people generally are very supportive of the principles behind The UN-WOW. It seems that people see a lot of opportunity in exploring more mundane aspects of everyday life for design opportunities. It has been great to hear that vote of confidence as I work on the project, and people being excited to hear more about it as it is coming together. The second thing to emerge is that on a certain level, none of this experience design work should be that hard because our goals are pretty simple. At its foundation, we ideally are trying to make life better for our design audiences. Whether it is user, customer, patient, employee, student, client, or any other experience design space, we want to improve the experiences that people have (regardless of whether these experiences are mundane or metamorphic).  How we create these experiences, and the scale that it is done, becomes the work of the designers. What should be easy becomes more challenging when other organizational priorities take over. Organizations can become fixated on outcomes that run counter to the goals of experience designers. Caring about customers, employees, users, and others can be seen as a luxury when the only focus is profitability. Thus, many experience designers feel frustrated when trying to do their work, running into barriers that either minimize the scope of their work, or completely block it from happening. Leaders may want to talk about being human-centered, but don’t necessarily see the need to treat people like human beings. To talk about the challenges and opportunities, I welcome Tamar Cohen to the Experience by Design studios. Like many people in experience design, Tamar had a very non-linear path to her work. Starting out as an Art History major, she worked in galleries and auction houses. She found herself at Citibank for 16 years, applying the skills she acquired from art history to her work in customer experience. She also shares her work leading other companies like Zoetis as the Head of Global Customer Experience Strategy and at Travelers as VP of Employee Experience. We talk about the importance of connecting employee experience and customer experience, making your employees your first customers. We also talk about the importance of ethnographic research to understand the full employee and customer journeys.   We also discuss her new project with Michael Lowenstein as well as work with James Killian (both former guests on ExD). She describes what she calls the Halo Effect, which includes conducting qualitative research based on the Four E’s Framework: educate, empower, engage, and energize. Her company HaloEffect works by diagnosing the human system first, working with organizations and leadership to put people first. Again, a simple idea that companies struggle executing, which Tamar tries to help them accomplish. It was a great conversation about the importance of employee experience (especially in relation to customer experience), how to lead with a people-first strategy, and how even a degree in Art History can lay the foundation for better experience designs.  Tamar Cohen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamarcohen HaloEffect: https://www.myhaloeffect.com/

    Connecting Customer and Employee Experience with Tamar Cohen

  3. Jul 24

    Employee Experience and Ambassadorship with Michael Lowenstein

    I’m back from my vacation with the kids, which we took in Lake Placid, New York. For those of you with kids, you know that vacation with kids is never really a relaxing time. It is more of a relocation, but with more spending and trying to keep people entertained. Despite those challenges, I had a good time, even though I feel like I need a vacation to recover from my vacation. Instead of getting that, I came home to one of my dogs having developed Lyme disease and had to take him to the vet. Thankfully he is responding well to the medication (albeit $200 plus dollars later).  Also freaking me out a bit is that it is nearly August. How the year is over half over is beyond me.  The end of my vacation means that August is nearly here. When August is nearly here, it also means that the new school year is nearly here. And that eventuality means a shift in my work. I’ve had a productive summer of writing the UN-WOW book manuscript. I now need to continue that work while shifting to my other work of (hopefully) educating young minds. It feels like I divide my life not into months, but phases of work. Probably you do too. We can think about our year in which financial quarter we are in, the tempo of our work projects, the phases of required work reports. Work dictates our sense of time, or how we think about time, which speaks to the significance that work plays in our lives beyond simply providing an income. Dr. Michael Lowenstein has spent his career understanding the impact of work and workplaces on employees, focusing on the relationship between employee experience and customer experience. In my employee experience course, I actually use his book “Employee Ambassadorship,” which focuses on how to create cultures that turn employees into brand ambassadors. Or put more simply, “What is the likelihood that your employees would recommend your company to others?” He is working on a new book project and course framework with Tamar Cohen that further demonstrates the links between customer experience and employee experience, emphasizing that if you want to do well by your customers, you first have to do better by your employees. Michael and I talk about the importance of stakeholder integration in your strategic planning, that you have to create alignment before taking action. Michael shares his experience working with organizations that prioritize both employees and customers, citing examples like MBNA America, Costco, and Market Basket. He explained how companies like Virgin, Baptist Healthcare, and Ritz-Carlton have successfully transformed their cultures to align internal and external focus, moving from employee satisfaction to engagement to commitment and ultimately customer advocacy. We also compare different organizational models, including B corporations, private companies, and public companies, in terms of their effectiveness in fostering employee-customer linkages. I’ve known Michael for a long time, having done presentations and other events together. It was great to catch up with him, as well as capture his insights and experience on the podcast.  Michael Lowenstein on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaellowenstein/ “Employee Ambassadorship”: https://www.amazon.com/dp/163157664X

    Employee Experience and Ambassadorship with Michael Lowenstein

  4. Jul 17

    Intentional AI and Enterprise Success with Demetri Papazissis

    I’m recording this episode a week early as I’m on vacation with my family up in Lake Placid, New York, a beautiful spot that we have been going to for close to 20 years. One of the nice things about going to a familiar place is all the constants that are there. Things like Mirror Lake, the Olympic Oval, the Ski Jump, the lovely High Peaks mountains. All of it is a nice reminder of past summers and current adventures. For some, this might all seem boring, but for me it is something that I know will be there, some kind of regulating force in a constantly changing world. But there are changes as well. It always is interesting, and a little depressing, to see what stores have closed and what new ones have replaced them. Such is the way with entrepreneurship: there are successes and, well, not so successes. I always admire people who take the initiative to start something new, and can imagine the dreams that are bound up into these ventures. When I go back to Lake Placid, it is easy to mourn those businesses that are no longer there, and be hopeful for those who are. Today’s episode of Experience by Design is about the long-running story of entrepreneurship, together with the new unfolding story of AI. Demetri Papazissis hails from Greece, which has a long history of entrepreneurship (especially with immigrants who have spread around the world). He continues that legacy with the company Superbo, which is an enterprise-wide AI agent company. Superbo uses what it describes as “Four capability layers that provide enterprise data semantics, AI agent governance, runtime compliance controls, and operational oversight” to provide solutions for clients.  This conversation is about more than Superbo. It also is about the spirit of entrepreneurship in Demetri’s life, especially focusing on agility and freedom in the entrepreneur’s journey. However, he describes his own experiences as an entrepreneur as 80% negative and 20% positive. This leads to a broader conversation about whether people are being encouraged to be entrepreneurs when that lifestyle may not be right for them.  We talk about the impact of AI in terms of work, the economy, and society. We discuss the challenges of strategic adoption of technology, seeing ways that companies fail to implement because they don’t have the strategy and support to succeed. He notes that successful AI implementation requires a partnership approach, involving not just technological guidance but also helping organizations address internal structural and relationship issues. He also talks about how he is self-taught at piano, leading to admission to the Berklee College of Music here in Boston. Being there taught him the value of creativity and thinking outside of the proverbial box. Overall, it was a great chat about risk-taking, creativity, changing times, constant themes, and also Demetri’s great hair.  Demetri Papazissis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/demetripapazissis/ Superbo Website: https://superbo.ai/ Superbo Big Idea: https://www.businessage.com/post/my-big-idea-enterprise-ai-superbo

    Intentional AI and Enterprise Success with Demetri Papazissis

  5. Jul 10

    Leading and Navigating Changes with Danielle Bennett

    Working from home over the summer, primarily working on the Un-WOW book but other things as well, I get to see what passes for daytime television today. It takes me back to my childhood a little when I would be at my grandparent’s home during the summer months where they would watch me. This was in the archaic before-times, when cable television didn’t exist. Although in Detroit we were living pretty large because we were able to get the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (or CBC) with our antenna. Even with this expanded option, my grandmother’s TV was always tuned to the daytime soap operas, including the long-running One Life to Live. The show ran for 21 seasons, from 1968 to 2013. Being young, I never quite captured what was going on, but it all seemed pretty dramatic.  It is an interesting concept to ponder having ‘one life to live.’ In a biological sense, that might be inarguable given that we are alive for a finite period of time. On the other hand, it is completely inaccurate. If you think about your own life, there are probably many different ‘lives’ that you have lived. We might even think of them as stages in our lives, where we end one thing only to begin another. At some point, to quote The Talking Heads David Byrne, “And you may ask yourself, Well, how did I get here?” Beats me. Some parts of my life seem many lifetimes ago. I don’t even know who that person was. I can see glimpses of him, but that person isn’t here anymore. All that’s left is me right now, and even that is transitory.  So, many lives and many transitions in one’s life. In fact, we can say that life is about transformation and transition, changing and becoming. Much more than just one life to live.  My guest on Experience by Design today Danielle Bennett has, like all of us, undergone some transitions in her life. First was her stint in the Navy, working first on the surface fleet and in the air service, and then on submarines, where she learned valuable lessons in leadership and how small errors can lead to major consequences. Then there was the transition out of the Navy due to a medical discharge, meaning finding her place and purpose in civilian life. There also was the transition to being a franchise owner and entrepreneur, as well as consultant and coach. Additionally, there was her gender transition to becoming a woman, making the decision to become Danielle. We talk about lessons learned from the Navy, especially in the Silent Service, such as when a lack of coffee filters required immediate action. She also talks about how coaching girls softball and coaching business leaders can be very similar in that they both require helping guide people get the most out of themselves. Danielle uses the mantra of “Chin up, chest out” to promote pride in facing transitions with resilience. Danielle also shares how she works with clients to improve organizational systems, especially in the aerospace and defense industries.  Finally, Danielle talks about her book “Leadership Voltage: Capturing Lightning with Triadic Balance,” where she emphasizes “Growth is everything” and leaders need to empower (rather than manage). She also shares her business academy DS7 Precision, offering 12-14 weeks intensive coaching programs.  LEARN MORE: Danielle Bennett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellejoleighbennett/ Danielle Bennett Website: https://www.daniellejoleighbennett.com/   Radiant Legacy Collective: https://www.radiantlegacycollective.com/   DS7 Precision: https://ds7precision.com/   “Leadership Voltage”: https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Voltage-Capturing-Lightning-Triadic/dp/B0GVNBYGHF/

    Leading and Navigating Changes with Danielle Bennett

  6. Jul 3

    Future of Storytelling Experiences with Charles Melcher

    As I have been going through this book writing journey, one of the most interesting parts has been the focus on storytelling. In academic writing, there tends to be more of a focus on a kind of sanitized relating of “facts” in a very disimpassioned way. Also, there is the verbose tendency to describe things, using many words to explain simple things.  If words equaled money, academics would be the richest people in the world. But more words doesn’t equal greater understanding and better storytelling. In fact, it can be quite the opposite. It is not how much we say, but how we say it. What makes for a good storyteller is that they know how to say it.   Being able to tell a story shouldn’t be that hard since it is a part of our human experience and existence. Afterall, this is how people have shared information for a long time. So why is it so hard to write that way? Why are we so often insecure in terms of telling stories and communicating with others in that form? It is true that being a good storytelling is an art, but it is also science. There are elements that we can break down as part of storytelling. And today, there is more dazzling technology to assist in immersing people in the stories being told. However, at its core, it is still about telling a story that captures the attention and imagination of the audience, to bring others into the space that is being described. I’m very pleased to have today on Experience by Design podcast Charles Melcher, master storyteller, creator, and founder of Melcher Press as well as the Future of StoryTelling, a live event that focused on new developments at the intersection of storytelling and technology. Finally, there is the book “The Future of Storytelling” which is a visually engaging and wonderfully creative exploration on emerging directions of telling stories and engaging audiences.  With all of that experience, he clearly has a lot to say and share about storytelling. We talk about his early journey at Yale, where he studied literary criticism. He talks about his exploration of Robert Frank’s photography, capturing experiences and telling stories through images. The examination of Frank would go on to exert a significant influence on how Charles thought about images and stories.  We discuss the balance between artistic expression and commercial appeal in publishing, sharing his experiences in high-end art books and commercially viable projects. Charles also talks about trying to balance technological wonder with intimacy, sharing examples of where he tried to combine intimate moments but in a large-scale production. Part of this is engaging the audience, preferring the term “Actians” which captures the active role of audiences in modern storytelling. Finally, we talk about worldbuilding and immersive storytelling, creating the potential for surface entertainment and deeper narrative engagement, allowing audience members to customize their experience based on the level they choose to engage with the immersive environment (much like literary criticism). He shares how this is part of his most recent project, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, which opens this July 4th weekend in Medora, North Dakota. As he describes, the library aims to help visitors embody Roosevelt’s values and experiences. As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States this weekend, it is a great time to explore telling complex stories that enrich, educate, entertain, and immerse. Charles Melcher on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesmelcher/ Melcher Media: https://melcher.com/ The Future of Storytelling event: https://futureofstorytelling.org/ “The Future of Storytelling” book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1648293832 Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library: https://www.trlibrary.com/

    Future of Storytelling Experiences with Charles Melcher

  7. Jun 26

    Financial Learning Experiences with Mike Milligan

    If you are a long-time listener to Experience by Design, you know that I work at a business university that has its foundations as a school for training in accounting and finance. Since its founding in 1917, not much has changed in terms of that focus. We are still primarily known for our education in accounting and finance. When I first started there (almost 27 years ago now), I really had no idea what finance was or what was involved in it. I’m sorry to say that I’m only slightly more informed today. I still find finance a bit of a black box despite my years of service and conversations with my Finance department colleagues. I’m definitely not alone in this. As we have discussed in other episodes of Experience by Design, financial literacy is pretty low overall. Repeated surveys have shown that around half of US adults are financially literate. That number drops further when the topic focuses on financial risk. When comparing different generations, not surprisingly younger generations suffer from a lack of financial literacy. We all could use some extra help in terms of financial literacy, financial planning, and fiscal responsibility. Today on Experience by Design, I welcome Mike Milligan to the show. Mike grew up being fascinated by money. Today, he runs 1 Oak  Financial, which stands for “one of a kind”. Along with his work with clients, he also has created a financial planning online course which is offered through Old Dominion University (where he also teaches). He also wrote the book “The One of a Kind Financial Plan.” What is really great about Mike’s approach is that he tailors his planning and strategy to his client, creating a client-centric experience that helps them break free from the traditional approaches that can take advantage of clients. We talk about generational divides in financial literacy and planning, looking at spending and saving trends among Gen Z and even Gen Alpha. Mike emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to understanding markets, trends, and financial risk with changing job markets and emerging technology. He shares how he tailors client education to generational characteristics, trying to meet clients where they are in order to have the maximum learning impact. Toward this end, we also talk about his new book project “Amplify”, which explores how podcasting and social media have become resources for financial literacy. As he emphasizes, the microphone is the most powerful tool in the financial industry. Finally, we also talk about his favorite mermaid in Norfolk, Virginia where he lives. He discusses the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States, especially in locations of colonial heritage and extensive US history like Boston, Philadelphia, and Norfolk. Plus we share how great sociology is.  Mike Milligan Website: https://www.mikemilligan.com/ Mike Milligan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemilligancfp/ 1.oak Financial: https://1oakfinancial.com/ Ideas by Mike Podcast: https://ideas-by-mike.blubrry.net/ The One of a Kind Financial Plan: https://www.amazon.com/One-Kind-Financial-Plan-Actually/dp/1967587027/

    Financial Learning Experiences with Mike Milligan

  8. Jun 19

    Human-Centered Experiences with Gerry Scullion

    I have some pretty exciting news to announce, and I’m glad to be doing it here first. I have completed my book manuscript, tentatively titled The Un-WOW: A Guide to Experiences Designs of All Kinds. You will notice the subtitle is taken from Experience by Design podcast, where we explore experience designs of all kinds. In the manuscript, I take a lot from guests I have talked to over the years. One thing that I have learned in that experiences come in different types, shapes, and packages. As experience designers, the world is our palette on which we can make our figurative marks.  One of the key premises of the manuscript is that we don’t have to create grand, well-orchestrated, staged WOW experiences to make a difference. In fact, most of our lives are made up of The Un-WOW, mundane everyday experiences that are more spontaneous than staged. These experiences can’t be completely pre-arranged and programmed, relying on people connecting on a more human (and humane) level. As experience designers, we might create the contours of these moments, but we can’t (and shouldn’t) control them.  So the manuscript is part experience design philosophy, part strategy, part how-to guide, and hopefully all entertaining. I’ll soon be launching some pre-publishing publicity and marketing, so stay tuned for that. These themes are present on this episode of Experience by Design as well. In fact, I used this conversation in the manuscript! Today I chat with Gerry Scullion, consultant and founder of the agency Humana, keynote speaker, host of This is HCD podcast (the number 1 human-centered design podcast in the world), and organizer of the Human Centered Design Network. With all of that going on, plus with his over 20 years of experience, he has a lot to say about service design, user experience, and more generally human-centered design. He tells of how he was self-taught in the UX space, embracing a ‘fake it till you make it’ approach. We talk about how it is the little touches that can have the biggest impact on our experiences. We explore doing experience design work in the government and social service sector. He describes the challenges of innovation in bureaucracy. Gerry shares the importance of finding opportunities to create a more humane experience when people are at their most vulnerable. He tells of how he loves being able to help and support people when they are in the greatest need, and how experience design work provides the opportunity to have that impact.  There was plenty more in the conversation. I learned so much I included it in my manuscript!  Gerry Scullion Website: https://gerryscullion.com/ Gerry Scullion on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerryscullion/ Humana Design: https://humana.design/ This is HCD Podcast: https://www.thisishcd.com/

    Human-Centered Experiences with Gerry Scullion
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About

This is Experience by Design, a podcast that brings new perspectives to the experiences we have everyday. Does standing in line always have to suck? Why are airports so uncomfortable? What does it mean to be loyal to a brand? Why do you love being connected but dislike feeling tethered to your smart phone? Can we train people to care about the climate? Join Sociologist Gary David and Anthropologist Adam Gamwell on an expedition to the frontiers of culture and business through the lens of human experience. We're here to make sense of the madness with leading psychologists, cognitive and social scientists, entrepreneurs, and business leaders.

Information

  • Creator
    Gary David
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    185
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Experience By Design
  • Show Website
    Experience by Design

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