Podcast Episodes

In this episode of With Intent, hosts Thamer Abanami and Albert Shum explore the revolutionary ClearRx prescription packaging system, created by designer Deborah Adler. What began as a personal experience with her grandparents’ medication mix-up evolved into a groundbreaking design that transformed how medications are dispensed in America. The episode reveals how thoughtful design, strategic partnerships, and persistence can create meaningful impact in healthcare.

Through an engaging conversation with Deborah Adler herself, this episode uncovers how a designer’s entrepreneurial spirit, combined with deep observational insights and strategic collaboration, can overcome complex regulatory challenges to bring innovative solutions to market.

In this episode of With Intent, hosts Thamer Abanami and Albert Shum explore the groundbreaking design of the OXO Good Grips Peeler, an everyday tool that transformed how people interact with kitchen products. Featuring an exclusive interview with Davin Stowell, the founder of Smart Design and the visionary behind the peeler, the episode unpacks the story of how one small tool became a design revolution. Created with a focus on accessibility and universal usability, the peeler emerged from Sam Farber’s inspiration to help his wife, Betsy, manage kitchen tasks despite her arthritis. This intention not only sparked the iconic Good Grips Peeler but also launched OXO as a household name synonymous with thoughtful, inclusive design.

The conversation delves into the essence of what makes the OXO Good Grips Peeler an enduring example of good design—its intuitive handle, ergonomic form, and careful balance of signaling and functionality. This episode highlights the peeler’s journey from concept to market, showing how Stowell’s commitment to observation, prototyping, and user-centered design practices set a new standard. Listeners will come away with a richer understanding of how design principles and values can create products that improve lives and build stronger market connections.

In this episode of With Intent, hosts Thamer Abanami and Albert Shum explore how Zipline is transforming healthcare access by leveraging autonomous drones. Zipline’s mission is to address critical gaps in healthcare delivery, especially in underserved rural areas where timely access to medical supplies can mean the difference between life and death. The episode offers a deep dive into Zipline’s innovative approaches to logistics and the groundbreaking solutions they’ve developed for healthcare.

From their origins to their current global expansion, Zipline’s journey demonstrates the power of practical problem-solving in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. The discussion highlights the key elements of Zipline’s success: their culture of ruthless practicality, focusing on simple, cost-effective solutions rather than theoretical perfection, and the role that partnerships with governments, like Rwanda’s, played in scaling their operations.

In this episode of With Intent, hosts Thamer Abanami and Albert Shum delve into the creation of the Raspberry Pi—a $35, credit card-sized computer that has revolutionized technology education and sparked innovation worldwide. They explore the origins of the Raspberry Pi, its foundational design principles, its profound impact on education and industry, and why it succeeded where other educational technologies struggled.

Joined by special guest Sheryl Cababa, Chief Strategy Officer at Optimistic Design and author of Closing the Loop: Systems Thinking for Designers, the conversation expands to discuss approaches for designing for educational outcomes, including the topics of stakeholder-centered design, the pitfalls of techno-determinism, and the importance of designing with marginalized communities in mind.

This episode sheds light on how a small team of visionaries created a low-cost, versatile computing platform that reignited interest in computer science education and empowered a global community of innovators. The discussion underscores the importance of affordability, accessibility, stakeholder engagement, and a clear mission in developing impactful technological solutions.

In this episode of With Intent, hosts Thamer Abanami and Albert Shum explore the story of LifeStraw, a groundbreaking water filtration device that’s changing lives globally. They dive into LifeStraw’s origins, innovative technology, and unique business model that balances profit with purpose.