Designing for Uncertainty with Mickey McManus

In this episode of The Flux, host John Cordier sits down with innovation pioneer Mickey McManus to explore what it means to design for uncertainty in a world where complexity is the norm. Mickey draws on decades of experience from leading Maya Design and shaping decision-support tools for DARPA, to helping build the Future of Learning team at Autodesk to share insights on how human-centered design, systems thinking, and simulation can empower better decisions when the stakes are high and clarity is scarce.

Together, John and Mickey unpack stories ranging from battlefield strategies in Iraq to fifth-grade prototyping workshops, illustrating how the right tools, environments, and mindsets can turn chaos into creativity. They dive into the importance of creating interaction physics in digital tools, the role of cognitive diversity in teams, and how simulation both technological and social builds resilience and foresight.

Whether you're a designer, strategist, educator, or technologist, this episode offers a compelling lens on how to build for adaptability, foster innovation, and empower decision-makers in an age of flux.