Chapters
I sat down with Cian Walsh to try and pin down exactly what he does — a challenge even when you've spoken many times. Cian is a multidisciplinary designer who operates in what he calls a "default state of panic." It's that high-energy, experimental space where he's constantly jumping between massive environmental data projects and AI-driven projects.
In this conversation, we get into the weeds of Cian's "Forests of Ireland" project and discuss the reality of being a "Project Designer" when the tools are changing every week. We talk about the "Valley of Despair," why he believes you should publish your work before it's actually finished, and how he uses AI as a scaffolding tool rather than a crutch. Cian's approach is a masterclass in learning by doing (and occasionally learning by panicking). If you've ever felt like a fraud while figuring out a new piece of software, or if you're trying to bridge the gap between technical design and creative art, there's a lot in here for you.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The Default State of Panic: Why Cian views a little bit of stress as a secret weapon for productivity.
- The Forests of Ireland: Using design to visualize the history—and potential future—of Ireland's landscape.
- The AI Workflow: How Cian uses Midjourney, ChatGPT, and hand-drawn sketches to build sites and videos in record time.
- The Ethics of Design: Why making "good, solid work" for clients is just as vital as personal creative experiments.
A huge thank you to Cian for his time and insights. Explore his work across his projects:
