Apr 19, 2026 · 54 min · 18 segments
What if design isn't neutral at all? In this episode, Katy sits down with Jessie McGuire, partner at New York design studio Thought Matter, to explore the real power…
Jessie McGuireGuest
Katy CowanHost
I mean, something, um, I know one of the, the, uh, or a question I know, uh, you've asked before.
I've, I've listened to different podcasts and, and kind of thinking is, like, what's something that, um, is a controversial take or like a, you know, a hot-
But I feel like something that I've really been sitting with a lot and, and it, and it brought up when you just said it, is that I 100% believe that design is not neutral.
Like, our proximity to power as designers is so close that we can't continue to pretend like we aren't designing outcomes.
I mean, you, you listen to so many wonderful, um, practitioners of design, those that have really, uh, cut their teeth in the, you know, these sort of torchbearers of our industry.
And we get so excited as designers, right? I mean, I've been that person listening, uh, oh my gosh, this is so true.
Like imagine if I had a seat at the table, what would that look like? Um, and I feel like in 2026, it's...
Like, we all, as desi- If we're designing really anything, but if we're certainly designing communication, if we're designing visual language, if we're designing the narratives that people are reading, if we're designing how people interact with interfaces, we are shaping the world as we see it.
We make a decision as a designer to have somebody swipe left or wi- right, depending on what they see.
You get people to scroll faster or to get people to stay on something for a long period of time, for them not to go do something else, we've designed that.
I mean, something, um, I know one of the, the, uh, or a question I know, uh, you've asked before.
I've, I've listened to different podcasts and, and kind of thinking is, like, what's something that, um, is a controversial take or like a, you know, a hot-
But I feel like something that I've really been sitting with a lot and, and it, and it brought up when you just said it, is that I 100% believe that design is not neutral.
Like, our proximity to power as designers is so close that we can't continue to pretend like we aren't designing outcomes.
I mean, you, you listen to so many wonderful, um, practitioners of design, those that have really, uh, cut their teeth in the, you know, these sort of torchbearers of our industry.
And we get so excited as designers, right? I mean, I've been that person listening, uh, oh my gosh, this is so true.
Like imagine if I had a seat at the table, what would that look like? Um, and I feel like in 2026, it's...
Like, we all, as desi- If we're designing really anything, but if we're certainly designing communication, if we're designing visual language, if we're designing the narratives that people are reading, if we're designing how people interact with interfaces, we are shaping the world as we see it.
We make a decision as a designer to have somebody swipe left or wi- right, depending on what they see.
You get people to scroll faster or to get people to stay on something for a long period of time, for them not to go do something else, we've designed that.
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