Discover the Secrets of Creative Curiosity with Begga Hauksdottir, S5, Ep1

In this episode, we’re joined by Begga Hauksdottir, User Experience Director at TrusTrace, with over 12 years of expertise in product design, digital innovation, and user experience. Begga discusses her passion for creating impactful solutions, guiding teams through user-centric methodologies like design thinking, and driving meaningful change through design. Discussion Point:

• What was your professional journey like and what shaped you as a design professional? 2:56
• Did you notice any cultural shifts when the smaller design studio you worked at was acquired by the larger organization? 5:57
• How do you think the cultural experiences from living in Iceland, Italy, and Sweden have influenced your approach to design and the work you do now? 8:57
• Rapid fire round 15:15
• What are the key challenges you face in managing your remote team in India while working in a B2B structure, and how do you address those challenges? 20:17
• As a design leader, what key qualities do you want your team to develop, and what measures are you taking to foster those qualities within your team? 26:03
• What advice would you give to young designers aspiring to follow in your footsteps? 27:13

Show notes:

• As creative professionals, it becomes our responsibility to stay foolish, stay curious, keep discovering things, and keep knowing what is new to come.
• Even though we have the repository, we always want to recheck the data with a smaller sample to validate what information we already have, because every year or so, a new product comes into the market, and people's perceptions might change.
• We have to design very quickly, working with certain knowledge and biases, but it’s crucial to constantly check: Am I still on the right track? Are there knowledge gaps that have come up?
• Expose yourself to a lot of things early on. Don’t just go for the first comfortable position. Test out what resonates with you, because being unhappy at work for 40 years won’t make good products—or you—happy.
• It’s not about having a sleek, beautiful portfolio for me—it’s about solving meaningful problems. Find what resonates with you, not what looks good on paper.
• Keep networking, engaging, listening to podcasts, and reading books. That’s the journey for any career, but especially for a designer. Links - Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/berglindhauksdottir/ Company’s Website - http://www.trustrace.com