Unpacking the stories, learnings and expert advice of world-class UX, design and product management professionals, Brendan Jarvis is on a mission to help you to create better products.
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Unpacking the stories, learnings and expert advice of world-class UX, design and product management professionals, Brendan Jarvis is on a mission to help you to create better products.
Dave Hoffer โ Empathy, Courage, and the Future of Design
Brave UX with Brendan Jarvis ๐บ๐ฆ
1 hour 13 minutes 14 seconds
4 months ago
Dave Hoffer โ Empathy, Courage, and the Future of Design
Dave Hoffer shares why design demands empathy ๐ง , courage ๐ก๏ธ, and long-term thinking ๐ฑโand how amplifying others can transform leadership in uncertain times ๐.
He explores designโs shifting role in business, the disruptive rise of AI, and why resilience and critique will shape the future of design.
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Episode Chapters
00:00 โ Welcome and Introduction04:42 โ Daveโs Instinct to Amplify Others Over Himself08:36 โ Weathering Layoffs and the Power of Staying the Course12:43 โ From Personal Crisis to Mission-Driven Work17:24 โ Why Hope and Long-Term Thinking Matter in Design21:24 โ Courage, Critique, and Speaking Truth to Power24:20 โ Designโs Role in Policy and Sustainability28:17 โ Is UX Dead? Navigating the AI Disruption32:35 โ Spectral Thinking: Understanding the Human Spectrum37:11 โ The Hard Cost of Empathy in Design42:05 โ Why Executives Must Experience Real Empathy48:13 โ Empathy, Judgment, and Learning from Outliers54:10 โ What Research with Outliers Teaches Us58:13 โ How Physical Labor (Like Bricklaying) Changes Perspective1:04:09 โ Think Like a Gardener, Not an Architect1:07:00 โ Why Designโs Work Isnโt Done Yet1:10:54 โ Taste, Design Leadership, and Meeting Halfway1:11:57 โ Closing Reflections and Where to Find Dave
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Who is Dave Hoffer?
Dave Hoffer is a seasoned design leader and strategist whose career spans product design, digital innovation, and design transformation ๐.
He has:
Led design teams at Frog Design, PwC, and McKinsey & Company
Grown McKinseyโs global design practice from a handful of designers to hundreds ๐
Brought design strategy into the heart of business and policy change
Advised mission-driven organisations like Safe Kids AI ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ
Advocated for amplifying others and championing empathy and critique as foundations for impactful leadership โจ
Today, Dave advises organisations as an independent consultant, helping them embed human-centered design practices into strategy and transformation initiatives.
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Find Dave Hoffer here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-hoffer/Website: https://www.mpqd.com/
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Hosted by Brendan Jarvis:
Brendan Jarvis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanjarvis/
The Space InBetween Website: https://thespaceinbetween.co.nz/
Brave UX with Brendan Jarvis ๐บ๐ฆ
Unpacking the stories, learnings and expert advice of world-class UX, design and product management professionals, Brendan Jarvis is on a mission to help you to create better products.