Episode 42: AI for UX Research with John Whalen, PhD

We are discussing the evolving landscape of AI in UX research, emphasizing the importance of adapting to new tools and methodologies. John Whalen, PhD, is propelling professionals and businesses into the future through the potential of AI to streamline research processes, reducing a seven-week study to seven days.

We share insights from his course, which covered prompt engineering, AI-moderated interviews, and Agents (synthetic users). He notes the skepticism among researchers but stressed the benefits of AI in scaling and cost-saving. John also addresses ethical considerations and the need for researchers to embrace AI while maintaining a real human connection. We are excited about the potential for multi-agent systems and discuss the importance of security in AI tools.

John’s courses empower professionals and businesses to:

• Learn better prompt engineering techniques.
• Try AI-moderated interview tools and understand their capabilities and limitations.
• Explore and experiment with AI-powered synthesis and data interrogation tools to scale research efforts.
• Investigate the potential of synthetic users and agents to guide research and product development.
• Develop a research plan that incorporates a mix of human-led and AI-assisted research methods.

As the podcast grows, I’m also on the lookout for sponsors who believe in thoughtful design, emerging tech, and meaningful conversations. If that sounds like you or your brand, let’s talk!

Related interesting reads or resources

• Maven Course AI for Customer Research
  Join John Whalen, PhD, to explore the future of customer research, AI-powered insights, and human-centered design. Whether it’s an AI + UX Coffee Talk or a Maven Lightning Lesson, each event sparks new ideas and gives you practical strategies to apply immediately.
• Design for How People Think – John Whalen, PhD
  User experience doesn’t happen on a screen; it occurs in the mind, and the experience is multidimensional and multisensory. This practical book will help you uncover critical insights about how your customers think so you can create products or services with an exceptional experience.
• YouTube Interviews with Founders from AI platforms and tooling for Customer Research
• Brilliant An agency with bespoke research services, founded by John Whalen, PhD.
• Join John Whalen, PhD, to explore the future of customer research, AI-powered insights, and human-centered design, whether it’s an AI + UX Coffee Talk or a Maven Lightning Lesson.

Additional book recommendations:

• Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick
  • Working and thinking with AI.
  • Concepts of Centaur and Cyborg (different approaches to partnering with AI).
• A Brief History of Intelligence
  • Thinking about how brains are designed and therefore how AI should be built.
• Thinking Fast and Slow
  • A great book on how we think and our two systems of processing information.