Mat Duerden - Unlock the Experience Ladder. How to Elevate Experiences from Memorable to Transformative
03/20/25 • 64 min
Dive into a captivating discussion on experience design with Mat Duerden, Department Chair of Experience Design and Management in the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University and Co-Author of the book Experience Design. Reveals how intentional design can transform everyday moments into powerful experiences. Mat shares his journey from adventurous childhood whitewater rafting to pioneering leadership in experience design education, illustrating the “experience ladder” from ordinary to transformative.
They also explore how attention has become scarce in today’s fast-paced world, emphasising co-creation, reflection, and lessons learned from recent global shifts. Discover how thoughtful design can spark meaningful change in personal and professional realms.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Experience Design
02:47 Personal Journey and Early Influences
05:59 Defining Experience Design
08:57 Academic Environment and Experience Design Education
12:00 Global Trends in Experience Design
14:59 Intentionality in Experience Design
18:13 The Experience Ladder: From Ordinary to Transformative
21:12 Reflection and Meaning in Experiences
24:03 The Importance of Transformative Experiences
26:47 Navigating Transformation in a Rapidly Changing World
32:47 The Scarcity of Attention
35:44 Guided Transformations in Experience Design
37:40 The Role of Experience Designers
41:51 The Evolution of Work Experiences
50:28 Future of Experience Design
01:01:25 Connecting Through Experiences
Mats bio & links
Mat is the Department Chair of Experience Design and Management at the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University. His experience design research focuses on memorable, meaningful, and transformative experiences. He also collaborates on research exploring the neurological connection between storytelling and social connection.
Mat’s publications have appeared in various journals, including the Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Environmental Psychology, Journal of Adolescent Research, and Journal of Leisure Research. Mat co-authored Designing Experiences with Robert Rossman, which was published in 2019 by Columbia Business School Press. In 2021, Axiom Business Awards selected the book as a silver medalist winner in the Business Intelligence/Innovation category. Mat works with organisations across various sectors, including healthcare, education, not-for-profit, tourism, manufacturing, and consumer product goods, to provide training and consulting around experience design.
Mat Duerden (LinkedIn)
Professor
Alumni Distinguished Fellow
Department of Experience Design and Management
Marriott School of Business
Brigham Young University
Co-author of Designing Experiences
Dive into a captivating discussion on experience design with Mat Duerden, Department Chair of Experience Design and Management in the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University and Co-Author of the book Experience Design. Reveals how intentional design can transform everyday moments into powerful experiences. Mat shares his journey from adventurous childhood whitewater rafting to pioneering leadership in experience design education, illustrating the “experience ladder” from ordinary to transformative.
They also explore how attention has become scarce in today’s fast-paced world, emphasising co-creation, reflection, and lessons learned from recent global shifts. Discover how thoughtful design can spark meaningful change in personal and professional realms.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Experience Design
02:47 Personal Journey and Early Influences
05:59 Defining Experience Design
08:57 Academic Environment and Experience Design Education
12:00 Global Trends in Experience Design
14:59 Intentionality in Experience Design
18:13 The Experience Ladder: From Ordinary to Transformative
21:12 Reflection and Meaning in Experiences
24:03 The Importance of Transformative Experiences
26:47 Navigating Transformation in a Rapidly Changing World
32:47 The Scarcity of Attention
35:44 Guided Transformations in Experience Design
37:40 The Role of Experience Designers
41:51 The Evolution of Work Experiences
50:28 Future of Experience Design
01:01:25 Connecting Through Experiences
Mats bio & links
Mat is the Department Chair of Experience Design and Management at the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University. His experience design research focuses on memorable, meaningful, and transformative experiences. He also collaborates on research exploring the neurological connection between storytelling and social connection.
Mat’s publications have appeared in various journals, including the Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Environmental Psychology, Journal of Adolescent Research, and Journal of Leisure Research. Mat co-authored Designing Experiences with Robert Rossman, which was published in 2019 by Columbia Business School Press. In 2021, Axiom Business Awards selected the book as a silver medalist winner in the Business Intelligence/Innovation category. Mat works with organisations across various sectors, including healthcare, education, not-for-profit, tourism, manufacturing, and consumer product goods, to provide training and consulting around experience design.
Mat Duerden (LinkedIn)
Professor
Alumni Distinguished Fellow
Department of Experience Design and Management
Marriott School of Business
Brigham Young University
Co-author of Designing Experiences
Previous Episode
Dr Paul. Zak: Why Building Trust, Engagement & Emotional Fitness is the Key to Creating Unforgettable Experiences and Thriving Relationships—at Work, in Business, and in Life.
In this episode of The Experience Designers, I sit down with Dr. Paul Zak, the neuroscientist who wrote the book on trust and human connection. A TED speaker, best-selling author, and founder of Immersion Neuroscience, Paul has spent decades uncovering the brain’s hidden responses to experiences, brands, and relationships.
Link to Six App - https://your6.com/
Connect with Paul - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-j-zak-91123510/
TED talk - https://www.ted.com/talks/paul_zak_trust_morality_and_oxytocin
Next Episode
Claus Raasted - Imagination is your most undervalued business tool!
What if life, work, and transformation were just better versions of play? In this episode, you’ll meet Claus Raasted, Experience Designer, Viking impersonator, and founder of The College of Extraordinary Experiences. From a childhood spent LARPing to advising McKinsey, Klaus shares how designing intentional, immersive worlds can lead to real-world change. Whether you're building onboarding for a sales team or a castle-based retreat, this one’s for anyone curious about how experiences can shape who we are and who we become.
00:00 The Persona of Klaus Raasted
03:51 Foundations of LARPing: A Journey Begins
09:39 From Participant to Organizer: Building a Career
13:21 Evolving Narratives: The Growth of Role-Playing
18:01 Transformative Experiences in LARPing
18:04 The College of Extraordinary Experiences: A New Chapter
19:55 The College of Extraordinary Experiences
21:19 The Power of Shared Experiences
22:42 Intentional Experience Design
26:20 Co-Creation and Chaos in Experiences
28:21 Insights from McKinsey: Data-Driven Decisions
33:49 The Evolution of Experience Design
40:46 Finding the Right Balance in Experience Design
44:58 Resources for Experience Design Enthusiasts
Claus’s bio & links
Claus Raasted helps organizations both big and small become better at GETTING S**T DONE and serves as Director of the College of Extraordinary Experiences. He travels the globe as a keynote speaker and has been both a Coach and Senior Advisor at the consulting giant McKinsey. Raasted is the author of 46 books, the latest of which is fittingly titled Claus Raasted’s Little Book of Getting Shit Done. He also has a past in reality TV, but these days, who hasn’t?
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