1. Learning to unlearn
How to design for disruptive startups

2. Before we start…
L E T ’ S G E T O N E T H I N G S T R A I G H T

3. You currently work at a startup
A R E Y O U A C O O L P E R S O N
Put your hand up if…

4. You think that startup is innovative
Keep your hand up if…
5 % H O N E S T Y R A T E

5. Your startup has no competitors
Keep your hand up if…
D O N ’ T B U L L S H I T M E

6. S O M E I N T E R E S T I N G Q U E S T I O N S
How do we gauge innovation?

7. How do we gauge innovation?
What defines a startup?
S O M E I N T E R E S T I N G Q U E S T I O N S

8. A L L T H E G R E A T E S T S T A R T U P S

9. How do we gauge innovation?
What defines a startup?
How does this affect the way in
which we brand these companies?
S O M E I N T E R E S T I N G Q U E S T I O N S

10. Hayden Bleasel
Director at Lightsaber
@haydenbleasel
W H O D A T B O Y

12. I ’ V E W O R K E D W I T H S O M E C O O L P E O P L E
Spaceship
Presumi
Tyro
Palantir
Sumry
(a new type of super fund)

13. Spaceship
Presumi
Tyro
Palantir
Sumry
(resume tracking algorithm)
I ’ V E W O R K E D W I T H S O M E C O O L P E O P L E

14. Spaceship
Presumi
Tyro
Palantir
Sumry
(Australia’s 5th big bank)
I ’ V E W O R K E D W I T H S O M E C O O L P E O P L E

15. Spaceship
Presumi
Tyro
Palantir
Sumry
(big data analysis for “the government”)
I ’ V E W O R K E D W I T H S O M E C O O L P E O P L E

16. Spaceship
Presumi
Tyro
Palantir
Sumry (a timeline-based personal resume)
I ’ V E W O R K E D W I T H S O M E C O O L P E O P L E

17. A N D N O W F O R S O M E T H I N G C O M P L E T E L Y D I F F E R E N T
I’m current director of Lightsaber
Lightsaber is a high-end creative
studio for future-makers

18. A N D N O W F O R S O M E T H I N G C O M P L E T E L Y D I F F E R E N T
I’m current director of Lightsaber
Lightsaber is a high-end creative
studio for future-makers

20. A N D N O W F O R S O M E T H I N G C O M P L E T E L Y D I F F E R E N T
Right now, we’re working on:
• A jobs board that helps students work find work at amazing startups
• An online showroom that connects design influencers to the media
• A drone company that will deliver Dominos to your doorstep
• A VC firm looking to invest in solving for core human needs
• A company that develops next-generation LiDAR technology for self-driving cars

21. G E T T O T H E D A M N P O I N T
Designing for companies
requires learning…
Why am I saying any of this?

22. … but designing for disruptive
startups requires unlearning as well.
G E T T O T H E D A M N P O I N T
Why am I saying any of this?

23. “Unlearn: to make an effort to forget your
usual way of doing something so that you
can learn a new and sometimes better way”
I O W N A D I C T I O N A R Y
Cambridge Dictionary

24. Y O U S P I N M E R I G H T R O U N D B A B Y
LearnUnlearn
Question
Research

25. Unlearn your perceptions… not facts.

26. S O M E E X A M P L E S B R U H
Tyro (corporate innovation)
Spaceship (experience innovation)
Flirtey (product innovation)
Let’s explore branding the following companies:

27. W H A T T H E C A S U A L S D O
The typical process
- Brand Awareness Research
- Competitor Analysis
- SWOT analysis
- Surveys
- Marketing strategy
The problem: this is all traditional market research

28. S O M E E X A M P L E S B R U H
Designing for Spaceship
We were on a mission to redesign the entire Superannuation industry.
1. [Research] Understanding the old world
2. [Learn] Look what’s happening around you
3. [Question] Exploring the future of finance
4. [Unlearn] Identify problems from first principles

29. S O M E E X A M P L E S B R U H
Designing for Spaceship
We were on a mission to redesign the entire Superannuation industry.
1. [Research] Understanding the old world
2. [Learn] Look what’s happening around you
3. [Question] Exploring the future of finance
4. [Unlearn] Identify problems from first principles

30. Watching other superfunds trying to innovate in design

31. S O M E E X A M P L E S B R U H
Designing for Spaceship
We were on a mission to redesign the entire Superannuation industry.
1. [Research] Understanding the old world
2. [Learn] Look what’s happening around you
3. [Question] Exploring the future of finance
4. [Unlearn] Identify problems from first principles

32. S O M E E X A M P L E S B R U H
Designing for Spaceship
We were on a mission to redesign the entire Superannuation industry.
1. [Research] Understanding the old world
2. [Learn] Look what’s happening around you
3. [Question] Exploring the future of finance
4. [Unlearn] Identify problems from first principles

33. How can I learn to unlearn?
L E T ’ S K E E P T H I S P R A C T I C A L

34. H O W T O B E C O M E U N L E A R N E D
Read about unlearning
Study design thinking
Question your existing perceptions
Explore different roles
Don’t fear being different

35. “We cannot change what we are not
aware of, and once we are aware, we
cannot help but change.”
M A K E S M E S O U N D S S M A R T
Sheryl Sandberg

36. Stay lit fam 🔥🙏
@haydenbleasel