182. From Perfectionism to Progress: Manuel Lima on the Real Work of Product Design

Productized Podcast

What does it mean to design with empathy in a world of AI, pressure, and perfectionism?

In this episode of the Productized Podcast, host André Marquet sits down with Manuel Lima—author, speaker, and Global Head of Design at Interos Inc.—to explore how the role of design is evolving across disciplines and technologies.

They dive deep into:

➡️ Why designers need to lead with empathy and collaboration

➡️ How AI is reshaping creative work and pushing us toward “invisible design”

➡️ The myth of the individual design genius—and why it’s holding teams back

➡️ Manuel's personal transformation and how dance, mindfulness, and self-love influence his creative process

➡️ The ethical responsibility of designers in an attention-driven world

This is a conversation about art, leadership, and what it really means to create change—both in our work and within ourselves.

📌Chapters:

01:04 Manuel Lima: A Designer's Journey

01:50 Personal Transformations and Rediscovering Self

04:47 Empathy and Self-Love in Design

05:54 Customer-Centric Companies: A Case for Amazon

07:47 The Ethical Dilemma of Design and Capitalism

09:44 Challenging Design Myths: The New Designer

12:23 The Paradox of Choice in Product Design

15:04 The Myth of Perfection in Design

16:17 The Hero Culture in Design

17:57 Individualism vs. Collaboration in Design

22:22 The Future of Design in an AI-Driven World

23:45 The Impact of Photography on Art

25:22 AI and the Future of Design

27:51 Creating a Culture of Creativity

30:12 The Importance of Understanding the Big Picture

34:10 Influencing Change in Design Teams

🔗 Where to find Manuel:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mslima/

Website: https://www.mslima.com

🔗 Where to find Andre: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marquet/

🎉 Mark your calendars for Productized Conference 2025!

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Where to find us:

Newsletter 👉 http://bit.ly/3aMvWn2

Website: https://productized.co/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/productized

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/productized.co/

Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/pt-BR/Productized/

🎧 Listen now and let’s #CreateChangeTogether

#ProductDesign #Creativity #EmpathyInDesign #AI #ProductLeadership #SystemsThinking #ProductizedPodcast