Why the System Isn't Broken (and How to Change It Anyway) / Meghan Bausone / Episode #258

Are you tired of design feeling boxed in by limiting beliefs and endless support tickets? In this episode, we explore how to break free from the status quo and tackle meaningful, system-level challenges that actually change lives.

There isn't a single service design professional who got into this industry to just solve support tickets all day. You got into this to make a positive impact. But what happens when the systems we operate in are designed to keep things exactly the way they are?

To answer that, Marc sits down with Meghan Bausone, who recently earned her Doctor of Design degree. Drawing from her firsthand experience redesigning maternity care, Meghan shares actionable advice on how to find opportunities to experiment, overcome the frustrations of a rigid environment, and turn your desire to question everything into your greatest professional superpower.

Being stuck in a system doesn't have to be paralyzing. It’s time to recognize the opportunities around you, or even better, create them yourself.

🎧 In This Episode

• The Reality of Modern Design: Why the industry feels boxed in and how to break free from the daily grind.

• Hacking the Status Quo: How to find opportunities to experiment in environments resistant to change.

• Designing Better Maternity Care: Meghan’s firsthand insights into navigating and improving systems that have been stuck for ages.

• Overcoming Limiting Beliefs: Recognizing our own mental roadblocks about what design is "supposed" to do.

• Question Everything: Why having the courage to be "annoying" or disruptive is actually a designer's ultimate superpower.

If you want to find ways to work on challenges that truly matter, this conversation is for you! What is the biggest limiting belief you’ve had to overcome in your design career? Let us know in the comments!

Don't forget to Subscribe to stay updated on future episodes that help you make a positive impact through design.

Enjoy the conversation and keep making a positive impact.

~ Marc

[ 1. GUIDE 📺 ]

00:00 Welcome to episode 258

00:00 Introduction

00:45 Megan's Background

03:30 Invisible Constraints

05:45 Path to UX Design

09:15 Maternal Health Crisis

12:00 Pursuing a Doctorate

14:15 Improving Systems

21:00 Embracing Biases

25:15 Localized Solutions

31:00 Questioning HCD

37:15 Leverage Points

41:45 Managerialism Ideology

49:45 Institutional Deserts

56:00 Practical First Steps

59:15 Final Reflection

[ 2. LINKS 🔗 ]

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanbausone/

[ 3. NEXT STEP 💪 ]

Looking for more? We've got you covered.

Click the link below to join the Service Design Show community.

https://servicedesignshow.com/subscribe/

You'll get access to inspiring stories and practical advice that helps to level up your service design career!

[ 4. FIND THE SHOW ON ]

• Youtube ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/258-youtube

• Spotify ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/258-spotify

• Apple ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/258-apple

• Snipd ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/258-snipd