The Extra Seat

The Extra Seat is a weekly AI-produced blog from source material provided. The blog has a special focus on design thinking and associated processes. Each week, we dive into the world of innovation, exploring tools, trends, and real-world stories. Together, we’ll journey along the roadmap to innovation, unpack practical methods, share experiments, examples, case studies and explore how ideas become outcomes. Pull up the extra seat and join the conversation, because innovation always has room for one more perspective. Follow along weekly and let’s shape the future of innovation together.

The Extra Seat is a education podcast hosted by Stephan Hitchins, with 27 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Stephan Hitchins hosts The Extra Seat, a education show with 27 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  The Extra Seat

  Designing Pathways Out of Poverty

  Nov 9, 202543 minS0

  <p>In this episode of The Extra Seat, we examine how design thinking and creative problem-solving can help address the dynamics of poverty—a deeply interconnected global challenge. Poverty isn’t just about a lack of income; it’s shaped by systems of education, health, opportunity, and social equity. We’ll explore how design thinking’s human-centered approach reframes poverty from a problem to be “solved” into a lived experience to be understood. By engaging communities directly, testing small interventions, and co-designing sustainable solutions, innovation becomes both inclusive and empowering. Examples include IDEO.org’s work on microfinance access, rural education initia...

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  The Extra Seat

  Collective Social Innovation

  Nov 3, 202532 minS0

  <p>In this episode of The Extra Seat, we explore how collective social innovation is transforming the way we address the world’s most complex challenges. No single organisation, government, or individual can solve issues like climate change, inequality, or displacement alone—but together, communities can drive meaningful change. We’ll unpack how collaboration across sectors—business, academia, policy, and civil society—creates the conditions for shared creativity and large-scale impact. Examples include the UN’s Global Compact partnerships, open-source health initiatives developed during COVID-19, and community-driven projects tackling food insecurity and circular economies. Tune in to discover how collective intelligence...

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  The Extra Seat

  Why Design Thinking Really Matters

  Oct 19, 202513 minS0

  <p>In this episode of The Extra Seat, we unpack why design thinking remains such a powerful and relevant approach in today’s world. Far from being just a buzzword, design thinking works because it centers on empathy, experimentation, and collaboration—key ingredients for tackling the uncertainty and complexity of modern challenges. We’ll explore examples from global companies using design thinking to reinvent customer experiences, public sector organisations applying it to improve citizen services, and non-profits leveraging it to address social issues like healthcare access and education. This episode highlights why design thinking continues to deliver impact across industries, and ho...

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  The Extra Seat

  Creativity: Born or Made?

  Oct 14, 202526 minS0

  <p>In this episode of The Extra Seat, we explore how creativity fuels social innovation, helping communities and organisations tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges. We consider if it is something you are born with or learn along the way. At its core, creativity is the ability to generate new ideas, connect unlikely dots, and imagine possibilities beyond the obvious. It is important because it enables fresh approaches where traditional methods fall short, unlocking solutions that are adaptive, inclusive, and impactful. We’ll look at examples such as community arts programs that reduce social isolation, grassroots innovation labs...

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  The Extra Seat

  Prejudice - Unmasking Human Bias

  Oct 12, 202515 minS0

  <p>In this episode of The Extra Seat, we unpack the critical challenge of avoiding assumptions and bias in the design thinking process. Innovation begins with understanding the user—but too often, stereotypes, cultural generalisations, and historical assumptions distort that understanding. We’ll explore how unconscious bias shapes the way we frame problems, the channels that reinforce these biases, and why assuming all cultures think or act alike leads to misguided solutions. From examples of products that failed because they ignored cultural nuance, to stories of how inclusive research methods uncovered surprising insights, this episode shows how to move past assu...

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