Design Matters with Debbie Millman Mauro Porcini
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Apr 30, 2026 
Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer at Samsung who champions human-centered, expressive technology. He reflects on cultural roots shaping design, staying humble with an apprentice mindset, leading across cultures, and the ethical duty of design in an AI-driven world. Conversations touch on expressive aesthetics, multi-sensory experiences, and linking ethics to business value.
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Earn Change By Studying Company History First
- Respect starts with empathy and deep study of a company's history before proposing change.
- Mauro studied Samsung's evolution from trading company to appliance maker to global tech brand to craft authentic design shifts.
Use Human Needs As The Definition Of Innovation
- Treat design as synonymous with innovation by starting from people’s needs and changing the status quo.
- Mauro asserts designers' value is imagination, empathy, and framing problems—not just technical tools, especially with AI aiding execution.
AI Amplifies Designers By Challenging Biases
- AI is a collaborator that breaks designers' biases and speeds craft, but value lies in the dialogue between human and AI.
- Mauro predicts schools must teach critical thinking and imagination over tool mastery.