#1: Jason Mesut on Shaping Design, Giving Back, and Being an Ex-DJ
In this very first episode of the UX Fika podcast, I sit down with the brilliant Jason Mesut – a creative coach, a strategic consultant, a community connector, and a shaper of designers.
Jason’s been working in UX, Service Design, and Digital Product for over 25 years and currently consults and coaches via his business Resonant Futures. He also consults via the global creative talent network Group of Humans, and coaches via Coaching with Chemistry. On top of that he runs the (mostly) monthly IxDA London events with Boon Chew, as well as supports many local London and International events in UX and Digital Product Design as a speaker, host, and curator.
This conversation was recorded back in 2021, but don’t be fooled – this is not a time capsule. It’s a raw, honest, and still incredibly relevant discussion about the winding road that is a design career.
We talk about where Jason’s career began (including how he missed out on a job at Dyson), the worst email he’s ever received – at a conference at that – and how this partly led him to coaching as well as into a shift in how he helps others navigate uncertainty. We get into the shaping design frameworks he’s developed to help designers better understand their strengths, discuss the problem with interviews, how working with talented peers can re-energise your practice, and why being vulnerable might be the most powerful thing we can do as designers and leaders.
There’s also a beautiful reflection on mentorship, gratitude, and the importance of saying thank you while people are still around to hear it.
This one’s full of wisdom, warmth, and the kind of honesty and deep conversations we don’t always get when meeting up with others over dinners. It’s exactly the kind of conversation I created this podcast for.
Plus:
☕️ Why nutella on sourdough, and the magic of early mornings in Shoreditch is the go to for fika
🌟 Why “shit is fertilising” is solid life advice.
What we cover:
00:00 Introduction to UX Fika Podcast and How We Met
02:10 The Evolution of Interaction Design and Community Engagement
05:23 Career Journey: From Industrial Design to UX Leadership
07:59 The Importance of Mentorship and Professional Growth
10:51 Vulnerability in Leadership and Personal Development
13:52 Shaping Design: Understanding Self and Career Paths
16:44 Frameworks for Self-Reflection and Growth in UX
19:47 Interviewing Techniques and Assessing UX Talent
22:45 Reflections on the Evolution of UX and Future Trends
37:31 The Evolution of Design Roles
40:45 Empathy vs. Curiosity in Design
42:01 Navigating Client Relationships
43:47 The Role of Coaching in Consulting
48:17 Coaching vs. Mentoring
51:52 The importance of listening
52:38 Dancing, DJing, and design
56:40 The Hiring Process Dilemma
01:01:47 Life Lessons, Favourite Fika and Reflections
Where you’ll find Jason:
Where you’ll find Anna & UX Fika:
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