Thomas Girard – Finding Creativity in Unexpected Places

Episode notes

Thomas Girard brings a thoughtful lens to design, creativity, and resilience — sharing why processes matter , and how the quiet work of reflection can shape the future of design . ====== Episode Chapters: 00:00 – Why Design’s Processes Still Matter 00:30 – Welcome and Introduction 02:09 – Meet Thomas Girard 04:19 – Family Legacy, Photography, and Airports as “Non-Places” 07:33 – Cultural Similarities and Craving the Familiar 11:38 – Cities That Shaped Thomas’s Design Perspective 12:24 – Preparing for and Delivering a Two-Minute TED Talk 17:04 – Listening to Yourself While Public Speaking 19:00 – Overcoming Stage Fright and Speaking as an Introvert 21:30 – Breaking Out of the Design Echo Chamber 23:03 – The Strengths and Future of Design Education 27:00 – Pairing Design and AI Without Losing the Human Lens 33:07 – Low-Fidelity Prototyping Through Conversation 35:00 – Launching and Growing the Unique Ways Podcast 50:24 – Life or Death Typography and Teaching Students to See Type 57:30 – What Designers Must Not Lose as the Field Evolves ====== Who is Thomas Girard? Thomas Girard is a design educator, writer, and speaker whose work bridges creativity, innovation, and resilience .