logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2025
59m 26s

148. How to Have Good Ideas

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
About this episode
Sarah Stein Greenberg runs Stanford’s d.school, which teaches design as a mode of problem solving. She and Steve talk about what makes her field different from other academic disciplines, how to approach hard problems, and why brainstorms are so annoying. 
Up next
Aug 29
37. Sendhil Mullainathan Thinks Messing Around Is the Best Use of Your Time
He’s a professor of computation and behavioral science at the University of Chicago, MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient, and author. Steve and Sendhil laugh their way through a conversation about the importance of play, the benefits of change, and why we remember so little about ... Show More
50m 31s
Aug 22
36. How Rahm Emanuel Would Run the World
In this interview, Steve talks with the former top adviser to presidents Clinton and Obama, about his record — and his reputation. And Rahm explains that while he believes in the power of the federal government, as former mayor of Chicago, he says that cities are where problems r ... Show More
41m 56s
Aug 15
35. David Epstein Knows Something About Almost Everything
He’s been an Arctic scientist, a sports journalist, and is now a best-selling author of science books. His latest, Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, makes the argument that early specialization does not give you a head start in life. David and Steve talk abou ... Show More
49m 15s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2022
569: The Way to Make Struggles More Productive, with Sarah Stein Greenberg
Sarah Stein Greenberg: Creative Acts for Curious People Sarah Stein Greenberg is the Executive Director of the Stanford d.school. She leads a community of designers, faculty, and other innovative thinkers who help people unlock their creative abilities and apply them to the world ... Show More
37m 39s
Jun 2022
Sarah Stein Greenberg on Creative Thinking and Action Through Design
Sarah Stein Greenberg is the Executive Director of the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design.  Sarah helps lead the d. school, an interdisciplinary institute at Stanford that nurtures innovators and spreads design thinking.   In this episode, Eric and Sarah Stein Greenberg discuss ... Show More
1h 1m
Mar 2022
55. Ideas & Empathy: How to Design and Communicate with Others in Mind
<p>“Very often, you are not designing for yourself. And you kind of have to get out of your own way to effectively design with others’ needs in mind.”</p><p>In this podcast episode, lecturer Matt Abrahams is joined by <a href="https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/sarah-stein-green ... Show More
19m 19s
Jun 2022
61. Courage, Ambiguity, Belonging and Data: How to Design Your Communication for Success
<p>All communication comes from a place of creativity and creativity is rooted in design. In this episode of <a href="https://www.fastersmarter.io/"><em>Think Fast, Talk Smart</em></a>, strategic communications lecturer and podcast host Matt Abrahams interviews four authors from ... Show More
34m 4s
Aug 2025
How design drives successful companies, with Sarah Stein Greenberg
Whether you’re building a new product from scratch, growing your team, or trying to find product market fit, every part of scaling a business has one thing in common. It needs to be well designed. That’s why we’re headed back to school this week – and learning from Stanford d.sch ... Show More
34m 19s
Jan 2023
529. Can Our Surroundings Make Us Smarter?
tail spinning
46m 42s
Jul 2022
Why Design Matters | Debbie Millman & Yumi Stynes at All About Women 2022
<p>How do you find the courage to make a major change in your life? How do you re-set your values? How do you reconnect with your creative self?</p><br><p>Designer and host of the long-running and wildly popular podcast Design Matters, Debbie Millman explores invention, truth-tel ... Show More
53m 57s
May 2021
Design Matters: A conversation with Sarah Kay
Today, we're sharing an episode from another podcast in the TED Audio Collective: Design Matters with Debbie Millman. For over 15 years, Debbie has been interviewing incredibly creative people about how they design the arc of their lives. For more interviews with people like Jacq ... Show More
54m 58s
May 2021
Design Matters: A conversation with Sarah Kay
Today, we're sharing an episode from another podcast in the TED Audio Collective: Design Matters with Debbie Millman. For over 15 years, Debbie has been interviewing incredibly creative people about how they design the arc of their lives. For more interviews with people like Jacq ... Show More
54m 58s