061: What termite mounds, rope experiments, and UX have in common

Join Ephie Risho and Jason Moore for a lively conversation about The Medici Effect—Frans Johansson’s modern classic on how the best ideas emerge where different disciplines collide. From Renaissance Florence to today’s product teams, they explore how innovation sparks at the intersection of cultures, fields, and experiences.

Expect stories that range from the famous two-ropes experiment to IDEO’s design thinking process and AI-spurred innovation, all woven into what it means for UX research, design, and leadership. The discussion dives into how diversity, cross-domain thinking, and creative risk-taking can break associative barriers and reshape how teams approach problem-solving.

Packed with humor, real-world parallels, and actionable insights, this episode challenges designers and product leaders to stop coloring inside their professional lines—and start creating at the intersections where innovation actually happens.

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