In this episode, I speak with Irish garden designer and tv personality - Diarmuid Gavin. He has presented gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show on nine occasions from 1995 to 2016 - He has also authored or co-authored at least ten gardening-related books.

For regular listeners, you will be familiar with a recent episode I did with 16-time Grammy award-winning producer, Rafa Sardina - well this episode is continuing on that trend. I am really keen to explore other disciplines to see how they work to solve complex problems and also approach their work. I see gardening and working with nature as a direct parallel to working within organisations. Thinking like this, I was excited to speak with Diarmuid to see how he explores designing for the future and chat at length about external factors that could hinder the designer's vision.

Diarmuid was a great guest - and wanted to give a big shout out to his wonderful Instagram page where he answers questions regularly through his Live events. So if you are interested and getting started with anything garden related - Diarmuids yer man!

• 
  
• Follow and connect with Diarmuid on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/diarmuidgavin
• 
  

More from This is HCD

• 
  
• https://linktr.ee/thisishcd
• 
  
• Join our Slack community / https://www.thisishcd.com/community/join/
• 
  
• Join our newsletter / https://www.thisishcd.com/community/subscribe-to-our-fortnightly-newsletter/
• 
  
• Training with This is Doing
• 
  

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special walking episode of This is HCD, Gerry visits Elmgrove Farm in County Meath, Ireland, to meet farmer, journalist, and innovator Darragh McCullough.

What started as a flower farm has evolved into a thriving community experience with pizza, peonies, and pick-your-own eggs. Together, they explore the deep thinking, sustainable practices, and collaborative mindset driving the farm’s remarkable transformation.

Learn how Darragh blends farming tradition with human-centred principles, and discover how change-makers in any industry can be inspired by the resilience, creativity, and adaptability found in modern Irish agriculture.

Learn more: https://elmgroveflowerfarm.ie/

🔑 Key Takeaways

• How to diversify without losing focus: a masterclass in iterative business building

• Why collaboration (not control) is essential for modern rural enterprises

• The power of customer experience in reshaping farming's role in local communities

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

👉 Get started with my free 5-Day Email course for changemakers: https://www.changemakersroadmap.com/

OR Design Training: https://www.thisishcd.com/training

In this episode of This is HCD, Gerry Scullion speaks with Adam B. Cochrane, an experienced design leader currently at Staffbase in Berlin. Together, they explore the often-overlooked power of facilitation in design—and why it’s a crucial skill for any designer hoping to make a meaningful impact. From working at Lufthansa and Zalando to his current role, Adam shares lessons learned about enabling teams, the value of psychological safety, and how even introverts can become brilliant facilitators.

We explore:
🧠 Why facilitation can supercharge your design career
🎤 How introverts can become incredible facilitators
🛠️ The role of psychological safety in team success

Adam shares brilliant insights from his time at Lufthansa, Zalando, and now Staffbase – plus practical advice for anyone wanting to step up and lead better conversations at work.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of This is HCD, Gerry Scullion is joined by Jaclyn Suzuki, co-founder of MADO and former creative director at Ziba, to explore a global study on the evolving nature of play — commissioned by toy giant Mattel.

With data from over 33,000 people across seven countries, Jaclyn dives into what makes play essential in our lives, how it’s shifting across cultures, and how brands can harness its power.

We unpack six distinct play personalities, the relationship between play and stress, and the role of play in building social cohesion across generations. Whether digital or physical, playful experiences shape our creativity, resilience, and sense of connection.

The Shape of Play study overview on Mattel site: https://corporate.mattel.com/the-shape-of-play

The Shape of Play case study by MADO: https://www.lookwithmado.com/mattel-1

MADO website: https://www.lookwithmado.com/

Connect with Jaclyn via Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaclyn-suzuki/

Key Takeaways:

• 🌍 Play is Universal: It transcends age, borders, and background.

• 🤖 Digital vs Physical: The nuances of screen-based vs real-world play.

• 🎯 Future of Play: How brands are reimagining connection through play.

  
  

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this solo episode, Gerry shares a heartfelt update on the This is HCD community and why it has evolved into an application-only model. Learn what makes this space radically different from noisy, growth-obsessed communities and how it’s built with intention, purpose, and a desire to create genuine impact.

Whether you’re a human-centred design practitioner or just curious, you’ll hear how members gain access to all of Gerry’s premium courses, personal coaching, and a low-noise, high-value space to learn and connect.

Apply: https://www.thisishcd.com/community

📌 3 Key Takeaways:

• We moved to an application-based community to prioritise values, alignment, and real engagement.

• Members gain full access to €2000+ worth of design courses, live office hours, and direct coaching with Gerry.

• 20% of all membership fees go to social impact causes – including providing bikes for kids in remote areas of South Africa.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Gerry Scullion and Mike Parker on an enlightening journey exploring Liminal Coaching - and join in this live session, where you can experience a session yourself with Gerry being the guinea pig :-)

🌟✨. Discover how intentional daydreaming, rooted in cognitive science, can unlock your creative potential! 🚀

Book a free 30-minute chat with Mike: https://tidycal.com/liminal/30-minute-meeting

Free Downloads: https://liminalcoaching.com/dtp-moment/

🧘‍♂️ Key Takeaways:
- Intentional daydreaming is productive and activates the brain's default mode network for creativity.
- Access limonality with tools like Liinal Pomodoro for micro breaks.
- Liinal Coaching is rooted in science, enhancing leadership and team dynamics.

📚 Explore real-life benefits through a live Liinal Moment session! 🕊️🌊
🕒 Timestamps:
00:00 Intro - Meet Mike Parker
01:54 Intentional Daydreaming Explained
03:60 Liinal Coaching Insights
06:01 Applying Liinal Thinking
08:12 Power of the Default Mode Network
10:16 Making Space for Creativity
12:23 Liinal Pomodoro Technique
14:37 Experience a Live Liinal Moment
27:04 Organizational Benefits
29:20 Unleashing Creative Potential

🔔 Subscribe for more insights and explore Liinal Coaching further! Head to our site for a FREE 5-day email course on human-centered service design. 😊

👉 Stay Relaxed, Stay Creative! 💡💪

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙 Join Gerry Scullion in a lively conversation with Myriam Hadnes, a vibrant facilitator, podcaster, and soon-to-be author of Unprofessionalism.

Dive into a discussion about the transformative journey of letting go of conventional professionalism to embrace authenticity and human connection. 🌀

⏰ Key Takeaways:

• Letting Go for Clarity (00:00 - 01:53):

  Streamlining life and business by shutting down a global community and simplifying digital presence.

• Radical Honesty & Leadership (01:53 - 03:57):

  Uncovering the power of honest, unfiltered communication in transforming team dynamics.

• Redefining Professionalism (41:48 - 53:15):

  Challenging the traditional notion of professionalism to prevent burnout and promote genuine connection.

🔗 Call to Action:

• Subscribe & Engage: Follow the podcast for more insightful episodes on human-centered service design. Leave a review on Spotify or Apple to support the community.

• Stay Updated: Join Myriam’s newsletter for updates on the book Unprofessionalism and subscribe to her podcast on leadership and facilitation.

Are you ready to question the boundaries of professionalism and discover new paths to personal and professional growth? Let’s dive in! 🔍🚀

⛅ Timestamp Breakdown:

• [00:00] Introduction to Myriam Hadnes

• [03:57] Myriam’s Professional Journey

• [06:10] The Shift to Unprofessional Approaches

• [13:12] Boundary Setting and Personal Growth

• [41:48] Writing Unprofessionalism

• [53:15] Breaking the Professional Facade

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out, this episode will inspire you to redefine success on your own terms. 🤝✨

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

👉 Get started with my free 5-Day Email course for changemakers: https://www.changemakersroadmap.com/

OR Design Training: https://www.thisishcd.com/training

🎙️ Dive into an insightful episode with Gerry Scullion as he discusses leadership, introversion, and the invisible emotional toll of workplace dynamics with Tim Yeo, the author of 'The Quiet Achiever'.

👥 Tim shares his journey of self-discovery and challenges the extroverted ideal in leadership, paving the way for more inclusive and diverse workplace environments.

🔑 Key Takeaways:
💡 Introversion vs. Shyness: Discover how energy management is crucial for introverts in today’s work environments.
🗣️ Inclusive Leadership: Leadership doesn't have a single voice. Learn about creating diverse teams with varied strengths.
📅 Practical Tools for Introverts: From meeting preparation to strategic energy recovery, find actionable insights from Tim's journey.

⏰ Timestamps:
- [00:00] Introduction and Overview
- [01:56] Key Takeaways on Leadership and Introversion
- [03:42] Tim Yeo's Journey and Insights
- [10:01] Dissecting Workplace Dynamics and Leadership Styles
- [20:01] Tactical Tools for Introverts in the Workplace

✨ Call-to-Action: If you're keen on creating a more inclusive and human-centered environment in your organization, don't miss out on Gerry's free 5-day email course on human-centered service design.

Sign up to take a proactive step in fostering diversity and inclusion in your workplace.

📈 Elevate your understanding of introversion and leadership with this episode, and explore practical ways to thrive as a quiet achiever.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices