Nodes of Design

Christina Goldschmidt is an award-winning design leader who is known for transforming product design teams to work at enterprise scale. She has a proven track record of fostering cultures that drive both business and social impact by unlocking the power of data. Before joining Warner Music Group as their VP of Product Design, Christina spent 25 years gaining cross-functional experience driving digital innovation including at Fortune 500 companies like Etsy, Accenture, Morgan Stanley, American Express, Omnicom Media Group, The Discovery Channel and others. She is an advocate for mental health and works to help managers lead from a place of authenticity. Christina is a board advisor and founding member of the Design Executive Council. Christina received her MBA from NYU Stern, where she is also an Adjunct Professor, and holds a B.S. in design from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.Drawing from 25 years of experience at companies like Etsy, Accenture, and Morgan Stanley, Christina breaks down the misconceptions of vulnerability in the boardroom. We explore how to balance authority with openness, strategies for fostering psychological safety within design teams, and why leading with authenticity is the key to driving both business and social impact.Key Takeaways:Defining "Vulnerability" in a high-stakes design environment.How to maintain leadership authority while staying open.Strategies to build a culture where teams feel safe to innovate.Christina’s personal journey and tips for emerging design leaders.Resources Mentioned:Explore Christina’s portfolio and insights at cgoldschmidt.com.Follow & Rate: If you enjoyed this episode, please follow us and leave a review!Read the Book: Get your copy of Nodes of Wisdom: Lessons from Creative Visionaries on Amazon here.Connect with Tejj: Follow Nodes of Design for more insights into the future of creativity and AI.This podcast aims to make design education accessible to all. Nodes of Design is a non-profit and self-sponsored initiative by Tejj.

In this episode of Nodes of Design, we explore the powerful world of Audio Branding with Dexter Garcia, audio branding strategist, UX sound designer, music producer, and co-founder of Audio UX. Based in New York, Dexter has been instrumental in crafting holistic sonic identity systems for global brands across various industries, including international banks, electric vehicles, AI voice assistants, and smart home appliances.Tune in as Dexter takes us behind the scenes of how sound becomes design. We discuss the psychology of audio, building consistent sonic identities, and how brands can harness the emotional power of sound to create meaningful and memorable connections.If you’ve ever wondered how design is heard, not just seen this episode is for you.Follow Dexter on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dextergarcia/ and visit https://auxnyc.com/ to hear more.Nodes of Wisdom : Lessons from 100 Creative Visionariesbit.ly/NodesofwisdombookThank you for listening to this episode of Nodes of Design. We hope you enjoy the Nodes of Design Podcast on your favorite podcast platforms- Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and many more.If this episode helped you understand and learn something new, please share and join the knowledge-sharing community Spreadknowledge.This podcast aims to make design education accessible to all. Nodes of Design is a non-profit and self-sponsored initiative by Tejj.

In this enlightening episode of Nodes of Design, we sit down with Prof. Amaresh Chakrabarti to explore his journey into design. We discuss how designers can create meaningful societal impact, the evolving role of artists in the AI era, and key takeaways from the DRM method. Prof. Chakrabarti also shares valuable recommendations for designers looking to innovate and push boundaries. Tune in for a masterclass in design thinking, research, and real-world application!Amaresh Chakrabarti is a Senior Professor and current Chair, Department of Design & Manufacturing, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore. He did BE from IIEST Shibpur, ME from IISc Bangalore, and PhD from the University of Cambridge UK, where he led the Design Synthesis group of its Engineering Design Centre (EDC) for 10 years before joining IISc as an Associate Professor. He published 35 books, over 300 peer-reviewed articles, and has 13 patents granted/pending. He co-authored DRM, a methodology used widely as a framework for design research. He founded IDeAS Lab – India's first Design Observatory, and India's first indigenous Smart Factory. He is the founding chair for the Intl Conf Series on Research into Design (ICoRD) and Intl Conf Series on Industry 4.0 & Adv Manufacturing (I4AM). He received the Careers360 Faculty Research Award 2018 for being the 'Most Outstanding Researcher' in Decision Sciences, and among the global top 2% of researchers in 'Design Practice & Management'. He received IISc’s Alumni Award for Excellence in Research in Engineering (2022). He is a Fellow of the Design Society, an Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Engineering Designers, UK, and the current Editor-in-Chief of Artificial Intelligence for Engineering Design, Analysis and Manufacturing Journal (AI EDAM) published by CUP.Springer Book Series Design Sc. & Innov: http://www.springer.com/series/15399Webpage: http://cpdm.iisc.ac.in/people/ac/ac.htmCitations: https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=VvD5STUAAAAJ&hl=enThank you for listening to this episode of Nodes of Design. We hope you enjoy the Nodes of Design Podcast on your favorite podcast platforms- Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and many more.If this episode helped you understand and learn something new, please share and join the knowledge-sharing community Spreadknowledge.This podcast aims to make design education accessible to all. Nodes of Design is a non-profit and self-sponsored initiative by Tejj.

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the ‘Nodes of Design’ podcast! I’m Tejj, and today we have a very special guest joining us. Our show is all about exploring the intersections of design, technology, and human connection, and today we’re in for a treat.It’s my pleasure to introduce James Song– a seasoned design executive with over 20 years of experience building teams, products, and brands that sit at the nexus of digital innovation and tangible human experiences. James is currently the VP of Design at Tinder, where he leads the charge on brand, product, and content design as well as user research. His impressive career also includes being the Head of Design for Meta AI Research, where he helped develop next-generation experiences driven by breakthrough AI research. Prior to that, he was Director of Product Design at Uber, responsible for platform services, micromobility, design systems, and user research – all aimed at building smarter cities and enhancing how we move. And before all of that, as a Creative Director at frog design, he led teams to drive human-centered innovation at the intersection of design, technology, and brand for both enterprises and early-stage startups.Today, we’re excited to dive into a topic that’s resonating deeply with our community – ‘Designing for Collision.’ This theme encapsulates how unexpected, sometimes even serendipitous, interactions in our hyper-connected world can spark creativity and lead to truly innovative solutions.So, whether you’re a seasoned design professional, a beginner, or simply curious about how technology is reshaping human connections, stay tuned – this conversation is bound to offer insights, practical advice, and a lot of inspiration.Nodes of Wisdom Book : https://amzn.in/d/4X22xU9Thank you for listening to this episode of Nodes of Design. We hope you enjoy the Nodes of Design Podcast on your favorite podcast platforms- Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and many more.If this episode helped you understand and learn something new, please share and join the knowledge-sharing community Spreadknowledge.This podcast aims to make design education accessible to all. Nodes of Design is a non-profit and self-sponsored initiative by Tejj.

In this enlightening episode of Nodes of Design, we dive deep into the concept of Ikigai with Alice Au Quan, exploring how this Japanese philosophy can help design a purposeful and fulfilling career. Alice shares her expertise on applying Ikigai to discover the sweet spot between passion, talent, societal needs, and financial sustainability. We tackle common misconceptions about finding career purpose and discuss how design thinking can bridge these gaps. Alice opens up about her personal journey, revealing how she has applied Ikigai principles to navigate challenges and create a meaningful work life. We also explore actionable strategies for uncovering your passions and talents, using them as a foundation to transition into a dream career. Listeners will gain insights on incorporating Ikigai into design practices to craft products and experiences that inspire purpose. Alice also shares her perspective on how the philosophy of Ikigai evolves in a world shaped by automation and AI. Tune in for practical wisdom and inspiration to design a career aligned with your true self! Alice Au Quan, a design executive, futurist, and quantum thinker with an outstanding track record of driving innovation. Alice champions a human-centered, design-first approach to business, believing it can shape a better future for everyone. Over the past two decades, this belief has fueled her leadership journey, helping companies leverage cutting-edge technologies—such as Generative AI, LLMs, AR and blockchain—to identify untapped opportunities, solve user needs, and accelerate growth. She has since held design leadership roles at global companies like Google, Walmart eCommerce, and Procter & Gamble, as well as at high-growth startups in Fintech, like Ripple where she has crafted transformative user experiences. Fun fact, she even worked on MOSAIC, the first internet browser! A creative and business leader, Alice's career spans UX, product, and brand design, consistently delivering user value and business impact, earning her multiple patents. Her leadership philosophy is rooted in inclusivity and compassion, with Ikigai and purpose-driven leadership central to her mission. Ways to connect with Alice: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/aliceauquan/ Website: aliceauquan.com Instagram: aliceauquan X: @aliceQdesign Thank you for listening to this episode of Nodes of Design. We hope you enjoy the Nodes of Design Podcast on your favorite podcast platforms- Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and many more. If this episode helped you understand and learn something new, please share and join the knowledge-sharing community Spreadknowledge. This podcast aims to make design education accessible to all. Nodes of Design is a non-profit and self-sponsored initiative by Tejj. #design #creativity #life #purpose #career