Welcome to Act 1 of our series, “The Inner Temple Tree,” a podcast hosted by our Co-Founder Naresh Shan. In this inaugural season, we explore how the roots of design, development, and operations intertwine to form the sturdy base that supports seamless user experiences. Like the growth of a tree, we delve into the organic connections between strategy, creativity, and collaboration, offering insights from industry leaders on how these elements shape the evolving landscape of design. Join us as we embark on the first chapter of this journey, uncovering the foundational principles that nurture impactful design and innovation.
This chapter of the podcast is more than just interviews; it’s a collaborative exploration of how we can evolve and elevate the practice of design. By touching base with professionals, we identify areas for improvement, share actionable insights, and inspire our listeners to refine their own approaches.
In this episode of “Surviving the UX Industry,” Miranda Slayter dives deep into the complex world of UX design, sharing insights on career transitions, communication skills, and the growing role of AI. Miranda reveals the story behind her UX Survival Guide, offering practical advice for designers navigating today’s competitive job market. Topics include the balance between user experience and business goals, the importance of networking, and the power of AI in design workflows. Perfect for any designer looking to grow, adapt, and make an impact in UX!
Join us as we explore AI’s transformative role in business with Cindy Candrian, founder of Delta Labs and expert in human-AI interaction. Cindy discusses how her tool “Delta One” empowers companies to communicate consistently and effectively. We cover the challenges companies face in adopting AI, the critical role of user trust, and how AI complements rather than replaces human jobs. Discover the potential of AI to enhance efficiency, reshape marketing, and bring lasting change, all while keeping the human element at its core.
In Episode 11 of the DesignOps Align Podcast, host Naresh Shan welcomes Rachel Posman and John Calhoun, authors of The Design Conductor, to explore the critical role of Design Operations (Design Ops) in today’s fast-evolving landscape. They discuss the importance of Design Ops across varying team maturity levels, the value of leading with core values, and fostering inclusive, balanced teams. The episode dives into managing change, adapting frameworks to fit diverse teams, and balancing speed with thoroughness in product development. Posman and Calhoun also explore AI’s potential to handle tactical tasks, freeing teams to focus on strategic growth.
In this episode, Joe delves into his experience co-creating “The User Experience Team of One” with Leah Buley, sharing insights on the unique challenges faced by solo UX professionals. The discussion explores practical strategies from the book, covering key themes like advocating for UX in small teams, building strong stakeholder relationships, and creating lean, efficient processes. Whether you’re part of a large organization or working solo, the episode offers valuable takeaways on maximizing limited resources. Topics include the need for effective communication, the importance of collaboration, and the future role of AI in UX.
Lena Kul explores UX recruitment challenges and provides advice for candidates and hiring managers. She discusses the evolving design industry, misconceptions around applicant tracking systems (ATS), and the importance of portfolios in showcasing a designer’s process. Lena addresses ghosting in recruitment and offers strategies to navigate the competitive job market. Additionally, she introduces her course, aimed at helping candidates refine their job search and improve portfolio presentation for success.
Meltem Naz Kaso, a UX career coach, discusses challenges and opportunities in the UX industry, emphasizing the importance of career coaching to help professionals navigate the job market. The conversation highlights the need for UX professionals to understand the business side of their work for better collaboration with product managers. Storytelling, pitching, and effective communication are vital in design, especially in international teams. The impact of AI on UX and the need to future-proof careers through networking and building relationships are also explored.
Noelle Lansford, a product designer and design systems expert, highlights the importance of development knowledge for UI designers. She explains the value of understanding UX’s scientific aspects and UI’s code and development side, especially in smaller teams. Noelle shares how a general knowledge of UX, UI, and development improves collaboration and understanding of the development pipeline. She also discusses balancing design and development roles, the importance of passion, collaboration, and technical constraints, and whether designers should be embedded in development teams or focused on delivering business value.
The UX industry faces challenges like a lack of standardization, leading to poor quality practices and redundancy. Many newcomers are drawn to roles marketed as UX, but they’re not truly UX-focused. Product managers often try to handle everything, causing distrust of UX professionals. Ageism and discrimination are also growing issues, with experienced practitioners overlooked for juniors. A more scientific, evidence-driven approach is needed, along with critical thinking, knowledge transfer, and clarity between UX and UI design roles.
Goodness Adabayo, author of UX Career Strategy, shares her inspiration for writing the book and emphasizes the importance of mentorship in UX design. She highlights the need to understand UX fundamentals, beyond aesthetics, and to build portfolios that solve real problems while telling compelling stories. Goodness stresses marketing yourself, using platforms like LinkedIn for visibility, and overcoming imposter syndrome. She advocates for continuous learning, sharing knowledge, and embracing failure as part of the growth process in UX.
In this episode, we interview behavioral scientist Will Trump about integrating behavioral science into UX design. He explains how psychological principles can shape human behavior in design, focusing on the COMB model (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, Behavior) as a framework for persuasive experiences. We discuss the importance of motivation, ethical considerations, and how treating customers well benefits both them and the business. Will also offers advice for UX researchers transitioning into behavioral science.
This conversation delves into the challenges faced by UX designers and researchers, such as misconceptions about their work and a lack of appreciation for their role. It highlights the need for strong UX leadership to improve quality and accountability and discusses how the current climate affects industry standards and advocacy for change. Debbie Levitt and Naresh Shan emphasize empathy, the role of product managers, and the ideal UX process. They also address the impact of AI on UX and the importance of critical thinking, strategy, and quality in the field.
In this podcast episode, Laura Baker, a global design director, shares insights on being a successful design leader. She emphasizes the importance of developing your own leadership style and learning from both positive and negative experiences. Laura dispels the myth that design directors must know everything and highlights the value of being a coach who empowers others. She also discusses the tension between design and product teams, the power of storytelling, and how design can transform organizational culture. Lastly, she talks about AI’s impact and the need for designers to embrace adaptability and focus on their unique human skills.
The UX market is “upside down” due to specialization and thinking UX is just aesthetics. Emphasizing fundamentals and a scientific approach is crucial. The rush to learn UX quickly and focusing on aesthetics over functionality harms the field. Darren Hood stresses understanding users and their pain points, focusing on personas and goals. He introduces LX (Learning Experience) design, merging UX and instructional design, highlighting missing elements like information architecture and cognitive load.
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