the deeply human design podcast

“The quality of our relationships is the only factor linked to how long we live — and how well we live.”

Summary
In this episode, Alla Weinberg and I explore psychological safety, workplace culture, and why the quality of our relationships shapes not just how we work, but how we live. Alla shares her 20-year journey through the design industry — from information architecture to coaching — and the lived experiences that led her to write A Culture of Safety. We talk about toxic and “too nice” cultures, the pressure to “crank out” design, how unsafe environments shut...

“What would it take for design to have its vinyl moment — and reclaim its power beyond JIRA tickets and design systems?”

Summary

In this episode, Danny sits down with James Box, designer, author, and co-founder of Berst - to talk about the changing shape of design careers, the realities of agency vs. product team life, and why so many designers feel trapped in “mechanistic” delivery work. James reflects on his years at ClearLeft, the culture of autonomy and learning that shaped his practice, and the role of communication and uncertainty in good desig...

"As soon as tools exist that don’t require Figma’s learning curve, a very large number of designers will find themselves out of work"

Summary
Today I’m sharing a wide-open, deeply honest conversation with Andy Budd — designer, founder, conference creator, coach, investor, and one of the most quietly influential forces behind the UK design and product community. If you’ve worked in UX anytime in the last two decades, you’ve almost certainly felt Andy’s impact: Clearleft, UX London, dConstruct, Leading Design, CSS Mastery, the Brighton Digital Festival… the list is long for a re...

“What does it mean to recruit in a turbulent UX market — and where is the industry heading?”

Summary
In this episode, Danny speaks with long-time UX and design recruiter Nick Grantham about the realities of today’s hiring landscape. Nick shares his journey from studying design to becoming a specialist design recruiter, the emotional side of matchmaking candidates and teams, and why the last few years have reshaped expectations for designers, hiring managers, and recruiters alike. They discuss the impact of interest rates, AI, internal talent teams, CV myths, candidate overwhel...

What happens when creativity, community, and technology collide?

Summary
In this episode, I catch up with Sol Rogers, my old next-door neighbour from Totnes who’s now the Global Director of Innovation at Magnopus and founder of the award-winning immersive studio Rewind. Sol’s career has spanned VR, film, and emerging tech for Disney, Jaguar, and Meta, and he’s earned an honorary doctorate for his impact on the industry.

We talk about his unconventional start as a new-age traveller, the realities of succes...

“What happens when design grows up?”

Summary
In this episode, Julia and I explore what happens when design grows up — as systems thinking, organisational politics, and industry shifts reshape what it means to do meaningful work. Julia Petretta, an experienced Product Design Leader, has shaped digital experiences across startups and global consultancies — from Welltech and Plum to Accenture, Infinity Works, and Meta’s Oversight Board. With a background spanning UX, service design, and strategy, they’ve led teams, built design practices, and driven AI-powered, user-centred innovation across complex products and services. We talk about findin...

“What happens when your UX career stops fitting the life you want — and you decide to rewrite the story?”

Summary
In this powerful episode, Amy Santee joins me to unpack the realities of building a career in UX — beyond the glossy titles and job descriptions. With a background spanning childhood development, healthcare innovation, and UX strategy at eBay and Civic Software Foundation, Amy has spent over a decade exploring how people, systems, and products connect. Today, as a Design Researcher and Career Strategist, they coach UX professionals through burnout, career change, and the messy re...

“What does it really mean to design with empathy — and how do we stay human in a system that often forgets it?”

Summary
Caro shares her journey from scientific research in New Zealand to becoming a Senior Service Designer in London. She reflects on navigating ambiguity, embracing imposter syndrome, and finding confidence in her own voice. We talk about authenticity in the tech industry, the realities of consultancy, teaching systems thinking, and her passion for empowering young women in tech.

Guest
Caro McElroy

Host
Dan...

“What happens when ambition collides with authenticity — and how do we stay grounded while leading others?”

Summary
In this episode, I sit down with Joe Knowles to explore his career journey, where he grappled with the challenges of a fast-paced UX career. We reflect on his "Icarus moment"—the point where his professional climb led to a personal re-evaluation—and discuss the honest struggles of UX leadership. Joe opens up about the intersection of introversion and authenticity, and the power of being vulnerable in an industry that can often feel like a performa...

Gavin Elliott, a senior design leader, shares his personal struggles, sharing his vulnerability, and how he has navigated his own journey with autism while building a long and demanding career in design.

Gavin is currently Chief Design Officer at Scrumconnect, where he leads user-centred design across major government and private-sector programmes, including the £19m MHCLG account. Previously, he was Senior UX Manager at Shopify, overseeing multiple UX teams and helping deliver key product launches such as Domains and Hydrogen 2.0.

Before that, Gavin headed UX at UK Health S...