Design Matters

Overview

Design Matters is a long-running interview podcast hosted by Debbie Millman, a designer, writer, educator, and brand strategist. It launched on February 4, 2005, from two telephone landlines and has evolved from a live internet radio program into a multi-award-winning podcast.

The show centers on how creative people — designers, writers, artists, musicians, educators, scientists, philosophers, athletes, and performers — design the trajectories of their lives. Each episode is a deeply researched long-form interview that covers a guest's origin story, challenges, choices, and the art they create.

Key Benefits

• One of the first and longest running podcasts in the world, launched in 2005.
• Recipient of a Cooper Hewitt National Design Award and the 2025 Audio Vanguard Award from OnAir Fest.
• Nominated for ten Webby Awards, winning two, and two Ambie Awards.
• Winner of a Signal Award, three Communicator Awards, and three awards from the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts.
• Listed on over 100 "Best Podcasts" lists, including Business Insider and Vanity Fair.
• Host Debbie Millman was named one of the most influential designers working today by Graphic Design USA.

How It Works

Listeners access episodes through major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, and SoundCloud. Each episode features Debbie Millman conducting a long-form interview with a creative figure, exploring their origin story, life challenges, career choices, and creative work.

Use Cases

• Design students who want to hear career origin stories and advice from established creative professionals.
• Working designers seeking inspiration and perspective on navigating their own career trajectories.
• Writers and artists interested in the creative process and how influential figures overcame challenges.
• Educators who assign episodes as supplementary material for courses on design thinking and career development.
• Podcast listeners looking for an award-winning, long-form interview format with a two-decade back catalog.

Why Choose This Product

Design Matters is best suited for listeners who value in-depth, researched conversations with creative figures rather than short-form or news-driven podcasts. The show is free to access on all major podcast platforms and offers a substantial back catalog spanning nearly twenty years of episodes.