Debbie Millman ✗ Spotify Design
Late last year I was in Barcelona for Spotify’s Design Days and had the pleasure of hearing Debbie Millman speak as our keynote. I’m still fangirling and you’re going to hear all about it…
What are Design Days? I started working at Spotify in early March and was able to attend my first-ever Design Days ritual. Spotify is committed to galvanizing its creative community and the design discipline prides itself on working in unison with every other team, infusing our user-centered and technology-empowering strategy across all areas of the business.
Design Days is broken up into two parts. The first part was held in Brooklyn in the earlier part of the year focusing on planning, road mapping, and strategy whereas the second part in the latter half of the year was focused on building relationships across all parts of Spotify Design, celebrating the year’s achievements and honestly - having a good time! Debbie Millman closed out our agenda while in Barcelona and it was so incredible to hear her speak in the flesh!
Who is Debbie Millman? If you’re not in the design world - you may not know who Debbie is! Debbie Millman is someone I have respected and been inspired by starting from my days at design school straight to this point in my career today. It’s intimidating to try to describe someone with so many accolades so I googled her and this is what came up: “Debbie Millman is an American writer, educator, artist, curator, and designer who is best known as the host of the podcast Design Matters. She has authored six books and is the President Emeritus of the American Institute of Graphic Arts and chair, one of only five women to hold the position over 100 years.” Accurate - but Debbie Millman is this and so much more!
Millman’s work has been featured in some of our most prolific institutions and her logo marks are seen worldwide at brands like Burger King, Tropicana, Kleenex & so many more. Debbie takes a business-centered approach to the design discipline, something that I have leaned towards from the inception of my career. In her most recent book, Why Design Matters: Conversations with the World’s Most Creative People, she sits down with 55 visionaries across diverse fields in captivating interviews unraveling this idea. In addition, The Harvard Business School introduced a case study on Debbie which is being taught to all first-year graduate students by Professor Francesca Gino and Professor Frances X. I mean…to even just have a case study named after you.
No, but on a serious note - the way Debbie is intentional about designing a logo is the same way she is intentional about designing her life - and helping you design yours! Her point of view is so human, so holistic and she is an advocate for using design in all aspects of your life - to help, to inspire, and to guide. Very recently she released a beautifully designed card deck titled "The Remarkable Life Deck”, this artifact provides prompts to identify your hopes and aspirations, and, by daring you to dream them, helps you make those dreams a reality.
There’s so much to say about Debbie Millman and her grand achievements but I will leave you with that and a few links if you wish to dive further:
Debbie Millman’s website, Why Design Matters & other published books, The “Designing a Meaningful Life” course, The Remarkable Life Deck, How symbols and brands shape our humanity at TED, and various Articles written by Debbie.
