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Design Better co-hosts Eli Woolery and Aarron Walter explore the intersection of design, technology, and the creative process through conversations with guests across many creative fields, helping you hone your craft, unlock your creativity, and learn the art of collaboration. Whether you’re design curious or a design pro, Design Better is guaranteed to inspire and inform. Vanity Fair calls Design... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes227Founded8 years ago
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Artwork for Design Better

Latest Episodes

We recorded this special live episode of Design Better at Sequoia Capital in Silicon Valley, with our Experts in Residence: Irene Au, Kevin Bethune, and James Buckhouse.

Longtime listeners will recognize these names—Irene appeared on Episode 1 of De... more

There was a time when a movie title sequence was just the moment you grabbed your popcorn and waited for the real show to start. But in the mid-90s and early 2000’s, that changed forever with films like Seven and shows like Mad Men and Stranger Thing... more

As 2025 draws to a close, it’s time to pause and take stock of what’s been a transformational year in design. From Figma’s landmark IPO to the rise of AI across every category of product, to major brand evolutions at Nike, Netflix, and The New York T... more

We’re taking a holiday break, so we’re rewinding to one of our favorite episodes this year with Cassie McDaniel, Medium’s head of design. We’re also including video from the episode, which you can watch here or on our YouTube channel at dbtr.co/youtu... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
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Recent Guests

Mikon van Gastel
Co-founder and chief creative officer of Sibling Rivalry
Sibling Rivalry
Episode: Mikon van Gastel: Co-Founder of Sibling Rivalry on why presentation skills matter more than design skills
Aaron Draplin
Founder of Draplin Design Co and co-founder of Field Notes
Draplin Design Co
Episode: Aaron Draplin: Field Notes co-founder on what skate culture taught him about design
Jessica Hische
Known for her lettering and illustration work with clients like Wes Anderson and The New York Times.
Episode: Jessica Hische and Chris Shiflett: Designing business tools that support how creatives actually work
Chris Shiflett
Co-founder of Brooklyn Beta and an early pioneer in web development.
Episode: Jessica Hische and Chris Shiflett: Designing business tools that support how creatives actually work
Cecilia Brenner
Managing director at Design for Good
Design for Good
Episode: Cecilia Brenner: Moving beyond design theater to measurable impact
Ben Swire
Author of 'Safe Danger', focuses on building psychological safety in teams.
Make Believe Works
Episode: Ben Swire: Author of "Safe Danger" on the hidden reason team building efforts fail
Alison Rand
A leader in design operations and author of the book 'Sentido.'
Design Better
Episode: Alison Rand: Leading with radical humanity instead of radical candor
Mark Wilson
Journalist at Fast Company
Fast Company
Episode: The Brief: How our recent past should prepare us for the age of AI
Kate Aronowitz
Partner at Google Ventures
Google Ventures
Episode: The Brief: How our recent past should prepare us for the age of AI

Hosts

Eli Woolery
Co-host, focusing on design and creative processes with a background in product design and innovation.
Aarron Walter
Co-host and advocate for design thinking, exploring the relationship between technology and design.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1k ratings
  • Ads

    Great podcast but waaaaaayyy too many adds that are way too long. Stop selling out and focus on content.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    NVSF95
    United States10 months ago
  • More industrial design

    A real design podcast like we all need. Only wish there was more episodes on product / industrial design! SCAD episode was amazing

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    kev_paris_88
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great interview

    Inspiring and full of energy, culture, curiosity and very easy to follow up.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Agheor
    Italy2 years ago
  • Not anymore

    Used to be a great show. Now hidden behind a 7$/month paywall. The “free” shows are now 20 minutes long, including 8 minutes of ads and announcements to cconvert listeners into subscribers. Not worth it anymore.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    highway84revisited
    United States2 years ago
  • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Design Better is a beacon of inspiration for anyone passionate about the intersection of design, technology, and creativity! Whether you're a seasoned design professional or simply curious about the world of design, each episode promises to spark your creativity. I can’t recommend this show enough!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Andieo1997
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The podcast is praised for its insightful conversations with distinguished guests that inspire creativity and innovation.
Listeners appreciate the production quality and the thought-provoking nature of the discussions, although some express concerns about the prevalence of advertisements.
Feedback indicates a strong desire for more episodes focused on specific aspects of design, highlighting the audience's enthusiasm for in-depth explorations.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#13
United States/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#18
Canada/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#24
United Kingdom/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#20
Germany/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#23
France/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#27
Australia/Arts/Design

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Jessica Hische and Chris Shiflett: Designing business tools that support how creatives actually work
Q: Can you give us a quick synopsis of what Studioworks does for its customers?
Studioworks focuses on simplifying invoicing and payments to help independent creatives manage their finances better without the complexity seen in other accounting software.
Phil Gilbert: Making a 114-year-old, 400,000 person company care about design
Q: What role did physical studio spaces play in this transformation?
The spaces were designed to promote collaboration and reflect a modern work environment, knocking down silos.
Phil Gilbert: Making a 114-year-old, 400,000 person company care about design
Q: What methodologies did you employ to implement design thinking at IBM?
The program was branded, required immersive experiences, and maintained ongoing support to overcome challenges.
Phil Gilbert: Making a 114-year-old, 400,000 person company care about design
Q: How does treating change like a product shift leadership priorities?
This shift changes everything, as leaders understand that if change fails, it is ultimately their responsibility.
Cecilia Brenner: Moving beyond design theater to measurable impact
Q: Can you just break it down for us like the projects a little bit?
Brenner explains how Design for Good mobilizes designers for specific projects that align with the UN SDGs and the structured process they use for design and implementation.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Design Better

What is Design Better about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast explores the intersection of design, technology, and creativity through insightful conversations with leaders and innovators from various fields. Each episode combines practical advice with inspiring stories, focusing on themes like design thinking, collaboration, and the evolving nature of creative work. The discussions emphasize the importance of thoughtful design in shaping human experiences and highlight the challenges and successes of integrating technology into the creative process. With its diverse array of guests and deep dives into contemporary design trends, the content is likely to resonate with both seasoned professionals and those just beginning their design journeys.

Where can I find podcast stats for Design Better?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Design Better. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Design Better and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Design Better get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Design Better, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Design Better?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Design Better, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Design Better have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Design Better has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Design Better?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Design Better:

1. Design Matters with Debbie Millman
2. The Futur with Chris Do
3. Y Combinator Startup Podcast
4. Hard Fork
5. Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin

How many episodes of Design Better are there?

Design Better launched 8 years ago and published 227 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Design Better?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Design Better?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Design Better from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Design Better?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Design Better. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Design Better?

Recent guests on Design Better include:

1. Mikon van Gastel
2. Aaron Draplin
3. Jessica Hische
4. Chris Shiflett
5. Cecilia Brenner
6. Ben Swire
7. Alison Rand
8. Mark Wilson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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