Vicki Tan is a Product Designer, a public speaker, a student of Behavioral Psychology, and a dog mom based in Brooklyn. She currently works at Spotify, and has previously worked at Headspace, Lyft, and Google. She cares deeply about the human aspects of design, and the insights that data cannot provide. In her spare time, she's working on an illustrated book on cognitive bias.
We spoke in mid-July 2022, and I was excited to talk to Vicki because she's been at the center of designing some really delightful digital experiences in Headspace, Lyft, and Spotify, and has given interesting talks on the complex interactions of data, logic, and creativity.
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this conversation we talk about:
One of my favorite things about being a product designer is meeting other product designers. There is something about the open-mindedness, mindfulness, optimism, and interdisciplinary interests that seem to be a recurring pattern and which make the best product designers a real delight to talk to. And Vicki is no different.
This conversation is one of a dozen or so weekly conversations we already have lined up for you with top designers, thinkers, makers, authors, and activists who are working to change our world for the better. So please follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app, or head over to RemakePod.org to subscribe.
And now, let's jump right in with Vicki Tan.
TIMESTAMP CHAPTERS
[4:18] Life in the Present
[8:35] Childhood Rebellion
[12:17] A Journey to Behavioral Psychology
[15:15] A Career Path
[19:02] Hiring Decision Factors
[21:38] A Pivot to Designer
[25:35] Lyft, Headspace, and Spotify
[29:25] The Culture at Headspace
[37:04] Designing With Intuition
[40:23] Finding Umami
[47:52] Gentle Chaos
[56:47] Cognitive Bias
[1:05:20] A Short Sermon
EPISODE LINKS
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