Lorilee is joined by fellow designer and Vermont College of Fine Arts graduate, Shruthi Manjula Balakrishna. Shruthi is an accomplished creative who draws from many different fields for inspiration in her design aesthetic. Her work is deeply influenced by her interest in anthropology, philosophy, and behavioral psychology, as she strives to create with a human-centric sensibility. In addition to her role as Design Director at Austin, Texas based firm, FÖDA, Shruthi is also an educator, speaker, and researcher, exploring the effects of design on human behavior through her position as a Doctor of Design scholar at North Carolina State University. Shruthi and Lorilee discuss the balancing points between strategy and creativity, the importance of using both sides of our brains, the intrinsic value of listening, and how data can be an essential resource for designers, just as creativity can be equally as valuable for strategic teams.

Highlights: 

• On Shruthi’s playlist: Silence…and Bollywood music!
• How she got her start in advertising strategy
• The importance of synthesizing art and science
• Bolstering efficiency and efficacy in design by maintaining inclusivity between creative and strategic teams
• Internal/narcissistic Listening vs. focused listening vs. 360 listening
• How the psychology of consumption informs the psychology of design and vice versa
• One tool for our G&G toolbox

Mentioned in this episode:

• Yoon Soo Lee
• VCFA
• Hick’s Law

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