Great products and services are driven by great product strategy. But too often we get stuck in the strategy part of product strategy, failing to get tangible enough to make insight-driven decisions about our roadmaps. A great product strategy allows you to uncover tangible insights to drive product decisions that deliver on customer and business needs. The key is to consider the entire business ecosystem—not just what’s desirable from a consumer perspective, but also what’s possible to build and whether it’s sustainable for business. In this episode of the Creative Confidence Podcast, we sp ..read more

What skills can help us get the most out of AI? When we approach AI in a human way, with people at the center, it can be a powerful tool that augments how we work. As AI becomes more widespread across industries, it’s critical to learn the skills to harness and collaborate with AI in a way that is human-centered, ethical, and impactful. In this episode of the Creative Confidence Podcast, we speak with Tom Gruber—product designer, entrepreneur, and co-creator of Siri. He shares critical skills to get the most out of AI, why AI needs human-centered design, and the ethics of using AI tools. &nb ..read more

  Curious to learn actionable strategies and see business design principles applied to real business challenges? In this special episode of the Creative Confidence Podcast, Becca Carroll, Executive Business Design Director at IDEO, provides advice on business challenges submitted by our listeners. At IDEO, Becca has built collaborative research labs focused on edge technologies like blockchains, artificial intelligence and the internet of things, led futuring with leading Fortune 500 companies, and created portfolios of ventures focused on enabling systemic, human-centered change. Additi ..read more

 We all want to be great managers. But when working with and leading young people, there’s no clear strategy or playbook for success. Too often it feels like we’re deciding between two extremes: enforce high standards and risk pushing our mentees away, or take a more gentle approach and withhold criticism, therefore missing out on critical learning moments. Often the result can be intergenerational misunderstanding. How do we interact with young people so that they feel inspired, enthusiastic, and energized rather than disengaged, outraged, or overwhelmed? In this episode of the Creative ..read more

  How can curiosity help you surface the unexpected and get to breakthrough ideas and solutions? In this episode of Breakthrough by Design, IDEO U Executive Director Coe Leta Stafford joins host Kim Christfort, Chief Innovation Leader and National Managing Director of The Deloitte Greenhouse® Experience, to discuss the concept of living with the problem. They explore the benefits of working through solutions layer by layer to understand individual, team, or customer behaviors, the importance of putting people at the center, and why you should have a curious mindset in your work.   ..read more

Most of us recognize why curiosity is important. Few of us know how to practice and unleash its full potential. But when leaders embrace curiosity, it becomes a catalyst for transformation, helping leaders challenge their assumptions, connect with people, and build cultures where everyone feels like they matter. In this episode of the Creative Confidence Podcast, we speak with Scott Shigeoka, curiosity expert and author of the new book, SEEK: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World. Scott shares his stories and research about why curiosity is one of the most important skill ..read more

  At its worst, friction can be a destructive force in an organization. Friction can undermine productivity and innovation, create inefficiency, and even chip away at our energy and enthusiasm for work. But what if friction could be reframed as something positive—something that makes the right things, like joy, productivity, and creative thinking, easier? In this episode of the Creative Confidence Podcast, organizational psychologist and New York Times best selling author Bob Sutton discusses how great leaders use friction to make the right things easier and the wrong things harder. He c ..read more

  When facing complex business problems, the traditional method of shear force and determination often falls short. To be successful, you need an approach that helps you imagine future scenarios, explore creative solutions, and consider things from new and different perspectives. How do you do this? The key is play. Play gives us permission to dream and diverge, think outside the box, and discover solutions to unprecedented problems. In this episode of the Creative Confidence Podcast, IDEO Partner & Managing Director and instructor of our new course Creative Thinking for Complex Prob ..read more

 Fresh off the heels of the most recent United Nations Climate Change Conference, climate is top of mind for many organizations and business leaders. How will businesses adjust to meet ambitious climate goals? How might we design products, services, and experiences that are both sustainable and desirable? What opportunities for innovation does new climate technology present? In this episode of the Creative Confidence Podcast, IDEO Senior Design Lead Natalia Vasquez and IDEO Managing Director Bryan Walker discuss the crucial role of design in scaling and increasing the rate of adoption of ..read more

How are you planning to grow this year? We’ve updated our career guide with our latest articles, tips, and resources to help you grow in your career and as a leader. Whether your goal is to become a better leader, storyteller, strategist, collaborator, creative, or more, we’re here to support you.   Career paths… Teambuilding specialist Business designer Design researcher Business development lead Learning experience designer Experiential designer   If you want to grow into a better leader… Tap into creativity to navigate today’s challenges Take a human centered appr ..read more