What Dying Teaches Us About Living — Lessons from a Hospice Nurse & Designer (with Johanna Lundqvist)

If you like our content, be sure to sign up to our weekly The Design Compass Newsletter. Design Smarter. Lead Better.Join our Community: https://circle.thisishcd.com/Join-CommunityGerry Scullion talks with Johanna Lundqvist, a former hospice nurse turned designer, about the wisdom gathered from years of palliative care. They discuss the Swedish memento mori mindset, why Western culture hides death, and how acknowledging mortality helps us live more intentionally. Johanna shares bedside insights on non-verbal care, the power of simple touch, and the consistent themes in people’s final reflections. It’s a compassionate exploration of designing for endings—so we can live better now.Learn more: https://sites.google.com/workplayexperience.com/johanna-lundqvist/home🔑 3 Key TakeawaysDeath teaches us how to live. End-of-life regrets center on time with loved ones—not titles or money.Compassion is practical. Presence, touch, and careful listening often matter more than complex interventions.Design the ending. Embracing endings—of services and of life—creates dignity, choice, and meaning.Like what we do? Make a Tip. Or Leave a review: https://ratethispodcast.com/hcdSponsor links10x your service design offering with Smaply. Take 20% off your order with ''ThisisHCD20off'Sign up https://auth.smaply.app/sign-upCheck out This is HCD x Sutsu range. Gerry wears and endorses Sutsu ethical clothing. Get 10% off ScenarioCards.org when you used our link https://scenariocards.org/HCD10Creators & Guests Gerry Scullion - Host Johanna Lundqvist, - Guest Serdar Mele - Editor Click here to view the episode transcript.

Om Podcasten

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.