the deeply human design podcast

Danny Hearn
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Deeply Human Design is a podcast about the emotional, messy, and often unspoken realities of working in design. Hosted by Danny, each episode is a candid conversation with fellow designers. Not polished interviews, but honest reflections on what it feels like to do this work. From impostor syndrome to burnout, from proud moments to tough rejections, we go behind the scenes of the design life. If you're tired of the same thought leaders and crave real talk from real people, you're in the right place.

  1. 5d ago

    #22 Mistaking what's visible for what's valuable | Anna Richell

    "I think we live in a world where increasingly we mistake what's visible for what's valuable." In this episode, we explore the journey of Anna Richell, a researcher and innovation strategist who began as a furniture designer, worked on engineering projects at Dyson, and found her calling in human-centred design at the Design Council. She shares how a late dysgraphia diagnosis finally gave her the language for a lifelong struggle with writing. She also explains how that struggle shaped a creative strength in systems thinking, pattern recognition and visual thinking. We discuss why physical space matters for aligning stakeholders, how convergent, sprint-driven cultures squeeze out empathy and deep listening, and what it means to hire for different kinds of brains rather than just skills. Anna also reflects on her honest, double-edged experience of using AI to write her essay, and on why she had to fight to keep creative control. The conversation closes with her advice to focus on your strengths and follow your energy. Key takeaways Physical space changes the energy. Wherever she can, Anna takes over a wall or a room, because building the picture in a shared space lets people engage with it, challenge it and shift their thinking far faster than gathering round a screen.The invisible stuff is the work. Human-centred design let Anna tune into what is really going on in the room, getting underneath conflicting views to the deeper problem everyone is actually trying to solve.Dysgraphia became a creative strength. Anna's diagnosis explained why she could think, map and explain things but not write them, and showed her that her systems thinking and pattern recognition grew out of it.Hire for how a brain works. Rather than only accommodating neurodivergence, Anna wants teams to use people's distinct strengths, like hiring someone simply to get twenty stuck stakeholders on the same page.Sprints squeeze out empathy. Short, convergent sprint cultures leave little room for listening and understanding the problem, and Danny notices AI likes to rush to a solution too.Keep creative control of AI. AI helped Anna finish her essay, but she had to fight it when it drew its own conclusions, pushed a "poor me" story and gave itself too much credit.Follow your energy. We mistake what's visible for what's valuable, so Anna's advice is to focus on your strengths and follow what gives you energy, whatever the job title.Mentioned in this episode Design CouncilThe Double DiamondDyson – Where Anna worked on the DC05 vacuum cleaner and special projects as a product designerOdstock MedicalUnderstanding dysgraphia (Understood)Clearleft – Where Danny learnt to spend whole mornings talking through why a checkout should work a certain wayGuest Anna Richell LinkedIn Anna has said she would be open to chatting more if anyone would like to get in touch about the themes, her essay or issues raised in the podcast. Host Danny Hearn LinkedIn Website Show notes and full transcript

    #22 Mistaking what's visible for what's valuable | Anna Richell

  2. Oct 5

    #21 AI, intersectionality, and the future of women in tech | Meg Porter

    "You cannot innovate if you don't have diverse thinking." In this episode, we explore the winding creative journey of Meg Porter, a designer turned product leader and founder, who shares how her artistic roots evolved into a passion for solving complex human problems. She candidly opens up about navigating corporate environments as a neurodivergent woman, facing systemic biases, and the exhaustion of trying to fit traditional workplace molds. Meg discusses her work with The Female Product Lead community, advocating for truly inclusive leadership and psychological safety across tech. She also details the creation of Unfold, her new app designed to help neurodivergent individuals manage executive dysfunction through nervous system and emotional regulation. Throughout the conversation, Meg highlights the immense value of radical self-knowledge over conventional career frameworks. Key takeaways Culture comes before strategy. Meg sees building culture as perhaps the most important part of a business, ahead of commercial and product strategy, because without innovation, safety and diverse thinking a team just makes the same thing every time.Watch for the antibodies of innovation. Danny describes the behaviours that keep challengers in their box, like being quietly told to stop saying negative things in retros.Everyone is spiky, not T-shaped. Meg doesn't believe in T-shaped people and expects AI to move work towards sets of skills, where someone might be hired simply for learning fast or thinking critically.The glass ceiling lives in micro-behaviours. Meg describes being the only woman in the room and men taking her ideas as their own; she was heard but not always listened to, and even paid for a voice coach to fit in.Regulate first, then prioritise. Meg realised her executive dysfunction wasn't a prioritisation problem but a nervous system and emotional regulation one, which is why Unfold focuses there instead of on more timers and planners.Research before you build. Meg spent six to nine months on user research before building Unfold, with flexible scripts and longer sessions designed for neurodivergent participants.Hire for self-knowledge. As a founder, Meg will hire for self-knowledge above any other skill or experience, because people who don't know themselves can't predict how they'll react or learn easily.Mentioned in this episode (more in the show notes) The Female Product LeadUnfoldUX CrunchfrogGE HealthCareRebecca McKay Miller, BLOC + ROSEFinchGuest Meg Porter LinkedIn Instagram TikTok Unfold Female Product Lead Female Product Lead events Host Danny Hearn LinkedIn Website Show notes and full transcript

    #21 AI, intersectionality, and the future of women in tech | Meg Porter

  3. Sep 11

    #20 You can't out-think uncertainty: Resilience in the age 
of AI | Stuart Booth

    "People massively overestimate the amount of change that's going to happen in two years, and they underestimate the amount in five to 10 years." In this episode, we explore the journey of Stuart, a psychologist who moved from cognitive research into digital transformation and is now working in government. We trace his path from the back streets of Liverpool to a PhD in human computer interaction, augmented reality research in Italy, and six years in research and design leadership at Expedia. Stuart reflects on social mobility, on the confidence and experience it buys as much as the income, and on leaving school in a year when not one of the jobs he has since done actually existed. We discuss why organisations resist AI, where he honestly lands between its promise and its threat, and the psychology of resilience when uncertainty simply cannot be researched away. This conversation is a deep dive into staying proactive rather than passive, experimenting deliberately, and treating your own career as a product you can design. Key takeaways Accept the uncertainty. Stuart describes two unhelpful responses to change, avoiding it or obsessively planning to remove the uncertainty; instead, he suggests accepting it's there, even while that feels uncomfortable.Focus on what you can control. Stuart links acceptance to mindfulness: staying in the present stops your mind spiralling and makes you more attentive to the things you can actually influence.Use Lean UX on yourself. Stuart has created a Lean UX Canvas for his own career: a systematic way to experiment with what he can control and focus on what matters now.Experience still builds judgement. Stuart notes AI tools can speed juniors to mid-level, but holistic judgement draws on a memory bank of past situations, and gut intuition can be unvoiced expertise.Read past the dopamine hit. Danny notices a dopamine hit when AI output first lands; Stuart likens it to a clever politician's barrage of convincing points, so read it properly before trusting it.Mentioned in this episode Expedia Group – Where Stuart spent six years in research and design leadershipClaude Code – Anthropic tool Stuart used to vibe-code a learning appService blueprintDiffusion of innovations (Everett Rogers)GPT-6 Astra – New OpenAI model whose demos build entire apps on the fly, as Stuart describesOpenAI / Hugging Face agent hacking incident#13 Peak designer, AI, uncertainty and what’s next with Andy BuddLean UX Canvas by Jeff Gothelf – The framework Stuart now applies to his own careerGuest Stuart Booth LinkedIn Host Danny Hearn LinkedIn Website Show notes and full transcript

    #20 You can't out-think uncertainty: Resilience in the age 
of AI | Stuart Booth

  4. Aug 27

    #19 Navigating Tech Burnout, AI Anxiety | Andy Hix

    "The thing that keeps people up at night … was very rarely anything to do with tech or anything technical. It was pretty much always something to do with the human side of their job." In this episode, leadership consultant Andy Hix joins us to share insights from his interviews with 85 tech leaders on the pressures they face, what keeps them up at night, and what separates those thriving in 2026 from those burning out. Together, we unpack the intersection of tech, mental health, and well being, tackling everything from AI addiction and early adopter anxiety to how human centered leadership can bring joy back into the corporate workplace. Key takeaways Build human skills, not just AI. Andy found what keeps tech leaders awake is rarely technical: it's team conflict, self-esteem and what their boss thinks, so invest in human skills alongside AI skills.Boundaries start with identity. Andy found overworked leaders know the theory of boundaries; what drives them is often an identity tied to work, while the healthiest leaders feel they matter beyond it.Presence needs the right conditions. Andy notes we rarely give people conditions for presence: back-to-back meetings, twelve-hour days and ten projects at once all work against listening calmly.Notice when AI becomes compulsive. Andy and Danny describe AI's compulsive pull, from checking it morning and night to endlessly asking it about hard decisions; Andy doubts it really helps him think better.Offer a one-minute pause. Danny used to open digital strategy workshops with an optional one-minute meditation for people arriving from back-to-backs; anyone who'd rather not could look out of the window.Mentioned in this episode Claude – Andy used it to spot themes across the interviews; Danny describes an addictive pullPsychological safety – Danny recalls psychologically safe organisations that still failed because their business model did not lastGuest Andy Hix Website LinkedIn Host Danny Hearn LinkedIn Website Show notes and full transcript

    #19 Navigating Tech Burnout, AI Anxiety | Andy Hix

  5. Apr 29

    #18 Reclaiming the heart in design | Fionn Tynan O'Mahony

    "A strong vision makes a thousand other decisions." In this episode, we explore the creative journey of Fionn, a partner at the design futures studio Andthen. We trace his evolution from the tactile world of furniture making to leading large-scale design teams within the corporate banking sector. Fionn reflects on the emotional friction of maintaining personal values in transactional environments and the toll of multiple burnouts. We discuss his shift toward "slow decisions" and how design can be used to influence long-term policy and societal change. This conversation is a deep dive into reclaiming professional purpose and the human heart within a technical industry. Key takeaways Design can be participation. Cultural probes, like asking people to photograph the spiritual centre of their home, taught Fionn that design can be engagement and participation, not just production.Notice what counts as value. Moving from academia to a bank, Fionn found curious questions stopped counting; answers were valued less for being good than for how much risk they removed.Let a strong vision decide. Fionn's studio sets a vision, experiments playfully towards it, then grounds it in practical action, because “a strong vision makes a thousand other decisions”.Know how long to hang on. Fionn could accept the wrong conditions for a while, hoping next year's budget would shift; when his case was refused, voluntary redundancy felt like a gift.Match decisions to their pace. Fionn uses the pace layers diagram to show quick calls suit fast-moving things, but rushing long-term decisions creates disjunctures and erodes your sense of direction.Mentioned in this episode Andthen – Design futures studio where Fionn is a partner, applying design to long-term decisionsEdinburgh College of Art – Where Fionn studied design and was artist in residenceLudwig Mies van der Rohe – Modernist architect Fionn cites as an early influenceCharles and Ray Eames – Modernist designers who influenced Fionn's furniture makingCultural probes – Design research method Fionn used at art collegeProject Loon by Google X – Balloon internet moonshot from the techno-optimist era Fionn recallsPace layering by Stewart Brand – Diagram of fast and slow layers of change that Fionn uses to frame long-term decisionsGuest Fionn Tynan O'Mahony LinkedIn Andthen Host Danny Hearn LinkedIn Website Show notes and full transcript

    #18 Reclaiming the heart in design | Fionn Tynan O'Mahony

  6. Mar 8

    #17 Be a kind designer | Craig Jamieson

    "Sometimes the best thing you can do is just be the kindest person in the room." In this episode, we explore the profound impact of leading with kindness and humility in the high-pressure world of design and advertising. Craig Jamieson joins Danny Hearn to reflect on his journey from a self-taught Flash designer in South Africa to a Creative Director at Ogilvy. They discuss the transition from a "brutal" leadership style to one focused on empowering others, drawing inspiration from the book Multipliers. The conversation dives deep into the importance of maintaining calm in "crisis mode," the challenges of the current job market, and how personal mental health practices shape professional presence. Together, they advocate for a more supportive industry culture where seasoned professionals lift up those who are most vulnerable. Key takeaways Practise coming back. Craig learned from Headspace that meditation isn't about holding focus but noticing you've drifted and coming back to your breath; he calls calmness “one of the most underrated skills”.Keep the crisis in proportion. Craig reminds panicking teams that nobody is running around with a heart in a box; people mirror the energy in the room, so a leader's calm steadies everyone.Be honest when you don't believe. Facing a pitch he didn't believe in, Craig told the client the ideas weren't great and asked about their real pain points instead, and it went fine.Leave every room better. Craig tries to leave every room better than he found it, with a warm smile and compliments; Danny finds new work often comes from people he barely worked with.Help if you’re secure. Craig urges designers in stable jobs to give back, for example with free mentoring slots on ADPList, and job seekers to exhaust their own network before recruiters.Mentioned in this episode Ogilvy – Agency Craig joined as a creative directorMultipliers by Liz Wiseman with Greg McKeown – The book that reshaped Craig's leadership styleClearleft – Consultancy whose “fadeaway” Danny experienced at John Lewis#14 Design, craft and optimism for changing times with James Box – James was on the Clearleft team Danny describesThe Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield – Early read that shaped Craig's path of self-improvementHeadspace – Meditation app that taught Craig to practise coming backADPList – Free mentoring platform where Craig opens slotsGuest Craig Jamieson LinkedIn Website Host Danny Hearn LinkedIn Website Show notes and full transcript

    #17 Be a kind designer | Craig Jamieson

  7. Feb 8

    #16 Innovation is messy: Navigating chaos & resilience | Sienne Veit

    "There are many, many things that AI can do, AI cannot dream, it cannot truly create, and it cannot think. And I just think the random messiness of the human spirit is just so perfect for creativity." In this episode, we dive into the career of Sienne Veit, a leader who has consistently operated at the "pointy end" of innovation. We explore her journey from studying linguistics and journalism in South Africa to spearheading the first transactional mobile website for Marks & Spencer during the dawn of the iPhone era. Throughout our conversation, we discuss the art of navigating corporate "no's" by building resilient teams and maintaining an experimental mindset. We reflect on the importance of serendipity in the workplace and why "human messiness" remains our greatest advantage in an AI-driven future. Together, we uncover how a high tolerance for chaos and a commitment to solving real-world problems can transform enterprise design. Key takeaways Listen for the worry behind no. Sienne hears “no” as “not quite like that”: listen for the worry underneath it, counter that worry, and aim for a yes, or even a maybe.Take turns at the sharp end. Sienne builds teams that work in a relay, taking turns at the “pointy front end” so no one person absorbs all the exhaustion of pushing against resistance.Make resetting a conscious act. Sienne sees resetting as a conscious action, not a superpower: she reminds herself a setback is one reaction to one event, and “tomorrow is another day”.Trade certainty for markers. Sienne tells certainty-hungry stakeholders there is none, but offers small markers that show they're on track, and early honesty when they've taken the wrong path.Build serendipity back in. Sienne suggests remote teams deliberately recreate serendipity: make work visible, find a mentor outside your world, and buddy up with someone who started alongside you in another team.Mentioned in this episode Marks & Spencer – Where Sienne's team built M&S's first transactional mobile siteMinistry of Justice – Sienne's current employer, supporting teams across prisons and probationAardman – Partner on M&S's early Wallace & Gromit Christmas mobile siteM&S Dine In – Sienne's text-based Dine In menu, which built one of the UK's biggest mobile databasesM&S Sparks – Loyalty scheme Sienne's team built, linking the app to point of sale in storeUmbrellas and funnels (Sketchplanations) – The 'shit umbrella' Sienne describes: leaders shielding their teams from the organisation's 'no'Guest Sienne Veit LinkedIn Host Danny Hearn LinkedIn Website Show notes and full transcript

    #16 Innovation is messy: Navigating chaos & resilience | Sienne Veit

  8. Jan 7

    #15 Trauma, relationships & social health in design | Alla Weinberg

    "Studies have shown that the quality of our relationships is the only correlating factor, both to how long we live and how well we live." In this episode, Alla Weinberg and I explore psychological safety, workplace culture, and why the quality of our relationships shapes not just how we work, but how we live. Alla shares her 20-year journey through the design industry — from information architecture to coaching — and the lived experiences that led her to write A Culture of Safety. We talk about toxic and "too nice" cultures, the pressure to "crank out" design, how unsafe environments shut down our ability to think, and what leaders can do to model honesty with kindness. We also look ahead to the AI era and why Alla is building a social health organisation to help people rebuild connection, community, and human-centered ways of working. Key takeaways Treat relationships as health. Alla wants social health, the health of our relationships, treated like physical and mental health, citing Harvard research linking relationship quality to how long and how well we live.'Crank it out' shows priorities. When Alla asked for research or testing instead of rushing designs to keep developers busy, she was told she didn't understand business. She reads that as valuing profit over people.Evangelising design rarely works. Alla says the industry hoped to educate and evangelise its way to a seat at the table, but she hasn't seen that 'pan out anywhere', and AI now makes design look like a cost to cut.Nice isn't the same as safe. Alla warns that 'if everybody's nice then nobody's honest'. She says leaders have to model being honest with kindness, admit they're still learning, and practise it with their team.Build connection yourself. If your workplace lacks connection, Alla suggests keeping the job for stability while looking for another, and meanwhile finding connection elsewhere or starting an informal group with colleagues.Mentioned in this episode Harvard Study of Adult Development – Harvard research Alla cites showing relationship quality predicts how long and how well we livePsychological safety – The idea at the heart of Alla's book and work with design teamsA Culture of Safety by Alla Weinberg – Alla's book on designing cultures and teams of psychological safety#14 Design, craft and optimism for changing times with James Box – Danny recalls James Box warning that design is being reduced to shuffling Jira ticketsToxic positivity – Alla's label for teams where everyone is nice but nobody is honestGuest Alla Weinberg Harmonic Design Four percent LinkedIn Host Danny Hearn LinkedIn Website Show notes and full transcript

    #15 Trauma, relationships & social health in design | Alla Weinberg
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Deeply Human Design is a podcast about the emotional, messy, and often unspoken realities of working in design. Hosted by Danny, each episode is a candid conversation with fellow designers. Not polished interviews, but honest reflections on what it feels like to do this work. From impostor syndrome to burnout, from proud moments to tough rejections, we go behind the scenes of the design life. If you're tired of the same thought leaders and crave real talk from real people, you're in the right place.

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