This is HCD – Human-Centered Design, UX & Service Design Thinking Podcast

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AI and design — not the hype, not the doom, but the practical reality. Behrad Mirafshar is the founder of Bonanza Design and host of the UX for AI podcast. He's been deep in the weeds using AI in real client projects — from research and data sense-making through to agents, automation and building modern applications. In this conversation, Gerry and Behrad explore why the real value of AI-driven design sits in the research phase, not auto-generated wireframes. They discuss how designers can use AI as a sparring partner and agent ecosystem to move faster through the double diamond, what skills and attitudes will matter most as we head toward 2030, and the tough questions around bias, inclusion, data ownership, and the younger generation using these tools.

3. Three Key Takeaways
  1. The real value of AI in design is in research, not wireframes. If you're only using AI to generate screens, you're touching the tip of the iceberg. The power sits in navigating massive datasets, creating blueprints for exploration, and making sense of complexity — but the researcher's instinct and judgement still can't be replaced.
  2. AI should make you charge more, not less. Behrad is delivering more value to clients by using AI agents and orchestration tools — and pricing accordingly. The competitive advantage isn't the tool, it's the designer who knows how to wield it with specificity and judgement.
  3. In 2030, hiring will be about attitude, not tools. The tools will keep changing every week. The designers who thrive will be the ones with relentless curiosity, a willingness to go deeper than surface-level prompting, and the ability to keep the human in the loop when AI wants to run the show.

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Creators and Guests

Host
Gerry Scullion
Gerry Scullion is an Irish-born, globally recognised service designer, educator, podcaster, coach, and founder based in Dublin. With 22+ years in design, his career spans roles in interaction design, UX, and leadership positions—most notably as Head of Design at Myspace Australia/NZ and later serving clients like Cochlear, Microsoft, Aer Lingus, and government bodies  . He’s the Founder & CEO of The Human‑Centered Design Network and the voice behind This is HCD, a popular podcast and design community with over one million downloads . A committed educator, he has developed several online courses—spanning UX fundamentals, journey mapping, stakeholder mapping, prototyping, and service blueprints—as well as authoring “Service Design for Executives” on Pluralsight . A passionate keynote speaker at events like UX Scotland and Service Design Days, he shares his insights on resilience in design, ethical frameworks (“do no harm”), and embedding design within tech-led environments . Gerry is also Co‑founder and Director at Humana Design, a Dublin-based agency focusing on design research, consultancy, and enabling design transformation . Beyond design, he’s a coach and mentor to designers worldwide, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and a former Councillor for Ireland . In his personal time, Gerry is a musician, barista-in-training, gardener, and family man living by the sea in Clontarf, Dublin

What is This is HCD – Human-Centered Design, UX & Service Design Thinking Podcast?

Welcome to This is HCD – Human-Centered Design, UX & Service Design Thinking Podcast, the global show for designers, innovators, and changemakers who want to create better products, services, and experiences.

Hosted by Gerry Scullion, with over 1-million downloads worldwide.

Each episode dives into conversations with leading voices in service design, UX design, interaction design, customer experience, and design strategy. Together, we explore the methods, mindsets, and real-world stories that bring human-centered design and design thinking to life.

Whether you’re a UX researcher, service design practitioner, product manager, or design leader, you’ll find actionable insights, practical tools, and inspiration to elevate your practice and drive meaningful change.

Tune in and join the global human-centered design community — learn how to design with purpose, create inclusive solutions, and shape a more thoughtful future.