Design Nerds Anonymous

AI is rapidly changing how work gets done, but the workplace hasn’t necessarily kept pace. Amanda is joined by Isadora Godley of Haworth and Eric Gannon of Gensler, bringing together two sides of this shift. Isadora works across Haworth to turn AI into real business value—from product development and innovation to governance, adoption, training, and internal processes. Eric brings the workplace an...

Recorded live from the Mannington Commercial New York Showroom, this conversation explores an unexpected model for the future of work: guide dog training. Amanda Schneider is joined by Deborah Golden, author of the foreword of Work for What’s Next, and John Miller, CEO of Guide Dog Foundation and America's VetDogs, to examine what the process of raising and training guide dogs reveals about judgme...

Recorded live at the Mannington Atlanta showroom, this episode explores a question facing every industry: as Gen Z enters the workforce, are we collectively setting them up to succeed? Gen Z is entering a workplace with changing context to the one we entered. AI is changing how work gets done. Communication norms are shifting. Career paths are less linear. And the definition of “work ready” is cha...

Recorded live with Office Revolution in Chicago in the Haworth showroom, this episode explores what may be the next great workplace challenge: how organizations can deliver individualized experiences while maintaining alignment, efficiency, and culture. Inspired by ideas from I Can Fit That In and Work for What's Next , Amanda is joined by leadership coach and author Erin Coupe alongside Tyler Bla...

Recorded live at the Momentum showroom, this episode explores a tension at the heart of Work for What's Next : people can experience the same workplace very differently—and those differences have something important to teach us. Inspired by recent conversations across the industry, Amanda is joined by Cheryl Durst (IIDA), Libby Gillen (Women of Color in Design), and Lisa Chung (Gensler) to discuss...

After appearing together on Oprah’s podcast, Amanda knew one thing immediately: we needed more time with Jean Twenge. Jean is one of the world’s most cited and influential generational researchers, known for shaping how leaders understand Millennials, Gen Z, technology, mental health, and cultural change. Her newest book draws from more than 42,000,000 data points, making it one of the most compre...

Cindy Kaufman turns the mic around, live, at the Mannington showroom in Denver for a more personal conversation with Amanda Schneider. Together, they go beyond the ideas in Work for What’s Next to explore the moments, questions, and experiences that shaped the book. This is the story behind the story—what it took, what surprised her, and what didn’t make it onto the page. This episode is presented...

In this milestone 100th episode of Design Nerds Anonymous, recorded live at our industry's largest trade show, Amanda is joined by Candon Murphy (HOK), Joseph Oliveri (Corgan), and Caroline Murphy (FutureGen) for a live conversation testing a Gen Z advisory model. Building on years of ThinkLab research and an ongoing Gen Z cohort, the discussion brings the next generation into real business conver...

We're hitting the road... and we'd love for you to come along. Over the next few months, Design Nerds Anonymous is leaving the studio for a series of live podcast recordings , keynotes, and conversations across North America as part of the Work for What's Next Road Show. In this special episode, Amanda shares what to expect, why every stop is intentionally different, and how you can join the conve...

The future of work isn’t a distant horizon—it’s already taking shape in small, often overlooked signals. In this episode, we explore the early indicators reshaping how work is designed, led, and experienced. The conversation connects these signals to practical action, offering leaders a clearer way to spot what’s emerging and make smarter decisions about what to do next. L...

In this special episode of  Design Nerds Anonymous , host  Amanda Schneider  takes you inside the PDC Summit—one of the rare events where the full spectrum of healthcare decision-makers comes together under one roof. Recorded live from the show floor, this episode captures an unfiltered look at the real conversations unfolding between owners, clinicians, facilities leaders, architec...

In Season 10, Episode 6 of Design Nerds Anonymous, host  Amanda Schneide r turns to two critical forces shaping the future of work: mentorship and learning. She’s joined by  Elisabeth Mejia , President of IIDA New York and Interiors Leader for HKS in New York, and  Paridhi Chawla , Vice President of Student Development for IIDA New York and a Gen Z designer at TPG Architec...

In Season 10, Episode 5 of Design Nerds Anonymous, host  Amanda Schneider  turns to two of the most pressing realities of modern work: communication and collaboration. She’s joined by  Dr. JJ Peterson , former head of StoryBrand and a leading voice in modern messaging, and  Gideon Spitzer-Williams , who leads global experiential marketing for Canva’s B2B org...

In Season 10, Episode 4 of Design Nerds Anonymous, host  Amanda Schneider  zooms out from trust and talent to explore the deeper belief systems holding organizations together: culture and purpose. She’s joined by  Ron Tite —author, speaker, founder of Church+State, and former stand-up comic turned award-winning creative director—who has helped global brands align what...

In Season 10, Episode 3 of Design Nerds Anonymous, host Amanda Schneider builds on last week’s trust conversation by tackling the next logical shift: recruitment and retention. She’s joined by two voices with beautifully opposing (and complementary) lenses:  Grace Snelling , editorial assistant at  Fast Company  covering design, branding, and cultural shifts with a front-row Gen Z p...

In Season 10, Episode 2 of Design Nerds Anonymous, host Amanda Schneider continues the season inspired by her new book,  Work for What’s Next , with  Eric Termuende , bestselling author and keynote speaker who’s delivered 500+ talks   worldwide on leadership, culture, and the future of work. Together, they dig into one of the most foundational shifts in the book:&nbsp...

In the Season 10 premiere of Design Nerds Anonymous, host Amanda Schneider kicks off a season built around the ideas inside her upcoming book,  Work for What’s Next , with a guest who lives at the intersection of innovation, risk, and human potential:  Deb Golden ,   Deloitte’s US Chief Innovation Officer. Together, they unpack a core tension shaping work right now: compan...

Recorded live at the EDspaces conference in Columbus, this episode explores how education leaders are navigating high-stakes decisions under unforgiving timelines. Hear why trust, clarity, and early alignment matter more than ever, what’s slowing education projects down, and how partners can help schools move forward with confidence and credibility.    LINKS:    End-User Decisi...

In this episode, ThinkLab’s hospitality research takes center stage as Amanda Schneider and Erica Waayenberg unpack how decision-making is shifting across hotel and hospitality projects. From rising risk aversion and burnout to growing expectations around business acumen and the practical role of AI, this episode explores what hospitality end users need most right now and how teams can move forwar...

Live from the Healthcare Design Conference in Kansas City, this episode explores how healthcare end users are navigating increasingly complex decisions for the built environment. Hear why early problem-spotting beats crisis response, what’s breaking alignment at the start of projects, and how clearer communication and stronger partnerships can help healthcare teams move faster with more confidence...

Live from Chicago, this episode dives into how corporate end users are making decisions differently in today’s built environment. Hear real conversations straight from ThinkLab’s Corporate Hackathon on why flexibility matters more than cost, what’s slowing projects down, and how clearer, more empathetic partnerships can move work forward faster. LINKS:    End-User Decision Making Join Th...

What will life look like in 2040? In this special season finale, we fast-forward to the future and ask our guests to share their most radical—but entirely possible—predictions for what’s ahead.  From breakthroughs in design and technology to shifts in culture, climate, and the way we live, these ideas push the boundaries of what we think is possible. Some will inspire you. Some might shock yo...

From luxury seekers to digital nomads to next-gen travelers, hospitality spaces are evolving at record speed— Marriott is opening a new hotel in the U.S. every 20 hours .   In this episode, we explore the values transforming what guests want—sustainability, personalization, wellness, and tech—and how hotels, rentals, and travel experiences are adapting. Joining us are Jason Robertson , VP of...

What does “home” look like to a generation raised on smart tech, climate anxiety, and constant change? Backed by new research, this episode reveals how Gen Alpha is already shaping the future of housing—from the way homes are designed to where they’re located and even how they’re owned.  We’re joined by Dani Mariano, CEO at Razorfish, and Allison Robl Stransky, strategic insights leader at Sa...

As Gen Z comes of age in a world shaped by AI, automation, and rapid change, they’re rewriting the rules of work. Backed by new research, this episode explores how their approach to careers, company culture, and the workplace itself is breaking the mold—from demanding flexibility and purpose to embracing entrepreneurial mindsets.  Joining us is Alexandra Levit, future-of-work strategist, auth...