{ A selection from the }

Portfolio of work

Featured public speaking appearances, podcast dialogues, and video interviews

Speaking engagements, published written pieces, and personal design work.

Our Imperatives: Connection and Fulfillment

Our Imperatives: Connection and Fulfillment

"What fulfills you, inclusive of both sides of your personal and professional journey? Understanding this, in tandem with a clear value system, is essential to defining your legacy as a designer. The designer’s legacy isn’t built upon their choice of tools. The designer’s legacy is built upon the choices they make—as macro and micro as that implies. There is a privilege and responsibility that are inherent in the craft. In communicating. In connecting with people through design."

Presented at: UXPA International '21 opening keynote, Leading Design (New York) '22

Together: The Essential Fusion of Culture and Design

Together: The Essential Fusion of Culture and Design

"We cannot preach outwardly about empathy for those we’re designing for (re: human beings) if as designers, researchers, architects, developers (and on and on) we’re not supporting each other. The notion of being people-first has an innate synergy between design process (and ultimate product) and office culture (and empathetic interactions). To the benefit of both dynamics, those touch points are identifiable and exploitable."

Presented at: Big Design Conference '20, UXPA Boston, User Defenders Community, UXPA Minnesota, Registered Association of Graphic Designers (RGD), UXPA New Jersey, UXPA Kansas City, and Tampa Bay UX.

Together: The Essential Fusion of Culture and Design

Humility: The Designer's Most Essential Trait

"Humility is essential to doing our best work. Why? Effective visual communication and intuitive UX are not subjective; every objective design decision we make carries weight, and is bigger than us. We must understand the privilege, and the responsibility, that are inherent in our work. If we are always students of our craft, we are always making ourselves available to evolve. 'Experience' does not equal 'expert', despite having a monogrammed portfolio or a blue checkbox next to your Twitter handle."

Presented at: St. Louis Design Week '22 closing keynote, AIGA Portfolio Festival '20, IxDC Beijing '21, UX Camp '21, UX Dallas, AIGA El Paso, AIGA Central Coast, South Florida UX (SOFLUX), and NH UXPA.

Together: The Essential Fusion of Culture and Design

Creative Culture: Human-Centered Interaction, Design, & Inspiration

"Mobile First? In reality, it’s humans first. This same mentality, turned inward, forms the cornerstone of something amazing: a creative culture. And while our livelihoods exist within the digital realm, inspiration has no such contextual boundaries; there is an entire world of design and inspiration beyond the context the digital world affords us."

Presented at: Midwest UX '18 opening keynote

MentorBox video workshop

MentorBox is a company that delivers curated books and exclusive author-run workshops for busy professionals. As a content provider for the company, Justin filmed a workshop on the themes of his book, Cultivating a Creative Culture.

Read about the workshop →

Futurice "Design Day"

the AIGA's Design Future Live interview

Justin was invited to speak at Futurice's Design Day in Stockholm, Sweden. He presented on creative culture and design inspiration, did an audience Q&A, and workshopped an effective means of processing observation into creative fuel.

Read about the event →

Indie Author Day '17

Justin participated in the 2017 Indie Author Day event, "for a day of education, networking, mingling, writing, open mics, panels, and so much more." In his talk he covered successful promotion, publishing, and evergreen content.

View the presentation →

"User Defenders" Dialogue

User Defenders 'Land a Job in UX' Series

"Finding the Right Cultural Fit" is Justin's contribution to the User Defenders' "Landing a Job in UX" series. He discusses the signals to watch out for in our search for the culture that will foster our creativity, and empower our passion to produce our best work.

Listen to the podcast →

AIGA "Design Future Live"

A conversation with Lee-Sean Huang (via an Instagram Live session) for the AIGA's "Design Future Live" podcast.

View the interview →

Funsize "Hustle Podcast" #83

A dialogue with Anthony Armendariz from agency Funsize titled "People First: How Empathy Empowers Brand & Product."

Listen to the podcast →

"Creative Life" Interview

In "How to Design a Creative Culture at Work," Justin and James Taylor talk about human beings being at the heart of it all.

View the video interview →

Design Leadership Podcast

"This podcast aims to help you navigate your own design journey and help inform and inspire you in your pursuit of design leadership."

Listen to the podcast →

What is UX? Podcast #9

Designing Health Care Benefits Administration and Corporate Culture with Justin Dauer, VP of Design at bswift.

Listen to the podcast →

Time 4 Coffee #483

Justin talks "What Good Workplace Culture Looks Like" with Andrea Koppel on a show geared for young professionals.

Listen to the podcast →

InfoQ "Culture and Methods"

Linking design and culture, and leadership by humility, are covered in this conversation with host Shane Hastie.

Listen to the podcast →

The Reflex Blue Show #210

Three years later, Justin and Donovan Beery catch up again after the release of the 2nd edition of "Creative Culture".

Listen to the podcast →

The Big Web Show #161

The Big Web Show No. 161 is Justin's conversation with Jeffrey Zeldman on Cultivating a Creative Culture.

Listen to the podcast →

The Innovation Show #169

On how human-centered design drives innovation in tandem with a culture that supports the same people-first dynamic.

Listen to the podcast →

Creative Agency #36

Chatting all things about Cultivating a Creative Culture with Chris Bolton as it impacts the agency space.

Listen to the podcast →

On Brand Podcast

Talking about the inseparable nature between culture and brand and how “human-centered” transcends process.

Listen to the podcast →

User Defenders SE

An engaging dialogue with Jason Ogle on Cultivating a Creative Culture for all those passionate about their craft.

Listen to the podcast →

The Reflex Blue Show #171

An interview with Donovan Beery on Cultivating a Creative Culture, design thinking, and Street Fighter.

Listen to the podcast →

LifeSelfMastery #98

A dialogue on inclusion, & healthy culture in business. Justin discusses how having a “culture plan” is as vital as a business plan.

Listen to the podcast →

User Defenders #50

For User Defeners' monumental 50th episode, Justin took over host duties to play interviewer for (usual host) Jason Ogle.

Listen to the podcast →

The Big Web Show #121

The Big Web Show No. 121 is Justin's conversation with Jeffrey Zeldman on The Dead Pixel Society project.

Listen to the podcast →

Sales Evangelist #1143

Justin and Donald discuss how an HCD approach to cultural and design process drives success on both fronts.

Listen to the podcast →

Authored books, featured published articles and columns, and select given interviews and contributions

Speaking engagements, published written pieces, and personal design work.

two hardcover copies of Creative Culture on a wood table
 

'Creative Culture': the 2nd edition book

"The first edition of Justin Dauer's 2017 book Cultivating a Creative Culture was written around a core concept: empathy, humility, and creativity at the office—permeating how we treat one another, support one another, and the collective influence upon how we create.⁣

It's upon that last notion, 'how we create,'' where this second edition further focuses on the parallels between "making" and "interacting.” Process and practice. Design and culture."

Visit the official site →

 

Forbes:
"Creativity and Chaos"

“If you’re designing or creating in a homogenous way, we are falling short as creators.”

Read the article →

A List Apart:
"Resetting Agency Culture"

"Many agencies support a model that’s more about draining workers of every available bit of brainpower."

Read the article →

Medium's "Forge" pub:
"How to Tell an Employee..."

"This conversation can’t be a dump on the person receiving the feedback. It has to be a collaborative effort."

Read the article →

UX Matters column:
"The Designer in Focus"

On the connections between how we collaborate and create, and going deeper into their meaning.

Read the column →

Training Indusry:
"3 Pandemic Self-care Tips"

“It’s easy to forget to check in on yourself when your role is centered around the development of others.”

Read the article →

CEO World Magazine:
"Investing in Culture"

"It’s a tangible demonstration of support and respect that an elevator pitch could never deliver."

Read the article →

Speckyboy Design Mag:
"Resume Design Usability"

"These methods of making your resume more usable to a potential employer are conducive to any type of design."

Read the article →

A List Apart Sidebar:
"Color You Responsible"

"It’s a broken experience if trial-and-error is the means by which a person engages with a web site."

Read the article →

Conscious Connection:
"Cultural Business Shift"

"It’s your right to have time for growth in your day-to-day, and it needn’t come at the cost of putting food on the table."

Read the article →

A List Apart Sidebar:
"Transition of Fulfillment"

"It’s about embracing a career’s evolution, and honor, to support your team’s passion toward their craft."

Read the article →

Speckyboy Design Mag:
"Video Game Usability"

"The best implementations of usability are transparent to the user ... facilitating organic learning of systems."

Read the article →

Personal projects across UX, UI, print, and web. Professional folio is available upon request-only.

Speaking engagements, published written pieces, and personal design work.

© 2021 Justin Dauer