Integrity Ballet Dancers

In this episode of Doom and Bloom, we’re joined by UX/UI designer and New Wave researcher Zoe to unpack a big question: why have designers become so focused on short-term results? From tight job markets to pressure from profit-driven industries, many designers are racing to deliver—often at the expense of long-term thinking, community impact, and climate considerations.

Together, we explore what it means to design with integrity: to center people over products, to tell honest stories, and to hold space for uncertainty. We imagine new ways forward—from lecture series that connect designers with impacted communities to meditation tools that help designers tap into their human voice.

This conversation is an invitation to slow down, reflect, and reimagine design not just as a skill—but as a responsibility. What if “I don’t know” was a strength? What if we valued process over perfection? And what if design started with listening?