Show Notes

In this episode, I speak with Ida Persson, a Communications Design Lead at IDEO, on the topic of the biases in design education and what we as designers can do about it.

A few highlights from our conversation

• Learn about Ida's journey of becoming aware of the biases she learned in her design education.
• Learn about the challenges unlearning our biases brings and how to take small steps forward
• Learn how to expand your sources of design knowledge and information to include voices from around the world and break out of the biased design bubble
• Learn why it's important for designers to question everything, especially the beliefs we carry, to help us break free from the biases that can harm us.

Quotes from the episode

“The master's tools will never dismantle the master's house.” - Audre Lorde.

“Any real change implies the breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity, the end of safety. And at such a moment, unable to see and not daring to imagine what the future will now bring forth, one clings to what one knew or dreamed that one possessed. Yet, it is only when a man is able, without bitterness or self-pity, to surrender a dream he has long possessed that he is set free — he has set himself free — for higher dreams, for greater privileges.” - James Baldwin.

Mentioned in this episode

Rest is Resistance - by Tricia Hersey

Airbnb Design - Another Lens - A research tool for conscientious creatives

The Dance Floor and the Balcony

Futuress.org - Where feminism, design, and politics meet

About Ida Persson

Ida is a designer, storyteller and creative professional passionate about designing solutions and environments that center on inclusion, equity, and human-centered design principles.

Born in Sweden, based in Munich, and with a decade of experience designing in the U.S., she finds inspiration in exploring different cultures and perspectives. She believes that it is our differences that make us stronger as a collective.

In her current role as a Communication Design Lead at IDEO — a global design company — her work focuses on crafting compelling stories and designing innovative solutions.

Connect with Ida Persson

Medium

Website

About Low Fidelity

Low Fidelity is a creative platform to help designers thrive in life, make a positive impact in the world, and realize their full creative potential. The Low Fidelity platform includes a weekly newsletter, a podcast, and a YouTube channel.

Recording Note: A lot has happened since our conversation was recorded a few months ago, so some observations may not be accurate today. 

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In this episode, I speak with career strategist and coach for UX professionals Amy Santee.

Amy is a champion for UX professionals who want to design their careers with intention and bring their good to the world through a practice of self-research, self-respect, self-advocacy, and strategy.

With all the uncertainty and recent tech layoffs, it is good to know that we have amazing people like Amy on our side to guide and support us through change.

Amy’s coaching philosophy is to help her clients navigate change by being strategic, mindful, and intentional.

On Career Change

• Be intentional and strategic with your job search.
• Before searching for a job, figure out your why, your values, and how you want to work and live.
• Identify the limiting beliefs and behavior patterns that are not serving you well.

On Career Coaching

• A career coach can provide an outside perspective and validate or challenge your thoughts.
• A career coach can help you do your job search more effectively and strategically to help you stand out from the crowd.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques can be used in coaching to help overcome the inner struggles we face so we can reach our potential.
• If you want to work with a coach, identify what you need help with and research coaches by reading their blog posts and newsletters and talking with them to see if they are the right partner to guide you in your career.

On Self-Discovery For Your Career

• Collect data about yourself, such as your thoughts, behaviors, actions, and emotions, to understand yourself better so you can find a work environment that fits your values and supports you.
• Check the stories you tell yourself. Validate them instead of blindly believing them.
• Check your assumptions about external events such as the tech layoffs and make sure you're resume, portfolio, and presentations are all buttoned up and ready to go.

On Networking

• Always be open to new opportunities.
• On LinkedIn, turn on the feature that privately lets recruiters know that you are open to new opportunities
• Network, network, network.
• Start networking now, not when you need it.
• Find people at companies you are interested in and make mutually beneficial connections.
• Start interacting within the UX community to share your comments and thoughts.
• Networking isn't only for new people you meet; you can reach out to people you have worked with in past jobs as well.

Listener challenge:

Amy shared a great personal development challenge to help you identify areas of opportunity and how begin working towards them one intentional step at a time. Make sure to listen till the end!

Connect with Amy

Website - http://www.amysantee.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amysantee/

In this episode, I have a wonderful conversation with transformational coach Kim Witten. Kim shares her interesting career path in which she worked as a graphic designer, a marketing professional, a linguist, a data analyst, and a web developer, then moved into UX research and design, all with the common thread of learning more about people and their behaviors.

As a transformational coach, Kim helps her clients discover their why and helps them achieve their full potential. We talk about the benefits of working with a coach and how a coach can help us overcome a lifetime of limiting beliefs.

Kim shares her coaching philosophy and her unique approach to helping her clients reach their potential.

• Learn about the difference between overthinkers and deep thinkers.
• Kim helps us see both from a new helpful perspective
• Getting unstuck can happen in a single moment and the whole world opens up to us as we get unblocked.
• Kim shares the behaviors and thought patterns that get in our way and can trip us up such as future tripping and overthinking and strategies to prevent the negative effects that can happen.
• Learn about rumination and how it is different from overthinking
• Naming the part of ourselves that becomes anxious and overthinks is a good way to identify it and deal with it when it shows up.

Listener challenge:

Kim shares a self-discovery challenge to learn about your wants and how to identify the ones that matter the most. It's a tough but rewarding challenge. You don't want to miss it!

Mentions

Simplfying Coaching by Claire Pedrick

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Amelia Nagoski and Emily Nagoski

Connect with Kim

Website - https://witten.kim/lowfidelity

Email - coaching@witten.kim