Recorded in 2018, Skipper talks with Elena and Shannon from Stockholm about the importance of craft and quality in our design work

Design Voices with Elena Klepikova & Shannon Ffrench

Have you ever binge-watched Orange is the New Black or Friends or some other show on Netflix even though you were exhausted? Of course you have. We all have. While binge-watching is not the worst behavior in the world, the same path of least resistance that keeps you in front of the TV can be harnessed for good. It’s called nudge theory, which means using indirect technological suggestions to disrupt human nature.

In this episode, I spoke to our very own Kelly Baron Gancas, a product strategist at Fjord Austin, about the utterly fascinating world of nudge theory in our Fika break and ahead of her talk on the subject at the 2017 SXSW Conference.

As way of an example: almost all people (92%) think it’s important to wash their hands, but only 66% do it regularly. Baron says that nudge theory is important because beliefs and behavior don’t match. And while binge-watching something late into the night, like in our original example, may not be too disruptive for many people, being tired can certainly affect people whose jobs depend on them being rested and sharp. Like doctors and nurses, air traffic controllers, oil field workers. Behaviors matter – especially when tired. For safety and lives and bottom lines, Baron says we can use nudge theory to replace bad patterns with good ones.

Thanks to IoT, we’re designing products that make and break our habits. When common sense fails, common sensors help us be the best version of ourselves.

Originally aired March 13, 2017.

Fjord Fika

Fika with Kelly Baron

Marina Lvova is the Director of Client Engagement at Fast Forward Group, a leadership development company that ignites people to take ownership of their business, career and life.  An avid traveler, Marina is an alumna of Remote Year, a program designed for digital nomads to travel the world while working remotely.

In this Fika break, Skipper talks to Marina about her journey oversees (which you can read all about here), leadership coaching, and why it’s so important to discover and pursue your professional passions today.

Originally aired November 29, 2017.

Fika with Marina Lvova

In one of the earliest episodes of Design Voices, Adam Jesberger takes over hosting duties from Skipper. Guests include Susse Jensen and Rubin Sun, both interaction designers at Fjord NYC. Topics include: the notion of the connected world as hinted by Werner Herzog's 2016 documentary "Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World", falling in love with service and design and what that could mean, and in this age of modern digital convenience, what do we do with the time and efforts that "we get back" from using these services.

Design Voices with Adam Jesberger

Skipper Chong Warson asks Yaprak Gultay (Fjord Berlin) and Anindita "Andi" Saha (Fjord Hong Kong) the question, What happens when design teams encounter significant cultural differences or even language gaps?