Make an IIIMPACT - Interview with a Designer - Scott Harden

Make an IIIMPACT - The User Inexperience Podcast

Welcome to another episode of Make an IiIMPACT! This is a mini-series to our podcast where we want to showcase our valuable team members and hear more about them and their stories about being a UX Product designer on the IIIMPACT team.

Today, our interview is with Scott Harden, our Head of Product Strategy and Chief 'Troublemaker'. Our conversation explores the transformative potential of AI in offering personalized instruction, moving beyond traditional classroom models, and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration for creating innovative, user-centric solutions. Scott shares his career journey from film school to becoming a dynamic leader at IIIMPACT, focusing on de-risking solutions and embedding strategic, human-centered design into every project.

We'll also take a closer look at their innovative "Discovery" and "Implementation" tracks, breaking silos between various stakeholders, and how they manage to maintain a lean, yet agile organization across different industries. Lastly, Makoto and Scott invite listeners to share their experiences, support the podcast, and join the conversation on potential future episodes.

So, tune in as we explore the intersection of design, education, and innovation in today's compelling episode of "Make an IiIMPACT!"Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Let's make an IiIMPACT together!

00:00 Scott Hardin, Impact's chief product design strategist.
03:41 Early innovator in fashion, web design, e-commerce.
10:22 Involving all parties in designing applications is key.
14:25 Client pushback on out-of-lane proposals.
18:00 Articulating problem leads to a constrained solution approach. Lean canvas process focuses on core features.
19:07 Triage, build, focus, align, brand service solution.
24:14 Change and resistance in organizations are challenging.
28:53 Rapid prototypes for quick customer feedback. Implementation track.
31:49 We provide agile innovation at competitive prices.
35:02 Close relationships with clients impact work culture.
39:57 Large group events require careful organization and focus.
40:59 Interdisciplinary groups aim for faster outcomes. Split into smaller working groups for efficiency.
47:20 Team empowered to persuade decider's decision-making process.
50:13 Adapting work from in-person to virtual.
52:17 Using digital tools for work organization.
56:00 AI can help teach diverse students effectively.

BIos:

Makoto Kern - Founder and UX Principal at IIIMPACT - a UX Product Design and Development Consulting agency. IIIMPACT has been on the Inc 5000 for the past 3 consecutive years and is one of the fastest-growing privately-owned companies. His team has successively launched 100s of digital products over the past +20 years in almost every industry vertical. IIIMPACT helps clients get from the 'Boardroom concept to Code' faster by reducing risk and prioritizing the best UX processes through their clients' teams.

Scott Harden - Lead Product Strategist - An accomplished design thinker and service and product design strategist specializing in helping forward-moving companies enable rapid change by forming innovation studios in residence. Scott helps IIIMPACT’s clients demystify the design process, empowering business leaders to apply the best of themselves to design thinking methodologies, breaking the boundaries of what they thought possible and vastly reducing enablement risk in the pursuit of bold, new ideas.

With over 20 years of creative and digital acumen, he’s worked extensively with global consulting firms such as Accenture, Fjord, and McKinsey Digital, providing design mentorship and guidance, as well as nationally-recognized brands such as Mattel, Nestlé, American Girl, Kaiser Permanenté, Fisher-Price, Sony Pictures, Burger King, Technicolor, and more.