The Learning Objective: Recent Episodes
ThinkLab and SURROUND
Welcome to The Learning Objective, the first podcast for the architecture and design community where you can receive credit for listening on the go, from ThinkLab and SANDOW DESIGN GROUP.
In this episode, presented by Teknion, ThinkLab interviews Dost Bardouille, Director of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility of Swinerton; and Nina Johnson, Senior Commercial Insights Manager at Armstrong Craven. They discuss the pitfalls of traditional mentorship and explore three additional solutions for career development and upskilling your talent in a modern era. Accredited for: IDCEC | 0.5 CEU After listening, you will be able to:
Identify a key shift impacting career development today
Compare three new methods used for engagement
Assess the D.E.I. benefits of champions
Summarize the 7 considerations needed in designing a shadow board.
In part one, we sit down with Dost Bardouille of Swinerton to evaluate the pitfalls of traditional career development and compare two new methods of connection: sponsorship and champions. And in part two, we sit down with Nina Johnson of Armstrong Craven to identify how implementing a shadow board, a tactic that major fashion house Gucci used, can provide employees with high level engagement and in turn prove long-term success for a company's growth. Quiz: Want CEU credit for listening? Take the quiz and earn your certificate of completion. How it works: Step 1: Listen to the episode. Step 2: Visit this link to take a short, 5-question quiz. *Scoring an 80% or above on the quiz will earn you 0.5 CEU Step 3: Upon passing the quiz, receive your certificate of completion from CEU provider Teknion. Connect with our expert guests on LinkedIn: Nina Johnson Dost Bardouille
In this episode, ThinkLab interviews Amanda Schneider, president and founder of ThinkLab, and Jessica Jenkins, co-host of The Learning Objective and part of the research and development team at ThinkLab. Together, they discuss the findings of this year’s design hackathon, sharing their aha moments. They dismantle assumptions about what other generations think Gen Zers want from their workplace — and use data and interviews to uncover what Gen Zers actually want, what inspires them, and how to capture their loyalty. Accredited for: IDCEC | 0.5 CEU Course number: 119305-1000 After listening, you will be able to:
Analyze how Gen Z is an arrow to the future of the design industry.
Contrast how the assumptions about Gen Z differ from what the data revealed.
Identify the five challenge areas for connecting with Gen Z.
Implement solutions for each of those five challenges.
In this episode, we dig into the findings of this year’s design hackathon, which included a survey of more than 1,800 designers, as well as more than 20 hours of focus groups on these topics. Specifically, we focus on the following challenge areas: culture, creativity, relationships, loyalty, and learning. Each area revealed crucial ways in which Gen Zers differs from previous generations. This ranged from the practical, such as which way they prefer to communicate (no calls, please!) to the more profound: Gen Zers consider both physical and digital to be part of one unbroken experience, instead of two distinct and separate ways to work. Alongside these insights, Schneider and Jenkins describe concrete actions that firms can take to integrate Gen Zers and take advantage of their fresh perspective. Quiz: Want CEU credit for listening? Click here to take the quiz, and earn your certificate of completion. How it works: Step 1: Listen to the episode. Step 2: Visit this link to take a short, 5-question quiz. *Scoring an 80% or above on the quiz will earn you 0.5 CEU. Step 3: Upon passing the quiz, receive your certificate of completion. Look out for this at the end of the quiz. Step 4: No need to self-report, the provider of this episode will do so for you.
A huge thank you to our Design Hackathon CEU partners who made this episode possible: Mannington, 3form, Allsteel, Material Bank, and Milliken. Visit here if you want them to bring these insights directly to your firm or if you want to take the digital on-demand CEU course.
Connect with our expert guests on LinkedIn: Amanda Schneider Jessica Jenkins
In this episode, presented by DIRTT, ThinkLab interviews Daniel Hall, assistant professor at the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands, and Amy Marks, VP at Autodesk, on what industrialized design means, how it works, and how it can help designers and manufacturers collaborate more closely. Accredited for: IDCEC, AIA | 0.5 CEU/0.5 LU After listening, you will be able to:
Summarize what industrialized construction encompasses.
Contrast how industrialized construction differs from conventional construction.
Analyze how industrialized construction changes the traditional design process.
Examine how industrialized construction enables new product and process innovation.
Our first guest, Daniel Hall, assistant professor at TU Delft, provides his own definition of industrialized construction. He also explains how designers who adopt this holistic approach and move away from the conventional design process will experience three mindset shifts. Hall also stresses how industrialized construction can enable more circular design in the built environment. Amy Marks, vice president of industrialized construction at Autodesk, shares her vision for the future of industrialized construction — especially as a way to connect designers and manufacturers earlier in the design process. She describes how industrialized construction requires thinking of the built environment as a product rather than a project, and that finding a way to “productize” process development can lead to better business and sustainability outcomes. Quiz: Want CEU credit for listening? Click here to take the quiz, and earn your certificate of completion. How it works: Step 1: Listen to the episode. Step 2: Sign in at this link to take a short, 5-question quiz. We recommend you take this on a desktop. *Scoring an 80% or above on the quiz will earn you 0.5 CEU/0.5 LU. Step 3: Upon passing the quiz, receive your certificate of completion via email from CEU sponsor DIRTT. Step 4: Self-report to IDCEC and AIA. Connect with our expert guests on LinkedIn: Daniel Hall Amy Marks
After listening, you will be able to:
Identify key themes in material innovation.
Contrast trends happening in the consumer goods space with those impacting the design industry.
Analyze how sustainability is impacting product design in interiors.
Examine how adaptability will be a key theme in the future.
Material ConneXion is a material insights company working to connect product designers with the right materials for whatever they’re creating. Jennifer Gumpert is Material ConneXion’s VP of business operations, and Dr. Andrew Dent is its EVP of material research. They give an insider’s look on the latest material innovations, as well as emerging trends both in and outside the design industry, including “material-minded design.” Sustainability is becoming an ever-present concern, and Dent and Gumpert discuss the importance of working with both existing materials and simpler materials to keep environmental impact low. Gumpert also urges listeners to remember our shared responsibility around materials — as consumers, as specifiers, and as manufacturers. Quiz: Want CEU credit for listening? Click here to take the quiz, and earn your certificate of completion. How it works: Step 1: Listen to the episode. Step 2: Sign in at this link to take a short, 5-question quiz. *Scoring an 80% or above on the quiz will earn you 0.5 CEU/0.5 LU. Step 3: Upon passing the quiz, receive your certificate of completion via email from CEU sponsor Delta Faucet Company. Step 4: Self-report to IDCEC and AIA. Connect with our expert guests on LinkedIn: Andrew Dent Jennifer Gumpert
In this episode, presented by Mannington Commercial, ThinkLab interviews author Gleb Tsipursky on best practices for adopting a hybrid-first model and how to guide clients no matter where they fall on the physical/virtual spectrum. We also share clips from a ThinkLab digital seminar with two leaders from top design firms: David Galullo, CEO of Rapt Studio, and Brett Shwery, senior vice president at AECOM. They discuss how their teams are staying connected regardless of distance. Accredited for: IDCEC, AIA | 0.5 CEU/0.5 LU After listening, you will be able to: 1. Point out the four cognitive biases that exist around hybrid work. 2. Identify how virtual brainstorming can enhance innovation. 3. Examine methods for successful mentoring in a hybrid or remote environment. 4. Evaluate how to enhance communication with internal teams and with clients. Gleb Tsipursky is the author of Leading Hybrid and Remote Teams and an expert at guiding large organizations on how to implement hybrid work. He describes four mental blind spots that are hindering firms from realizing the full potential of a hybrid work model. He also explains the advantages of virtual “asynchronous” brainstorming, a process in which participants come up with ideas at their own pace, rather than at the same time. This episode also includes thoughts from two leaders at Interior Design Giants of Design firms on how their teams are staying connected, regardless of distance. David Galullo, CEO and chief creative director of Rapt Studio, stresses that organizations will need to experiment with new hybrid policies, such as virtual “office hours.” Brett Shwery, senior vice president and director of interiors at AECOM, mentions how his firm tested out taking a walk during a weekly hybrid call; instead of a PowerPoint presentation, participants shared photos of their walks as a way to introduce an interactive element. Quiz: Want CEU credit for listening? Click here to take the quiz, and earn your certificate of completion. How it works: Step 1: Listen to the episode. Step 2: Click this link to take a short, 5-question quiz. * Scoring an 80% or above on the quiz will earn you 0.5 CEU/0.5 LU. Step 3: Upon passing the quiz, receive your certificate of completion via email from CEU sponsor Mannington Commercial. Step 4: Self-report to IDCEC and AIA.
Connect with our expert guests on LinkedIn: Gleb Tsipursky David Galullo Brett Shwery
In this episode, presented by Keilhauer, ThinkLab interviews designer Alanna Call and creativity researcher Keith Sawyer on how to foster the superpower of creativity and combat constraints on creative output. Accredited for: IDCEC, AIA | 0.5 CEU/0.5 LU After listening, you will be able to: 1. Identify the constraints happening in the world around us that are impacting creativity. 2. Assess how design teams can find creativity and innovation despite outside pressures. 3. Examine real-life examples of harnessing creativity “on demand” in projects. 4. Evaluate ways that groups can have the greatest creative output. Alanna Call is the creative lead and storyteller at CID Design Group. She identifies the external pressures that are making it difficult for creativity to flourish in the design industry. And she shares the unique ways in which how her hospitality and branding firm is cultivating creativity — including placing a special importance on research and future-proofing. Keith Sawyer is a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a creativity researcher who has spent the past 10 years studying how people become designers and architects at universities. He describes common features of creative groups across disciplines and explains how four elements — technology, expectations, expertise, and deadlines — are currently constraining creativity. Quiz: Want CEU credit for listening? Click here to take the quiz, and earn your certificate of completion. How it works: Step 1: Listen to the episode. Step 2: Sign in at this link to take a short, 5-question quiz. * Scoring an 80% or above on the quiz will earn you 0.5 CEU/0.5 LU. Step 3: Upon passing the quiz, receive your certificate of completion via email from CEU sponsor Keilhauer. Step 4: Self-report to IDCEC and AIA. Connect with our expert guests on LinkedIn: Alanna Call Keith Sawyer
Special thanks to our CEU episode sponsor, Keilhauer, for partnering with us to provide valuable insights on compelling topics for the design industry.
In this episode, presented by Delta Faucet Company, ThinkLab interviews designers Sequoyah Hunter-Cuyjet and Susie Wise on how to reimagine current design practices to be more inclusive and to redefine what makes good design.
Accredited for: IDCEC, AIA | 0.5 CEU/0.5 LU After listening, you will be able to: 1. Identify principles of designing for equity. 2. Evaluate how current design practices can be reimagined to design with equity in mind. 3. Define belonging, othering, and inclusion, and examine their importance. 4. Assess how to design with belonging as the main goal for projects. Sequoyah Hunter-Cuyjet is vice president of Determined by Design, a firm which developed a framework of seven key principles for achieving design equity. She walks us through each of those principles and how they differ from the typical design process you might be used to.
Susie Wise is an educator at Stanford’s d.school and author of Design for Belonging. She describes how to consider belonging as the end point of a design — and how encouraging belonging is also a crucial part of helping your team members show up and contribute their best work. Quiz: Want CEU credit for listening? Click here to take the quiz, and earn your certificate of completion. How it works: Step 1: Listen to the episode. Step 2: Sign in at this link to take a short, 5-question quiz. * Scoring an 80% or above on the quiz will earn you 0.5 CEU/0.5 LU. Step 3: Upon passing the quiz, receive your certificate of completion via email from CEU sponsor Delta Faucet Company. Step 4: Self-report to IDCEC and AIA. Connect with our expert guests on LinkedIn: Sequoyah Hunter-Cuyjet Susie Wise Special thanks to our CEU episode sponsor, Delta Faucet Company, for partnering with us to provide valuable insights on compelling topics for the design industry.
In this episode, presented by Mannington Commercial, ThinkLab interviews two experts in the emerging field of neuroaesthetics: Susan Magsamen, the director of Johns Hopkins’ International Arts + Mind Lab, and Suchi Reddy, architect and founder of Reddymade. They explain how neuroaesthetics can provide clues about how our bodies respond to design on a biological level. ThinkLab also speaks with David Rockwell, founder of Rockwell Group, who discusses his multidisciplinary approach to design, creating memorable experiences blending both theater and architecture.
Accredited for: IDCEC, AIA | 0.5 CEU/0.5 LU After listening, you will be able to: 1. Identify what neuroaesthetics is and how it can be used in architecture and interiors. 2. Examine projects where neuroaesthetics and biometric data were used to inform participants’ unique experiences. 3. Evaluate how you can use data and technology in projects to measure experience and influence outcomes. 4. Point out the six ways that architecture can draw from theater in creating experience.
Tune in as Magsamen and Reddy describe their unique exhibit, “A Space for Being,” hosted at Milan’s Salone del Mobile design fair. Their team designed three separate spaces, each evoking a different emotional experience by using contrasting visuals, sounds, and smells. Visitors wore a custom wristband that recorded their biometric data to see where they felt most at ease — with surprising results. Magsamen and Reddy discuss how these sorts of insights can influence design thinking and how to use new technology to innovate. Then, Rockwell shares his own perspective on what matters most when creating an engaging experience, whether in designing interiors or theater set design. His focus is on how stories are told and places are formed, and for great design in both fields, he recommends asking how you want the audience to feel. He also looks to the future and discusses his expectations for new forms of public spaces that will appear after the pandemic.
Quiz: Want CEU credit for listening? Click here to take the quiz, and earn your certificate of completion. How it works: Step 1: Listen to the episode. Step 2: Sign in at this link to take a short, 5-question quiz. * Scoring an 80% or above on the quiz will earn you 0.5 CEU/0.5 LU. Step 3: Upon passing the quiz, receive your certificate of completion via email from CEU sponsor Mannington Commercial. Step 4: Self-report to IDCEC and AIA.
Connect with our expert guests on LinkedIn: Susan Magsamen Suchi Reddy David Rockwell Special thanks to our CEU episode sponsor, Mannington Commercial, for partnering with us to provide valuable insights on compelling topics for the design industry.
In this episode, presented by 3form,ThinkLab digs into interviews Zackery Belanger, an expert in acoustic architecture and founder of Arcgeometer, to demystify how acoustics work in the built environment with an engaging discussion on how acoustics work in a space, how to measure them, and why there’s a limit to how precise we can get – as well as what’s next for the future of acoustics and the built environment. Accredited for: IDCEC, AIA | 0.5 CEU/0.5 LU After listening, you will be able to: 1. Point out the “blurry” aspects of acoustics, such as the human perception of sound. 2. Identify the precise tools and measurements available in acoustics. 3. Outline when to bring in an expert and how to incorporate acoustic products. 4. Evaluate how you can “design in the right direction” for the times you don’t have access to an expert.
Tune in as Belanger explains the three main parameters for measuring sound: reverberation, level, and noise reduction coefficient (NRC). But just as importantly, he stresses that designers should consider the array of tools we have available as helpful guides, keeping in mind that there is no precise target to hit for a room to be successful. Balenger also describes how auralization simulations work and how they can help designers before a room is even complete, talking listeners through clips of three simulations. And he encourages designers with recommendations on how to navigate the gray areas of acoustics and when to do so in the process. Quiz: Want CEU credit for listening? Click here to take the quiz, and earn your certificate of completion. How it works: Step 1: Listen to the episode. Step 2: Sign in at this link to take a short, 5-question quiz. * Scoring an 80% or above on the quiz will earn you 0.5 CEU/0.5 LU. Step 3: Upon passing the quiz, receive your certificate of completion via email from CEU sponsor 3form. Step 4: Self-report to IDCEC and AIA. Connect with our speakers on LinkedIn: Cory Lesueur Zackery Belanger Special thanks to our CEU episode sponsor, 3form, for partnering with us to provide valuable insights on compelling topics for the design industry.
Passion-driven people + a culture of overwork = the perfect recipe for burnout. ThinkLab’s Meredith Campbell interviews workplace and culture experts to share how you can reduce the risk of burnout, unlock creative problem solving and improve your work rhythm in this accredited CEU podcast episode.
Accredited for: IDCEC, AIA | 0.5 CEU/0.5 LU After listening, you will be able to: • Analyze the six root causes of burnout • Identify the personality types and groups that tend to be most prone to burnout • Assess how leaders and organizations can combat burnout • Design your own performance cycles to work in harmony with creativity
Jennifer Moss, author of the book The Burnout Epidemic, explores how a culture and legacy of overwork contribute to major burnout in the interior design industry. She describes how leaders need to recognize the standards they’re modeling for their employees, and shares findings from her research. Finally, Rahaf Harfoush, author of Humane Productivity, spells out the four stages of the creative process and gives her recommendations for countering “productivity propaganda.” She stresses the importance of protecting yourself from burnout by prioritizing rest, which is especially crucial for creatives. Quiz: Want CEU credit for listening? Click here to take the quiz and earn your certificate of completion. How it works: Step 1: Listen to the episode Step 2: Sign in at this link to take a short, 5 question quiz * Scoring an 80% or above on the quiz will earn you 0.5 CEU/0.5 LU Step 3: Upon passing the quiz, receive your certificate of completion via email from CEU sponsor Delta Faucets Step 4: Self-report to IDCEC and AIA Connect with our speakers on LinkedIn: Faye Adams Jennifer Moss Rahaf Harfoush Special thanks to our CEU episode sponsor, Delta Faucet Company, for partnering with us to provide valuable insights on compelling topics for the design industry.
Welcome to The Learning Objective, the first podcast for the architecture and design community where you can receive CEU credit for listening on the go. Hosted by Meredith Campbell, Research and Content Developer at ThinkLab, the research division of SANDOW Design Group, this podcast brings you the most compelling topics that are top of mind for the design community in an audio-CEU format eligible for credits from IDCEC & AIA. Curiosity is inherent to creativity. Tune in each month as we satisfy design curiosities and CEU requirements – all in just half an hour. Want to stay up to speed while staying away from the screen? Subscribe Now!