How UX Shapes Interactive Storytelling with Cathy Davenport Lee, S6, Ep. 4

In this episode, we are joined by Cathy Davenport Lee, Principal Creative Director of Product Design & Marketing at Eluvio. With over 15 years of experience blending product design, brand storytelling, and emerging tech, Cathy has led award-winning projects across industries. Formerly VP of Interaction Design at HBO, she has shaped iconic campaigns for series such as Game of Thrones and Westworld, while continually pushing the boundaries of digital experiences.

Discussion Points

~ Can you take us through your journey from studying digital design to leading creative roles at HBO and Eluvio, and what it was like working on household names like Game of Thrones and Westworld? 1:33
~ Can you tell us about your current role at Eluvio and the direction you’re headed in your career? 12:00
~ Rapid fire round 13:00
~ How do you feel about the creative industry's emphasis on awards and recognition? 16:23
~ How are you using AI in your day-to-day work right now? 35:09
~ Can you tell us about your podcast? 35:44
~ What advice would you give to aspiring designers who want to follow in your footsteps? 37:10

Show notes

~ Back then, nobody knew what a digital designer was. We were inventing the role while still trying to explain what the internet could even do.
~ I spent years dreaming of working at HBO. When the call finally came, it felt surreal, like a moment I had manifested years before.
~ Awards are great, but they depend a lot on access. If your company can't afford to submit, your work might never get seen.
~ AI isn’t just something happening to creatives. If we want to influence where it's going, we have to engage with it now, not later.
~ Tools and technologies are shifting so fast that by the time you plan a project, the platform you started with may already be outdated.
~ Sometimes the most powerful thing a creative can do is pause, to protect their imagination, recharge, and create from a place of clarity.

Links:
Cathy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathydavenportlee/
Cathy’s Podcast: https://podcast.thecreativeleadworkshop.com/