Awkward Silences

In this episode, Erin chats with Victoria Sakal, Head of Growth at Wonder, all about desk (or secondary) research—think web searches, checking internal resource libraries (like repositories), or interviewing colleagues. Desk research is a critical step when starting a new project.Victoria shares her framework for thinking about the differences between primary and secondary research, suggesting that instead of distinct categories, they exist on a continuum. She argues that primary research is sharper, more impactful, and has better ROI when it's supported by secondary research.In addition to sharing best practices for desk research, Victoria walks through research her team conducted on how organizations approach research, offering strategies to maximize your efforts based on specific company growth stages and product demands. The episode closes by exploring how desk research is changing in light of emergent technologies such as large-language models and the benefits of reading widely. Episode Highlights06:39 - Integrating desk research into your research strategy12:30 - Desk research techniques and best practices17:41 - Unpacking trends in the kinds of questions asked during desk research23:31 - How desk research is evolving alongside AI technology25:14 - The role of curiosity in desk research and innovation34:20 - How research repositories and agile methods impact desk researchAbout Our GuestWith a passion for turning complex inputs (data, research, behaviors) on customers, market dynamics, and competitors into smart strategies that drive growth, Victoria has spent the last decade helping companies ask better questions to get better data, source more powerful insights, and stay on top of important dynamics that matter. Previously at Morning Consult and Kantar, Victoria now focuses on all things demand gen, product marketing, market research, and growth strategies to deliver more value for Wonder users.More Resources on Desk ResearchHow to conduct (and write) a research literature reviewUX research is better with market research collaborationsThis database showcases AI-powered desk research tools

In this episode, Carol and Erin dive into all things research sample sizes with Lauren Stern. No matter your experience with user research, you'll need to recruit folks, making this an evergreen topic. Lauren has coached both new-to-research and junior UXRs on this critical topic and she shares some of her best advice.Lauren shares importance considerations and nuances around different types of studies and even analysis approaches. She also unpacks her approach for international samples, the impact of drop-off rates, and participant compensation strategies.Going beyond sample sizes, we conclude with a discussion of how to better engage with stakeholders when advocating sample sizes, making these conversations about "how many to recruit" more informed. She also shares resources to use when making the case to stakeholders.Episode Highlights05:41 - Crafting research goals and parameters: a collaborative journey13:48 - Flexible research design: navigating sample sizes and methodologies19:57 - Tailoring sample sizes to research objectives: finding the right fit 26:30 - Qualitative confidence and stakeholder expectations34:11 - Diverse methodologies in quantitative research: beyond surveys43:05 - Departing research wisdom on sample sizes generallyAbout Our GuestLauren Stern is a mixed-methods research leader focused on creating the most human-centered technology possible. Over the last ten years her work has explored how perception and social cognition shape our experiences with automated systems from military zones to living rooms. Whether exploring individual experiences in the field or looking at large-scale data collections, she loves the puzzle of study design and coaching new researchers through the process.Resources on Sample SizesThis free calculator gives sample ranges based on your study needs.Need some research-backed sample size help? Bookmark this today.You must pay participants. This calculator helps ensure an fair amount.

Carol and Erin welcome George Whitfield, an expert in applying AI to the analysis of qualitative data. George discusses the intricate challenges of leveraging language models to interpret expansive open-ended data (like interview transcripts), emphasizing the importance of context and not just keyword or topic identification.They'll dig into the crucial role of human oversight in AI, what preliminary analysis might look like using AI, how to check and refine the work of an AI assistant without derailing your project delivery date, and recommendations for etiquette regarding the reporting of AI-informed results.The episode closes with an exploration of the limits of AI and where user experience researchers can play a larger role in its development. George believes AI can (and should) inspire new directions of research, but not dictate them.Episode Highlights03:48 - Innovating consumer insights using AI12:21 - Importance of human involvement in AI tools20:04 - Enhance discussion sections with AI tools26:50 - AI-inspired insights provide inspiration, not guidance34:12 - Interpretation beyond analyzing transcripts36:46 - Applying engineering rigor to the process of building a businessAbout Our GuestGeorge Whitfield is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship, Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, and CEO at FindOurView. As CEO of his most recent company FindOurView, he launched a Gen AI product to help user researchers synthesize insights faster from high volumes of customer interviews. George holds 4 patents and has 3 degrees from MIT including a Bachelors in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and a Masters and Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering.Resources on Qual Data and AIOur AI in UX Report shares findings from a survey of over 1,000 researchersWhat does it mean to "code" qualitative data? This breakdown explains it all.Interested in trying an AI tool for your analysis? Here are 20 worth considering.

In this episode Carol and Erin are joined by Ruby Pryor, founder of Rex, a consulting firm specializing in UX research and strategic design. They explore the world of measuring the impact of UX research. with Pryor introducing a four-level impact assessment framework. Ruby shares a four-level assessment framework and the conversation moves to prioritization, making "strategic" decisions, and increasing your research influence.This episode also gets into what it means to demonstrate the "business value" of one's work, specifically how researchers can and should quantify their impact in terms that are tangible to the company. Ruby will share ways to score early wins, build momentum, and overcome communication frictions to find shared value.Episode Highlights03:14 - UX researcher impact: insights, optimization, prioritization, strategy09:14 - Understanding organizational structures and strategy development collaboration20:22 - Challenge of quantifying impact and strategic level21:33 - Measuring strategy impact: challenges and indicators30:04 - Prioritizing investments based on strong market indicators38:51 - Stakeholders prioritize growth, revenue, and cost reductionAbout Our GuestRuby Pryor is the founder of Rex, a service design and UX research consulting firm. Her previous roles include UX research at Grab, strategic design at Boston Consulting Group and management consulting at Nous Group. She has taught courses on increasing the impact of UX to learners from 5 continents and has spoken about design and UX at conferences in Asia and Europe.Resources on UX Research ImpactHow to Track the Impact of Your UX ResearchLeading an Impactful User Research TeamUse Stakeholder Interviews to Drive Impact

In this episode of Awkward Silences, Carol and Erin dive into the world of conference networking and planning with Bryan Dosono, a staff UX research lead at eBay known for his extensive experience curating and organizing conference programs.Bryan share insights on how to prepare for conferences such as using apps to schedule meetings and emphasizing networking over solely focusing on content. He also discusses strategic scheduling to align conference participation with career goals and offers advice on making spontaneous, serendipitous connections.The conversation also covers practical tips for adding value during small talk, how to approach and connect with other researchers, and the importance of being open, vulnerable, and willing to face rejection in the pursuit of meaningful interactions. Bryan provides guidance for both newcomers to the UXR field and seasoned professionals: overcoming imposter syndrome and leveraging transferable skills from related fields.Episode Highlights03:58 - Navigating the Unpredictable: Strategies for Introverts at Networking Events.08:24 - Strategic Networking: Maximizing Opportunities Before and During Conferences.12:33 - Networking strategies for academic and professional growth.22:36 - Balancing Attendance: Prioritizing Conferences with Active Roles.28:03 - Maximizing Remote Networking: Strategies for Engagement in Virtual Conferences.33:07 - Conference Insights: Making the Most of Your Experience through Pre-Planning.About Our GuestBryan Dosono, PhD, is a user experience research leader in the consumer technology space. He applies human-computer interaction research methods with visual storytelling to modernize the design of global marketplaces and online communities. He currently volunteers as a Conference Chair at UXPA International and serves on the User Interviews Research Council.Looking for a UX community? Here are 16 to join for networking and development.

The decision to leave academia can be difficult. Often, it involves giving up a stable career path and a lifetime commitment to a particular field of study. But as Joe Stubenrauch explains, the move also offers researchers the opportunity to pursue new career paths, improve work-life balance and geographic flexibility, and reinvent their lives.And he should know: Formerly a professor of history, he walked away from tenure to join a big tech company as a UX Researcher at AWS. In this episode, Joe discusses his decision to walk transition to the private sector and shares thoughtful advice for others considering a similar move.Highlights from the episode[04:06] Joe reflects on feeling burnt out, bored, and doubtful in academia [11:23] What makes you happy? Joe weighs the pros and cons of things like mental health, geographic mobility, and proximity to family and friends.[19:41] Breaking into a new field, experimenting, and talking to people. [34:47] The importance of having a portfolio that includes compelling stories [41:35] Tactical advice for job seekers (resumes, LinkedIn profiles, job interview strategies, etc)[44:23] Working in a team environment as a former academicAbout our guestJoe Stubenrauch is a former professor of British history at Baylor University, and the author of a prize-winning book published by Oxford University Press. During the height of the pandemic, he walked away from tenure and joined a big tech company in order to redesign his life. Now as a UX Researcher at AWS, Joe has found unexpected similarities between his work as Victorianist and his work in the cloud. He also writes regularly about the transition from academia to industry and is obsessed with how people can reinvent their lives and careers.You can follow Joe on LinkedIn.

How often do you think about content design? The answer, most likely, is: “not enough”.The work of a Content Designer involves fitting the right words in the right places, understanding the nuances of things log in vs. sign in, and knowing the right words to use to engage customers. Content Design is an important part of the user experience—and the ROI is high. Like, “millions of $s saved through content-testing” high.Erica Jorgensen is a Staff Content Designer at Chewy.com and the author of Strategic Content Design: Tools and Research Techniques for Better UX. She joined Erin and Carol on the podcast to discuss the ins and outs of content design, the importance of clarity for effective communication, and how to involve your audience in content design.Highlights from the episode:00:02:03: What is content design in the context of UX research?00:06:48: Gaining clarity by thinking about the words you use frequently 00:14:00: How Erica used simplified language to get customers to buy more insurance plans00:26:42: Using cloze testing to ensure general content clarity00:29:26: The importance of syllables and length 00:39:46: Resources and guides for better content design00:42:56: How Microsoft saved $2 million through content testing Sources and people mentionedBrainTrafficChewy.comCloze testing — “Cloze Test for Reading Comprehension,” NN/g.Curtis Kopf, Chief Experience Officer at REIDylan Romero, Affiliate Instructor at University of Washington, UX at MicrosoftFlesch–Kincaid – Wikipedia Hemingway EditorJorgensen, Erica. Strategic Content Design: Tools and Research Techniques for Better UX. (2023) — GET 15% OFF AT ROSENFELD MEDIA WITH CODE AS15MeasuringU (Jeff Sauro)Merriam-Webster DictionaryMetts, Michael and Andy Wefle. Writing Is Designing: Words and the User Experience. (2020)Scott KubieSystem Usability ScaleTracy Vandygam, Senior Content Designer at MozillaVisual ThesaurusWinters, Sarah. Content Design. (2017)About our guestErica Jorgensen is a staff content designer at Chewy.com and the author of Strategic Content Design: Tools and Research Techniques for Better UX, published in April 2023 by Rosenfeld Media. She's a content designer, content strategist, and team leader determined to bring greater respect to the content field. To that end, Erica speaks frequently at conferences including UXDX USA, UX Lisbon, Microsoft Design Week, the Web Directions Summit, and Button: The Content Design Conference, and on podcasts like The Content Strategy Podcast with Kristina Halvorson and Content Insights podcast with Larry Swanson. In addition to working in content roles for companies of all sizes, she has taught at the University of Washington and Seattle’s School of Visual Concepts. Erica earned her B.A. from the University of Connecticut and M.A. from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism. In her free time, you can find her exploring Washington State’s wineries or hiking with her husband and rescue dog, Rufus.

“I realized that design is about helping people make sense of the world. And I looked at the world differently then… treating everything like a design problem that's solvable [...] [Design leaders today] don't use the power that we have to engage people, to activate people, to help them believe in something bigger than themselves.”Maria Guidice, author of Changemakers: How Leaders Can Design Change in an Insanely Complex World, joins Erin May and Carol Guest in this episode of Awkward Silences. Together, they examine the qualities of effective change agents and discuss how designers, researchers, and passionate folks can hone and apply these qualities to drive change within their organization. Throughout the episode, Maria draws on her experience leading global teams at Facebook and Autodesk and a decade of research into the interconnectedness of leadership, design, and change to offer practical advice on how to approach change through a designer mindset.In this episode, Maria, Erin and Carol cover:What is a “changemaker”?The qualities of effective leaders and change agents.How designers can employ their skills to drive change at scale.Treating design as a mindset.Building support and working with people who share a creative and open mindset.Why we need to believe in progress and continuous improvement.Highlights00:04:23 – Design is about helping people make sense of the world00:09:34 – Maria’s research into the connection between leadership, design, and change00:13:50 – The importance of understanding people’s resistance to change00:16:28 – What is a changemaker?00:18:04 – Design as a noun, a verb, a mindset that can lead change at scale 00:24:30 – Qualities of effective change agents00:33:19 – Why Maria hates the term “change management”00:36:12 – Embracing failure as a learning opportunity00:39:46 – The importance of passion, purpose, and a belief in continuous progressAbout our guestFor three decades, creative teams and business leaders have sought the provocative vision and mentorship of Maria Giudice, GEW DEECE. After founding the pioneering experience design firm Hot Studio and leading global teams at Facebook and Autodesk, Maria’s mission today is to build the next generation of creative leaders. Through one-on-one coaching, group coaching, and team-building workshops, Maria unlocks the potential hidden in executives and the people they lead. A popular speaker at design and business conferences, Maria is also the author of four design books, including Rise of the DEO: Leadership by Design, and most recently Changemakers: How Leaders Can Design Change in an Insanely Complex World.

What company isn’t “customer obsessed”? Well, a lot, as it turns out. That’s not for lack of caring—but building a customer-centric culture is easier said than done. And how you do this depends on whether you’re starting from square one or trying to change a company’s culture from the inside.According to Prayag Narula, CEO and Co-Founder of Marvin, changing a culture towards customer centricity requires starting from the bottom-up. Building something new? Leaders should be obsessing over customer feedback, actively placing research and customer insights front and center from the very beginning. In this episode of Awkward Silences, Prayag sits down with Erin and Carol to discuss his strategies for building a customer-centric product culture at Marvin. Tune in to learn more about what it means to obsess over customers, doing research versus using research, how customer centricity is put into practice at Marvin, and more. 👇Highlights: [00:00:31] The origins of Marvin[00:04:40] Building a culture around customer centricity[00:08:35] Why leaders should obsess over a customer centric culture[00:13:59] How the rest of the team can keep customers front and center[00:18:04] Balancing doing research and using research[00:21:46] “Capital R” versus “lower case r” researchers [00:28:21] Getting researchers more involved in strategic conversations[00:30:35] Practicing customer centricity at Marvin[00:39:36] The Marvin repository[00:46:53] Prayag’s parting words of wisdom: talk to your marketSources mentioned in the episode:userinterviews.com/awkwardheymarvin.comAbout Our GuestPrayag Narula is an entrepreneur and trained researcher with a passion for building technology he always wished for when conducting user research. He is currently the Co-Founder and CEO of Marvin, a qualitative data analysis platform and research repository for user-centric teams across the globe. He is further the Co-Founder and a Board Member for LeadGenius, a demand generation automation company automating and accelerating outbound sales and marketing for mid-marketing and enterprise companies across the world.

AI is a big part of Notion's strategy for the future of knowledge work, and they're exploring ways to use AI to make people's lives easier.Linus Lee, a Research Engineer at Notion, spends his time researching and learning about AI—how users interact with it, the challenges of building trustworthy AI systems, and its - potential to help people work more effectively.In this episode of Awkward Silences, he sits down with Erin and Carol to discuss Notion’s approach to designing interfaces for Generative AI tools. Tune into this episode to learn more about the challenges of instructing AI, the importance of user feedback to the AI design process, security considerations, use cases, and more. Highlights: [00:05:03] Tools Linus is excited to see come to market[00:06:50] Generative AI and its function at Notion[00:10:22] Recognizing AI is useful versus finding the use cases for it[00:13:58] Lessons from the Notion design process[00:22:09] Breadth versus depth in workflows[00:26:10] Learning about models in the wild[00:28:52] Security considerations with AI products[00:32:13] Understanding the difference between AI generated and human written text[00:36:34] Should we be scared of AI?About Our GuestLinus Lee is a Research Engineer at Notion, prototyping new software interfaces for augmenting our collaborative work and creativity with AI. He has spent the last few years experimenting with AI-augmented tools for thinking, like a canvas for exploring the latent space of neural networks and writing tools where ideas connect themselves. Before Notion, Linus spent a year as an independent researcher in New York City.

“I think people really connect when you are just genuine and not transactional. I think it's much more easy to get to those kind of opportunities because they just feel genuine.”According to Andrea Amorós, Associate Principal Research at ADP, giving research a seat at the big table is all about building meaningful connections with the people you’re presenting to.Andrea joins the Awkward Silences podcast to provide insight into how she learned to make research meaningful for stakeholders at higher levels of the organization. Having been hired to conduct discovery but with no plan set up for her, she took the initiative to interview the leaders within the company to understand their needs and identify opportunities for strategic research. Tune into this episode to hear Andrea’s advice on building relationships with stakeholders, approaching push-back, and creating meaningful change in the current research landscape.Highlights: [00:00:50] Andrea’s motivation to give research a seat at the big table[00:07:46] What bringing research to the big table really means[00:11:06] Presenting research to bigger audiences versus smaller audiences[00:14:08] Making presentations meaningful to the audience[00:17:47] How Andrea made it to the big table[00:22:26] How product-specific research can be escalated to the big table[00:24:53] The marginalization of research today[00:30:27] How changes in research apply to other fields[00:32:23] Andrea’s advice for building courage[00:36:17] The possibility of getting to the big table without presentations[00:38:46] Navigating push-backSources mentioned in the episode:📘 Awkward Silences blog🔗 Andrea's LinkedIn📘 Andrea's article: How to Present Research Insights to Executives with Ease🎁 Get 3 free participants for your next research project with User Interviews✍️ Take our survey to let us know what you want to see nextAbout Our GuestAndrea M. Amorós is the Associate Principal Researcher at ADP, a payroll solutions provider leader globally. She has always been a really deep thinker, curious about understanding human behavior and the unconscious mind. Her expertise lies in conducting strategic research and discovering patterns at scale to improve people's lives. She has a background in Design Engineering and has worked in various startups, consultancies and large-scale corporations.

134 episodes. That’s how long Awkward Silences has been going with Erin and JH as hosts.But now it’s time for something new.JH says goodbye to Awkward Silences as he kicks off a new chapter in his career. Today, he and Erin reflect on the years. They share a bit of the original background to the podcast, their favorite memories, and even some behind-the-scenes aspects and outtakes that may surprise you. Tune into this episode to learn all about Awkward Silences and bid a fond farewell to JH 👇Highlights: [00:02:01] Why did Erin pick JH as co-host?[00:05:03] JH’s favorite part of the podcast[00:06:52] A look back to when the podcast first felt “real”[00:10:07] Favorite episodes, memories, and guests[00:13:26] Secrets of the intro[00:14:50] JH’s podcast future[00:17:01] Where is JH heading?[00:20:25] Funny outtakes and memories

As a researcher, you know the value of using research to drive business decisions—but other stakeholders might not. In order to drive action from research, you need to create alignment with key decision-makers and the research you do. Pejman Mirza-Babaei joins the Awkward Silences podcast to discuss how to transform research insights into actionable design decisions by collaborating with stakeholders. With over fifteen years of experience doing UXR and interaction design on various applications, Pejman shares insights on the importance of effective communication and collaboration; the need for actionable and cost-effective research; and the challenges and biases that can arise in decision-driven research.Tune into this episode to learn all about the intricacies of decision-driven research 👇Highlights: [00:01:53] Pejman’s extensive experience with games and user research[00:04:40] Making good, directed, actionable decisions from research[00:08:53] The inspiration behind The Game Designer’s Playbook[00:13:14] Collaboration with stakeholders to determine research necessity[00:16:53] Ensuring alignment between decision-makers and researchers[00:23:30] When decision-centric research backfires[00:27:31] Avoiding marketing your company to your participants[00:30:07] Specificity in context [00:32:28] Navigating difficult decisions stemming from research[00:37:03] Successfully seeing research insights through to action[00:43:46] Life motivations mirrored in gamesSources mentioned in the episode:userinterviews.com/awkwardThe Game Designer's PlaybookAbout Our GuestPejman Mirza-Babaei is a UX research consultant, author, and professor. His latest book, The Game Designer's Playbook, was published in September 2022. He also co-edited the Games User Research book (2018), a compendium of insights from over 40 experts on UX research in games. He has over 15 years of experience doing UXR and interaction design on various applications, from mobile apps to VR games and everything in between streaming content, console, PC games, and even delivery robots! He worked as the UX Research Director at Execution Labs (Montréal, Canada) from 2015 to 2017 and was a UX Researcher at Vertical Slice and Player Research (UK) from 2009 to 2013.

Competition can be scary. But in UX, competitive research is insightful.You don’t want to chase your competitors, but you need to know what they are doing to know how you can improve.Rachel Miles joins the Awkward Silences podcast to discuss the value of competitive research in UX and design. As the UX research lead at IBM, Rachel integrated competitive research at IBM to measure their products’ performance and to align their existing internal measures with external measures. She shares insights on selecting benchmark competitors or metrics, communicating competitive insights, and navigating legal challenges. Tune into this episode to learn how competitive research can inform your product development and strategy 👇Highlights:[00:00:41] Rachel’s interest in competitive research[00:02:27] What makes up competitive research?[00:05:54] Choosing your competitors to benchmark against [00:10:08] Determining benchmarking metrics[00:16:33] Rule #1: Avoiding over fixating on the competition[00:21:37] Opportunities for non-researchers to do competitive research[00:23:28] Creating and sharing benchmark assets[00:27:95] Managing participants for competitive methods[00:30:11] Navigating legal challenges[00:34:56] Priming participants for fake scenarios[00:38:05] Teamwork makes the dream work in competitive researchAbout Our GuestRachel Miles, UX Research Lead at IBM, is a user experience researcher and strategist. A self-proclaimed nerd of all trades, she loves to learn about everything that crosses her path. In her spare time, you might catch her reading, drawing, traveling, or working on her blog where she talks about where technology meets wellness.

In design and UX research, context is king. Your work doesn’t exist in a vacuum; it’s a part of a wider ecosystem of stakeholders, beneficiaries, and more.Sheryl Cababa, Chief Strategy Officer at Substantial, recognized a clear gap in design methods that only addressed the individual user and the immediate product benefits: designing beyond the product with a systems thinking approach. As the author of Closing the Loop: Systems Thinking for Designers, Sheryl says, “My goal is not to suddenly become a systems thinking methodology practitioner and leave my job as a designer behind. I need to figure out a way to integrate [systems thinking] into my practice in a way that is actionable and accessible.”She joins Erin and JH today to discuss how systems thinking can address the complexities and interconnectedness of products and their ecosystems, sharing practical strategies for integrating it into your own design practice. Tune into this episode to learn actionable advice on adopting a systems thinking mindset when designing user experiences 👇Highlights: [00:01:18] The appeal of systems thinking[00:08:45] Ethnography as a bridge between traditional UX methods and systems thinking[00:14:29] Understanding when a problem calls for systems thinking versus when it does not[00:22:37] Avoiding “chaos” when integrating systems thinking[00:28:04] Systems thinking as a mindset rather than a set of tools[00:31:30] Recognizing when methods are producing valuable results[00:36:17] Utilizing systems thinking for speculative design[00:41:34] The importance of multi-disciplinary groups in systems thinkingSources mentioned in the episode:Closing the Loop: Systems Thinking for DesignersWant a copy of Sheryl Cababa's book?Use discount code: [cababa-awkwardsilences] for 15% off your purchase of Closing the Loop: Systems Thinking for Designers at https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/systems-thinking-for-designers/.About Our GuestSheryl Cababa, Chief Strategy Officer at Substantial and Author of “Closing the Loop - Systems Thinking for Designers,” is a multi-disciplinary director with over two decades of experience in product design and consultancy, mainly focusing on systems thinking and evidence-based design. Her current role at Substantial, a design and software development consultancy, involves conducting research, developing design strategies, and advocating for human-centric outcomes. In her book, “Closing the Loop - Systems Thinking for Designers,” Sheryl introduces readers to a powerful systems thinking mindset.

There are 6 key qualities for great facilitation:Starting with your core beliefsMaintaining neutralityStanding in the stormHonoring the wisdom of the groupUpholding the agile mindsetHonoring the group’s agendaAccording to Marsha Acker, Founder, and CEO of TeamCatapult, “The job of facilitator is not to become the agile process police that says we have to have a daily standup and every day we have to answer these three questions…Facilitation is all about reading what's happening in a group, [and] tapping into the collective intelligence and wisdom of that group."In this episode, Marsha sits down with Erin and JH to discuss the art and importance of facilitation in group settings, focusing on the 6 key principles of great facilitation she wrote about in her book The Art and Science of Facilitation: How to Lead Effective Collaboration with Agile Teams.Tune in to hear her approach to facilitation, including methods, the preparation process, and how to build your facilitation skills.👇Highlights: [00:01:05] Defining facilitation: the art of leading people through a process towards a goal[00:04:50] Reading the room and speaking the language of others[00:06:08] Maintaining neutrality as a leader[00:14:24]Standing in the storm of conflict and handling differences[00:20:43] Honoring the wisdom of the group[00:23:25] Enhancing agile processes with intentionality[00:28:54] Honoring the group’s agenda [00:33:12] Familiarity versus externality: the pros and cons of different facilitator types[00:35:57] Guidelines for facilitating workshops[00:44:56] The importance of navigating invisible team dynamicsSources mentioned in the episode:userinterviews.com/awkwarduserinterviews.com/awkwardsurveyThe Art and Science of Facilitation: How to Lead Effective Collaboration with Agile Teams Build Your Model for Leading ChangeAbout Our GuestMarsha Acker, CPF, CPCC, PCC, is the author of Build Your Model for Leading Change: A guided workbook to catalyze clarity and confidence in leading yourself and others, available now. She is the founder and CEO of TeamCatapult, a leadership development firm that equips leaders at all levels to facilitate and lead sustainable behavioral change. She is also the author of The Art and Science of Facilitation: How to Lead Effective Collaboration with Agile Teams and the host of the Defining Moments of Leadership podcast.

How can UX researchers enable other teams to do research? Show, don’t tell.According to Helen Devine, UX Research Manager at The Economist, upskilling product people to do research means letting them observe, sit in, and be present during each stage of a research project—not just being told what to do.Helen went from doing scrappy research with 0 researchers to supporting 50 product people at The Economist to conduct great research with the help of 2 other UX researchers.Tune into this episode to learn how she established UX research as a valued discipline at The Economist, plus how to balance developing research as a craft while supporting non-researchers at the same time. 👇Highlights: [00:04:11] From 0 researchers to 3 UXRs and 50 product people [00:13:30] The art of observation and note-taking during moderated interviews [00:18:59] Generative research? Bring in a pro researcher[00:24:34] Helen’s biggest wins in instructing others on how to do research better[0:31:07] Researchers develop the craft, but they don’t own it. [00:33:54] Actionable tips on setting guardrails for non-researchers’ researchSources mentioned in the episode:userinterviews.com/awkwarduserinterviews.com/awkwardsurveyAbout Our GuestHelen Devine, UX Research Manager at The Economist, is a user-focused research expert with experience in insight, ethnography, design, and user research across commercial, government, and non-profit sectors. Her current role involves telling user stories that uncover opportunities and inspire action across the organization’s portfolio of digital properties. Before joining The Economist, Helen has had an illustrious career involving positions at The Guardian, a housing and homeless charity shelter, Lloyds Banking Group, and Asda. Recently she spoke at the Insight Innovation Exchange 2023.

What does good “scrappy” user research look like?According to Varun Murugesan, Co-founder of Apple and Banana,“You could throw anything at Jason Bourne and he would solve it... Would it be effective? [Yes—and] that's what I think about. I don't need all the fanciest tools or software.”Being good at scrappy user research is like being the Jason Bourne of research: being effective with what you have, even if you’re shot down by a tight research budget or limited in bandwidth.Varun joins Erin and JH to discuss his tips for doing scrappy research, advice for finding and utilizing creative techniques in research, and the potential positive and negative effects of the AI explosion.Highlights: [00:01:38] The value of “scrappy” research in tough economic times[00:05:50] Being “scrappy” is about speed[00:08:51] Innovating with scarce resources during the pandemic[00:17:33] Enhancing creativity through messiness[00:21:40] Sources of inspo for creative research[00:25:07] Re-evaluating your work and success[00:31:03] Research during the AI explosion[000:35:55] 7 years strong doing research, plus new opportunities for the futureSources mentioned in the episode:userinterviews.com/awkwardfruitful.appleandbanana.orgAbout Our GuestVarun Murugesan is the Co-Founder of Apple and Banana, a UXR training and development company helping to build better products through fruitful research. He is also the author of Fruitful, an online UX research library and toolkit of resources for researchers and UX teams aimed at conducting user experience research that drives impact. He is also the Senior UK Researcher of SeatGeek, a mobile ticketing marketplace. Before these positions, Varun worked in UXR roles at Best Buy and Facebook. An entrepreneur, author, and researcher, Varun has spent his career immersed in psychology, technology, and design, and has been featured on a various media platforms sharing fruitful research and his personal UXR career journey.A gift from Apple & Banana and Awkward SilencesInterested in trying Apple & Banana for your next research project? Use our code AWKWARD-FRUITS-35 to save 35% on Fruitful, an advanced UX research repository used by 100s of teams around the world.

“There’s a certain amount of forgetting that we need to do in order to learn something new.”– Kevin Kelly, Founding Editor of Wired magazineWhether you are designing a research project, prototyping a product, or carving out your career path, unlearning plays an important role in learning new things. But how do we embrace them in a practical way that leads to viable success?For Kevin Kelly, Publisher and Founding Editor of Wired, leaning on failure is a crucial aspect of the creative writing process—and the motions of life in general. From giving advice on embracing mistakes to finding true joy and fulfillment, Kevin Kelly shares a raw perspective on applying important life lessons to both work and life.In this episode we discuss:Understanding “known failures” and “unknown failures”Forgetting and unlearning your bias. Prototyping and experimentation in research and in lifeCareer advice, tips, and hacksHighlights:[00:01:51] Navigating failure: tractable vs. intractable failures[00:05:37] Understanding other people's beliefs and questioning our own[00:12:25] The value of prototyping and experimentation in life and your career[00:16:47] Redefining success and exploring unique opportunities[00:22:15] Learning what to ignore and discarding unnecessary information[00:33:44] Kevin's current project on a 100-year desirable future!Sources mentioned in the episode:userinterviews.com/awkwardhttps://kk.org/books/the-inevitableAbout Our GuestKevin Kelly is an accomplished author, speaker, and “evergreen optimist,” known for his work on technology, innovation, and the future. As the founding executive editor of Wired, Kevin has been instrumental in shaping discussions around technology and its implications on society. He has authored several influential books, including "The Inevitable," which delves into the technological forces that will impact our future. Currently, Kevin is working on a project envisioning a desirable 100-year future.

AI has recently become hugely popular with the likes of ChatGPT becoming a staple in day to day life, and it looks like it is here to stay. Could it replace the job of a researcher completely? Mike Adams, CEO and Founder of Grain doesn’t think so. Join the conversation as they discuss the potential perks and limitations of utilizing AI in research and product development, tips for getting started in the world of AI, and an insight into the current shift in the roadmap for research products.In this episode we discuss:[00:02:37] The potential of AI for automating away the monotonous [00:14:23] Utilizing AI: building versus buying[00:18:05] Tips for getting started with AI applications[00:25:55] A shift in the roadmap of potential research products[00:31:43] How utilizing AI could go wrong for researchersSources mentioned in the episode:userinterviews.com/awkwardgrain.comAbout Our GuestMike Adams is the CEO and Co-Founder of Grain, a communication platform for teams that helps capture video snippets with ease. Self-describing as a three-time founder with over ten years of experience building skills for job education software programs, Mike is a pioneer for fully immersive cohort-based education. His current mission with Grain is to help teams to share more understanding with each other and the people they work together to serve, thus creating a more cohesive working environment. Mike has authored several useful articles, including “The Founder’s Guide to Actually Understanding Users”.

Sylvana Rochet, Founder and Principal Coach at Elan Vital Coaching, visits the show to discuss what UX business coaching entails and how to maximize your professional growth opportunities with business coaching. Sylvana shares her past experiences coaching in the world of UX so you can learn what to expect from business coaching, how coaching works, and what the path of building a coaching career looks like.In this episode, we discuss:What does coaching entail?The individual benefits of coachingFinding the right coachWhen is it a good idea to consult a coach?What qualities do effective coaches have?Advice for aspiring coachesHighlights:[01:48.73] Sylvana defines coaching and shares her career journey[07:05.40] Sylvana explains why most people look for leadership coaches[10:59.60] The difference between mentorship and coaching[19:40.69] When not to call a coach and the duration of a coaching arrangement[21:52.00] Factors to consider when choosing a coach[27:14.36] What you can expect from working with a UX coach[39:51.76] Career tips for aspiring coaches Sources mentioned in the episode:http://userinterviews.com/awkwardhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sylvanarochetbellerihttps://www.linkedin.com/company/elan-vital-coachingAbout Our GuestSylvana Rochet is the Founder and Principal Coach at Elan Vital, a leadership coaching and personal development company that helps founders and executives tap into their full potential and achieve their goals. Before founding Elan Vital, she worked as a Partner and Executive Coach at Evolution, a leading coaching, consulting, and investment firm that specializes in working with high-growth companies.

A solid UX research strategy serves as the compass that guides research ops and helps ensure repeatable success. But how do you envision, create, and execute a strategy that helps you achieve your goals in the most effective way possible? In this episode of Awkward Silences, Devin Harold, Director of Research at Capital One, unpacks how to craft and refine a winning UXR strategy, including tips to help you make team playbooks, win stakeholder buy-in, and inform your strategy with maturity models.In this episode, we discuss:The significance of a robust UX research strategyThe definition of a good and bad strategy Essential components of an effective research planAligning research with stakeholder needs and expectationsMetrics and KPIs to evaluate progress and successHighlights[00:01:17] Strategy vs delivery, prioritizing projects and allocating resources [00:10:13] The role of flexibility and adaptability[00:15:38] Gaining stakeholder buy-in and tying research to organizational objectives[00:21:05] Establishing KPIs and metrics to measure progress and success[00:33:46] Periodic reviews and updates to maintain relevance and effectivenessSources mentioned in the episode:userinterviews.com/awkwardGood Strategy/Bad Strategy by Richard RumeltUXR Maturity Models: Move to a more advanced level in your org by Nikki Anderson of DovetailUX Strategy Components by Nielsen Norman GroupThe Organizational Appetite for Research by Behzod SirjaniAbout our guest:Devin Harold is the Director of UX Research at Capital One, where he leads a team dedicated to improving end-to-end experiences and touchpoints for one of the company’s primary business units. With over eleven years of experience in UX design and research, he has a deep understanding of research methodologies, leadership, strategy, frameworks, and interaction design. Devin’s expertise and leadership have been recognized with multiple awards, including the IDEA Award, Verizon Beyond Award, and Verizon Credo Award.

Maintaining a huge insights repository can be overwhelming. It’s even more difficult to extract the right insights from research findings. Atomic research is an approach developed concurrently by Tomer Sharon and Daniel Pidcock to manage and break down research knowledge to their smallest modular form. This week on Awkward Silences, Daniel Pidcock, the co-creator of atomic UX research and founder of Glean.ly, joins Erin and JH to explain this new approach to research knowledge management. Additionally, Daniel shares success stories of companies that have used Glean.ly to integrate data from disparate sources and glean meaningful insights. In this episode, we discuss:What is atomic UX research?The pillars of atomic researchHow atomic research can improve your research strategyHow does Glean.ly power atomic research?Highlights:[01:38.75] What is atomic research? What is Glean.ly?[08:24.98] Daniel discusses why atomic research works, including how it helps organizations solve crime cases[11:14.58] How Glean.ly enabled Just Eat to grow and expand[14:06.67] One big benefit of atomic research powered by Glean.ly[23:59.45] Applications for atomic research and research strategy tips[38:27.70] The atomic research origin storySources mentioned in the episode:Glean.lyCheat sheetAbout Our GuestDaniel Pidcock is the co-creator of atomic UX research and founder at Glean.ly, a UX research repository platform used by some of the world’s largest brands. He has spoken about atomic research at several events, including the UX Brighton Conference and Atomic UX Research for agencies. Before founding Glean.ly, Daniel worked as a UX consultant at Neighbourly, JUST EAT, and ie Marketing Communications.

What are the best UX career options? How do you vet a potential employer to ensure it’s the right fit? Should you join a smaller firm that offers plenty of autonomy and flexibility, or does it make more sense to work for a larger company with a ton of resources? Erin, JH, and Marieke McClosky, Director of UX Research at LinkedIn, address these questions, examining UX research as a career and a practice as they discuss Marieke’s journey as a UX researcher. In this episode, we discuss:Navigating a career path in UX researchMaking career moves that align with your goalsHow to start a career in UX researchPros and cons of different working environments Vetting potential employersHighlights[01:27] Marieke’s first job was at Nielsen Norman Group[04:42] The benefits of working at a large organization like LinkedIn[7:12] Getting started with– choosing a direction when you are new to UX research[12:57] How to vetMarieke shares valuable advice on vetting employers[19:37] How does the UX research team come up with research questions?[25:29] TJH summarizes the differences between working at a large company vs. a smaller firm[39:24] The best thing about consulting is “the breadth of who you get to work with, the different industries, different teams”About our guestMarieke McCloskey is the Director of UX Research at LinkedIn. For over a decade, she has worked as a UX researcher and consultant with the world’s most innovative companies, including Nielsen Norman Group and the NFL. She completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at the University College Utrecht and earned a MA in Cognitive Science at John Hopkins University.

YouX 2023 is a wrap! No big deal, just us and 3500 other UX-obsessed friends. The half-day virtual event featured breakout sessions and presentations conducted by some of the brightest minds in UX, who covered a number of topics from personal wellness and professional growth to work-life balance and community. We’d like to thank everyone who attended the event, especially our guest speakers, panelists, and moderators. It was a truly extraordinary YouXperience for everyone. Head over to our blog to get a full recap of the 2023 YouX conference and videos of the sessions—we clipped all the awkward silences parts out, so you don’t have to. You can also download a recording of the entire event at the YouX event page.In this episode, we discuss:Interviewing with confidenceMentorships and coachingWellness and UXYour unique UX career pathDealing with imposter syndromeHighlights: [00:02:59] Interviewing with Confidence (Danny Essner) – Awkward silence is your friend and dealing with self-doubt[00:07:38] Will You Be My Mentor? (Paul Derby) – Navigating the mentor-mentee relationship[00:12:36] Reframing the Imposter Syndrome (Panel) – You are not a computer! The panel address imposter syndrome and getting to the root of the problem[00:18:06] Wellness and UX: Going Beyond the User Experience (Dr. Christelle Ngnoumen) – Dealing with stress through mindfulness. The power of language on your perspective[00:24:32] Research for All: Building Healthy Teams Through Democratization (Kate Kalcevich) – for all, How can we democratize research? Democratizing generative and evaluative researchSources mentioned in the episode:userinterviews.com/awkwardYouX 2023 Recap: Learnings, Session Recordings, and Additional ResourcesYouX 2023 - The Event for You, ResearchersAbout our guests Danny Essner is VP of Marketing at Chameleon, a SaaS platform that allows startups to create personalized and engaging experiences for their users. Paul Derby is a SR. Manager of UX Research at ServiceNow. Paul is also the founder of Paul Derby Coaching, LLC, where he provides 1:1 coaching to UX researchers who want to establish their personal style of leadership. Devin Harold is Director of UX Research at Capital One, where he leads a team focused on design and research for Capital One's Financial Services in New York. Erika Spear has ten years of experience in qualitative and mixed-method research design and execution. She is currently a Research Manager at AnswerLab. Varun M is a Senior UX Researcher at SeatGeek and the Co-Founder of Apple & Banana. Tiffany Eaton is a talented and creative self-employed graphic designer with expertise in logos, cover art, graphic design, children's illustration, and children's book illustration.Nikki Anderson-Stanier is Founder & Managing Director of User Research Academy, a company that offers coaching, mentoring, and remote courses on UX Research. Fredrick Royster is an accomplished educator and UX/Web/Graphic Designer with over twenty years of experience in web design and front-end development.Dr. Christelle Ngnoumen is Principal User Experience Designer at Headspace Health, where she leads internal and external research programs dedicated to the design of Headspace's evidence-based digital interventions.Kate Kalcevich is Head of Accessibility and Innovation at Fable, a platform for people of all abilities, where she works on democratizing design and accessibility. For our guests' full bios, visit https://www.userinterviews.com/blog/best-highlights-from-youx-2023

Whether you are a team of one or one hundred, cultivating a healthy research culture starts with strong leadership. Strong leadership encourages UXR teams to promote better research practices across teams and manage healthy conflict. But what does a healthy company culture look like IRL? And how do you promote best practices throughout the organization to help scale your research?Mike Oren, Head of Design Research at Klaviyo, has built and scaled several thriving research teams from scratch throughout his career. In this episode, he discusses the power of company culture and shares advice on culture building.In this episode, we discuss:The overall impact of research culture on companies’ bottom-line goalsThe anatomy of a “healthy” company cultureEstablishing cultural norms in your organizationDealing with challenges and avoiding mistakesTips and tricks for nurturing and developing a research-focused company cultureHighlights:[00:01:11] Planting the seeds of research culture[00:03:18] The importance of psychological safety for UXR teams[00:06:04] Maintaining healthy conflict and avoiding cognitive bias[00:12:21] Attributes of a healthy research culture[00:21:45] How research culture fits in with the rest of the organization[00:28:39] Tips on how to build research awareness and educate stakeholdersSources mentioned in the episode:http://userinterviews.com/awkwardhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/klaviyoAbout Our GuestMike Oren, Head of Design Research at Klaviyo, a technology company that provides an automated email marketing and SMS marketing platform. He is also the Founder of Societech, an Adjunct Professor at Illinois Institute of Technology’s Institute of Design, and an independent UX Research Consultant. Mike holds a Ph.D. and a Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction and Sociology from Iowa State University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and English Writing from DePauw University.

In this episode of Awkward Silences, Erin May and John-Henry Forster are joined by Holly Hester-Reilly, CEO and Founder of H2R Product Science. They delve into how research can go wrong, how bad research processes can give research a bad reputation, and how the methodology and timeline of your research can complement each other. Holly also outlines the best way to determine the right research method for your product. Tune in for an engaging conversation on research best practices with industry experts.In this episode, we discuss:How bad research processes can give research a bad reputationTop most common ways that research can go wrongThe relationship between research methodologies and project timelinesFiguring out the right method for your researchHighlights:[00:04:27] Holly’s unique perspective from academic research and into tech[00:07:58] How can research go wrong?[00:10:20] The components of a good research model; what you need to get right[00:14:32] What to do with a research plan once you have it to ensure maximum alignment[00:16:54] How to combat biases in research and questionnaires[00:21:54] The interaction between methodology and the timeline in research[00:24:18] Figuring out the right method for your research[00:31:01] Interacting with stakeholders and organizations for the best research outcomeSources mentioned in the episode:Holly’s LinkedInH2R Product Science WebsiteH2R Product Science LinkedInAbout our guestHolly Hester-Reilly is the Founder and CEO of H2R Product Science, as well as a Product Discovery Coach and Consultant for the company. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor at New York University, a Member of the Board of Advisors at Octane11, and a Product Advisor at Ergatta. Needless to say, Holly is an undisputed expert in her field, and we’re lucky to have her on the show!

According to Derek Osgood, it takes a "great product and product marketing collaboration" to get people to adopt products. But with such a small window of opportunity and many moving parts, it's easy to get it wrong. So how do massively successful brands execute a winning product launch?Join Erin and JH as they welcome guest Derek Osgood, CEO of Ignition, to examine the key components of a product launch. Derek shares his perspective on branding at scale as he outlines critical aspects to consider before, during, and after launch. He also provides a step-by-step walkthrough of a successful go-to-market strategy, complete with specific marketing tactics for planning, targeting, collaboration, and research.In this episode, we discuss:What makes a successful product launch?The elements of a winning launchBest research practices, tactics, tips, and toolsCommon mistakes and oversightsHighlights:[00:03:37] The ingredients to a successful launch[00:08:34] Walkthrough of a successful launch (plus a laundry list of important questions to consider)[00:12:11] Internal marketing and the importance of communicating across teams[00:17:17] How teams get it wrong, dos and don'ts[00:20:39] A simplistic way to segment your audience[00:26:25] Message testing tips - the how, when, and why[00:32:02] Specific tactics and tools Derek uses to find pricing and understand featuresSources mentioned in the episode:http://userinterviews.com/awkwardIgnition LinkedInAbout Our GuestDerek Osgood is a product marketing specialist, entrepreneur, and Founder & CEO of Ignition, a platform that helps brands streamline go-to-market strategies. He has launched several products that have collectively generated over $1 billion in revenue. Before Ignition, Derek worked as Director of Product Marketing at Rippling, Director of Marketing and Growth at BBVA, and as a Product Manager at Playstation.

Erin May, John Henry Forster, and Carlos Tellez, Growth Research Manager at Nubank, get to the bottom of growth research. This episode is focused on two of Erin's favorite things – optimization and research. They discuss how research informs growth teams as Carlos describes the moving parts involved in the research process. Listen to hear what Carlos loves the most about his job, the scope of growth research, research design methods, tools, and tactics.In this episode, we discuss:The value and impact of growth researchKey differences between growth research and product researchResearch workflows and the dynamics of working relationshipsResearch methodologies, tactics, and toolkitsHighlights:[00:01:08] What is growth research? What is platform research?[00:06:52] One big difference between growth research and product research[00:12:07] How does growth research "operate within the growth context"?[00:09:39] Support from leadership and the value of research in the context of growth[00:15:18] Carlos shares Nubank's approach to qualitative research[00:18:34] Carlos details his team's creative approach to data collection[00:28:41] Tactics for identifying the impact of research[00:28:41 Triangulation is a requirement of UX research; it's also the trickiest part to get rightSources mentioned in the episode:userinterviews.com/awkwardNubank websiteNubank LinkedInAbout our guestCarlos Tellez is a digital strategist, UX researcher, service designer, and education enthusiast. Currently, he is the UX Research Manager at Nubank. Much of his work is focused on creating effective research teams and advancing the field of UX research. Carlos has a Master's degree in Architecture from Harvard University Graduate School of Design. He also has a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Vassar College.

UX is exploding! It's tremendously exciting. But much of the technology pushing the state-of-the-art has been around for over a decade. What are the key driving factors behind the rapid rise of new tools like Figma? What does this mean for the future of collaboration? How will this affect research practices?Alfonso de la Nuez, Co-Founder, CVO & BoD Member at UserZoom, and Dana Bishop, VP, Strategic Research Partners at UserZoom, drop by to discuss the evolution of the UX and muse on Adobe's recent acquisition of Figma. They take Erin and JH along for a retrospective look at the past 30 years of UX, dig into industry trends, and explore the nuances of user research.In this episode, we discuss:The reasons behind the rise of UX tools like FigmaThe nature of collaboration in UX design, research, and stakeholdersHow tools affect the way we approach projectsAn evolution of UX design and UX researchHighlights:[00:01:52] Why is Figma the “darling of the design world”?[00:06:37] Prototyping changing for two reasons: time and necessity[00:13:09] Alfonso puts things into historical perspective with an anecdote[00:17:28] Fundamental differences between UX design and UX research[00:24:38] Dana discusses one dramatic industry change[00:30:06] A CX story about an encounter DoorDash[00:36:46] What's the next big thing in UX research?Sources mentioned in the episode:http://userinterviews.com/awkwardhttps://www.figma.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/userzoomhttps://www.userzoom.comAbout Our GuestAlfonso de la Nuez is Co-Founder, CVO & BoD Member at UserZoom. He has over seventeen years of experience in various disciplines, including UX, digital marketing, eCommerce, web design, and user-centered design. He is also the author of The Digital Experience Company, co-founder and former CEO of Xperience Consulting, and former co-founder and CEO of Xperience Consulting.Dana Bishop, VP and Strategic Research Partner at UserZoom, has over twenty years of experience in UX research. After spending nine years at Keynote Systems, Dana worked at Key Lime Interactive until she joined UserZoom in 2017. Her work in UX research is primarily focused on competitive research and benchmarking. Currently, she is co-host of UXpeditious, a weekly podcast exploring the world of UX.

In this episode of Awkward Silences, hosts Erin May and John Henry Forster welcome Ryan Glasgow, CEO of Sprig, to discuss the importance of in-product research. They dive into Sprig’s generative and evaluative research tools, as well as recruiting current customers and reaching out to prospective users for market research. The conversation concludes with a discussion about best practices for in-product research. In this episode, we discuss:What is in-product research? Why is it important?The power of real-time research post-launchStrategies and best practices for conducting in-product surveysShortening the feedback loop with SprigHighlights:[00:01:46] The role of in-product research in the process of product development[00:04:39] How Sprig streamlines gathering feedback for in-product research experiments[00:08:26] Best practices: advice on how to maximize response rate and more[00:14:49] The benefits of hyper-targeted product research[00:17:55] Advanced use cases for Sprig - combining sentiment data with conversion dataSources mentioned in the episode:http://userinterviews.com/awkwardSprigAbout Our GuestRyan Glasgow is the Founder and CEO at Sprig (formerly UserLeap), a research platform that provides advanced usability testing and in-product survey capabilities to companies such as Dropbox, Loom, and Shift. He is the author of The Customer‑Obsessed Product Manager's Playbook and current host of the People Driven Products Podcasts. Ryan has a strong background in product management. Prior to founding Sprig, he was the Group Product Manager at Weebly, Product Manager at Vurb, and Product Designer at Extrabux.

The rise of UX research was a game changer in software design and development. As UX continues to grow in nearly every industry, research ops experts with strong leadership skills are critical for companies working at scale.In this episode, A'verria Martin, Director, Chief of Staff, Head of Research Operations and Strategy at ServiceNow, provides a high-level overview of the UX Research Chief of Staff role and explains why this position is in high demand. As A'verria shares her journey, she defines the role of UX Research Chief of Staff and outlines her core responsibilities.

Thomas Aquinas once said, “Tacos cannot exist without tide pods”. In this bittersweet edition of Tacos and Tidepods—Erin and JH say their goodbyes to Roberta and reflect back at her time at User Interviews. Roberta talks about her decision to pursue a career in coaching and leadership development training at Design Dept. From career challenges and memories to lessons she’s learned, Roberta shares her journey with User Interviews as Erin and JH do their best to make her cry.In this episode, we discuss:Roberta's career pathRoberta's legacy at User InterviewsCareer development (finding your niche)Coaching for design leadersHighlights:[00:02:54] Roberta shares the most important lessons she's learned from working at User Interviews[00:06:11] They discuss Roberta's contributions[00:14:52] How to grow as a leader through self-care and teamwork[00:16:22] Roberta's tacos: what she's looking forward to the most as[00:18:21] Career tips on networking and finding your nicheSources mentioned in the episode:userinterviews.com/awkwardDesign Dept. Leadership CoachingDesigning Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave EvansAbout our guestRoberta Dombrowski is a Research Partner at Maze (formerly VP of User Research at User Interviews). She is also an ICF certified Coach & Mindfulness Teacher, Level II Reiki Practitioner, and Predictive Index (PI) Certified Talent Optimization Leader. Roberta has been instrumental in creating and shaping cultures of learning at User Interviews, edX, Predictive Index, and Year Up.

Finding your dream customers can be tricky, and knowing which customers aren’t a good fit is important. That’s where customer profiles come in handy. In this episode of Awkward Silences, Andrew Michael, CEO of Avrio, discusses the importance of ideal customer profiles. Andrew draws upon his experience and shares insights on creating customer profiles, customer research methods, and tips on how to get started.In this episode, we discuss:The role of the ideal customer profile (ICP) in an organizationUsing thermographic and demographic properties to create an ICPCreating personas and segmenting audiencesConducting studies and collecting data about your customersHow teams get ICPs wrongTips and best practices for developing and using ICPsHighlights:[00:06:03] The benefits of ideal customer profiles (ICPs) and who uses them[00:08:15] Andrew discusses the details of how they developed ICPs at Hotjar[00:11:34] Anti-ICP: Ruling out a large portion of your audience[00:24:08] Andrew details how to discover criteria that reveal insight[00:25:40] Tip: Don’t overcomplicate ICP, three or four defining characteristics are enough[00:29:19] Anti-ICP: How to communicate with customers that you don’t want[00:32:16] An effective ICP contributes to retention, alignment, and customer satisfaction[00:35:44] Andrew's final piece of advice: ICPs “needs to be a company-wide initiative”Sources mentioned in the episode:userinterviews.com/awkwardCHURN.FM PodcastAbout our guestAndrew Michael is the CEO at Avrio – a software development research platform – host of Churn.FM, and Founding Member of Startup Cyprus. Andrew is also a teacher and speaker featured at the How to Web Conference 2022 and Advancing Research 2022. Before joining Avrio, Andrew worked at Hotjar, where he held leadership roles in marketing, management, and experience design.

If you ask Roberta Dombrowski why it's her favorite time of year, she'll probably mention the UX Research Tools Map. Why? Because it’s one of User Interviews’ most popular projects of the year that features the best UX research tools available across different use cases.Ye one and all are invited to explore the fantastical land of the 2022 UX Research Tools Map! From the Royal Courts of The High Kingdom of Recruiting and Panel Management to the dark waters of Megalodon 365 and G-Dragon, you can explore more about each UX tool and get a comprehensive view of the UXR tool landscape. Informative, fun, and entertaining in its detail—the medieval-themed map is designed to help UX researchers far and wide gain a better understanding of the different UX tools available to them. In this episode, we discuss:Why the UX Research Tools Map is awesomeNew features we love, updates, and categoriesThe challenges of optimizing your tool stackTools! UX research tools! And more wonderful tools!Highlights:[00:01:44] Taco: Roberta explains the motivation behind the map[00:06:11] JH and Roberta list some of their favorite UXR tools[00:07:30] Why we created the map and how it informs the tool optimization process[00:10:44] À la carte vs all-in-one, the challenge of choosing the best solution[00:12:24] Exciting new UX research tools and use cases for tools User Interviews relies on[00:15:59] Fun features, funny details, and easter eggsSources mentioned in the episode:userinterviews.com/awkwardhttps://sprig.comhttps://www.userinterviews.com/ux-research-tools-map-2022About our guestRoberta Dombrowski is the VP of User Research at User Interviews. She is also a Coach & Mindfulness Teacher at Learn Mindfully—her professional and personal development service that helps leaders and individuals reach their full potential. Roberta holds a Master of Science and Organizational Development Workplace Learning from Boise State University, a Level II Reiki Certification, and is a perennial lover of nature.

Healthcare organizations are responding to the UX design boom by focusing on the patient experience. What is driving this shift? Why did it take so long? How does quantitative research align with qualitative research?In this episode of Awkward Silences, Tiffany Mura, Senior Vice President of Health Practice Lead at Mad*Pow, and Erica Devine, Associate Director, Patient Experience Strategy and Support at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Companies (U.S.), discuss patient-centered design in healthcare research. They explore the complexities of the healthcare ecosystem and share key aspects of their research methodologies to help paint a picture of how research can help improve the overall patient experience.Highlights: [00:03:48] Digital health companies are disrupting the industry[00:11:38] Erica shares data collection procedures and discusses research trends[00:14:28] How do healthcare researchers find the right people to talk to?[00:17:00] Tiffany explains standard healthcare research methodologies [00:26:39] Ethical considerations are central to planning and recruitment [00:37:02] How to use qualitative data to better understand the patient experience[00:40:21] New regulations will force companies to measure patient-reported outcomesSources mentioned in the episode:userinterviews.com/awkwardThe Experience Economy by Joseph PineUser Research for UX Designers: The Complete GuideAbout our guests Human-centered design specialist Tiffany Mura is a senior-level brand marketing strategist with a range of experience in multiple healthcare sectors. She is currently the Strategic Lead of Healthcare at Stone Mantel (formerly Senior Vice President, Health Practice Lead at Mad*Pow). She has a Master’s degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Penn State University.Erica Devine is a practicing pharmacist with over sixteen years of experience building and overseeing teams. She is currently the Associate Director of Patient Experience Strategy at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Companies. Her work centers around business development and customer experience strategy, among other things. Erica has a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Pittsburgh, licensed to practice in NY and PA.

As teams look for effective ways to collaborate between in-person and remote work, hybrid meetings are a flexible solution to meet both needs. But how can teams strike a balance of both in-person and remote meetings in a hybrid setting? How can facilitators reimagine collaboration to make meetings more effective and productive?In this episode of Awkward Silences, Lead UX Research Manager at Miro, Eduardo Gomez Ruiz, is back to share his team’s insight from Miro’s latest research study on the advantages and challenges of hybrid meetings. He shares exactly how he secured stakeholder buy-ins, UX research methods, and surprising signals. As hybrid working models take hold, this study serves as a great starting point for understanding new paradigms, trends, and attitudes as we continue to navigate new ways of working.In this episode, we discuss:How UX is affected by the evolving hybrid work environmentEffective ways to gather collaborators and stakeholdersThe various UX research methods Eduardo and his team used for the study, and some surprising resultsThe role of inclusion in facilitating hybrid work environmentsBest tips and practices from successful hybrid meeting facilitatorsHighlights:[00:05:17] The project's hypothesis was to uncover the dynamics of the overlap between devices, environment, and culture[00:09:12] How Eduardo gained support from the CEO and the Chief Product Officer[00:13:50] The four-phase plan; observation, interviews, surveys, and a co-creation session[00:18:57] Revealing surprising insights about IRL vs. remote user research and inclusivity[00:21:27] Attending in-office meetings as if they were remote[00:25:29] The biggest challenge: maximizing hybrid meetings for both remote and in-person contributors[00:35:01] J.H. touches on emerging approaches to asynchronous communication in meetings[00:37:33] Helpful tips on inclusion and initiating collaboration during hybrid meetingsSources mentioned in the episode:userinterviews.com/awkwardhttps://miro.com/About our guestEduardo Gomez Ruiz is the Senior UX Research Manager at Miro, which develops cutting-edge collaboration software trusted by over forty million users. He has also served as a Design Thinking Associate Professor at IE Business School for nearly eight years. Since Eduardo joined Miro in 2020, he has been instrumental in the growth and development of the company’s UX research department. Prior to joining Miro, he held positions at Uber and several consulting agencies as a Global UX Researcher and UX Consultant

The dual nature of research on research is exciting in itself, especially for Senior UX Researcher Nicholas Aramouni. In this episode, things get meta as we address the UX of UX research. Nicholas discusses the importance of testing everything, testing early, and testing often. He elaborates on his approach to UX research from different angles and describes the beauty (and absurdity) of what it’s like when UX researchers become participants.In this episode, we discuss:Best practices for building better UXThe UX challenges UX researchers faceImportant factors that influence UX testingThe pros and cons of adopting new research toolsA walkthrough of Nicholas’ testing methodsHighlights:[00:01:52] The keys to designing a great UX test are flawlessness, simplicity, and making it intentional[00:05:42] Nicholas’ approach: test everything, test early, and test often to create the perfect test[00:06:53] Nicholas talks about staying focused on what matters and that empathy is a powerful research tool[00:10:42] The test is a valuable asset, and how tools affect the outcomes[00:23:17] Do researchers make good participants?[00:27:52] Tips for researchers using a new UX platform[00:31:39] More on researchers as participants. Nicholas shares his experience as a participant[00:33:04] Erin asks Nick how he got into user researchAbout our guestNicholas Aramouni is a Senior Communications Manager and UX Researcher at Userlytics who specializes in global UX practices. Nicholas has experience in various industries, including music, entertainment, media, and e-commerce. He is passionate about humanities, holds a B.Ed. in Social Studies from Mount Royal University, and was the former co-host of Mindspark. A learning podcast focused on K-12 education.

Most people have no idea what UX researchers do. Even less known is what Research Ops Specialists do, which is why one of the Research Ops community’s main priorities is to shine a light on the people, mechanisms, and strategies that set research in motion.In this episode of Awkward Silences, Hosts Erin May and John-Henry Forster chat with research design leader Benson Low about why it’s time to bring attention to Research Ops. They discuss the emerging role of Research Ops specialists, and Benson provides several strategies that can help communicate the value of Research Ops to stakeholders. In this episode, we discuss:Ways to communicate the value of your work in Research OpsTactics and strategies to gain support in your organizationHow to leverage the power of the ReOps communityTips for Research Ops advocates on dealing with roadblocks Highlights:[00:02:32] What is Research Ops? What is the Research Ops community?[00:07:50] How to start advocating for Research Ops[00:14:49] Use ReOps community resources to create awareness[00:17:30] Stress the importance of research in the product development lifecycle[00:19:55] Communicating the impact and value your work to stakeholders[00:32:36 ] Advice on overcoming barriers during advocacy workAbout our guestBenson is leading and scaling the UX Research practice as the Head of Design Capability at REA Group. For over 20 years, he's led design and UX teams throughout Australia, across the emerging web, games development, start-ups, design consultancies, and enterprise product design teams. He is also a board member of the ResearchOps community, organizing workshops and meetups, and has been part of other global projects.

In this episode, we discuss:Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belongingWhy religion is an overlooked topic in UX researchAttitudes and behaviors related to religionTips for researchers on how to address inclusion from a UX perspectiveHighlights:[00:01:41] The ‘I’ in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)[00:04:05] Forget about equity, this episode is about diversity and inclusion[00:07:48] Applying inclusion to UX research[00:10:56] How to start difficult conversations around inclusion[00:13:25] Why Zoë is interested in UX research on religion[00:20:38] How to keep your bias in check as a researcher[00:25:09] Zoe shares how she addresses religion from a UX perspective[00:27:11] Why it’s so hard to talk about religion at workAbout our guestZoë Glas is a Senior UX Researcher at Google. She specializes in gathering and triangulating qualitative and quantitative data to improve amazing products. She has a Master’s degree in Natural Resource Social Science from Purdue University and a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana. Zoe has been published extensively in several international journals, including Sage journals, Society & Natural Resources, and Human Dimensions of Wildlife.

Our VP of User Research, Roberta Dombrowski, talks about the fast-paced work behind the scenes of UX research and the excitement when things fall into place. We also examine how deeper insight drives strategy and informs long-term planning as research matures, and the reality of team collaboration.In this episode, we discuss:Our exciting plans and strategy for the futureHow we use research to inform planningProduct perspectives vs people perspectivesThe beauty of new insights and their impact on a big relaunchThe difference between healthy organizational tension and dysfunctionAbout our guestRoberta Dombrowski is the VP of User Research at User Interviews, as well as a career and life coach at Learn Mindfully. She has spent her career leading research teams and enabling researchers in various industries to better understand their customers. In addition to her work as a UX researcher, she is known for being an excellent cat mom, gardener, and thought leader. Visit her profile to learn more.

Incentives do more than just attract quality participants to your study. Ultimately, offering great incentives helps you collect great data.But if logistics aren’t your thing, managing and distributing incentives can be a nightmare. Nick Baum founded Tremendous, the payouts management platform, to take the pain out of that process. He joined us to chat about how Tremendous makes researchers’ lives easier, tips for managing research incentives, and how to choose the right type and amount of incentive.In this episode:How Tremendous helps UX researchers pay incentives simplyIn-person versus digital incentivesHow to choose the right amount of incentiveManaging incentive budgetsHighlights:[1:14] Why Tremendous?[1:57] How Tremendous helps UX researchers[5:06] Let the UX researcher research and not deal with incentives[6:24] What do UX researchers need to understand about incentives?[8:55] Incentive options[10:07] Choosing the right level of the incentive[11:41] In-person versus digital incentive[16:22] Managing incentive budgets[17:43] International incentive challenges[20:57] How can you make the incentive appealing?[24:41] Why should you set up authentic expectations for participants about incentives?Sources mentioned in the episode:The Ultimate Guide to User Research IncentivesThe User Research Incentive CalculatorRecruit qualified participants with User Interviews About our guestNick Baum is the Co-founder and CEO of Tremendous, a payouts platform enabling businesses to send money, pre-paid cards, and gift cards to people around the world. Before Tremendous, Nick was the Co-founder and CEO of GiftRocket and the Quantitative Equity Analyst of MDT Advisers.

‘Ethical design’ is a term that encompasses a process of designing useful, empowering, and accessible products that do not harm, manipulate, or deceive people. It is, in essence, about treating people you design for with respect and consideration.That’s a deceptively simple goal, and many companies miss the mark. Kat Zhou joins us today to talk about the challenges, opportunities, and urgent need for ethical design and research.In this episode:Why is ethical design so critical for both users and companies?How to integrate ethics and respect in your UX researchHow ethical design empowers inclusive and equitable representationHighlights:[0:51] What is ethical design in UX?[2:35] Where can you learn about ethical design for UX?[4:38] Ethical design resources for researchers[5:29] What does it mean to treat people with respect?[8:33] Could we balance business goals with respect?[12:40] Pragmatism versus idealism[15:52] What does deceptive design imply?[17:40] Ethical design practices for UX researchers[24:28] Boosting inclusive representation[29:44] Changing the world for the better[34:11] UX regulations[43:00] Kat’s key takeaways on ethical design and researchSources mentioned in the episode:< Design Ethically >Race After Technology by Ruha BenjaminAlgorithms of Oppression by Safiya Umoja NobleThis Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate by Naomi KleinThe UX Designer's Guide to User ResearchAbout our guestKat Zhou is a product developer and designer who focuses on integrating ethics into the design of AI systems. Currently, she is the Senior Product Designer at Epidemic Sound. Before that, Kat was the Creator of the < Design Ethically > project, a Member Of The Board Of Advisors at The YX Foundation, and a Product Designer at Spotify and IBM. Kat is also a strong advocate for more inclusive and privacy-friendly approaches to AI.

Tacos = the great. Tide Pods = the not-so-great. An honest chat about the (mostly really great) state of User Interviews.Roberta Dombrowski, VP of UX Research at User Interviews, is back for our third installment of Tacos and Tide Pods. She joins Erin and JH to talk about the 100th episode of Awkward Silences, the importance of prioritizing authenticity over patterns on LinkedIn, and Roberta's upcoming wedding.In this episode:The 100th episode of Awkward SilencesWhy you should focus on bigger thingsMaintaining LinkedIn content format while expressing authenticity

Onboarding is a customer’s first impression of your product. The way you research, design, and implement user onboarding can make or break the overall experience. So how do you refine this important aspect of your product’s UX?Pulkit Agrawal, Co-founder and CEO of Chameleon, joins us to discuss just that: How to optimize the user onboarding experience to get your customers off to a great start.In this episode:What is onboarding?Best practices for onboarding usersHow to integrate personality into onboardingHighlights:[1:24] What is onboarding in an app?[3:50] Measuring the onboarding trade-offs[6:24] Where should UXers start optimizing their onboarding?[8:42] Limited segmentation in onboarding[12:09] How can UXRs understand the customer's core issues?[15:06] Onboarding golden practices[18:01] Great onboarding examples[22:40] Increasing user motivation[26:55] Implementing the right triggers and motivations to match the user and the product[28:49] Onboarding mistakes UXers make[30:38] The big picture versus the details[33:06] Top tips and takeaways about onboardingAbout our guestPulkit Agrawal is the Co-founder and CEO of Chameleon, a product adoption platform for SaaS that helps companies create better user onboarding. He is also an Angel Investor at product-led startups and a part-time featured speaker at Product School. Before founding Chameleon, Pulkit was the UX and User Onboarding Mentor at 500 Startups.

Work smarter, not harder with the right UXR productivity hacks. Michele Ronsen, founder of Curiosity Tank and our first repeat guest, joins us for our landmark 100th episode to tell us about the best user research hacks she’s learned to increase productivity, reduce cognitive load, and save time. Make your life a little easier with these pro UXR tips on scheduling, archiving, recruiting, screening, and more.In this episode:What is a UXR productivity hack?UXR productivity hacks examples and tipsEnhancing productivityHighlights:[2:48] The stakeholder kickoff sheet[5:14] The right balance between setting up systems and doing research[8:08] Defining every section of your UX research plan template[11:55] Scheduling hacks[14:03] Core screening criteria[16:26] PII tips[19:01] Saving time for the archiving process[21:12] Files and folders[24:03] Reducing fraudulent participants[25:39] Making sure your participants are prepared[27:59] How to build your own pool of participantsSources mentioned in the episode:UXR Productivity Hacks Bundle (Curiosity Tank)Sample Stakeholder Kickoff Questions (Curiosity Tank)Research Countdown Planner (Curiosity Tank)Participant Question Starters Template (Curiosity Tank)“Ask Like A Pro” User research workshop series (Curiosity Tank)‍Team Training (Curiosity Tank)Note-Taking for UX Research: Templates and Methods (User Interviews)‍Google Workspace‍How to recruit qualified participants, fast (User Interviews)About our guestMichele Ronsen is the founder of Curiosity Tank, a consulting and education firm specializing in human-centered research, design development, and hands-on learning programs. Her clients include Slack, Zillow, Facebook, Microsoft, and others. Michele is also an Instructor, Content Creator, and Workshop Facilitator at General Assembly. Previously, she worked at Wells Fargo as the Vice President and Creative Director and the Senior Vice President and Creative Director and held two positions at the Bank of America.

Healthcare in the U.S. is expensive—and as a result, some communities struggle to afford medical services. This inequity has become increasingly apparent as underserved communities are disproportionately affected by things like the pandemic. So, what can UXers do to help?Wendy Johansson, Co-Founder and Chief Product Experience Officer of MiSalud Health, believes the answer lies in health tech. In this episode, Wendy shares how the MiSalud app works and her approach to using qualitative research to help build a great product.Highlights:[1:10] Why MiSalud Health?[5:50] A unique UX research method[12:27] Learning and discovery before launching the app[15:38] How to ensure you get qualitative data[18:23] Improving the product through user interviews[28:04] How UXers can build trust with participants[31:20] The importance of building equitable teams[34:05] Getting doctors onboard[39:17] Monetizing the app[42:39] The future of health techSources mentioned in the episode:MiSalud HealthAbout our guestWendy Johansson is a global product experience leader and entrepreneur focused on the intersection of product and user experience and on scaling up high-performing global teams. She is the Co-Founder and Chief Product Experience Officer of MiSalud Health and an advisor for companies like Cerby, adplist.org, and Wizeline. Wendy has a background in design and product, focuses on building equitable teams and products, and supports underrepresented people in tech.

Let’s face it… most companies these days say they are customer-centric, but the reality just doesn’t bear that out. Because in order to be truly center-centric (or even “customer-obsessed”), you need to obsessively (i.e. continuously) gather and use customer insights.Ferdinand Goetzen, CEO and Co-Founder of Reveall, joins us to explain how teams can start actually centering their customers by adopting certain practices that will help you collect, analyze, and interpret customer insights on a regular basis.In this episode:How to gather and use customer insightsActive vs passive dataMaking the most of your dataHighlights:[1:06] Start simple[3:47] Rating feedback[5:13] Active vs passive data[7:15] Interpreting the data[13:22] Start getting insights centralized across departments[16:06] Creating a culture where people want to share feedback[20:27] Making the most of your large data sets[24:44] User stories[27:00] Challenges and solutions‍Sources mentioned in the episode:Recruit qualified participants fastGoogle Analytics🤔 Customer Success Teams: Are they a roadblock or a valuable resource for UX research?About our guestFerdinand Goetzen is the CEO and Co-Founder at Reveall - a platform that allows product teams to better prioritize what to build next with the help of customer insights. He was previously the Director of Growth at Hubs.com and the Chief Growth Officer at Recruitee (both exited in 2021). He is passionate about customer-led product development and growth.

Roberta Dombrowski, VP of UX Research at User Interviews, is back for the second instalment of Tacos and Tide Pods with Erin and JH. In this episode, they discuss the importance of an effective personal productivity process, overestimated expectations, and the (very Tide Pod-y) state of the global economy.In this episode:Creating a research repository at User InterviewsSetting up an effective personal productivity processOverestimated expectationsMeetings vs asynchronous collab

Most people—including product people—don't think of their career as a product. And even the best researchers often neglect to do the research to identify suitable roles and opportunities. The result? They stay in roles for too long, or accept one that simply doesn't align with their career goals, interest, or values. They burn out and feel stuck. Sarah Doody, Founder and CEO of Career Strategy Lab, joins us to share why you should start thinking of your User Research career as a product and how you can start doing so today.In this episode:How to treat your UX career like a productHow to build (and follow) your career roadmapManaging the UX role application processHighlights[1:05] What does it mean to treat something like a product?[3:59] How to start treating your own career like a product[10:02] Understanding the UX market[17:44] Uncovering UX hiring processes and principles[24:05] Do UXers still need resumes?[29:29] Tailoring your application to the role[36:06] The “career value criteria document”[39:01] Asking the right questions[44:32] “There's a time to earn, and there's a time to learn”[45:56] Are there any downsides to treating your UX career like a product?[49:02] How to take ownership of your education🏆 Looking for more ways to learn and connect? Follow these Top UX Research Leaders on Linkedin.Sources mentioned in the episodeRecruit qualified participants fast (User Interviews)Career Strategy Lab's UX workshops, courses, and trainings (UX Portfolio Formula)How to ask someone to review your UX portfolio or resume (UX Portfolio Formula)How to find a UX mentor (Sarah Doody)UX Recruiter & Hiring Manager Interviews (Sarah Doody)About our guestSarah Doody is the Founder and CEO of Career Strategy Lab, a job search accelerator and UX recruiting agency for UX and Product professionals. In 2017, she founded The UX Portfolio Formula, a UX career accelerator that helps UX professionals create, cultivate, and achieve their career goals.