Why it matters:
My TEDx talk launched last week (we’re about to cross 2,500 views) and early feedback across 60+ comments is clearly reflecting back to me what is landing with viewers. I analyzed everything I’ve heard so far and it gives a glimpse into how the core messages landed and the bigger point I’m concerned might be getting left behind.
Go deeper:
In just 5 days we’re 50% to my goal of 5,000 views. I know family and friends account for a few dozen, but it’s a blast to see this work finally in the world and traveling to start the conversation I think the world needs now.
It’s been so hard to keep the details to myself and the core messages behind the screen when it seems like every day brings a new opportunity to engage the core messages:
Like the Walt Disney partnership with TikTok (who wants this?). Or Zucks outline of Meta’s AI future (who believes this?). Or this encouraging push back from Chicago’s Mayor on the future of data centers.
If you’ve watched my talk (or plan to), thank you for the support. If not, let me share a few of the core messages that drive my response to this week’s news.
When you make choices that affect other people, you are designing. You are a designer. (AI CEOs, govt leaders need to take note and design with people)
We’re surrounded by bad design, but we have a role in enabling it by not speaking out against it. (We need the language behind why something is bad design)
The goal of a design matters a lot, especially if it evolves from serving your stakeholders to serving your organization (Just look at social media’s history)
Getting curious builds trust, exploring what’s possible builds hope, and testing builds buy in and mutual appreciation for an outcome (Useful for driving change)
Once you learn how to solve problems using design, you’ll find it useful throughout your life; and it helps cultivate skills that we’ll need in an AI-enabled future that employers are looking for: curiosity, initiative, creativity, adaptability ++
Design with people. Design is how you show people you care (a hs student reflected that from a keynote last year). I know, it’s amazing. I take no credit.
In the last few days I’ve sent the talk to thousands of followers, friends, colleagues, and leaders I hope watch it (including Arthur Brooks, Mel Robbins, Adam Grant, and Daniel Pink; when have you ever regretted a few seconds of courage and boldness?)
From those who watched, I’ve been asking what’s stuck with them and what they plan to do with what they learned. It’s resulted in 60+ comments that I’ve spent some time breaking into themes and reflecting on.
I’ve been overwhelmed by how well some things are resonating and somewhat regretful that I didn’t drive home a few core messages harder to make them stick.
Landing with viewers:
"You are a designer" Comes back as a claim, not a summary: "I am a designer!" · "WE are designers!" · "we're all 'designers' just by making daily choices"
"Design is how you show people you care" Echoed near-verbatim by strangers and friends alike. Also the thumbnail, which explains at least some of this.
Design in an AI world "AI” and "human” started good conversation: Usually restated as "AI must be a tool, not a substitute for human judgment."
Grace story and empathy maps Crosses every channel: designers, strangers, friends, a NASA-bound student. It made my point about using design as a human….human.
What I hope resonated more:
Bad design as an act. Not one person has named the buy-more button, the free trial, dark patterns, or "crappy experiences."
"Call out bad design." My close was a rallying cry that "we're catalysts to call out bad design" and I think we need to!
Trust and the Edelman stat. Maybe it feels so resonant to our experience it didn’t produce surprise or outrage. But it’s sad that we feel we can’t trust each other because we’re different!
Employers, WEF, the future of work. I connected to why this also impacts the future of work, but it only landed for a few people to connect the dots between design, work, and human skills.
Where I hope the conversation evolves…
If the column on the left were the slogans, the column on the right was the rallying cry for the humanity-centered revolution of using design to drive change in the world.
I’m honored that design feels more approachable and that people associate with the “designer” identity, but practicing as a designer requires the critical eye to see “bad design” and feel the frustration that someone else would create it and speak out against it using their own humanity.
And once you start using this language in conversations about bad design, you’ll be surprised how much it humanizes you, acknowledges that it’s unlikely the persons’ (often a customer service representative) fault, and positions you both to get at a solution. We all want to be treated like humans and solve problems together. Design can help!
Without rallying against bad design, the empowerment of feeling like a designer when creating might only do so in systems and experiences that we accept if we don’t view what we encounter critically and with the urgency to act against it when it’s not working.
I’m not willing to get swept up or distracted by the positive agreeability of the left column without also pushing on our responsibility with that “designer” identity to hold others to that standard as well.
I’d love to see more conversation on this point and drive a deeper discussion. If this resonate and you have thoughts, I’d love your input in the comments of the talk:
Insights for driving change using design
The comments that stood out to viewers can also help us understand how we drive change using design and the way that these messages land. Identity shaping is powerful for creating a “new reality” for people to rally behind. Care humanizes and organizes us.
Equally, we need to be concrete about the change we want to rally around (bad design) and what it looks like. This means tools, process, methods, and what “bad design is.”
“Getting curious” helps us make connections and hear stories, but we have to be tuned to hear that they’re problems worth solving first. “bad design'“ habits and labels help us do this, which is why I think “reducing FOUL on campus” resonates with faculty, staff, and leaders.
Plans for action
But all is far from lost. On balance, I’ve been inspired by viewers plans for the talk and how they want to use it in their lives (keep them coming as you watch and form your own)!
"Loved the Ted Talk! It even inspired some language I used in a staff meeting this morning (re we are all designers, let's be intentional)"
— Director of Innovation at a high school"Incredible video! I've already shared with my team and plan to share it with our next innovation training cohort as a pre-watch."
— Executive Director of a university center for innovation and entrepreneurship"your ted talk inspired us to ensure we are pivoting and need to meet our customers for their experience. We are planning out the build."
— Co-founder of an early-stage app, mid-build"One of the distinctions I love that you make in the talk… is around prototyping versus piloting. Ever since hearing that distinction from you, I've been practicing and advocating for it in my own work."
— Venture founder"It makes me really think about how we're designing programs at [organization]. Are we truly going through the entire process of design? Or just expecting the programming to land and resonate with students even without testing it?"
— Program leader at a workforce nonprofit"I was moved to tears."
— Sent alongside a photo of a legal pad with Thinking / Feeling / Saying / Doing drawn by hand, and written underneath: "Focus on how well we understood each other."
Resources from the talk
I made this site based on what I’m hearing so far, to support conversations folks are hoping to have with their teams. It includes:
Language about the talk you can use when you share
Conversation frames for using the talk
Social sharing quote cards if you want to spread the word and promote on social (tag me so I can thank you and connect with folks who are engaging)!
The posts sharing the road to the TEDx stage that dig even deeper into how the talk took shape
(Like most things I share here) It’s a work in progress, so if you need something to help reduce friction for introducing the talk to your team, reply and let me know what would help you use the talk to achieve your goals.
Grant Funding Opportunities worth checking out
Before you go, I’m not sharing a job this week, but there are 2 grant opportunities I know readers will be interested in.
RFP: Innovative Postsecondary Models Fund (Panorama Global)
Grants available: 7 – 10
Grant range: $750,000 – $1,000,000
Grant period: February 2027 – July 2028
AI Transformation Learning Grants (Gates Foundation)
Grants available: “Up to 8”
Grant range: $150,000–$200,000
Grant period: Fall 2026 through Summer 2027
I’m not affiliated and have no sway, but if you’re planning to submit and I can be useful, reach out, I’d love to partner on a proposal with you and collaborate; this is the kind of work that I love to do!
Share with colleagues or leaders dedicated to driving change in education.
In learning,
Brian LeDuc is the founder of Learning, Designed, where he serves as a design strategist partnering with learning organizations to improve the learner experience and drive change co-designed with students, educators, communities, and employers.
Thank you for being part of this community of over 1,600 curious, creative changemakers who believe we can improve the student experience through design.
Want to collaborate? I help organizations use design through projects, keynotes, design sprints, workshops, and coaching. Learn more on my new Work With Me page.
