Amanda Di Dio | Balancing user needs with technological capabilities in product development | #63

Sep 25, 2025

Amanda Di Dio, VP of Partnerships and Operations at Optimistic Design, brings her expertise in human-centered product development to the discussion. She emphasizes the importance of involving users as active stakeholders, advocating for co-creation in shaping product visions. Amanda shares insights on balancing user needs with technical capabilities and highlights practical strategies like engaging multidisciplinary teams in research. With lessons on embracing tension and continual learning, she inspires a more inclusive approach to product design.

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INSIGHT

Users As Active Stakeholders

Treat users as active stakeholders who shape product decisions, not just data points.
Ground feasibility in end-user context to make balanced trade-offs between needs and technical limits.

INSIGHT

Research As Continuous Co-Creation

Flip the research paradigm from periodic testing to continuous co-creation throughout R&D.
Involve users in problem definition, solution ideation, prioritization, and validation for sustained buy-in.

ANECDOTE

Co-Creation With Teachers

Amanda described a field-research driven project for early-learning teachers to avoid building unnecessary tools.
Co-creation with teachers produced a validated product vision, prioritized backlog, and concept designs.

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Amanda Di Dio, VP of Partnerships and Operations at Optimistic Design, discusses the challenge of balancing user needs with technological constraints in product development.

She shares her approach of treating users as active stakeholders, involving them in co-creation and continuous decision-making to shape product visions, prioritize features, and validate solutions.

👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com

🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at:

https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/amanda-di-dio-user-needs-and-technological-capabilities

Episode highlights

00:03:09 - User needs and technological capabilities

00:07:45 - Example of co-creation with users

00:15:00 - Conversations with users and stakeholders

00:19:06 - Conversations with technical teams

00:22:32 - Lessons from Amanda's practice

00:27:19 - Importance of continuous learning

About our guest, Amanda Di Dio

Amanda is an experienced delivery strategist and program lead known for her expertise in collaborating with multidisciplinary teams.

She has a proven track record in strategizing, planning, and executing research strategies, as well as designing and delivering digital experiences across multiple industries.

Amanda is currently the VP of Partnerships + Operations at Optimistic Design. Lately, Amanda's focus has been on the education sector, where she has developed key partnerships with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Khan Academy, MDRC, and USC Shoah Foundation.

Additionally, she supports edtech organizations in integrating equity-centered approaches into their product R&D processes, playing a crucial role in their growth, support, and capacity building.

🔎 Where to follow Amanda

LinkedIn

👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Stéphanie Walter, where she talks about overcoming the challenges of enterprise UX: https://www.youtube.com/live/d9p4ShC_fMA?si=eYEl_S0UErpJiT4B

About this podcast:

Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them.

🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈

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