Bridging Conversations was a sound-mediated experience for two that offered participants a brief yet impactful opportunity to immerse themselves in someone else’s perspective. The vision for this immersive experience was to foster empathy by inviting participants to step into the shoes of another individual and discover unanticipated connections during an encounter that transcends differences. Participants entered a private enclosed cardboard environment, put on headphones, received guidance on how to take on a persona, took a seat across one another and engaged in a playful yet confrontational simulated dialogue with a person who held contrasting views on life.

Co-created by
Irina Kruzhilina and Thijs Beuming

Script
Clark Young and Irina Kruzhilina

Sound Designer
Chai Smith

Performers 
Clark Young, Sarah Smithton

John

Bridging Conversations was a sound-mediated experience for two that offered participants a brief yet impactful opportunity to immerse themselves in someone else’s perspective. The vision for this immersive experience was to foster empathy by inviting participants to step into the shoes of another individual and discover unanticipated connections during an encounter that transcends differences. Participants entered a private enclosed cardboard environment, put on headphones, received guidance on how to take on a persona, took a seat across one another and engaged in a playful yet confrontational simulated dialogue with a person who held contrasting views on life.

Co-created by
Irina Kruzhilina and Thijs Beuming

Script
Clark Young and Irina Kruzhilina

Sound Designer
Chai Smith

Performers
Clark Young, Sarah Smithton

Lizzie

Meet Philippe Clarinval https://www.linkedin.com/in/clarinval/ , General Manager of one of Europe's oldest 5 star grand hotels in Basel Switzerland; the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois (https://www.lestroisrois.com/en). In this #DESIGNtoCHANGE episode he speaks face to face with Ruud Janssen (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruudwjanssen/) on how transactional to transformational leadership, along with a strong internal purpose-led culture, can have a major impact in shaping the consumer-facing experience. They explained that everything is in the detail. It is all about creating those memorable moments and how consistency from the purpose to the consumer experience can drive service excellence. 
Many lessons to learn from the experiences of a veteran hotelier who operates at the highest levels of integrity and values driven leadership himself. A treat to speak to a dear friend for over 2 decades since meeting at the Cornell General Managers Program in 2005. 
 
For Philippe, who is also a member of Forbes Business Council as well as a coach and mentor, the definition of hospitality is simple: ‘It means being able to give without counting in such a way that every moment becomes meaningful.’ 

Philippe’s unique leadership approach has made him successful in every endeavor thanks to his belief that people, purpose, and a solid company culture make strategies work.

Below are his brief answers to the Questions from the Worksheet on page 46 & 47 of the #DESIGNtoCHANGE book: 

How do you involve others in the change you design for?
-> I try to get them to voice their perception of the vision or where we should be in the future. Then work with them to formulate the steps in between. Designing the journey depends on where we want to go and how our values match.

How do the events you design become markers of change in your organisation?
-> by defining the entry behaviors and the desired behaviors and how the stakeholders are aligned.

How do you have that conversation with your event owner?
-> in a trusting environment, stimulating the prefrontal cortex. I would ask them to be candid and openminded.

How do you enable them to express their vision?
-> by being trusting

How do you enable them to connect the vision to the event story?
-> by trying to have a shared language and understanding where we come from and where we want to get.

How do you articulate the value it creates ?
-> by defining the deltas.


#HORIZONSofCHANGE 
#ExperienceDesign
#EventDesign
#Empathy
#values

Philippe Clarinval #DESIGNtoCHANGE PODcast ONstage with Ruud Janssen

Meet Philippe Clarinval https://www.linkedin.com/in/clarinval/ , General Manager of one of Europe's oldest 5 star grand hotels in Basel Switzerland; the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois (https://www.lestroisrois.com/en). In this #DESIGNtoCHANGE BACKstage episode he speaks face to face with Ruud Janssen (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruudwjanssen/) on how transactional to transformational leadership, along with a strong internal purpose-led culture, can have a major impact in shaping the consumer-facing experience. They explained that everything is in the detail. It is all about creating those memorable moments and how consistency from the purpose to the consumer experience can drive service excellence. 
Many lessons to learn from the experiences of a veteran hotelier who operates at the highest levels of integrity and values driven leadership himself. A treat to witness dear friends in conversation who met over 2 decades ago at the Cornell General Managers Program in 2005. 
 
For Philippe, who is also a member of Forbes Business Council as well as a coach and mentor, the definition of hospitality is simple: ‘It means being able to give without counting in such a way that every moment becomes meaningful.’ 

Philippe’s unique leadership approach has made him successful in every endeavor thanks to his belief that people, purpose, and a solid company culture make strategies work.

#HORIZONSofCHANGE 
#ExperienceDesign
#EventDesign
#Empathy
#values

Philippe Clarinval #DESIGNtoCHANGE PODcast  BACKstage with Ruud Janssen

Kim Arazi ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-arazi-1665763/ ) and Ruud Janssen discussed the transformative power of meaningful conversations, emphasizing the role of serendipitous experiences in events to foster connections. They delved into the cultural importance of meat consumption, the rise of plant-based alternatives, and the significance of clear intentions in event design. They also shared insights from recent events, industry trends, and agreed on future collaborations.

Summary

Serendipitous Experiences for Sustainable Change
Kim emphasized the importance of serendipitous experiences in events to foster meaningful connections, drawing from her background as a guest lecturer, innovation advisor, pitch coach, and founder of Sensori. She voiced concerns about technology's direction, advocating for using all senses to create sustainable change. Ruud expressed interest in exploring this topic further.

Kim's Favorite Senses and Immersive Dining Experience
Kim and Ruud discussed their favorite senses, with Kim favoring touch for its emotional resonance and smell for its memory link. Kim shared her Root Flower immersive dining experience, which used multi-sensory elements to promote plant-based eating and food waste reduction, leading to her involvement in the UN Climate Change Summit.

Networking, Brain Connections, and TEDx Experiences
The conversation touched on networking's parallels with brain connections, highlighting their encounter in Frankfurt and Ruud's TEDx insights. Kim shared her TEDx experience, focusing on the disconnect caused by technology and the need for sensory reconnection. She emphasized altering behavior through experiences and anticipated speaking at the UN conference on this topic.

Exploring Meat Alternatives and Sensory Experiences
Kim and Ruud discussed South America's meat consumption culture and plant-based alternatives. Kim recounted a wine tasting event illustrating sound's impact on taste, underscoring the importance of understanding sensory connections to avoid manipulation. They highlighted the potential of sensory elements in event design and the necessity of clear intentions to prevent participant confusion.

Organizing Unique Events With Clear Intention
They stressed the importance of clear intentions and participant buy-in when organizing events. Kim described a Valentine's dinner event where she had creative freedom, emphasizing her adaptability and anticipation skills. She noted that uncertainty is integral to being a creative entrepreneur.

Kim's Art-Driven Storytelling Journey
Kim shared her passion for using art in storytelling and immersive experiences, outlining her plans to attend the "Art for Tomorrow" conference and collaborate with galleries and museums. Ruud invited her to speak at a future event, and they discussed the art world's contributions to design and innovation.

Audio's Role in Design and Communication
They discussed audio's crucial role in design and communication, its ability to evoke imagination, and the importance of high-quality audio for engagement. They also noted that intentional use of silence can be powerful but must be managed to avoid awkwardness. Both agreed that poor audio quality can quickly disengage podcast listeners.

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-arazi-1665763/

'Your Brain on Art'  - book by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross
https://www.yourbrainonart.com/your-brain-on-art-book

Her TEDx talk 'Are We Losing Our Common Sense(s)?'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqQY-1n0GOo

innosensi https://www.innosensi.com/

innoseni IG - https://www.instagram.com/inno_sensi/

revillage (a new initiative I'm working on exploring an interdisciplinary approach to tackling global challenges)
https://www.revillage.co/

Metaspeech - https://www.metaspeech.com/

Art for Tomorrow - https://www.artfortomorrow.org/

Wine Listening https://www.instagram.com/winelistening/

Kim Arazi #DESIGNtoCHANGE BACKstage PODcast With Ruud Janssen

-------------------------------
Artists and scientists see bullseyes differently but bullseyes they do see! It’s just the when and the how…
-------------------------------

April 13 2023 karaoke night on Main leads to the thesis... published here as a SoundCloud playlist and corresponding Soundtrap project links on June 6, 2024. Details to follow… but at just under double o’seven hours of runtime, I’m willing to defends this thesis as a remarkable innovation in McLuhanian rhetoric while it having completely defeated me in the process! Only took me 25 years, but hey, lifelong lessons or something like that in the academic business 🤷🏻‍♂️

-------------------------------

Twenty-five years ago… a mid-20s UBC Commerce grad named Joel Flynn leaves his 10-year college job at a grocery store in Campbell River BC and returns to Vancouver to begin what would turn into a 25-year digital media research career. The first stop in this academic research path was the British Columbia Institute to Technology (BCIT) and its brand new New Media Design program at the downtown campus. At the time, Flynn had just recorded a 5-song demo as the singer for a Vancouver Island indie band named “Halcyon Days”, and by the end of 1999 the rest of the band had moved to Vancouver, also to start school at BCIT and SFU.

Inspired by DIY “indie” artists (e.g. Swell, GBV), Flynn pushed his band as early adopters of Apple Macintosh CD burners in order to create packaged CD-Rs with artwork for selling at the band’s gigs. The very first project Flynn would work on at BCIT was a “remix” of the band’s five demo songs along with key audio samples - from films, soundtracks, and other songs - in order to create a cohesive 25-minute album listening experience. While incorporating a sampled monolog from the William Hurt film Altered States, the joke at the time was, “who the hell decides to make Dark Side of the Moon out of a 5-song demo tape? Ha! It’s Halcyon Days!” The band would play what proved to be its final show on March 10, 2000 at the legendary Commodore Ballroom, before then “taking a break” just as the dot.com bubble altered its state.

Flynn’s interest new media has always reflected his interests in music, particularly in live music through his skills as a singer and performer. These were just starting to develop in 1999 as lead singer/songwriter in “the Halcyon Days Project”, a version of the band name that refers to 1999’s videotape “found footage” cult classic The Blair Witch Project. Flynn has long been fixated on the historical development of media formats, especially the shift from physical albums on vinyl and cassette, to digital versions on computers through “ripped” CDs and mp3s.  Flynn’s investigation into digital media authoring tools - i.e. digital audio workstations (DAW) such as ProTools and Logic for “remixing” audio content - began in the BCIT New Media Design program in 1999. Twenty-five years later, his media research path has led to an unprecedented amount of remixed audio content for a Master of Applied Science and MBA from SFU. It's now his PhD research at Carleton U, distilled via Podstream Studios...

=======================================================

"a dissertation is a long piece of writing on a particular subject, especially one that is done in order to receive a degree at college or university"

HAVE A LISTEN! Sure it's SEVEN hours long, but for all the advanced arguments contained within this *authored/written* piece of academic work, that's pretty economical! :)

PODSTREAM DISTILLED: Thesis/Antithesis/Playlist, a dissertation by George Crooney - June 21st, 2024

An informal conversation between Philipp Engel and Andrés Richero on Design Communities.

XD Social Club Podcast - Ep1 - Design Communities

Meet Audette Sophia in this new episode of the #DESIGNtoCHANGE PODcast with Ruud Janssen. Audette is the founder of Catalyst Arts, a production company in California that energizes events through creative entertainment & experience design. 
From elaborately costumed performers to interactive installations, they enhance ambiance & delight guests. Audette is also the creator of the X-Factor Method, a strategic design framework for crafting more unique & interactive brand experiences. You can connect to Audette on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/audettes/. 

Based on the content of the #DESIGNtoCHANGE book written by Roel Frissen, Ruud Janssen and Dennis Luijer we are guided through a fascinating conversation. . 
More episodes can de found at https://designtochange.online 

Audette Sophia #DESIGNtoCHANGE BACKstage PODcast with Ruud Janssen

Meet Audette Sophia in this new episode of the #DESIGNtoCHANGE PODcast with Ruud Janssen. Audette is the founder of Catalyst Arts, a production company in California that energizes events through creative entertainment & experience design. 
From elaborately costumed performers to interactive installations, they enhance ambiance & delight guests. Audette is also the creator of the X-Factor Method, a strategic design framework for crafting more unique & interactive brand experiences. You can connect to Audette on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/audettes/. 

Based on the content of the #DESIGNtoCHANGE book written by Roel Frissen, Ruud Janssen and Dennis Luijer we are guided through a fascinating conversation. . 
More episodes can de found at https://designtochange.online 


Audette Sophia #DESIGNtoCHANGE ONstage PODcast with Ruud Janssen

What do video games and world-building have in common? Everything. Lou reconnects with Cheryl Platz—author, designer, and creative director—to explore the evolving world of video game development. Cheryl shares what drew her back to the gaming industry after years in enterprise UX and voice design, and how her new book, The Game Development Strategy Guide, distills insights across disciplines to help teams build modern games that truly thrive.

The conversation ranges from the power of cross-functional collaboration to the benefits UX skills bring to game development to the monetization models shaping today’s games. Cheryl reflects on the challenges facing the industry—massive layoffs, misaligned incentives, and a lack of shared understanding—and how a more human-centered, sustainable approach could be a game changer. 

Whether you're a UX professional, game developer, or just curious about what makes great video games tick, this episode offers a sharp, wide-angle view of where the field is headed.

The Intersection of Game Development and User Experience with Cheryl Platz

Lou Rosenfeld talks with a LOT of brilliant, interesting changemakers in the UX world and beyond. Subscribe to the Rosenfeld Media podcast for a bird's eye view into what shifts UX faces, and how individuals and teams can respond in ways that drive success.

OLD ADVENTURES IN LO-FI... 

Next to a small little cobblestone street on the edge of Vancouver's Gastown used to be a bunch of rehearsal spaces for local bands, with all the aesthetics, trappings, and varmints of a set from David Fincher's Fight Club. Matt Wilson, the ex-bassist from from late 90s Campbell River rock band halcyon days had a shared room here with his other band and in late 2008 suggested to former bandmates Joel Flynn (vocals, acoustic guitar) and Derek Lee (drums) to come on by and make use of the space. After the sudden passing of Flynn's father in December of that year, the ex-Riverite singer needed some music to work through the situation. He recruited two other ex-Riverites, his nephew Luke Schuss on guitar and Erin Lahay on piano/keyboards. 

To honour the infamous old singing fisherman - Flynn's father Doug, who had moved on to Fiddler's Green - the five-piece put together a bunch of mostly Irish-themed songs to play at a St. Patrick's Day memorial at the Media Club. The nameless group continued to get together and learn songs, some new originals and holdovers from the halcyon days era, but mostly just a bunch of cover songs that were fun to play. Borrowing Flynn's nom-de-plume of that he used for his digital media art experiments, the band played one other show at the Media Club in July of 2009, but never did anything else outside the walls and microphones of, ahem, "Cobblestone Road Studios". 

Of course, "studios" is saying a bit much, as it is basically a 15'x15' room with some randomly placed microphones. These consisted of either a Rode Podcaster or an iPod nano with a Belkin stereo mic attachment, which were later thrown together into multitrack Garageband projects. Yet this bare minimal approach did the lo-fi job and the Campbell River collective continued to play away in the space until it was closed down in early 2010. Some informal recording took place during this time, but was more note-taking and reference material for the band members than anything else. 

Later in the year, while backing up all these recordings to a new hard drive, Flynn ended up losing most of them when the brand new drive crashed within a  week (damn you LaCie!). File recovery software couldn't identify the Garageband files, and the old "throw the drive in the freezer" last resort couldn't get the drive spinning. The still nameless band never ended up finding another full rehearsal space, or play another show as a full band, while the lost Garageband recordings are still sitting unrecoverable on the busted LaCie (with the eye-catching design by Porsche). 

FAST FORWARD: While rummaging through discs, drives, and other piled up office stuff in early 2011, Flynn came across an old recovery disc from the busted LaCie drive. On it were some raw and rough mp3s taken during the group's rehearsals in 2009 that he gave a listen. With Erin now on a two-year 'round the world adventure, and the rest of the band still in limbo with other projects and a lack of a regular rehearsal space, Flynn decided to collect and coordinate some of these lo-fi recordings through a SoundCloud page, which has now been repurposed for Podstream Studio's uses.

New tracks tagged #experience design