Melissa Perri welcomes Jared Spool to this episode of the Product Thinking Podcast. Jared and Melissa talk about how user experience as a discipline has grown over the years, the challenges that come with it, and how to improve UX for both product leaders and customers. Jared is the co-founder, co-CEO, and Maker of Awesomeness at Center Centre - UIE, where he and his team “uncover what it takes to drive organizations to deliver the best-designed products and services.” Throughout his career, Jared has worked in the White House and has been instrumental in establishing digital organizations and shaping the future of UX. His extensive experience and expertise in the field have earned him a reputation as a thought leader in the UX community. Here are some key points you’ll hear Melissa and Jared explore: Jared talks about how he got started in his UX career. The biggest issue product management currently faces with user experience, according to Jared, is that user experience is both seen and treated as a service. This kind of approach to user experience work does not produce good quality products or results. Product management and leadership has to make sure the products aren't only being built right, but that they're being built for the right purpose and solution.  The core basis of UX strategy is utilizing all the skills, resources, knowledge and experience available to help an organization achieve its goals. "[Strategy] involves having ways to measure, so it has some metrics capability. It involves understanding how to make sure we're solving the right problems, so it gets involved in the roadmap. You need to have a vision of where you're trying to get to. That vision has to be compelling so that everybody gets excited about that vision," Jared emphasizes.  What differentiates a product strategy from a UX strategy is product strategy is about the progression of the product and UX strategy is about the progression of the user experience. Product leaders need to understand the importance of having a UX department in their company. UX brings long-term value to companies. Melissa talks about the most successful product organizations having their management teams partner with UX. Understanding your customer user experience will do wonders for improving the quality of your product output. Jared explains that his school for UX designers teaches all the relevant UX concepts, as well as how to work with product managers and organizations. Smaller teams allow for UX designers to be able to share their thoughts more openly and freely, and brainstorm more. The product leader must create an environment that allows designers to brainstorm solutions to challenges without feeling like they are walking on eggshells. Melissa and Jared talk about the challenges that come with company mergers that do not take into account user experience. Companies spend millions of dollars on mergers but have no idea how the product will look at the end of that merger or what the user experience will be.  The more you can improve your user's experience, the more valuable they will see you and the more they will want to do business with you.  Resources Jared Spool | LinkedIn Leaders of AwesomenessIf you enjoyed this episode, please visit:Angel SquadProductinstitute.comPrevious guests include: Shruti Patel of US Bank, Steve Wilson of Contrast Security, Bethany Lyons of KAWA Analytics, Tanya Johnson Chief Product Officer at Auror, Tom Eisenmann of Harvard Business School, Stephanie Leue of Doodle, Jason Fried of 37signals, Hubert Palan of Productboard, Blake Samic of Stripe and Uber, Quincy Hunte of Amazon Web ServicesCheck out our Top 3 episodes:Episode 177: The Evolution of User Research: A Conversation with Steve Portigal, Author of Interviewing UsersTackling Product Research with C. Todd LombardoEpisode 128: Scaling Product Operations with Blake Samic, Former Global Head of Product Operations at Stripe and UberProduct Thinking is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.soProduct Thinking Guest and Audience Podcast Feedback Form

Imagine you could just draw a concept on a whiteboard and everyone just got it and got on with it. That’s what a design infused organisation looks like. Jared Spool joins us to talk about the growth stages understanding and the growth states of UX in organisations.  Our job as design leaders is to help...

Jared Spool, co-founder of Center Centre and founder of UIE, discusses the coming of age of UX design, the role of design in business, and his unique design school. He explores the importance of clear vision and communication, the stages of UX design maturity, and the significance of discussing design systems in interviews. Spool also shares insights on creating an industry-ready design school and the value of making learning explicit. The podcast concludes with reflections on the past and future of design.

Jared Spool, the Maker of Awesomeness at Center Centre, dives into the critical role of user experience (UX) in this engaging discussion. He highlights how Sonos's struggles serve as a cautionary tale about neglecting software development. The conversation emphasizes the chaos of a feature factory mindset, advocating for user-centered design. Jared also discusses the powerful link between UX and brand reputation, stressing the need to truly understand user needs beyond transactions. It's a must-listen for anyone in product management!

UX expert Jared Spool discusses creating a user-centric culture, overcoming resistance to change, and educating leaders on the impact of UX. He highlights the importance of user feedback, understanding user needs, and inspiring continuous learning within organizations.