Wait for us!
Wishing our listeners a prosperous 2020. Keep an ear out for us, Jono and Werner will be in your feed soon.
Jan 20, 2020•57 sec
Bloc Thinking
Let's explore ideas and concepts that make designers and entrepreneurs like us tick. Join us as we feed our insatiable curiosity seeking answers to the questions relevant to our listeners from inside and outside Central Europe.
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Episodes
2020 a new decade full of promise!
It's the end of the year and the traditional time for assessments. Both Werner and Jonathan reflect on what went well in 2019 and what they need to work on and improve in 2020. Werner talks about his desire to focus his efforts on structure and process while Jonathan shares how 2019 went well for him and how he wants to continue to do more of what he did during that year. They then talk about the future format they want Bloc Thinking and how they want it to tie better into their professional liv...
Dec 23, 2019•28 min
Do you have any Business in Africa?
Werner and Jono just got back from Berlin and Amsterdam respectively. Jonathan was invited to speak about a project he's doing in West Africa, and Werner attended the inaugural Event Design Collective Mastermind. Both events provided them with an opportunity to reflect on business in Africa and at home.
Dec 02, 2019•44 min
We have a [business] dream to share
Jono and I want to create something else with this platform. Maybe it's time to do something real, something that could gather our listeners around a topic we all care about. Let's face it; we are tired about talking about senior, junior, UX vs UI ... maybe we should be talking about creating sustainable businesses and how we can avoid getting screwed over by the man.
Nov 19, 2019•42 min
Guerilla-gear for research and content creation
Buying the right gear and software for your business can cause headaches and unnecessary strain on your budget. Yet, sometimes you have to take the plunge, and we don't blame you if you get excited about that new piece of kit. Werner's excitement about a recent purchase, to support an upcoming project, takes us on an unplanned detour into the world of AV hardware and the software.
Nov 04, 2019•55 min
What's going on in Jono's head?
Jono's hit a downer this week. I'm sure you've had the same in your business or freelancing practice. We share some honest thoughts and cheer each other up as we continue to be grateful for this adventure of 'self-determination' that we're on. We also have a small reading challenge - if you're like to join us.
Oct 21, 2019•56 min
Finding truth between Zero and One
We gave each other a homework assignment, read 'Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future' by Peter Thiel. We share what we gained from this reading this book (and how it might benefit you).
Oct 07, 2019•40 min
Getting Loupe
Running your own business has its ups, downs and challenges. Jonathan and I share what we've been doing the last few week's wrapping up with Jono's review of the recent Framer Loupe 2019 event he attended in Amsterdam.
Sep 23, 2019•50 min
Variety is the spice of life, including your career
Ahmad Kadhim Head of Design @mytimesaved (Canada) joined us as a special co-host. Together we explore what it means to work remote and to leverage the freedom in a meaningful way. We ask whether formal studies still makes sense. What about having a varied background with a diverse set of skills? Is it an asset, or might it weigh you down?
Sep 02, 2019•1 hr 1 min
Ship fast break things
Jono is on his way to Framer Loupe, and I still love Omnigraffle. Figma, Sketch, Framer and Jonathan's awesome new business cards - yes he is a product manager. What do all this mean? We huddle together in a room to discuss all this and bid each other safe journeys.
Aug 12, 2019•1 hr 3 min
Bootstrapping a business, and crossing boundaries
Starting your own 'sideshow' requires some structure and planning, especially if you have to do it with limited additional investment. We dedicate the bulk of the show discussing a tool we created to help you structure your ideas and bootstrap your gig. We also spend a few minutes, at the start to reflect and pay tribute to a South African legend and what his work meant to Werner and Jono.
Jul 23, 2019•52 min
Work, Health, Love, Play
Listen to your body; keep track of what you are eating and how you are keeping yourself busy. In the episode, Jonathan sign's up for a gym membership, and Werner explores the world of intermittent fasting and tightening the belt on email and interruptions from Donald Trump. Design your life, your work, your health, and love.
Jul 08, 2019•1 hr 1 min
Staying productive when you're the Boss
Productivity. A topic covered by a serial procrastinator and a man who takes his focus to the next level. Jonathan and I chat about our strategies and the software we use to keep ourselves focused and on track. Well, mostly.
Jun 25, 2019•1 hr 4 min
Reflections from Product Camp Gdynia 2019
We reflect on some of the topics the speakers at Product Camp Gdynia sparked this year. Fads, methods, product development, foreign accents and Werner's awesome new pencil are just some of the topics covered in this episode.
Jun 11, 2019•48 min
Life beyond the cubicle
Sometimes you just hit the record button to catch up with an old friend. Jonathan Gall and I reflect on our respective professional journeys since becoming self-employed here in Poland. The pitfalls and insights after beyond the safety of our former cubicles.
May 07, 2019•57 min
In the business of product (Feat. Maciej Saganowski)
Maciej Saganowski is the mastermind behind Ultimo Studio a boutique consultancy located in the North of Poland. His experience in Sales and Marketing has given him a strong business understanding which he believes will be a crucial skill as designers move from general UX roles into Product Design and Development.
Apr 15, 2019•53 min
Inspired by an interesting relationship with Loneliness (Feat. Experience Architect Damian Madray).
A prolific explorer and entrepreneur Damian Madray moved to Silicon Valley where he co-founded The Glint; a collective of creators with the aim to bring people together to connect in deeply authentic ways. This paved the way to his new project, a start-up titled, Presence. It is here that he is focusing on, what he calls an 'enquiry' into how Experiences can be scaled in a sustainable way.
Apr 01, 2019•51 min
TEDxWarsaw 2019, designing the red circle experience
Iryna Oleksiuk and Adam Liwiński is part of the volunteer team designing TEDxWarsaw 2019. Iryna takes care of event-experience while Adam, a TEDx veteran, is the project owner. We peek behind the (Polish) red circle to give you a taste of what (and who) it takes to create this event along with a few handy tips for the next time you get on stage. Psst. Listen to the clip after the end credits to find out how Adam prototyped his apartment :)
Mar 18, 2019•1 hr 11 min
Face-cream or a new server, you decide
No one ever said that it's going to be easy starting your own business. Meet Joanna Skorupska, for a candid discussion on getting fired, discovering the maker movement and finding your calling in life (sometimes in the most remote and unexpected places). Joanna is the founder of Radicalzz studio, where she has made it her mission to accelerate the sustainability and innovation practices in the field of products, and service design and development.
Feb 04, 2019•1 hr 2 min
San Diego Sherrif's Department Special
Starting the new year nice and easy with a few good books and perhaps some Tacos and a good Mexican beer. This episode was recorded in San Diego California and is a rundown of my favourite books of 2018. If you love reading about design, and topics related to becoming more aware then this would be for you. It's also a handy primer, just in case you get locked up, and you're not sure which book to choose from the prison library. Happy 2019!
Jan 21, 2019•48 min
It will be underwater and upside down
Paul Bulencea, is a Romanian Experience Designer, with an unquenchable need to play and explore the universe. He is the co-author of the book Gamification in Tourism and one of the founders of the College of Extraordinary Experiences a remarkable, physical interpretation of Pine and Gilmore's "Experience Economy". Paul was also recognised by Forbes in 2018's 30-under-30.
Nov 12, 2018•55 min
'Design through the Lens of Culture'
I invite you to look at design through the lens of Culture, with Olga Skoczylas. Olga is a Cultural Economist and co-owner of the Design Agency 'Cultural Design'. In this episode, we cover culture, what it means and why it's important but we don't stop there. She has this innate obsession to create domain names and attach projects of all shapes and sizes to them. To that point, the conversation takes an unexpected detour past blockchain, brutalist design, innovation and art.
Oct 17, 2018•56 min
Structured experience design, adult pillow forts and a dungeon bar
Andrew Lacanienta is a Doctoral Candidate in Experience Design at Texas A&M University. He is a close friend who makes a yearly pilgrimage to our side of the world to attend the College of Extraordinary Experiences at Czhocha Castle, Poland. We took some time out of the College schedule to talk about his insights on Experience Desing and focused our conversation on the Theory of Structured Experience Design.
Oct 03, 2018•59 min
Unlocking human potential one brick at a time
Michel Cloosterman from the Association of Master Trainers in the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® provides us with an insight into the method initiated by LEGO CEO Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen back in 1996.
Sep 17, 2018•44 min
Allow yourself to surprise yourself
What if you could practice what you preached? Well, Seth Minard, a former Interaction Designer at Cooper is an Example of that. Seth has turned the focus of his design practice inwards to re-design his life. Perhaps, transformation starts with the designer, before attempting to design experiences for others?
Sep 03, 2018•54 min
Mini-Episode - Tipping my hat to Jonathan Gall
We have a few short announcements and thought we'd try a Mini-Episode. Jonathan's business is growing which is GREAT! However, it has a ripple effect on his involvement in this project as my co-host. We discuss this along with some news about our workshop at Product Development Days.
Aug 27, 2018•9 min
A sneaky plan to get rid of Dinosaurs
Wojtek Kutyla values the ability of a designer to play the role of enabler, and we ‘absolutely’ agree with his approach. If you building something with a team of people they, we, are all busy with the act of creation. In his words, he has a sneaky plan to replace the old dinosaurs with teams with an user-centric approach.
Aug 19, 2018•56 min
Olga, an agent of effective [marketing] communication
This week we are joined by Olga Kovalenko. She has found her niche in digital marketing and join us from Kiev, Ukraine where she applies her trade at Trionika as Marketing Team Lead. Here she focuses on email marketing; she's fast to point out that the humble E-mail is not dead [yet], and still remains a key part of the digital communication mix. She recently finished a PhD that focused on unpacking the value of micro-copy within digital communication, amongst others.
Aug 06, 2018•33 min
"Do what you love."
Toto Castiglione, pragmatic leader, designer and Team Leader at Netguru takes some time out of his holiday to speak to us. He is a multi-disciplinary professional big picture thinker passionate about solving problems. He shares some insights around becoming a leader in a fast-growing company, some of his favourite tools, the importance of motion in design and a few notes on his favourite projects. Join us for a conversation with Krakow's favourite Italian [Net]guru.
Jul 23, 2018•45 min
A curious soul solving modern challenges
Mariusz Ciesla is a Polish Product Designer who has an uncommon multidisciplinary background. Mariusz is a designer, a developer, a photograph and even more. Before all, he is someone who is curious about all things in life. It led him to work on an amazing journey, working on projects at the edge of technology. Another side of Mariusz is his love for teaching and mentoring, something he does across Europe. During this interview, we touch those points and also the challenges of his life as a fre...
Jul 09, 2018•39 min
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