Technical Difficulties

Technical Difficulties

por Liz Gerber

Diseño Tecnología

Temporada 1

From Researching Buffet Lines to Designing Technology with Emily Harburg, PairUp

How did researching buffet lines inspire the pursuit of designing technology? Join Emily Harburg, CEO of PairUp, as she takes us along her adventures in industry, startups, and academia. Emily worked on theme park technology at Disney Imagineering, UX research at Facebook (Meta), and led Emerging Tech and Innovation and EF Education First. Emily received her PhD in Technology and Social Behavior from Northwestern! Her startup, PairUp, is a digital mentorship platform all about creating workplace relationships that help everyone grow. Watch the video version on Youtube Tune in to hear Emily's perspective on: - Discovering design by researching buffet lines at Disney - Blending computer science and psychology (and not majoring in anything tech-related in undergrad) - It's hard—but not impossible. - Building tech with empathy - Co-founding a nonprofit, Brave Initiatives, dedicated to helping women build tech skills and confidence in coding for social impact - Transitioning from research and academia to the tech entrepreneurship Emily's shoutouts: Check out PairUp here! https://pairupapp.com/ PairUp LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pair-up-inc/ Follow Emily! LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyharburg/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/eharburg?lang=en Technical Difficulties is hosted by Liz Gerber and produced by Lauren Lin & Gilli Nieh. Special thanks to the Alumnae of Northwestern and Northwestern’s Center for HCI + Design.

Creating Space for Yourself in Design with Lesley-Ann Noel, North Carolina State University

How do you create space for your identity in design? Join Lesley-Ann Noel, an Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Design Studies at North Carolina State University, as she brings us along her entire design journey—from her first encounters with design education, creating the Designer's Critical Alphabet, and recently, The Little Book of Designer's Existential Crises in 2022. Lesley brings an expansive lens to practice design through emancipatory, critical, and anti-hegemonic lenses to center those who are often excluded from research. She advocates for critical awareness in design, and sits as co-Chair of the Pluriversal Design Special Interest Group within the Design Research Society. Watch the video version on Youtube Tune in to hear Lesley's perspective on: Her "I'm a designer" moment as a young student Critical thinking in design and design education If you’re not in existential crisis as a designer in 2022, maybe you’re not doing it right! Creating A Designer's Critical Alphabet card deck The Anti-design movement Transactional design research Entering design and challenging it Lesley's shoutouts: A Designer's Critical Alphabet The Little Book of Designer’s Existential Crises in 2022 Pluriversal Design, Design Research Society Follow Lesley! Website: https://lesleyannnoel.wixsite.com/website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesleyannnoel/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesleyannnoel/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/mamaazure Technical Difficulties is hosted by Liz Gerber and produced by Lauren Lin & Gilli Nieh. Special thanks to the Alumnae of Northwestern and Northwestern’s Center for HCI + Design.

Code is about Power, Positionality, & Creativity with Amy Ko, University of Washington

What does "code is power" mean through a technology, design, and justice lens? Join Amy Ko, Professor at the University of Washington Information School, as she recounts her adventures in human-computer interaction, the tech startup world, and academia. She is a leader in computer science education with over 100 published papers and recognition from the ACM (Association for Computing Machinery). Amy researches computing to harness it for play, power, and equity for more technologically just futures. Watch the video version on Youtube Tune in to hear Amy's perspective on: - What sparked her interest in human-computer interaction (HCI) - Moving fast and breaking things(?) - The startup scene as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) - Beta release labels are an accountability excuse - Critically conscious computing - Creative coding Amy's shoutouts: Critically Conscious Computing book Follow Amy! Faculty website: https://faculty.washington.edu/ajko Twitter: @amyjko Technical Difficulties is hosted by Liz Gerber and produced by Lauren Lin & Gilli Nieh. Special thanks to the Alumnae of Northwestern and Northwestern’s Center for HCI + Design.

From Mechanical Engineer to Managing Director of Play with Michelle Lee, IDEO

How does one become a Managing Director of Play? Join Michelle Lee, Partner and Managing Director at IDEO, as she delves into the twists and turns of her design career, starting out as an undergrad unsure how to blend engineering and art, to eventually leading Design for Play at IDEO's Play Lab. She believes the most unconventional paths are the ones that will make you most equipped. At the Play Lab, she applies principles of play to tackle challenges like responsible digital design and sustainable circular economies, building towards better, optimistic futures. Michelle's most recent project is the Designing for Digital Thriving Open Innovation Challenge to reimagine healthy online spaces—check out the winners here! Watch the video version on Youtube! Tune in to hear Michelle's perspective on: Her not-so-linear path across industries like aerospace engineering, toys, apps, and startups Your portfolio does not have to be perfect—be interesting. Circular economy and play Play and "professionalism" are not mutually exclusive Designing your career Open innovation as the future of design Michelle's shoutouts: Designing for Digital Thriving Big chunky crayons Follow Michelle! LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellesklee/ Website: ideoplaylab.com Technical Difficulties is hosted by Liz Gerber and produced by Lauren Lin & Gilli Nieh. Special thanks to the Alumnae of Northwestern and Northwestern’s Center for HCI + Design.

The Business Case for Costumes with Emily Ma, Food for Good @ Google

What is the business case for costume weeks at work or school? Join Emily Ma, Head of Food for Good at Google, as she takes us through her design engineering journey and the curiosities that led her to interesting places. Her work on food and data started at X, Alphabet’s moonshot factory (where she also worked on Glass, Loon and Waymo!). Now, Food for Good is core to Google, where Emily reimagines our food system in service of a more sustainable, equitable and healthy future. Watch the video version on Youtube <p> Tune in to hear Emily's perspective on: Career journey, from mechanical engineering to design and business Staying curious, protecting your energy, and "expertise" The business case for costumes Google's Food for Good The power of power of having a vision and bringing others along Hope and policy making Advice for young people in this world </p> Emily's shoutouts: The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson Follow Emily! LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyjma/ Twitter: @emilyjma Instagram: @emilyjma Technical Difficulties is hosted by Liz Gerber and produced by Lauren Lin & Gilli Nieh. Special thanks to the Alumnae of Northwestern and Northwestern’s Center for HCI + Design.

FEED DROP - Design As Season 3 Trailer

Technical Difficulties is back, with a special rerelease season of your favorite episodes dropping this September, and season four coming in spring 2026. Our host, Liz Gerber, had the privilege of joining Lee Moreau on the Design As podcast to discuss the future of AI and design. Stay tuned for Liz's episode with the release of Design As season three.

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