Design Thinking Meets Business: Deepa Prahalad’s Secrets from Predictable Magic

16/05/2025 43 min
Design Thinking Meets Business: Deepa Prahalad’s Secrets from Predictable Magic

Listen "Design Thinking Meets Business: Deepa Prahalad’s Secrets from Predictable Magic"

Episode Synopsis

Deepa Prahalad, an accomplished author, design and innovation consultant with extensive experience working with both start-ups and large multinational organizations offers valuable insights from her highly acclaimed book, “Predictable Magic: Unleash the Power of Design Strategy to Transform Your Business.”

Despite massive investments, around 80% of new products fail each year. The few that succeed do so by aligning corporate strategy with design to create emotionally resonant experiences - not just functional products. Predictable Magic by Deepa Prahalad and Ravi Sawhney introduces Psycho-Aesthetics, a method for consistently building strong emotional connections between consumers and brands. Through step-by-step guidance and case studies from top companies like Sprint and Hyundai, the book reveals how this approach turns product design into a repeatable path to success.

Deepa is the co-author of Predictable Magic, a book recognized by Fast Company as one of the "Best Design Books of the Year." In addition to her consulting work, Deepa is a frequent contributor to respected platforms such as The Huffington Post, Harvard Business Review, and various other magazines, where she shares insights on innovation and design strategy. She is also an internationally sought-after speaker and mentor, particularly for social entrepreneurs, guiding them on how to integrate design thinking into business models for greater impact.

A passionate art enthusiast, Deepa engages in crafting, collecting, and community-driven projects. She serves on multiple global nonprofit boards and has generously volunteered her expertise in design and public speaking for cultural events, including the Festival of Dolls, Beyond Bollywood, and other community gatherings. She also led the design for the House of India, a newly opened museum in San Diego’s historic Balboa Park, the largest urban park in the United States.

Deepa holds a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from the University of Michigan, as well as an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.

This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. For more information, please visit www.globalmanagementconsultancy.com.

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B. Deepa Prahalad generously shared profound insights from her book, “Predictable Magic: Unleash the Power of Design Strategy to Transform Your Business,” during her appearance on the Business Talk podcast channel. The uploaded video contains copyrighted material; therefore, any modifications to graphics, music, or the presence of the author or host are strictly prohibited.

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