DESIGN THINKER PODCAST Dr. Dani Chesson and Designer Peter Allan

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 leverage Design Thinker Capabilities to navigate organizational tensions 
• understand the benefits and pitfalls of tensions 

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 practice of Design Thinking? Join Dr Dani and Designer Pete as they explore the meaning of context for design work. 

In this episode, you will 
• learn how to define context 
• know the importance of context in solving problems 
• understand how context applies to design thinking 

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 
• Understand the future potential of Design Thinking 

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 

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 quickly recovering from failure led to personal and professional growth
• understand the importance of reframing failure for success

About Our Guest
Chris Taylor is a Life and Business Coach who works with leaders to overcome barriers holding them back. Raised in Newcastle upon Tyne, a Geordie. On leaving school, he put his tail on the donkey of engineering and obtained two engineering degrees in chemical and environmental engineering. He worked as an engineer and manager for international consulting firms in the UK before immigrating to New Zealand in 2003. His move to New Zealand was accompanied by a career change from engineering to coaching. In 2024, Chris published his first book, Avoiding Propeller Blades. 

To learn more about Chris and get your copy of his book visit: https://avoidingpropellerblades.com/

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 for the right audience 
• hear examples of how to tailor your story for the audience