#16 Innovation is messy: Navigating chaos & resilience | Sienne Veit

“There are many, many things that AI can do, AI cannot dream, it cannot truly create, and it cannot think. And I just think the random messiness of the human spirit is just so perfect for creativity.”SummaryIn this episode, we dive into the career of Sienne Veit, a leader who has consistently operated at the "pointy end" of innovation. We explore her journey from studying linguistics and journalism in South Africa to spearheading the first transactional mobile website for Marks & Spencer during the dawn of the iPhone era. Throughout our conversation, we discuss the art of navigating corporate "no’s" by building resilient teams and maintaining an experimental mindset. We reflect on the importance of serendipity in the workplace and why "human messiness" remains our greatest advantage in an AI-driven future. Together, we uncover how a high tolerance for chaos and a commitment to solving real-world problems can transform enterprise design.GuestSienne VeitLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sienneveit/HostDanny Hearn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyhearn/Website – www.dannyhearn.mePodcast – www.deeplyhumandesign.comChapters00:00 The Human Spirit vs. AI01:29 From Lecturer to Product Leader: A Weavy Journey04:19 Linguistics: The Foundation of Meaning and HCI07:43 Early Mobile Adoption: From WAP to South African Banking10:49 Sony and the Cusp of the iPhone Revolution12:12 Building M&S’s First Mobile Transactional Site15:01 Early Failures: QR Codes and Text-Based Loyalty17:25 Abandoning Wireframes for Pure Design20:36 Loving the Unknown and Multi-disciplinary Teams23:47 The "Shit Umbrella": Protecting Team Creativity29:29 High Tolerance for Chaos and the Capacity to Reset34:59 Breaking Down Certainty for Stakeholders41:56 Diversity in Tech: From "Only Woman in the Room" to STEM44:33 Remote vs. Relational Culture: Cracking the Team Bond47:53 Meeting Barack Obama in Sao Paulo51:45 The Future of the Craft: Why AI Can't Dream