with Jett Virangkabutra

We caught up with Jett back in November of 2023...he was one of our very early global stories. We met with him at the iconic Brocoli Revoluation restaurant in Bangkok. Now, we love restaurants but no longer make the mistake of recording in a restaurant! Amongst the clinking of plates and music, there is an incredible story of a designer who found his way to being a social innovator. In fact, Jett’s story fits with a podcast theme we have been cooking up called the Squiggle. Designers will know right away what we mean by the squiggle as the metaphor comes from their world!

In this story you will hear of the windy path taken by Jett as he navigated design and social innovation in so many spaces from private education to public education at Thammasat University in Bangkok to working for Multinationals, UNDP and the Thai government. Even in the government Jett went down many paths ranging from a child friendly justice system, to the toy entrepreneur ecosystem, to integrating design thinking and human centered design in the public sector, to using design thinking to

identifying which teeth matter to prisoners ability to eat well and chart a new course for their life. I love how Jett emphasizes designing to make a difference, not just designing to differentiate in the marketplace. Gwen and I really enjoyed the conversation and expect that you will too! 

-Arthur Sherwood