the deeply human design podcast

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

Reclaiming the Heart in Design “There’s so much heart in some of these things that you’re putting in heart in that space and I find it very hard to detach some of those.” Summary 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 . Guest Fionn Tynan O'Mahony LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionntynan/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionntynan/] Website – https://www.studioandthen.com/ [https://www.studioandthen.com/] Host Danny Hearn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyhearn/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyhearn/] Website – www.dannyhearn.me [http://www.dannyhearn.me] Podcast – www.deeplyhumandesign.com [http://www.deeplyhumandesign.com] Chapters 00:00 Reconnecting and the Purpose of Human Conversations 02:08 Designing the Intangible: Introducing Andthen 05:05 From DIY to Craft College: Early Practical Creativity 06:50 The Modernist Influence and the Limits of the Ego 08:32 Refocusing Life and the Discovery of Curiosity 11:49 Design as Intervention: Breaking the Routine 14:58 Reality Hits: Transitioning into Corporate Banking 16:54 The Shift from Questions to Answers 19:18 Techno-Optimism and the Moonshot Era 21:57 The Cost of Delivery Culture and Shrinking Experimentation 24:42 Navigating Burnout and Value Misalignment 29:50 The Struggle of Scaling Teams in Risk-Averse Systems 34:41 The Gift of Voluntary Redundancy 38:44 Returning to Exploration and Strategic Influencing 43:49 Pace Layering: Designing for Long-Term Impact 50:40 Redefining Success Beyond the Bottom Line

#17 Be a kind designer | Craig Jamieson

“Sometimes the best thing you can do is just be the kindest person in the room.” Summary In this episode, we explore the profound impact of leading with kindness and humility in the high-pressure world of design and advertising. Guest Craig Jamson 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. Guest Craig Jamieson LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-jamieson/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-jamieson/] Website – https://craigjamieson.com/ [https://craigjamieson.com/] Host Danny Hearn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyhearn/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyhearn/] Website – www.dannyhearn.me [http://www.dannyhearn.me] Podcast – www.deeplyhumandesign.com [http://www.deeplyhumandesign.com] Chapters 00:00 The Power of Humility and Kindness 01:10 Journey from Art School Dropout to Digital Design 05:03 From Dictator to Genius Maker: The Multipliers Shift 08:51 Avoiding the Expert Jargon Trap 14:04 The Quiet Confidence of Seasoned Creative Directors 17:36 The Fadeaway Technique in Consultancy 26:13 Perceptions vs Reality: The Scary Guy Persona 35:40 Moving Beyond the Self and Stressful Perspectives 42:25 Presence, Calm, and the Figmification of Design 53:03 Practical Ways to Support the Design Community

#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.” SUMMARY 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. GUEST Sienne Veit LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sienneveit/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sienneveit/] HOST Danny Hearn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyhearn/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyhearn/] Website – www.dannyhearn.me [http://www.dannyhearn.me] Podcast – www.deeplyhumandesign.com [http://www.deeplyhumandesign.com] CHAPTERS 00:00 The Human Spirit vs. AI 01:29 From Lecturer to Product Leader: A Weavy Journey 04:19 Linguistics: The Foundation of Meaning and HCI 07:43 Early Mobile Adoption: From WAP to South African Banking 10:49 Sony and the Cusp of the iPhone Revolution 12:12 Building M&S’s First Mobile Transactional Site 15:01 Early Failures: QR Codes and Text-Based Loyalty 17:25 Abandoning Wireframes for Pure Design 20:36 Loving the Unknown and Multi-disciplinary Teams 23:47 The "Shit Umbrella": Protecting Team Creativity 29:29 High Tolerance for Chaos and the Capacity to Reset 34:59 Breaking Down Certainty for Stakeholders 41:56 Diversity in Tech: From "Only Woman in the Room" to STEM 44:33 Remote vs. Relational Culture: Cracking the Team Bond 47:53 Meeting Barack Obama in Sao Paulo 51:45 The Future of the Craft: Why AI Can't Dream

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

“The quality of our relationships is the only factor linked to how long we live — and how well we live.” Summary 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 organization to help people rebuild connection, community, and human-centered ways of working. Guest Alla Weinberg Website - https://thisisharmonic.com/ [https://thisisharmonic.com/] Fourpercent - https://www.fourpercent.org/ [https://www.fourpercent.org/] LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/allaweinberg/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/allaweinberg/] Host Danny Hearn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyhearn/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyhearn/] Website – www.dannyhearn.me [http://www.dannyhearn.me] Podcast – www.deeplyhumandesign.com [http://www.deeplyhumandesign.com] Chapters 00:00 Social health, relationships, and what the research suggests 00:40 Alla’s journey through design — and why she turned to coaching 04:35 Lived experiences of unsafe culture and “crank it out” design pressure 09:20 What toxic work really communicates about people vs. profit 12:34 Hope vs. reality: why design evangelism rarely shifts power 15:14 Building a social health organisation and what it’s for 20:16 What healthy relational culture looks like (skills, repair, honesty) 22:52 Transactional vs. relational culture — especially in remote work 34:53 Mental health, trauma, and how unsafe leadership shuts us down 47:03 AI, the erosion of humanity, and choosing a different future

#14 Design, craft and optimism for changing times | James Box

“What would it take for design to have its vinyl moment — and reclaim its power beyond JIRA tickets and design systems?” Summary In this episode, Danny sits down with James Box, designer, author, and co-founder of Berst - to talk about the changing shape of design careers, the realities of agency vs. product team life, and why so many designers feel trapped in “mechanistic” delivery work. James reflects on his years at ClearLeft, the culture of autonomy and learning that shaped his practice, and the role of communication and uncertainty in good design. They explore Berst’s work with startups and scale-ups, including experiments with equity-based engagements, and discuss how innovation can get dampened as companies grow. The conversation turns to AI: how it’s collapsing the gap between insight and delivery, what “AI-native” products feel like, and why designers need to hold both optimism and skepticism at once. James closes with a hopeful challenge, for designers to embrace entrepreneurship, use new tools to tackle bigger problems, and help design rediscover what it’s uniquely good at. Guest James Box Berst - https://ber.st/ LinkedIN – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesbox/ Website - https://jamesbox.me/ Host Danny Hearn LinkedIN – https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyhearn/ Website – www.dannyhearn.me Podcast – www.deeplyhumandesign.com Chapters 00:00 Design careers, JIRA tickets, and the fear of “factory design” 01:21 James Box’s journey: agency roots, entrepreneurship, and writing a UX book 03:52 T-shaped designers and the overlooked skill of defining the real problem 06:36 What consulting forces you to learn: adaptability + communication 08:14 Divergence vs. convergence in modern product teams 09:18 Why the agency path is disappearing — and what that means for new designers 10:18 What made ClearLeft distinctive: UX, community, events, and products 13:18 Pace, autonomy, and the “jet engine” feel of agency work 14:38 Intimidation, improvisation, and learning culture in early ClearLeft days 16:14 Anxiety and uncertainty as part of the designer’s job 21:46 A remembered moment: finding rhythm, flow, and ownership in delivery 23:59 The “black hat” approach: leaning into fears to surface truths and mitigate risk 26:57 Scale-ups and the loss of innovation energy as teams operationalise 30:07 Why “the job isn’t done” after product-market fit 32:14 Equity work with startups: incentives, “skin in the game,” and the reality check 35:58 Why the VC-style equity model doesn’t easily work for studios long-term 38:31 Keeping work close to founders and C-suite to protect impact 39:41 Optimism as a designer’s grounding belief — and how it differs from naïveté 44:09 AI as unprecedented tech: holding risks and benefits at once 47:09 Danny’s dual view: macro anxiety, micro empowerment, and moving fast with agents 51:38 “AI-native” experiences and the stages from tool → assistant → peer 56:39 Copilot Studio, enterprise adoption, and the coming wave of internal agents 1:00:50 Why problem framing still matters most, even as delivery speed collapses 1:02:39 James’s concern: shrinking design impact — and the “vinyl moment” hope 1:06:03 Designing for entrepreneurship, invention, and meaningful progress 1:07:02 Closing: Merry Christmas and the future of design