Design Talk (dot IE)

In this episode we go to UCD’s Building 71 where the 2nd year Architecture class of 2024 played host to three visiting architects, talking about how collaborative work has shaped their own practices.  I hope you enjoy listening to these inspiring accounts by architects navigating their own deliberate practice in the world, working alongside communities and a range of other stakeholders. I think the insights they share can inform and inspire anyone involved in designing for others; practices for learning about client’s expectations, how technologies are really used by people, about their goals, needs, desires; discovering new ideas, unmet potentials, and importantly, negotiating shared understandings. All of which comprise an intrinsically democratic design process.Talk timeline -(00:00:00) Preamble - Allen Higgins, UCD College of Business.(00:03:37) Nathalie Weadick, UCD School of Architecture, Planning & Environmental Policy. Introduction.(00:07:36) Laurence Lord from AP+E  talking about Lusk for Life(00:33:28) Evelyn D’Arcy from 12th Field presenting an overview of her work and focus on the Bog Bothy project.(01:03:7) Kevin Loftus, ACT Studio  presenting an overview of his work including Reimaging Lisdoonvarna.(01:28:00) Audience discussion.Speaker bios:Nathalie Weadick Hon FRIBA, is a Design Fellow, School of Architecture, Planning & Environmental Policy, University College Dublin, PhD Candidate Queen's University Belfast and RMIT Melbourne - nathalieweadick.comLaurence Lord is an architect with AP+E and a lecturer in Queen’s University Belfast.Evelyn D’Arcy is an architect and educator with a passion for helping people to develop a stronger connection to their world.Kevin Loftus is a co-founder and design director at ACT (Accelerating Change Together), a social enterprise of architects, designers and policy specialists that have been established to accelerate the green transition in Ireland.AcknowledgementsMusic Title: Monologue Lu-Fugi octave climb with extra notes with wa wa with other tweaksArtist: Allen HigginsSource:  introoutroLicense: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0  License note: Includes derivative work from KORG Monologue/Sound presets by KORG Inc. permitted under Terms of Use (https://korg.shop/terms-of-use) Section 2: “Derivative works and their authors benefit in turn from the full protection of copyright without prejudicing the rights of the original work's author”.Cover Art Title: Complex collageArtist: Allen HigginsSource: vignette_version.pptxLicense: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0Podcast LicenseDesign Talk (dot IE) CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 The license can be viewed at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0By taking part you give permission for your voice to be recorded, for the recording to be edited, and for it to be posted and published as a podcast.

Today’s episode is a cross-pod release with the UCD Centre for Innovation, Technology and Organisation.Hi. I’m Allen Higgins, The following is a recording from the Music and Virtual Worlds Workshop held on the 20th of June, 2024 - a working event of the XTREME project, a research projected funded by the European Union.The workshop was a preliminary activity of the XTREME project; which stands for“’miXed Reality Environment for IMmersive Experience’ of Art and Culture”.The goal of the project being to research new applications at the intersection between augmention technology and human kinaesthetic being. For example, by experimenting with embodied musical-artistic performance uniting AR/VR and AI, for therapeutic and other forms of human involvement.The panel included:Martin Cunneen, from the Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick and local PI for XTREME.Amanda Clifford, Physiotherapist, from the School of Allied Health, University of LimerickSatinder Gill, from the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Music and ScienceEmeritus Professor Karamjit Gill from University of Brighton and Editor of the journal AI & SocietyCathriona Murphy,Gerry Keenan, And Simon Thompson from the Irish Chamber Orchestra and the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance.And Andrew Kaung a researcher on the XTREME project.The goal for the workshop was to explain the scope of XTREME and its inspiration in ideas surrounding the blend of music, dance, physical and virtual embodiment. The local partners gathered to meet and introduce themselves, their motivations and research interests. Professors Karamjit Gill and Liam Bannon had planned to prompt a dialogue centred on the role of technology shaping human society and implications for computer mediated immersive experiences. Unfortunately, due to illness Liam was unable to attend on the day and so Karamjit offered a personal reflection on his own academic habilitation and storied career, which we present in the second episode/recording of this event.Notes, extra questions, and further reading:XTREME – “Mixed Reality Environment for Immersive Experience of Art and Culture” is an EU Horizon 2020 project that started in January 2024 and will finish in December 2026. XTREME will explore and provide a mixed reality (MR) solution to experience different forms of art. The project is in close collaboration with 14 different partners who together will explore different alternatives to the traditional way of accessing music and art experiences.  https://xtremeitu.dk/about-xtreme Speakers: Martin Cunneen, Amanda Clifford, Satinder Gill, Karamjit Gill, Cathriona Murphy,Gerry Keenan, Simon Thompson and Andrew KaungAcknowledgementsMusicTitle: Adagio in G minorArtist: Remo Giazotto attributed to Tomaso AlbinoniSource: https://soundcloud.com/dick-de-ridder/adagio-in-g-minor-albinoniLicensed by Dick de Ridder: CC-BY 3.0Cover Art Title: Complex collage incorporating the XTREME logo imageArtist: Allen Higgins and XTREME projectSource: XTREME_Cover_Art.pptxLicense: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0Podcast LicenseDesign Talk (dot IE) CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 The license can be viewed at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0By taking part you give permission for your voice to be recorded, for the recording to be edited, and for it to be posted and published as a podcast.

A cross-pod release with CITO Conversations - https://www.smurfitschool.ie/facultyresearch/cito/The STS Ireland unconference of 25 June 2024.Welcome by Kalpana ShankarProfessor Cassidy R. Sugimoto, chair of the School of Public Policy at Georgia Institute of Technology and Professor Rob Kitchin from the Social Sciences Institute at Maynooth University.(the unconference was held at the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI), St Stephen’s Green South, Dublin.)Why an unconference? An unconference is an event where the attendees help set the agenda and content. Rather than papers and panels, we want to use this opportunity to foster networking and discussion.The goal of this inaugural event was to acknowledge the specificities but also international connections/reach of STS (and the general implications of scientific research and policy here in Ireland) and bring researchers together for networking from different institutional and disciplinary homes. The unconference format included panel talks and small-group discussions to explore various facets of the socio-cultural study of technology, science, and medicine.Schedule:9:45 Registration10:30-10:40 Overview/welcome10:45-11:40 Keynotes11:50-12:40 Panel discussion - Cassidy, Rob, Kalpana (Moderator - Christo)12:50-1:50 Lunch1:50-2:45 Breakout 1 (1:50 - 2:30, then return and discuss)2:45-3:40 Breakout 2 (2:45 - 3:40)3:45-4:30 Debrief and next steps4:30-4:45 ClosingNotes, further reading:Organised by Kalpana (kalpana.shankar@ucd.ie); Christo (christo.jacob@ucdconnect.ie)The Website and registration link:  https://stscommunityireland.wordpress.com/Supported by the European Association for the Study of Science and Technology (EASST) Network Fund and the University College Dublin Centre for Digital Policy.Museum of Literature Ireland - https://moli.ieAcknowledgementsMusic Title: CrazyMixArtist: Allen Higgins using Sandbox Korg AbletonSource:  CrazyMix.aifLicense: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0Cover Art Title: Inspired by Wordpress DefaultsArtist: Allen HigginsSource: CITO-podcast-STS.pptxLicense: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0Podcast LicenseDesign Talk (dot IE) CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 The license can be viewed at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0By taking part you give permission for your voice to be recorded, for the recording to be edited, and for it to be posted and published as a podcast.

Our hosts are George and Jonas. Welcome to Design Talk. Today we’re talking with Feargal Bracken, Head of Property - Ireland at McLarens, a global claims and professional technical services provider. Feargal combines over two decades of insurance-related Major & Complex Loss Adjuster experience with a proactive approach to crisis management, specializing in catastrophe response and complex claims adjustments. Our discussion will delve deep into the challenges and intricacies of insurance outsourcing, particularly how it plays out during international catastrophes and major loss adjustments. We’ll explore Feargal’s extensive experience and his strategic perspectives on how the insurance industry is evolving with digitalization and globalization.Q1. Could you introduce yourself and tell us about your role at McLarens? [claims management, loss adjusting and auditing services, pre-risk assessment and damage surveying]Q2. Can you share a specific example from your experience where outsourcing played a significant role in managing a complex or major loss adjustment project?Q3. In relation to handling this government project, how do you navigate the complexities of outsourcing when dealing with different cultural and regulatory environments?Q4. Given your involvement in both client account management (external) and operational management (internal), how do you ensure effective communication and alignment between the parties?Q5. Do you encounter resistance from the local employees within the client's organization when you implement your outsourcing solutions?Q6. Considering the increasing digitalization and globalization of the insurance industry, how do you see the role of outsourcing evolving in the future?Q7. Many insurance policies do not cover natural disasters treating them as ‘acts of God’. When you spoke about disasters and natural disasters, how are these two different from each other?Q8. How is climate change affecting your business? How is business affected by higher inflation?Thank you for finding the time to talk to us today. Notes, extra questions, and further reading:Notes, extra questions, and further reading:McLarens – loss adjustment, CAT response, global claims and professional technical services - https://www.mclarens.comPodcast team: George Holland, Jingyun, Gao, Jonas Pilling, Rahul Yuvraj Kalshetty, Swati NagarAcknowledgementsMusicTitle: Golden SunriseArtist: Josh WoodwardSource:  https://bit.ly/4dn61jDLicense: CC BY 3.0Cover Art Title: podcast with feargal brackenArtist: Group V (George Holland, Swati Nagar, Jingyun Gao, Jonas Pilling, Rahul Yuvraj Kalshetty)Source: FergalFromMcLarens_cover_art.jpgLicense: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0Podcast LicenseDesign Talk (dot IE) CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 The license can be viewed at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0By taking part you give permission for your voice to be recorded, for the recording to be edited, and for it to be posted and published as a podcast.

Cian Croghan and Sarthak Sunil Jaiswal are today's hosts for our interview with Karan Bagla, an IT professional based out of Bengaluru in India. Karan's industry experience at Paypal and technology consultancy firm EXL have given Karan experience on both sides of the offshore outsourcing equation, working directly for a large multinational firm in an offshore environment in addition to working for a consultancy firm delivering outsource services for remote clients. Questions·       Could you please share with us a background to your career & experience to date?·       What are the key differences between offshoring and outsourcing to you and what experience do you have working within this environment?·       What sector or industries do you believe outsourcing is most prevalent in India?·       What are some of the key trends you have seen regarding the Indian outsourcing and offshoring industry?·       Can you please explain the differences between working directly for a large multinational and working for a consultancy firm?·       How would you develop an outsourced team? ·       How do you develop trust with outsourced employees? ·       How would you help build culture in an outsourced team?·       Where do you see the role of a data analyst in the next 5-10 years?·       Any final thoughts you would like to share?·       How do you stay ahead of industry trends?·       What advice would you give to people preparing for the role of a data analyst?Thank you for finding the time to talk to us today. Notes, extra questions, and further reading:Guest LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karanbagla/Podcast team: Sarthak Sunil Jaiswal, Cian Croghan, Soon Wei Er, Kostas Bafes, and Barrak Albabtain.AcknowledgementsMusic Title: IntellectArtist: Yung LogosSource:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryMQhe49cdw License: Stated as “Royalty Free Music No Copyright”Cover Art Title: InterviewTeamArtist: GROUP - YSource: Bagla.pptxLicense: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0Podcast LicenseDesign Talk (dot IE) CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 The license can be viewed at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0By taking part you give permission for your voice to be recorded, for the recording to be edited, and for it to be posted and published as a podcast.

Welcome to Design Talk, I’m Saisnehha Natraj. I am delighted to have David Borowski to talk with us today.Dave is a Senior Partner at West Monroe, the business transformation company. Dave is an engineer by training with experience in operations, supply chain and business transformation.First, Dave, can you tell us a little more about yourself and West Monroe?And a question for you Allen. How did you make the connection with Dave?Okay, back to you Dave,·       Is the ‘managed services industry’ the same as outsourcing/offshoring? (Old wine in a new bottle?)·       You were recently featured in CIO magazine on the resurgence of captive centers. What is a captive center? (why might they be a good strategy?)·       How do you think Ireland Inc. fits in this space?·       Can you share your thoughts on ‘talent strategy’ and how to build and run captive centres?·       Let’s talk about the impact of ‘AI’. Is ‘AI’ is ‘location neutral’ in terms of a services sourcing strategy? (is it prompting back-shoring or is it a driver for further off-shoring?)·       Is there an expectation on captive centers to take the own lead on using genAI?(Any more questions?)Well, we’ll wrap up there.Thank you for talking with us and sharing your thoughts today.Notes and mentions: WestMONROE - https://www.westmonroe.comArticle “Captive centers are back” by Stephanie Overby for CIO Magazine, 2024 (link)AcknowledgementsMusic Title: Voltaic FluctuationsArtist: Ben PruntySource:  https://www.benpruntymusic.com/License: Non-transferable license. Permission granted by Ben PruntyCover Art Title: Film strip of ZoomArtist: Allen HigginsSource: DaveBorowski_Cover_Art.pptxLicense: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0Podcast LicenseDesign Talk (dot IE) CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 The license can be viewed at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0By taking part you give permission for your voice to be recorded, for the recording to be edited, and for it to be posted and published as a podcast.

Hosts: Emily Zhong and Nishchay Joseph We are delighted to have Patrick McDermott, CEO of DigiTally, sharing his outsourcing experience with us today. DigiTally is a software provider located in County Galway, dedicated to using digital solutions to help food businesses stocktake effectively and avoid food waste. It is a significant contributor to reducing carbon emissions.  In this interview, we'll learn about Patrick's considerations when selecting outsourcing partners and their locations, as well as the challenges DigiTally has experienced in working with outsourcing teams.   Patrick also shares his experiences of successfully helping businesses achieve their goals such as reducing food waste, improving profit margins, and simplifying stocktaking.1.     Can you tell us about DigiTally and why you decided to set it up?   How did your prior experience in high-end restaurants influence your decision to set up this business?2.     Can you speak to DigiTally’s role as an outsourcing partner itself?3.     Within food service operations, which areas do DigiTally's software have the biggest impact on reducing food waste (e.g., inventory management, ordering, forecasting)?4.     What activities and services does DigiTally outsource and why did you decide to outsource them?5.     We understand that you initially outsourced software development to India and then when that didn’t work, you switched to Poland.   Can you tell us about that experience and what you learnt from it?6.     In light of those experiences, what are the attributes of an outsourcing partner that are important to you?7.     During the outsourcing process, how do you manage communication with the external team and balance expectations with results?8.     Your business has an environmentally conscious ethos in helping prevent food waste and some of the topics covered in your podcasts on your website have a sustainability focus.   Do you take into account ESG factors when selecting outsourcing partners?  9.     We understand that you also outsource marketing for your business.  Can you tell us about that outsourcing relationship?Thank you for finding the time to talk to us today. Notes, extra questions, and further reading:https://www.digitally.io/food-service-matters-the-podcast/Podcast team: Anne Marie Godfrey, Emily Zhong, Nishchay Joseph, Vera Tan.AcknowledgementsMusic Title: Voltaic FluctuationsArtist: Ben PruntySource:  https://www.benpruntymusic.com/License: Non-transferable license. Permission granted by Ben PruntyCover Art Title: Outsourcing experience of DigiTallyArtist: Anne Marie, Emily Zhong, Nishchay Joseph and Vera TanSource: DigiTally_Cover_Art.pptxLicense: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0Podcast LicenseDesign Talk (dot IE) CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 The license can be viewed at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0By taking part you give permission for your voice to be recorded, for the recording to be edited, and for it to be posted and published as a podcast.

Today our hosts are Sagar Shetty and Sahil Gupta. First, an introduction to Mayank Kumar, Product Manager, Payments at Mastercard, Ireland and his career path thus far. Questions: 1.     How does Lean product management stand out from traditional product management with its significance in terms of development, management and delivery?2.     What is the scope of outsourcing and offshoring with respect to lean product management?3.     Can you share a recent experience where you have outsourced any services during the product roadmap?4.     How to determine which parts of the product development process are suitable for offshoring or outsourcing?5.     What are the challenges and roadblocks a product manager can face during outsourcing and offshoring?6.     What advice would you give to other product managers who are considering offshoring or outsourcing a part of their product development strategy?Thank you for finding the time to talk to us today. Notes, extra questions, and further reading:Podcast team: Sagar Shetty, Vishad Pimple, Kellen D’Costa, Sahil Gupta, Xiaoyu GeAcknowledgementsMusic Title: Voltaic FluctuationsArtist: Ben PruntySource:  https://www.benpruntymusic.com/License: Non-transferable license. Permission granted by Ben PruntyCover Art Title: Lean ManagementArtist: Sagar Shetty, Vishad Pimple, Kellen D’Costa, Sahil Gupta, Xiaoyu GeSource: Lean-Management-Cover Art_Group Z.jpgLicense: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0Podcast LicenseDesign Talk (dot IE) CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 The license can be viewed at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0By taking part you give permission for your voice to be recorded, for the recording to be edited, and for it to be posted and published as a podcast.