INSIGHT INSIGHT with Design Research Collective

Hosted by Design Research Collective

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Jan 2026

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About the show

Learn from experts in Design Research and Human Centered Design. Join CEO Sara Frailich as she explores what it means to put people at the center of your design and decisions making in all areas of practice.

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9 recent

January 6, 2026Episode 942 min

episode 9: DANNY GELFMAN

Welcome to INSIGHT INSIGHT with Design Research Collective. In this episode of INSIGHT INSIGHT , host Sara Frailich welcomes Danny Gelfman, a distinguished designer and practice lead at the Innovation Lab at Medtronic. The discussion covers: • Danny’s role in creating complex medical devices like the Smart Sync Programmer for Medtronic's implantable cardiac devices • The importance of collaboration among different disciplines, the iterative process of design, and the role of research and insights in informing design decisions • The essential qualities for success in design research, and how maintaining curiosity and humility fuels his work • Danny also provides insights into reconciling user feedback with design intuition and the significance of effective frameworks in the design process Music courtesy of Chris Castino ( www.chriscastino.com )

December 13, 2024Episode 142 min

episode 8: JACKIE COLBURN

Welcome to INSIGHT INSIGHT with Design Research Collective. Today’s discussion covers: • Jackie’s techniques for helping teams and leaders make important decisions and navigate complex problems • Jackie’s experience with design sprints, including her collaboration with the Google Ventures team on a remote facilitation guide • Jackie’s favorite books (see list below) • The importance of good design, and personal reflections on balancing professional and personal life JACKIE’S RECOMMENDED BOOK LIST: • The Sprint Book: by Jake Knapp with John Zeratsky & Braden Kowitz • Holding Change: by Adrienne Maree Brown • Facilitating Breakthrough: by Adam Kahane • Listen like you Mean It: by Ximena Vengoechea • Validating Product Ideas: by Tomer Sharon Music courtesy of Chris Castino ( www.chriscastino.com )

June 4, 202429 min

EPISODE 7: SEIJEN TAKAMURA

Welcome to Coffee Talk with Design Research Collective. In this episode, host Sara Frailich travels from Minnesota to Portland to meet Seijen Takamara, a fellow expert in human-centered design. The discussion covers: • Seijen’s professional journey, including his roles at Target, US Bank, Strava, and Nike • Design research and user experience in physical and digital spaces • Understanding cultural contexts and avoiding the trap of limiting job titles • How running and parenting have influenced his approach to problem-solving and innovation • Advice for newcomers to the field

March 29, 202429 min

EPISODE 6: MEAGAN JAMIESON

Welcome to Coffee Talk with Design Research Collective. In this episode, host Sara Frailich chats with Polaris Industries Consumer Insights Manager, Meagan Jamieson about: • Why Meagan is a Unicorn in the research industry • Finding her home in the automotive industry • Falling in love with qualitative research • How differentiation comes through deep understanding of unmet need • Taking risks as a student

March 22, 202429 min

EPISODE 5: AUSTIN CURTIS

Welcome to Coffee Talk with Design Research Collective. In this episode, host Sara Frailich chats with Senior Product Insights Researcher, Austin Curtis about: • The power of empathy to fuel innovation • Qualitative research is a real job! • How “food is not going anywhere!” • The joy of interviewing kids • The need for the insight is more important than what we call our jobs

March 7, 202429 min

EPISODE 4: Chris svensrud

Welcome to Coffee Talk with Design Research Collective. In this episode, host Sara Frailich chats with futurist and serial entrepreneur, Chris Svensrud about: * The path from physics to infant mattress design * The power of disruption * Why practicing HCD is similar to basketball * How HCD inspired a new camping mindset * The HCD process and the freedom to bend it

January 25, 202429 min

EPISODE 3: LUCI KANDLER

Welcome to Coffee Talk with Design Research Collective. On this episode, host Sara Frailich, chats with designer and University of Minnesota faculty, Luci Kandler about: Aesthetic vs. technical design NASA's first new spacesuit since the 1970's HCD & curriculum development How customer service is key in HCD Exciting ideas in biomimicry

November 28, 2023Episode 243 min

Episode 2: ASHLEE Moser Francis

Welcome to Coffee Talk with Design Research Collective. In this episode, host Sara Frailich chats with the compassionate and mission-driven, Ashlee Moser Francis about: The unpredictable path of a Human-Centered Design Strategist Birdwatching! Being a how and why person The challenge of working with complex systems and processes The responsibility of a researcher to do no harm Music courtesy of Chris Castino (www.chriscastino.com)

November 17, 2023Episode 147 min

EPISODE 1: Kristin SHARDLOW

On this inaugural episode, host Sara Frailich chats with the thoughtful and talented, Kristin Shardlow about: The challenges of explaining "design research" The beauty of a well-designed spreadsheet All things human-centered design The privilege of doing research in the healthcare space The power of beginner's mind Music courtesy of Chris Castino ( www.chriscastino.com )