• Episode Summary & Player
• Show Notes
• Wild Business Growth Podcast Summary

Episode 133: Michele Ronsen – Curiosity Tank, How to Ask Better Questions

Michele Ronsen, the Founder, Educator, and Chief Curiosity Cat of Curiosity Tank, joins the show to share her journey from drawing logos as a 3-year-old to leading user research and design for Fortune 500 companies and startups. Hear how to ask better questions, why short questions are better, how to deal with rejection, how we decide what we eat for dinner, and the Skittles Popcorn experiment. This episode covers everything from the best questions to ask to adventures with Michele’s daughter, “Bunny.” Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• Why does Michele have a stronger connection with the McDonald’s logo than the average person
• What are the most memorable projects from her design career
• What are her favorite and least favorite questions to ask
• The Acronym Decoder
• Why does the Energizer Bunny keep going and going and going and…
• Why is Michele so good at multitasking
• What is the most creative food concoction her daughter has created
• What did Michele’s parents do for a living

Connect with Michele on LinkedIn and at CuriosityTank.com.

Enjoy the shooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail.

Show Notes

• Intro & Curiosity Since Childhood
  • [0:31] Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
  • [0:44] Connect with Michele on LinkedIn and at CuriosityTank.com
  • [1:45] Curiosity Tank, User Research, Design
  • [2:13] What is Michele’s childhood memory with the McDonald’s logo
  • [3:35] Logo
  • [3:47] Creative Torture
  • [3:54] What did Michele’s drawing look like
  • [4:42] Bozeman, MT
  • [5:04] Innovation, DNA
  • [6:18] Pentagram
  • [6:20] Paula Scher on the Wild Business Growth Podcast
  • [6:22] Nordstrom, Bank of America, Wells Fargo
  • [6:27] What is the most memorable project from Michele’s design career
  • [7:00] Nordstrom Innovation Team, Products, Services, Beauty, Cosmetics
  • [7:18] Bank of the Future, Salt Lake City Olympics
• Curiosity Tank & Asking Better Questions
  • [8:23] Why did Michele start her own company
  • [8:31] Designer, Design Director
  • [8:44] California College for the Arts (CCA), DMBA Program, Leading By Design Fellowship
  • [9:07] Capstone Project, Cohort
  • [9:24] Research, Project Managers
  • [9:44] Professor
  • [9:58] Ethnographies
  • [10:09] Anthropology
  • [10:14] Alice in Wonderland
  • [10:52] Senior Vice President (SVP)
  • [11:02] Clients
  • [11:14] Contract
  • [11:50] Why is Michele so curious
  • [11:54] Insights
  • [12:16] Mental Model
  • [12:34] Technicolor
  • [13:02] Colleagues, Stakeholders, Employer
  • [13:19] Shoutout Dana!
  • [13:42] How do you win more clients
  • [14:08] Pain Point
  • [15:00] Academy of Art, UC Berkeley, General Assembly
  • [16:01] Product Teams
  • [16:41] User Researchers
  • [17:25] Generative Research, Discovery Research, Foundational Research
  • [17:48] Areas of Expertise, Client List, Education
  • [18:12] Straw Man Outline, Product-Market Fit
  • [18:24] Fidelity, Engagement, Content
  • [18:51] Case Study
  • [19:01] How do you deal with rejection
  • [20:19] Why do you need to ask better questions
  • [20:31] Crispalize!
  • [20:42] Jargon, Acronyms
  • [21:06] Double-Barreled Questions
  • [21:23] Product Research, Attitudes, Behaviors, Exploration
  • [21:45] Attitudinal, Behavioral
  • [22:01] Unmoderated
  • [22:15] Why is it better to ask short questions
  • [22:39] Open-Ended Questions vs. Closed-Ended Questions
  • [22:58] Binary Answer
  • [23:42] Conversationalist
  • [24:07] How do you get better at asking questions
  • [24:25] Dinner Party
  • [25:11] I just can’t resist Alluding to Alliteration
  • [25:26] Tools: Attitudes & Behaviors
  • [25:48] Why does it help to ask better questions as a small business owner
  • [25:58] Informed Decisions, Data, Subjective Data, Objective Data, Qualitative Data, Quantitative Data
  • [26:33] Competition, User Feedback
  • [27:20] Advising
  • [27:27] Improv
  • [27:34] What is Michele’s favorite question to ask
  • [28:05] User
  • [28:23] Onboarding Experience
  • [28:58] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool

• Inspiration & Creativity/Curiosity: People, Hobbies, and Resources
  • [29:33] How do you stay curious
  • [30:05] Surface-Level Questions
  • [30:51] Post-it Notes
  • [31:32] Chicken Parm you taste so good (Chicken Parmesan)
  • [32:04] Why does chicken parm taste so good
  • [32:52] Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle
  • [33:12] What hobbies help you stay curious
  • [34:23] Calendar
  • [34:41] Revenue Stream
  • [34:51] How do curious and creative hobbies help your business
  • [35:41] Who does Michele like to follow for inspiration
  • [36:25] Hiring
  • [36:31] UX Lex (UX Lexicon)
  • [37:10] Acronym Decoder
  • [37:18] UX (User Experience)
  • [38:12] Businesses, Industries
• Wild Business Shoutout of the Week
  • [38:40] Creative Marketing
  • [38:49] Commercial, Mascot
  • [38:55] Original Energizer Bunny Commercial
  • [40:01] What does Michele’s daughter have in common with the Energizer Bunny
  • [40:50] Why does the Energizer Bunny have such staying power

• The Unusual: Pet Peeves, Quirks, and Weird Talents
  • [42:00] Quite the drumroll
  • [42:05] What is a weird talent Michele has
  • [42:16] Multitasking
  • [43:02] What is a quirk Michele has
  • [43:41] What is a pet peeve she has
  • [43:56] Fixed Mindset
  • [44:32] Educators, Innovators
  • [44:40] Growth Mindset
  • [44:45] Thinking outside the box and beyond
  • [45:18] Diverge-Converge
• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [45:37] The Queen’s Gambit
  • [45:59] Chess, Shark Tank
  • [46:11] What is Michele’s least favorite question to ask
  • [46:28] Really couldn’t resist
  • [46:37] What is the most challenging part of teaching at the collegiate level
  • [46:58] Mac vs. PC
  • [47:13] Academic Rigor
  • [48:22] Curiositivititively (rolls off the tongue/rolls the tongue into a ball)
  • [48:30] What is a memorable form of “creative torture” from Michele’s childhood
  • [49:30] English, Science, Math, Entrepreneur, Amateur Architect
  • [49:51] Encyclopedia Britannica
  • [50:12] Googling, Voice Assistants
  • [50:36] Skittles Popcorn on YouTube
  • [51:01] Skittles
  • [51:41] Connect with Michele on LinkedIn and at CuriosityTank.com
  • [51:53] LinkedIn Top Voice
  • [52:28] Bundle and Discount Code coming soon
  • [52:43] What are Michele’s final thoughts
  • [53:03] Cat-like Speed and Reflexes
  • [53:17] Subscribe to the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about the podcast
  • [53:22] Check out the Wild Business Growth Podcast on GoodPods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [53:26] Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn at @MaxBranstetter
  • [53:30] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – Jungle Tribe – provided by Jamendo

What is the Wild Business Growth Podcast?

Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur or innovator joins the Wild Business Growth Podcast to share the crazy creative and unusual ways they grew their business, and provides tips for you to do it, too. Hear the woman who became the voice of Siri, the man who’s reinventing the sandcastle, how GaryVee’s partners are turning the wine world upside down, and more wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.

How do you start a podcast?

Interested in starting a professional-sounding podcast for your brand, but don’t want to deal with the time commitment? I’ve got you covered. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.

Thanks for listening to Michele Ronsen on the Wild Business Growth Podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, subscribe to the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about it. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!

What is the Wild Business Growth Podcast?

Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur or innovator joins the Wild Business Growth Podcast to share the crazy creative and unusual ways they grew their business, and provides tips for you to do it, too. Hear the woman who became the voice of Siri, the man who’s reinventing the sandcastle, how GaryVee’s partners are turning the wine world upside down, and more wild stories. Hosted by MaxPodcasting Founder and Podcast Producer Max Branstetter (that’s me).

Episode #111: Rachel Inman – Google Maps and Google Earth UX Design Lead

Rachel Inman, a Staff UX Design Lead for Google Maps, joins the show to share her journey from loving maps and exploration as a kid to enhancing Google Maps and Google Earth through UX design. Hear how to be user-friendly, how teachers helped redesign Google Earth, what Google Maps might look like in the future, how to create a culture of creativity, and how Street View gets made. This episode covers everything from Rachel’s favorite places in the world to how she likes to unplug. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• Rachel’s experience growing up surrounded by maps and exploration
• How did she and her team redesign Google Earth
• How does Google Maps use augmented reality (AR)
• What’s involved in UX design (User Experience)
• How do you gather feedback from your consumers
• What makes Google so creative
• How is The Met celebrating their 150th anniversary
• Rachel’s tiny art skills

Connect with Rachel on Twitter at @rachel_inman and on LinkedIn.

Enjoy the show! Check out the show notes below for much more detail.

Show Notes

• Intro
  • [0:52] Why I Started MaxPodcasting
  • [1:08] Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com for help using your podcast as a business-building tool
  • [1:38] Wild Business Growth Podcast
  • [1:45] Connect with Rachel on Twitter at @rachel_inman and on LinkedIn
  • [2:17] UX (User Experience)
  • [2:31] Google Maps, Google Earth
  • [3:14] Did Rachel have any affinity for maps growing up
  • [3:30] The Map Shop
  • [4:40] National Geographic (Nat Geo)
  • [5:00] Infographic
  • [5:30] What does Rachel like about maps and exploration
  • [8:07] What did she like to explore on Google Earth
  • [9:14] An absolutely incredible pun by Rachel
• UX Design of Google Maps & Google Earth
  • [11:22] Google
  • [11:26] How did Rachel start working on Google Maps & Google Earth
  • [11:58] NASA
  • [12:47] The Google Buses, Google Headquarters (HQ) aka The Googleplex in Mountainview, CA
  • [13:17] DSLR Camera
  • [13:55] Underwater Street View
  • [14:01] Aquaman
  • [14:22] Global Fishing Watch
  • [15:07] How do 20% Projects work at Google
  • [17:26] What was involved in redesigning Google Earth
  • [18:22] Desktop vs. Mobile
  • [18:53] Google Material Design
  • [19:49] Teachers using Google Earth
  • [20:12] Atlas
  • [20:25] iPad
  • [20:57] Co-Design Workshop
  • [21:14] Brainstorming
  • [21:38] Google Creation Tools
  • [21:50] BBC
  • [22:12] Feedback
  • [22:28] What was the UX (User Experience) process look like for Rachel and her team
  • [24:19] Concept Ideation
  • [25:06] Engineers
  • [25:55] Ryan Foland on the Wild Business Growth Podcast, The 3-1-3 Challenge with Ryan Foland
  • [28:12] How do Rachel and her team make Google Maps even better
  • [29:16] UX Designers
  • [30:35] Google Immersion Trips
  • [30:44] Observation
  • [31:42] R&D (Research & Development)
  • [32:03] What projects are Rachel working on for Google Maps
  • [32:21] Augmented Reality (AR)
  • [34:07] Google Maps Blue Dot
  • [34:21] GPS (Global Positioning System)
  • [35:45] Map Abstraction
  • [36:27] What will Google Maps look like in the future
  • [36:58] Consumers, Business Owners
  • [37:24] Google Places Page, Merchants
  • [38:04] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • [38:24] Googler

• Inspiration & Creativity: People, Hobbies, and Resources
  • [39:01] How do you be and stay creative
  • [40:21] Tech (Technology), Journalists, Law
  • [41:11] Ceramics Studio
  • [41:23] Creative Writing at NYU’s CE Program (New York University, Continuing Education)
  • [42:10] How do you write creatively
  • [43:43] How to record a podcast intro
  • [44:32] Podcast Editing
  • [44:56] How does Google encourage a culture of creativity
  • [45:35] UI (User Interface)
  • [47:09] Michael Scott Accidental Email, Todd Packer
• Wild Business Shoutout of the Week
  • [48:02] The Met 150th Anniversary (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
  • [48:48] Marketing
  • [51:20] Superfans by Pat Flynn
• The Unusual: Pet Peeves, Quirks, and Weird Talents
  • [51:29] What is Rachel’s biggest pet peeve
  • [51:58] What are her quirks
  • [52:08] Audio-only podcast interview
  • [52:49] What are Rachel’s weird talents
  • [53:23] Sculpey Clay
  • [53:33] Michaels
  • [54:22] Instagram accounts with Tiny Art (Miniature Art)
  • [54:35] Social Media
• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [54:48] What is Rachel’s favorite place she’s discovered on Google Earth other than her house
  • [55:07] Nagahama, Japan
  • [55:21] Geography
  • [56:25] What is Rachel’s favorite Google food meal
  • [56:45] Google Tokyo office
  • [57:31] What’s something about the Google Street View cars that would surprise people
  • [58:20] Google Maps Local Guides
  • [59:26] Crowdsourcing
  • [59:49] How good is Rachel at Geography Trivia
  • [59:57] Maps without labels
  • [1:00:24] Connect with Rachel on Twitter at @rachel_inman and on LinkedIn
  • [1:00:52] What are Rachel’s final thoughts
  • [1:02:35] Follow your curiosity
  • [1:02:59] Subscribe to the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about the podcast
  • [1:03:02] Check out the Wild Business Growth Podcast on GoodPods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [1:03:06] Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn at @MaxBranstetter
  • [1:03:09] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – Jungle Tribe – provided by Jamendo

How do you start a podcast?

Interested in starting your own professional-sounding podcast, but dreading the time commitment? I’ve got you covered. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool.

Thanks for listening to Rachel Inman on the Wild Business Growth Podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, subscribe to the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!