Episode 427
Imagination as Infrastructure, with Adelia Schleusz, Founder of What If LAB
On Your World of Creativity, we travel the world talking with creative practitioners about how they get inspired, organize ideas, and turn imagination into impact.
Today's guest believes that imagination isn't just a creative skill—it's infrastructure.
Adelia Schleusz has built a career at the intersection of commercial interior design, behavioral psychology, sensory design, research, and strategic foresight. As the founder of What If LAB, she helps organizations use creativity, science, and cross-disciplinary thinking to design better experiences, better environments, and perhaps even better futures.
Connect on LInkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/adelia-c-schleusz-rid-ncidq-iida-195b116/
If you've ever wondered how curiosity becomes innovation—or how asking "What if?" can transform the way we work, create, and collaborate—this conversation is for you.
Guest Bio
Adelia C. Schleusz is the Founder of What If LAB, LLC, a creative consultancy operating at the intersection of interior environments, human experiences, strategy, and science.
A licensed and registered interior designer, Adelia has spent her career exploring how creativity, behavioral psychology, research, and sensory design can work together to shape meaningful experiences. Her work has earned numerous industry honors, including the prestigious Interior Design 2023 HiP Award, recognizing the most innovative people in commercial design.
Adelia is a public speaker, SXSW workshop facilitator, and recipient of the IIDA 2025 Kimball International Makers of a Better Future Fund Award. Through What If LAB, she helps organizations cultivate curiosity, challenge assumptions, and design solutions that bridge imagination and practical impact.
Her philosophy is simple: stay curious, ask better questions, and never stop exploring the possibilities hidden inside "What if?"
1: Imagination as Infrastructure
One phrase that immediately caught my attention is your description of using "imagination as infrastructure."
Many people think of imagination as something abstract or artistic, but you see it as foundational to innovation and problem-solving.
What does "imagination as infrastructure" mean to you, and how has that philosophy shaped your career journey from interior design into strategy, research, and future-focused thinking?
Are organizations doing enough to nurture imagination—or are they unintentionally designing it out of the workplace?
2: The Soul of Your Brand
When I look at What If LAB, I don't see an interior design firm. I see a curiosity engine. A place where diverse disciplines collide to create new possibilities.
How has your mission evolved as you've gained experience working across industries and disciplines?
3: Designing for Human Experience
You've worked extensively in commercial interiors, behavioral psychology, sensory design, and research. Many people think design is about aesthetics. But your work suggests it's really about human behavior and experience.
What have you learned about how environments influence the way people think, collaborate, create, and even feel?
- What are some simple design principles listeners could apply in their own workspaces or creative environments?
- Have you seen examples where changing a space transformed the outcomes of a team or organization?
4: The Power of Cross-Disciplinary Thinking
A recurring theme on this podcast is that creativity often happens at the intersection of disciplines. You've intentionally built a career that connects design, psychology, research, science, business strategy, and innovation.
Why do breakthroughs so often emerge when we bring together people with different perspectives, and how can leaders create environments where that kind of collaboration thrives?
5: Living in the "What If?"
In a world increasingly focused on efficiency, certainty, and immediate results, curiosity can sometimes feel like a luxury. If listeners wanted to strengthen their own curiosity muscle this week, what's one question they should begin asking themselves?
If you enjoyed today's conversation, please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
