Podcast Spotlight: Undesign

Last updated on January 7th, 2022

Undesign: A Social Change Podcast is an engrossing podcast that feels tailor-made for those who find the popular segment-based approach to discussing bigger topics (e.g. 99% Invisible) to be more of a tease and satisfactory coverage. Hosted by researcher Kosta Lucas, Undesign interviews guests “Dedicated to tackling big social challenges” for an hour per episode. The mission statement of the podcast isn’t a particularly important personal goal of Lucas, either, it’s synergetic with the show’s producer DrawHistory, a strategy and design consultant firm with a specific focus on coaching client companies in approaching “the crises and injustices” of the modern world. With clients like the UN and Wikimedia they’re definitely a step above your average startup with a splashy website. 

Episode 11 is an excellent starting point for new listeners as Lucas talks to Google’s Garen Checkley about the company’s efforts to anticipate and implement inclusivity in new technology. Their conversation about the intricacies of unlearning assumptions of common knowledge about technology to make modern tech accessible to those who’ve never used a computer, let alone a smartphone, scratches podcast-learning itches one might not have had scratched in quite some time. Undesign is as insightful as it is fascinating.

We were fortunate to talk with Jeffrey Effendi, Founder and Chief of Innovation at DrawHistory about the podcast, how they differentiate from other podcasts, and their future plans in podcasting. See below for our full Q&A.

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DISCOVER PODS: How’d you get into podcasting?

EFFENDI: As a consultancy working in the social change sector, we often connect with people doing impactful work and get to hold interesting conversations with them. This year, we wanted to share what we were learning from them to the world, especially for those pursuing to make an impact in their own field of work. By exposing people to these conversations, we hope they will be able to better engage with social issues in a way that is authentic for them and see how they fit best. 

It was also great to have Kosta Lucas, our Head of Community Practice, as our host. Kosta is someone who had spent so much time listening to podcasts, that it was only a matter of time before he would become inspired. It’s a medium that fits perfectly with his own love of the art of conversation, and the fact that podcasting lets you be both teacher and student in any given conversation.

DISCOVER PODS: In your own words, why should listeners tune in to Undesign?

EFFENDI: Today, we’re facing a set of incredibly complex issues without clear answers — global health, racism, nationalism, violent extremism, climate change, inequality. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and say there’s nothing we can do. But if there’s anything we’ve learned from our work, it’s that we can always do something. 

Undesign takes on these big, challenging discussions while staying accessible and grounded in real insights and actions. We’re not looking to bore or intimidate listeners. We’re looking to learn, together, how we can take on today’s wicked problems. Our hope is that anyone who cares about change can listen to Undesign to get inspired and informed to work on the issues that are most meaningful to them. 

The other thing that makes Undesign unique is the people we interview. Season 1 featured a range of amazing guests — from global organizations like the United Nations, Wikipedia, and Google to grassroots organizations like IndigenousX — many of whom you may not have heard from before. And just like our team, our guests are global and diverse, speaking to us from the US, Australia, Japan, UK, and everywhere in between.

DISCOVER PODS: What kind of feedback have you heard from your listeners?

EFFENDI: We’re thrilled by the feedback we’re hearing from folks around the world — mainly that it’s getting them to make sense of social issues in different ways, and that it’s sparked ideas for them to create change in their own world. However, the funnest part has been having friends and respected peers in industry reach out to let us know which episode resonated with them most — and us being surprised at which ones they connected with!

Read more: 99% Invisible: the podcast where design meets curiosity

DISCOVER PODS: Describe your recording set up? What equipment are you using?

EFFENDI: Our set up is really simple – we rely heavily on our amazing producer, Jimmie Linville! But in order to get him what he needs we use a Blue Yeti X and a Zoom H2n mic and try to record in a good, insulated room. When we started out we had more guests in person, but as we continue to grow, we’re finding ourselves doing remote interviews, which means a virtual recording setup becomes more important (as does a stable internet connection)! For this, we’ve been using Squadcast.fm.

DISCOVER PODS: What’s the biggest challenge you face as an indie podcaster?

EFFENDI: The last couple of years have been tough for everyone, but they’ve reminded us how important it is to make change happen now rather than later. Though creating a podcast isn’t typically seen as “agency work”, and it takes juggling to fit that in, we know that there’s value in putting out these conversations for the community.

DISCOVER PODS: Where do you want to take your podcast?

EFFENDI: We are excited about the insights, themes and through-lines people will uncover for themselves with Undesign to inform their work better. Our intention is to continue these conversations with more guests to explore topics such as the role of AI, ethics, and technology, so that these insights can continue to be accessed and applied to redesign a better, more inclusive society. 

The other thing we’re looking forward to is evolving what Undesign’s conversations can look like. Season 1 featured 1:1 interviews between Kosta and our guests. For Season 2, we’re looking to build on this with new formats as well. For example, we have plans for episodes with two guests, mainly to share different insights and perspectives on the same topic. We can share that Season 2 will continue to feature leaders, thinkers and doers from some of the most important organizations and research shaping our world today. 

DISCOVER PODS: What other podcasts are you listening to now?

EFFENDI: We love Ologies with Alie Ward, Factually! with Adam Conocer, and Secretly Incredibly Fascinating with Alex Schmidt. A big shoutout to all of them.

DISCOVER PODS: Anything else you’d like to add? 

EFFENDI: Undesign is all about untangling complex issues without obvious answers. And if there’s one thing we’ve learned through our first season, it’s that solving these wicked problems will be a group effort. Often, as strategists, we’re the ones connecting the dots with clients, but we genuinely believe that everyone can be a designer in our world’s future. That’s what drove us to create Undesign — to democratise important conversations about tough topics, make the issues that intimidate us feel more accessible and understandable, and help bring more people into the conversation. We’d love to hear from anyone who listened to Undesign. What insights did you learn? What conversations stuck with you? We’re starting to develop Season 2 now, and we’re making some changes based on what we think worked or didn’t work. If you have any ideas or feedback, drop us a note at hello@drawhistory.com!