To Be Designed

Episode 3

Should the methodology of “design thinking” be applied to fields outside of design? What about art? How do the concepts of design, aesthetics, and consumerism interact?

In response to Rebecca Ackermann’s article “Design thinking was supposed to fix the world. Where did it go wrong?” podcast member Sriman Narayanan reflects on these questions by comparing his passion as a writer to his experience as a graphic designer. He critiques the intentions behind design vs art by looking at utility, academic prestige, and capitalistic gain.

In Episode 09 of To Be Designed, Sriman reads his essay titled “What Design Education Can’t Teach Us.” He is later joined by Nico Petry-Mitchel, Quynh-Nhi Tran, and Mary Shirk, who discuss their own thoughts on the state of design, who gets to be called a “designer,” and where design differs from art.

This episode was produced by Quynh-Nhi Tran. Engineering by Mary Shirk. Co-hosted by Sriman Narayanan, Nico Petry-Mitchel, Mary Shirk, and Quynh-Nhi Tran. Writing and research by Sriman Narayanan. Marketing by Leah Parsons. Music by Drew McComas. Special thanks to Mark Schumacher and Casey Russell.

To Be Designed is sponsored by the Segal Design Institute at Northwestern University.

Episode 3

What if we could apply design concepts taught in class to life outside the classroom? Could we use design thinking as a tool to develop fulfilling life paths for ourselves? These are the ideas behind the Northwestern course titled “DSGN 300: Designing Your Life,” offered in the Segal Design Institute at the McCormick School of Engineering.

In Episode 03* of To Be Designed, co-hosts Sriman Narayanan and Carolyn Hagler introduce “Designing Your Life” by chatting about their experience in the class so far this quarter. The course originated at Stanford University and quickly rose in popularity, inspiring Northwestern professor Bruce Ankenman to establish the class at Northwestern.

*This is the first episode in an upcoming miniseries dedicated to exploring the unique aspects of “Designing Your Life.”

This episode was produced by Quynh-Nhi Tran and co-hosted by Sriman Narayanan and Carolyn Hagler. Editing by Nico Petry-Mitchel. Engineering by Mary Shirk. Marketing by Leah Parsons. Music by Drew McComas. Special thanks to Bruce Ankenman, Mark Schumacher, and Casey Russell. To Be Designed is sponsored by the Segal Design Institute at Northwestern University.

Episode 2

Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to any computer system designed to simulate some aspect of human intelligence. Think: Google search, smart navigation apps, self-driving cars, or Siri. One surprising area in which AI is beginning to attract attention? Music.

In Episode 02 of To Be Designed, we explore some of the social implications behind AI-generated music. What is considered “music”? Does AI cause us to rethink the concept of creativity? Who is responsible for AI-generated art? Come with us as we try to answer these questions through a discussion about the AI rapper FN Meka and a conversation with generative artist William Fields.

This episode was produced by Quynh-Nhi Tran and co-hosted by Sriman Narayanan and Leah Parsons. Writing and reporting by Sriman Narayanan. Co-writing and editing by Nico Petry-Mitchel and Carolyn Hagler. Engineering by Mary Shirk. Marketing by Leah Parsons. Music by Drew McComas. Special thanks to William Fields, Mark Shumacher, and Casey Russell.

To Be Designed is sponsored by the Segal Design Institute at Northwestern University.

Episode 1

What should companies keep in mind while designing products for sustainability? How involved should the consumer be in researching environmentally-friendly decisions? How should shareholders balance conflicts between different spheres such as money-making, politics, and climate consciousness?

In the debut of "To Be Designed", we explore these difficult ethical questions through themes such as greenwashing and examining the actions of companies such as Patagonia. We also feature a conversation with our first-ever guest, Sheila Remes, vice president of Environmental Sustainability at The Boeing Company.

This episode was produced by Quynh-Nhi Tran and co-hosted by Nico Petry-Mitchel and Carolyn Hagler. Co-writing by Sriman Narayanan. Engineering by Mary Shirk. Marketing by Leah Parsons. Music by Drew McComas. Special thanks to Sheila Remes, Mark Schumacher, and Casey Russell.

To Be Designed is sponsored by the Segal Design Institute at Northwestern University.