212: ‘Curiosity as a KPI’, with Ashley Hastings
A conversation with Ashley Hastings about operationalizing curiosity as a KPI in architecture, the role of AI in enhancing design technology, and fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous learning within organizations to drive innovation and improve project outcomes.
Ashley Hastings joins the podcast to talk about what it really means to make curiosity a key performance indicator (KPI).
We discuss how curiosity can and should be operationalized as a measurable part of firm culture—not so much as something tracked, but rewarded and tied to real outcomes instead of being left to chance. Ashley shares her perspective on aligning incentives for innovation, treating training like a product, and creating feedback loops that actually capture and scale knowledge across teams.
We also talk about the post-GPT reality of context over keywords, and how design technology leadership is increasingly about change management and culture design.
If you’re a digital practice leader, BIM manager, or anyone trying to build a more innovative, adaptive practice, this conversation offers a clear path toward turning curiosity into a strategic advantage.
Original episode page: https://trxl.co/212
Some links on this page help fund our work, and we may earn a commission from purchases at no extra cost to you.
Curiosity by Alastair Reid
Ashley Hastings: “I was recently reminded of a poem that I’d learned in high school, and that my English teacher had given me in a graduation card senior year. Call it a guide, as most poems can be. It’s stuck with me all these years.”
Connect with the Guest
- Ashley Hastings — LinkedIn
- Woods Bagot — Website
- Woods Bagot — LinkedIn
- Women in BIM — Speaker profile: Ashley Hastings
- Melbourne Build — Speaker page & AI panel
Books and Philosophies
- Shoshana Zuboff — The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
- Wikipedia Overview
- Frames the data economy architects are designing within—useful context for AI-in-practice conversations.
- Matthew Crawford — Shop Class as Soulcraft
- Amazon
- A case for hands-on craft and judgment—echoes the “keep it human” theme in digital practice.
- Nicholas Carr — The Shallows
- Amazon
- How tech reshapes cognition—relevant to learning cultures and digital literacy.
- Adam Grant — Think Again
- Amazon
- Practical tools for curiosity-as-a-KPI: unlearning, rethinking, and constructive debate.
- Peter Senge — The Fifth Discipline
- Amazon
- Systems thinking for organizations—great for aligning design tech with firm strategy.
- David Epstein — Range
- Amazon
- Why generalists and cross-pollination matter in AEC innovation.
Events and Networks
- Women in BIM (WIB) — Global network for digital practice leadership
- Association for Women in Architecture + Design (AWA+D) — AI & practice salons
- Melbourne Build Expo — Architecture & AI panels, industry tech showcase
About Ashley Hastings:
Ashley is an empathy-driven design technology leader with a background in architecture and more than a decade of experience across the global AEC industry. Her work sits at the intersection of design, systems thinking, and emerging technology, where she guides digital innovation and operational strategy within complex project environments.
With experience spanning the United States and Australia, Ashley brings a global perspective to design challenges and a deeply human approach to technology adoption. She has led initiatives ranging from BIM integration to AI-enabled workflows, always with a focus on improving collaboration and building continuity across project teams.
