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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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes254Founded9 years ago
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Artwork for Design Better

Latest Episodes

Fifteen years ago, Eric Ries handed a generation of founders a playbook. When Eli was in a Palo Alto-based startup accelerator in 2011, The Lean Startup felt like the only book anyone in that ecosystem was talking about. It was in the middle of a wil... more

A few years ago, Ian Bogost wrote what he thought was a throwaway Atlantic piece about how electric vehicles would finally kill the manual transmission. It went off like a bomb — and the reaction told him people weren’t mourning a car part. They were... more

Years ago, two friends in Philadelphia — both designers, both obsessed with jazz — kept noticing the same notation on the back of their favorite records: “recorded by Van Gelder in Hackensack.” So one Saturday they drove out to find it. They tracked ... more

Niyati Gupta describes her career as one long experiment — deliberately putting herself in uncomfortable, ambiguous situations and treating every move as a personal learning loop. That instinct took her from a bachelor’s in design inside one of India... more

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Recent Guests

Ian Bogost
Game designer, Atlantic contributor, and philosopher of the everyday
Washington University in St. Louis; The Small Stuff author
Episode: Ian Bogost: Game designer, Atlantic writer, and philosopher of the ordinary, on the small stuff that makes life delightful
Mark Havens
Co-author of WAIL, The Visual Language of Prestige Records
Authors of WAIL
Episode: Chris Entwisle and Mark Havens: authors of WAIL on the constraints that led to timeless designs for Prestige Records
Chris Entwisle
Co-author of WAIL, The Visual Language of Prestige Records
Authors of WAIL
Episode: Chris Entwisle and Mark Havens: authors of WAIL on the constraints that led to timeless designs for Prestige Records
Niyati Gupta
Senior Product Designer at Netflix, previously at Google/Autodesk/Meta
Netflix
Episode: Niyati Gupta: Netflix Product Design Lead on what happens when a designer becomes a product manager, and why your influence might not be in your title
Mike Schnaidt
Creative Director at Fast Company; author of Creative Endurance
Fast Company
Episode: Mike Schnaidt: Fast Company Creative Director on typography, creative endurance, and designing for the long haul
Dorrian Porter
Founder/CEO of Vestaboard, creator of Vestaboard Note
Vestaboard
Episode: Bonus Episode: Dorrian Porter returns with the Vestaboard Note
Tina Roth Eisenberg
Founder of Creative Mornings; Swiss Miss; Friends Work Here; Tattly
Creative Mornings; Swiss Miss; Friends Work Here; Tattly
Episode: Tina Roth Eisenberg: Creative Mornings founder on building communities that run on trust
Paul Ford
Writer, developer, and co-founder of Abort
Abort
Episode: Paul Ford: Writer, developer & "fun Cassandra" on why everything is changing (but not how you think)
Jessie McGuire
Managing partner at Thought Matter, designer and educator
Thought Matter
Episode: Jessie McGuire: National Design Award-winning studio leader on design as a civic tool

Hosts

Eli Woolery
Host of Design Better; Design Better (The Curiosity Department)
Aarron Walter
Co-host of Design Better; Host of Design Better

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.1k 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 Statesa year 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 States2 years 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.

Listeners praise the high-caliber guests and in-depth, thoughtful questions.
Audience notes strong value in practical takeaways and real-world design workflows.
Some feedback highlights ads and paywalls as a drawback for free listeners.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#13
United States/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#4
Canada/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#69
United Kingdom/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#90
Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#9
Germany/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#10
Italy/Arts/Design

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Chris Entwisle and Mark Havens: authors of WAIL on the constraints that led to timeless designs for Prestige Records
Q: Take us behind the scenes. Who are the characters that are creating these covers? Who are they? What's their background?
The designers were a mix of young artists, photographers, and graphic designers in 1950s New York, many working for hire and coming from fine art backgrounds; Reid Miles was a standout who bridged commercial art and more painterly, cross-disciplinary approaches, with others like Hannon and Young contributing distinct visual voices.
Ian Bogost: Game designer, Atlantic writer, and philosopher of the ordinary, on the small stuff that makes life delightful
Q: What would that change be if designers had a magic wand to improve software design for better, more gratifying experiences?
Increase curiosity and widen the scope of phenomena designers consider; treat as a core practice to notice and value the subtle, everyday signals in interactions, not just KPIs or outcomes.
Tina Roth Eisenberg: Creative Mornings founder on building communities that run on trust
Q: What practical advice would you give someone looking to start a Creative Mornings in their city?
Go to creativemornings.com, click start a chapter (it's a thorough process), and once you're hosting a city you receive comprehensive resources and join a global network that supports you.
Tina Roth Eisenberg: Creative Mornings founder on building communities that run on trust
Q: What are the core criteria you look for when selecting speakers for Creative Mornings?
Speakers should model a creative, brave life and show that taking risks is possible, sharing examples of people who push boundaries and build things that seem a little crazy but inspiring.
Tina Roth Eisenberg: Creative Mornings founder on building communities that run on trust
Q: So Creative Mornings is massive now—how would you describe its scale to someone new?
It started in New York to gather creative people under generosity and curiosity, and now it's 252 cities in 70 countries with over 1,000 volunteers serving around 25,000 people per month for free.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Design Better

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

Design-focused conversations blend practical design methods with technology and creativity. Episodes frequently explore collaboration, design thinking, and the role of AI as a creative partner, often linking studio practice to product, platform, and organizational design. Guests range from researchers and educators to industry leaders and creatives, sharing actionable tips for teams, leadership, pricing psychology, and building meaningful, human-centered experiences. A notable throughline is learning to balance structure with experimentation, maintain psychological safety in groups, and keep a curious, growth-minded mindset at the center of design work. The show often features cross-disciplinary guests who illuminate how design thinking can... more

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How many subscribers and views does Design Better have?

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Which podcasts are similar to Design Better?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Design Better:

1. Design Matters with Debbie Millman
2. Creative Confidence Podcast
3. How I AI
4. Monocle on Design
5. The Futur with Chris Do

How many episodes of Design Better are there?

Design Better launched 9 years ago and published 254 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?

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What guests have appeared on Design Better?

Recent guests on Design Better include:

1. Ian Bogost
2. Mark Havens
3. Chris Entwisle
4. Niyati Gupta
5. Mike Schnaidt
6. Dorrian Porter
7. Tina Roth Eisenberg
8. Paul Ford

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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