CYOP #40 - Designing for Social Change + Getting Uncomfortable with Michael Ellsworth of Civilization

Today on Creating Your Own Path, I'm chatting with Michael Ellsworth, co-founder and principle of the Seattle-based design firm Civilization. The firm is built on the idea that good design can help create social change in the world, which is something that drew me in right away. Their client list is impressive, but I walked away from the interview being even more impressed with their team. They’re an incredible bunch and chatting with Michael was super inspiring.

In the episode, we talk about why process matters in just about everything they do at Civilization, how they sort trick their minds when they’re trying to come up with solution to design problems, the issues young designers are facing today, the importance of embracing discomfort and—my favorite part of the interview—why organizations and businesses should stop running crowd-sourced design contests.

You can find the full episode and show notes at creatingyourownpath.com.