In this episode, Kyle sits down with two UX industry veterans who are trying something new: Steve Portigal and Justin Dauer have announced a unique collaboration that allows them to work together while maintaining their independent practices.

Steve Portigal has been running Portigal Consulting for over two decades, is the author of "Interviewing Users" and "Doorbells, Danger and Dead Batteries," and is a familiar face at conferences worldwide. Justin Dauer is the founder of Anomali by Design, author of "Creative Culture" and "In Fulfillment," and focuses on design leadership and building healthy creative environments.

We explore what their "chocolate and peanut butter" collaboration actually looks like, why they chose collaboration over partnership, and how they're combining Steve's research expertise with Justin's design leadership experience.

Steve opens up about social comparison being the hardest part of consulting for him, while Justin shares insights about the importance of controlling your own destiny as a consultant.

Other topics discussed:

The evolution of their collaboration and their ideal joint projects
The current consulting slowdown
Business development strategies: How to be found by clients vs. finding them
The reality of being "too well-known": When fame can actually hurt your hirability
Book publishing experiences: Traditional vs. self-publishing and how writing supports consulting work

Connect with Us:

Host: Kyle Soucy | Usable Interface | Linkedin
Guest: Steve Portigal | Portigal Consulting | Linkedin
Guest: Justin Dauer | Anomali By Design | Linkedin
Their Collaboration: https://anomalibydesign.com/steve+justin/

- - - - -

Links and Resources Mentioned:

Interviewing Users: How to Uncover Compelling Insights (2nd edition) by Steve Portigal
Doorbells, Danger, and Dead Batteries: User Research War Stories by Steve Portigal
In Fulfillment: The Designer's Journey by Justin Dauer
Creative Culture: Human-Centered Interaction, Design, & Inspiration by Justin Dauer
Dollars to Donuts - Steve’s podcast where he talks with the people who lead user research in their organizations: https://portigal.com/podcast/
Practical Design Leadership - Justin’s podcast with Jaan Orvet: https://designleadership.transistor.fm/

Submit a question or story: Have a question or topic that you'd like us to cover in a future episode and/or want to share an anonymous consulting story? Submit your questions and stories.

Don't want to miss an episode? Be sure to sign up for the podcast newsletter.

Thanks for tuning in! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

I can’t wait to have you back in the lounge for our next episode!

What Next | How Planned Parenthood Got Defunded

Slate Daily Feed

Reconciliation bill's Medicaid restriction explained

The AI-powered Podcast Player