Seth Johnson on Earning the Right to Change Things

What does it actually take for design to matter inside a massive organization? In this episode, hosts Giulia Donatello and Lee-Sean Huang sit down with Seth Johnson to talk about design at enterprise scale, and what designers get wrong about building influence.Seth Johnson is Design Director at IBM's Chief Data Office, where he leads a team driving AI-first enterprise data transformation. Over a 12-year tenure at IBM, his work has evolved from designing artifacts and experiences toward designing the conditions under which good design can happen at scale. Before IBM, he founded a Minneapolis-based design practice. He has served as president of AIGA Minnesota and as an adjunct faculty member at Parsons School of Design.In This EpisodeFrom a used bookshop to IBM. Seth's path to design started at age 12, flipping through Dorfsman & CBS in a used bookshop, and seeing for the first time what design could look like as a system at scale. That same impulse, he says, is what he's still chasing at IBM, just at a different altitude.Design as infrastructure. At IBM's Chief Data Office, Seth's team exists to provide the company with a single, trusted view of how the business is performing. Design's role there is turning data from something people dread into something they rely on every day.The business doesn't care about design. And it shouldn't. Seth's most provocative argument: design only earns influence when it connects itself to outcomes leadership actually cares about: revenue, risk, speed, and fewer defects. Designers are always outnumbered. That means assimilating into the organization's dominant rhythms before earning the right to ask anyone else to change.Treat your team like volunteers. Seth's core leadership philosophy, drawn from years of running AIGA Minnesota: talented people decide every day how much energy and creativity they're willing to invest. You might get the work, but you won't get the commitment. And you definitely can't fake caring at scale.The era of the lone genius is over. On design education: Seth argues that schools still do a reasonable job of preparing designers to work independently, but fall short in preparing them to lead within teams. Design is a team sport, and design students should be partnering across disciplines—biology, nursing, public policy—before they ever step into practice.Resources MentionedDorfsman & CBS by Dick Hess and Marion Muller - ⁠https://amzn.to/4unbsHT⁠ (out of print; available secondhand)Humanizing Data Through Design with Giorgia Lupi (AIGA Design Podcast on YouTube) - ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZZIR8W9AlY⁠Giorgia Lupi on the AIGA Design Podcast (Other Platforms) - ⁠https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/aigadesign/episodes/Humanizing-Data-Through-Design-with-Giorgia-Lupi-e3fi3h1/a-acg9jrh⁠Seth Johnson & Jenny Price: How AIGA Leadership Changed Everything - ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12f7g-YG8cY⁠  Designing Change in Bureaucracy with Ivan Boscariol (YouTube) - ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f5zESGtKb8⁠Designing Change in Bureaucracy with Ivan Boscariol (Other Platforms) - ⁠https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/aigadesign/episodes/Designing-Change-in-Bureaucracy-with-Ivan-Boscariol-e32eemt⁠Corita Kent, 2016 AIGA Medalist Video - ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tivdlh2mhIU⁠ IBM Design - ⁠https://www.ibm.com/design ⁠Subscribe to the AIGA Design Podcast on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts: ⁠https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/aigadesign ⁠Send us your questions, comments, and voicemails at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Designers today face massive challenges around education, certification, pay, and power. In this episode, hosts Giulia Donatello and Lee-Sean Huang sit down with Benjie Wilhelm to name the elephant in the room and talk about what it would actually take to fix the structural issues.Benjie is an Assistant Professor of Design at Arizona State University (ASU), Director of Strategic Initiatives at UCDA, and a brand strategist "hellbent on making the world a better place." Together, they examine what a design association should look like over the next decade and discuss why designers need to stop thinking of themselves as artists and start acting like tradespeople.In This EpisodeThe flattening of the profession. About 80% of designers today are self-taught or bootcamp-trained, while 90% of design work is freelance. Benjie argues this isn't just a workforce trend. It's a sign of a profession without a floor, and the consequences run from pay compression to ethical accountability gaps.Artists vs. tradespeople. Benjie's central provocation: designers need to stop identifying as artists and start thinking of themselves as tradespeople. An architect can't build a building that falls down. A plumber can't flood your house. But designers can build platforms that undermine democracy and currently face no professional consequences for doing so.The RGD model. Canada's Registered Graphic Designers designation began as a provincial act in Ontario when a group of designers organized, lobbied, and had their certification standards ratified. Benjie sees it as a repeatable model and has been studying it closely as a possible path for the US.Certification, unions, and collective action. AIGA's Professional Designer and Design Leader certifications are a start, but Benjie argues the industry needs something closer to a union model, where certification has legal weight, pay floors are enforced, and designers have the standing to say no to harmful work. "Your concerns are beneath me." Lee-Sean shared that during the SVA unionization campaign, one colleague dismissed the effort entirely because they could afford to treat teaching as charity work. Benjie uses this as a window into a deeper problem: a succession crisis in design, where prestige and platform stay concentrated in the same hands, and the people most affected by broken systems are the ones least able to fix them.The broken pipeline. The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis's Talent Disrupted report found that 52% of college graduates are underemployed at initial labor-market entry and that 45% remain underemployed 10 years later. Benjie sees this firsthand, teaching portfolio and professional practice at ASU, and refuses to pretend the path is clearer than it is.Resources Talent Disrupted report, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis - https://www.stlouisfed.org/open-vault/2025/aug/jobs-degrees-underemployed-college-graduates-haveRGD (Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario) - https://www.rgd.caAIGA Professional Designer & Design Leader Certifications - https://www.aiga.org/certificationJenn Stucker at BGSU - https://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/school-of-art/faculty-staff/jenn-stucker.html Jenn Stucker on a 2024 episode of the show -  https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/aigadesign/episodes/Community-Engagement--Cultural-Change-with-Jenn-Stucker-e2lhodo Heated Rivalry on HBO Max - https://www.hbomax.com/shows/heated-rivalry/50cd4e99-04ee-427b-a3b4-da721ed05d9cCritical Form - https://www.instagram.com/critical_form/Benjie's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/benjiewilhelm/ Benjie on Threads - https://www.threads.com/@benjiewilhelm  Send us your questions, comments, and voicemails at [email protected].

What if the designer's real job isn't to design the object at all? In this episode, hosts Giulia Donatello and Lee-Sean Huang sit down with Todd Bracher -- industrial designer, founder of Bracher and BetterLab, and author of two books -- to dig into a practice built on removing ego from the design process and letting context drive the answer. From a Pratt exam that accidentally changed his career, to a decade across four European countries, to unlocking a NASA scientist's 25-year-old patent, Todd makes the case that design's most powerful move is understanding the system before touching the object.In This EpisodeThe accidental industrial designer. Todd originally applied to Pratt Institute as an illustrator. A complex respirator brief on a Pratt entrance exam made him ask, "What is this thing?" The answer was industrial design, and he never looked back.Designing the context, not the tree. Todd's framework, laid out in his book Design in Context, argues that designers make a fundamental mistake when they start designing the object without first mapping the "governors" -- finance, legal, supply chain, competition, human needs -- that will ultimately determine the output. His metaphor: a tree's shape isn't an opinion, it's the result of its ecosystem. Design should work the same way.BetterLab and the patent moat problem. Many of the world's most promising scientific breakthroughs sit unused -- stuck in litigation, sitting in drawers, or bought up by companies with no intention of using them. BetterLab is Todd's venture platform to change that. One example: partnering with a former NASA scientist whose UVC light patent for hand sanitization had been sitting unused for 25 years.Visionary execution. The BetterLab manifesto holds that visionary solutions don't spread on merit alone; they require visionary execution. Getting design into the room with scientists, not just at the end of the process, is the intervention.Ergonomics as wellness. After nearly 20 years collaborating with Humanscale, Todd traces the shift from ergonomics as basic human measurement to ergonomics as a long-term health discipline. Humanscale's gravity mechanism does away with knobs and levers entirely, using the sitter's own body weight to instantly adjust the chair.Legacy brands in the age of AI. The competitive threat for heritage companies often isn't a competitor's product -- it's the experience gap. Consumers who use Spotify and Airbnb every day bring those expectations to every brand. Links & Resources Todd Bracher - https://toddbracher.com/ Observations, Research, and Design (Phaidon monograph) -- https://www.phaidon.com/en-us/products/observations-research-and-design | Use code NEW20 for a discountDesign in Context framework - https://toddbracher.com/bookField Notes: "The De-Evolution of a Business" -- https://toddbracher.com/field-notes/the-de-evolution-of-a-businessBetterLab - https://betterlab.comThe Measure of Man - https://ia801906.us.archive.org/34/items/TheMeasureOfManDreyfuss/The%20Measure%20of%20Man%20%28Dreyfuss%29_text.pdf 99% Invisible, "On Average" - https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/on-average/Humanscale - https://www.humanscale.com/ Action Office - https://www.hermanmiller.com/products/workspaces/workstations/action-office-system/About Todd BracherTodd Bracher is an industrial designer and founder of Bracher, a Brooklyn-based studio, and BetterLab, a research and design hub at the intersection of science and design. Named International Designer of the Year three times, he has designed products for Herman Miller, 3M, Zanotta, and Issey Miyake, holds over two dozen patents, and has brought more than 200 products to market. His 2025 book Design in Context is his framework for strategic differentiation through context-based design. His Phaidon monograph, Observations, Research, and Design, covers 25 years of insights, failures, and lessons learned.

How can design education bridge the gap between global digital collaboration and local physical making? In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, we sit down with Bryan Clark, Head of Graphic Design at Falmouth University, to discuss why online learning is a deliberate "feature" for the modern designer, and not just a fallback.In this episode, we explore:- The Global Studio Concept: How Falmouth leverages a global cohort to create a "hybridized" professional practice environment that mirrors the modern design industry. - Geo-Tagged Making: How students build a "collective map" of physical making facilities, like bookbinding shops and 3D printing labs, in their own local cities. - Intercultural Problem Solving: Why having a student in New York solve a design challenge for someone in Mumbai is a critical skill for the 21st-century designer. - AI & Creative Curiosity: Bryan’s perspective on navigating the "hot topic" of AI with a balance of healthy skepticism and fascinated curiosity. - Interdisciplinary "Surprise": A look at unique collaborations, including a project that turned typographic systems into musical compositions. About Our Guest:Bryan Clark leads Graphic Design at Falmouth University in the UK. With a career split between high-level industry practice (Pentagram spin-offs, Lewis Moberly) and design education, he is uniquely positioned to discuss where design is headed. Timestamps:0:00 – Intro to the AIGA Design Podcast & "Eyes on Design" 1:40 – Bryan’s journey: From Pentagram spin-offs to Falmouth University 5:33 – Why online design education is "a feature, not a fallback." 10:45 – Designing for the 21st Century: "Design can save the world." 23:12 – The Geo-Tagged Map: Connecting global students to local making 31:11 – Interdisciplinary projects: Turning typography into music 38:07 – Facing the AI question: Curiosity over fear 50:17 – Redesigning the status quo: Food, health, and legislation Discount for AIGA members:AIGA members can receive a £1,000 GBP (approx. $1,346 USD) tuition discount on any part-time, online master's degree from Falmouth University, including their MA Graphic Design (Online). This would make total tuition over two years £11,150 (approx. $15,186).*Terms and conditions apply, contact Falmouth University for more details. MA Graphic Design (Online): [email protected]*USD-GBP conversion accurate May 2026. Tuition fees applicable for 2026 entry.⁠https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/study/online/postgraduate/graphic-design?utm_source=aiga&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=onlinestudy&utm_term=podcast&utm_content=newsletter⁠Thumbnail graphics by Falmouth students Dalal Elsamannoudi (center) and Tove Martens (right)This video is part of our "Eyes on Design" season, inspired by the legacy of the Eye on Design magazine. We are exploring the critical, connecting, and future lenses of design practice. Subscribe to AIGA Design for more conversations with design leaders.Leave a review or get in touch at [email protected] and subscribe to the video versions of the AIGA Design Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBsiKvJPy6IFH0oasM3T0KsGrnnLoKhSK

In this episode, we speak with Lisa Gralnek, Managing Director of iF Design USA and Global Head of Sustainability and Impact at iF Design. We cover the scale and rigor behind the iF Design Award, one of the world's most recognized design competitions since 1953, and how iF has made sustainability a core, embedded criterion in its judging process. We also discuss the launch of the iF Design Academy, what it means to close the gap between design and business fluency, and the risks of outsourcing critical thinking to AI tools. Plus, we reflect on why design thinking became its own victim, what head-heart-hands means in an age of AI, and what we might be collectively unlearning as machines take on more of the work.TOPICS :- Lisa's path from political science and fashion to design leadership- How the iF Design Award jury process works across 93 categories and 9 disciplines- Why sustainability now accounts for 20% of the iF scoring criteria — and what that shift has taught applicants and jurors alike- The circular economy and the "R ladder" of repairability, reusability, and recyclability- iF Design's two free-entry competitions: the iF Design Student Award and the iF Social Impact Prize, both aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals- The launch of the iF Design Academy and why designers need more than design education to lead- The upcoming course AI Strategy for Design Leaders (June 2026) — led by Tey Bannerman, former McKinsey partner- Why design thinking became a buzzword without operationalization — and what it would take to bring it back- What the documentary Modernism, Inc.: The Eliot Noyes Design Story says about the long history of design and corporate power- The tension between AI efficiency and the tactile, hands-on learning that makes designers designers- What we might be collectively "unlearning" as AI tools take on more of the creative processRESOURCES MENTIONED:- iF Design: https://ifdesign.com/en/- iF Design Award: https://ifdesign.com/en/if-design-award-and-jury- iF Design Academy: https://ifdesign-academy.com/- iF Design Trend Report (5th annual edition releasing April 28): https://ifdesign.com/en/trend-report- iF Design Student Award: https://ifdesign.com/en/if-design-student-award- iF Social Impact Prize: https://ifdesign.com/en/if-social-impact-prize- Future of XYZ podcast: https://ifdesign.com/en/podcast-future-of-xyz-by-if-design- Lisa Gralnek, "Where Are All the Designers?" (Fast Company): https://www.fastcompany.com/91374558/where-are-all-the-designers- Ellen MacArthur Foundation: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/- Modernism, Inc.: The Eliot Noyes Design Story (2023): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29215800/- UN Sustainable Development Goals: https://sdgs.un.org/goals- AIGA + Yale SOM: Business Perspectives for Creative Leaders: https://www.aiga.org/professional-development/business-perspectives-for-creative-leaders- Subscribe to the AIGA Design Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/aigadesign/- Questions or feedback? Email us at [email protected]

In this episode, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello welcome distinguished professor, author, and creativity expert Robin Landa. Recently honored with the 2025 Stephen Heller Prize for Cultural Commentary, Landa discusses her prolific career as the author of 27 books and her evolving philosophy on design’s role in society. The conversation spans Landa’s origin story: from designing Barbie clothes as a child to honing her craft as a writer. We also explore her latest work, which frames branding not merely as a commercial tool, but as a significant cultural force with ethical responsibilities.Major ThemesBranding as a Cultural Actor: Landa argues that modern brands have moved beyond simple differentiation and positioning. They are now cultural participants that influence public discourse, equity, and inclusion, carrying a responsibility to contribute positively to the communities that sustain them.The Evolution of Design Writing: Landa reflects on how writing began as a practical necessity for academic promotion but became a core part of her identity. She emphasizes the importance of design commentary as a form of cultural commentary that should live beyond the "silo" of the design community.Redesigning the Learning Environment: As an educator, Landa advocates for a shift from the "talking head" factory model of education to active, flexible, and social spaces. She suggests that classrooms should be designed for engagement and participation rather than compliance.AI and the Human Element: Discussing the rise of AI in the creative workflow, Landa notes that while students need technical fluency, the true value of a designer now lies in judgment, ethics, and lived experience—qualities AI lacks.Diversity as a Creative Catalyst: Innovation happens at the "edge" where different disciplines and backgrounds meet. Landa highlights the need for structural diversity in creative leadership to move beyond symbolicReferencesBranding as a Cultural Force: https://amzn.to/3PH80IC Leadership by Design: https://amzn.to/47QOm37 MasterCard’s Where to Settle: https://www.mastercard.com/news/europe/en/newsroom/press-releases/en/2023/mastercard-s-where-to-settle-platform-to-offer-new-features-job-listings-and-apartment-rentals/ Sheba Reef Builders: https://www.shebahopegrows.com/en-en?&=681856277402&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20799781648&gbraid=0AAAAAC66XqpqSC0WC1oRrgVID3xKi880H Man Ray - When Objects Dream: https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/man-ray-when-objects-dream

In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello sit down with Giorgia Lupi to explore her journey from an architecture student and musician in Italy to a pioneer of data humanism and partner at Pentagram in New York City. Giorgia discusses her latest books, her Love Letter to the New York City subway, and why she recently broke up with ChatGPT. Whether you're a seasoned designer or a curious learner, Giorgia’s insights invite us to see data as a profoundly human, creative, and essential storytelling tool.TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Introduction to Giorgia Lupi and her focus on data humanism02:00 - Giorgia’s early influences: architecture, music, and data collection at her grandmother’s tailor shop05:00 - Spark moments: designing band album artwork and transitioning into data visualization06:40 - Discussing her book Speak Data and the process behind it09:00 - The human stories within data: interviews with leading thinkers on data’s meaning13:15 - The Dear Data project: weekly postcards and framing personal data conversations16:00 - Inspired by data visualizations and how personal relationships shape data storytelling18:00 - Data as a love letter to the NYC subway system: poetic visualization of transit data25:00 - Designing data for children: This Is Me and Only Me and engaging young audiences27:30 - The challenge of complex data: finding human stories in big or aggregated datasets30:20 - Designing the data set: choosing what to include and how to add context32:00 - Combining qualitative and quantitative data: mentoring teams and storytelling strategies34:30 - The evolving role of data in design and how to navigate cross-disciplinary data practices38:00 - Perspectives on AI: cautious optimism, data as a resource, and preserving human creativity43:00 - Inspirations and making for the sake of making: art exhibitions, painting, and experimentation45:30 - Final thoughts: cultivating critical thinking and curiosity in a data-driven worldREFERENCESOur previous episode of the AIGA Design Podcast with Giorgia Lupi from 2020: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/aigadesign/episodes/Giorgia-Lupi-on-Data-Humanism-ecs2f7Giorgia Lupi’s personal website: https://giorgialupi.com/Pentagram – The World’s Largest Independent Design Consultancy: https://www.pentagram.com/ Speak Data: Artists, Scientists, Thinkers, and Dreamers on How We Live Our Lives in Numbers: https://amzn.to/4qXAQl4 Dear Data: https://amzn.to/3Msgrqj This is Me and Only Me: https://amzn.to/46pMrlHA Data Love Letter to the Subway: https://www.mta.info/agency/arts-design/digital-art/data-love-letter Two Craigs Take on a 1-Year Performance Challenge (2025 AIGA Design Conference): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdjkZu_qvDM 2Craigs: https://www.2craigs.com/ Ruth Asawa, A Retrospective: https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/5768Wifredo Lam, When I Don’t Sleep I Dream at MoMA: https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/5788Alfred Jensen at the Pace Gallery: https://www.pacegallery.com/artists/alfred-jensen/ 

In this episode, Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello host Andy Curson and Rob Slowe from Arctic Paper as they dive into sustainable papermaking, the role of print in a digital age, and collaborations with emerging designers. Discover how Arctic Paper balances environmental responsibility with innovation, and how print continues to evolve as a meaningful medium for creativity and storytelling.Arctic Paper’s portfolio: mills in Sweden and Poland, offering coated, uncoated, book, and high-end papersThe relationship between Arctic Paper and the Munken Design Brand, and insights into their global activitiesCollaborations with European design schools for over 20 years, fostering youth creativityThe evolution of agenda design: flexibility, interactivity, and the shift from static to fluid layoutsThe value of physical books and print in an era dominated by screens, emphasizing quality and sensory experienceArctic Paper’s sustainability initiatives: FSC, Cradle to Cradle, CO2 reduction, water conservation, and environmental stewardshipChallenges in translating digital files to print, ICC profiles, and ensuring color fidelityDigital tools like Munken Sans font and Munken Creator for hybrid design approachesThe future of print: high-end books as niche luxury items, akin to vinyl recordsThe impact of AI on design and print, emphasizing the importance of tactile, slow media for deep engagementResources & Links:Arctic Paper Official Website: https://www.arcticpaper.comMunken Paper: https://www.arcticpaper.com/brands/munken/Munken Sans Typeface: https://colab.munken.com/munken-sansMunken Creator Web Tool: https://colab.munken.com/munkencreatorFSC Certification: https://fsc.orgTimestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to the Eyes on Design theme and guests from Arctic Paper02:29 - Arctic Paper’s global presence and product offerings04:09 - Clarification of Arctic Paper and Munkin Brand relationship05:34 - The backgrounds and careers of Andy and Rob in the paper industry11:34 - Long-standing collaboration with European art and design schools14:32 - Big shifts in youth design practices: flexibility and interactivity16:33 - How COVID influenced innovative student projects and engagement with paper19:04 - Challenges of translating digital files to print on uncoated paper21:03 - The role of paper quality in creating memorable experiences24:47 - Arctic Paper’s commitments to sustainability and environmental impact27:31 - Innovations in reducing water and energy consumption in papermaking30:14 - The physical environment as part of sustainability and community well-being31:24 - How Arctic Paper bridges expectations between digital and print media34:41 - Digital tools and experiments like Munken Sans font and Munken Creator platform39:24 - The future of luxury books and print as a niche market akin to vinyl records41:59 - The timeless value of physical books and passing on treasured works42:35 - AI's role in design, print, and storytelling: preserving tactile skills amid digital growth45:09 - Looking ahead: embracing both digital and physical mediums, fostering new creatives

Join co-hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello as they kick off a brand-new season of the AIGA Design Podcast. We’re diving deep into our new programming theme, "Eyes on Design."Whether you’re a long-time listener or brand new to the show, Lee-Sean and Giulia take a moment to (re)introduce themselves and share the backgrounds (and biases) they bring to design discourse.Have a story to tell? We’re scouting for guests! Send your pitches to [email protected] the conversation: We love hearing from you. Drop us an email or a voice message with your thoughts on the new seasonThe AIGA Design Podcast is 100% member-supported. Join AIGA today at aiga.org to support our work and connect with our community of design professionals, educators, and leaders.

In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello sit down with Aleksey Fedorov, Director of Global Brand Marketing at Microsoft, for a wide-ranging conversation on branding, performance, and the evolving role of design in society.Aleksey reflects on his nonlinear career path and how moments of tension, uncertainty, and failure have shaped his creative practice. Together, they unpack how brands can move beyond metrics to create meaning, build trust, and reflect the complexity of the world we live in. The conversation also explores the role of AI in creative work, the importance of inclusion and representation in brand systems, and what it means to design not just visuals, but immersive, living worlds.Drawing on his experience at Microsoft and his involvement with AIGA, Aleksey shares insights on how institutions and brands must continue to evolve, embracing discomfort and staying grounded in human values to remain relevant and impactful.Episode Recommendation:Book: Art Since 1900Newsletter: Benedict EvansMovie: HerShow: Andor