
User Defenders – UX Design & Personal Growth
Being a great UX designer begins and ends with being a great human. We can't pour an empty cup into another. We can’t lead others where we are not.
This UX podcast helps UX’ers become the best, most powerful designers (and humans) they can be. Yes, you'll discover how-to’s, but much more importantly you'll discover why-to’s.
Every episode is sure to inspire and equip you on how to better fight for your users and business, and dare I say change the world (even if only for one human at a time) in a much deeper and more tangible way than you ever thought possible.
Latest episodes

Feb 6, 2017 • 53min
032: There is No There with Sarah Doody
Sarah Doody inspires us to break out of our comfort zones early & often if we want to achieve great things. She teaches us that our drawings should serve more as a communication tool than an art project. She encourages us to tap into our superpowers of using both sides of our brain. She also […]

Jan 18, 2017 • 1h 14min
031: Getting Scrappy with Mat Marquis
Mat Marquis reminds us that web design is scrappy business. He inspires us to fight for what we truly believe in. He shows us how we can take our designs and skills further by learning a little code. He motivates us to continue to hone our communication skills by writing a lot. He also encourages […]

Dec 27, 2016 • 1h 23min
030: Content for All with Aaron Gustafson
Aaron Gustafson inspires us to build a web for all people. He encourages us to keep an open mind about perspectives that are different than our own. He motivates us to keep focused on context when it comes to the users we’re designing for. He also challenges us to plant seeds of growth in others […]

Dec 9, 2016 • 58min
029: Be Relentless with Ling Lim
Ling Lim inspires us to be relentless in our pursuit of the person we want to become. She teaches us to create products that connect with our users and their lives by becoming them as much as possible. She challenges us to not sacrifice the sentimental quality of a product when we design for it […]

Nov 23, 2016 • 1h 11min
028: Be Persistent with Chris Coyier
Chris Coyier teaches us that if we care about succeeding in something, we need to be willing to persist for a long time. He inspires us to grab hold of the joy that comes from building for ourselves, too. He encourages us to not just use a framework because we're "supposed to", but to use whatever tool is right for the job. He also enlightens us to the superpower of using SVG in practical ways. LINKS Chris' Twitter Chris' Website CSS-Tricks CodePen The Snowballing Of Practice Made By [VIDEO]

Sep 24, 2016 • 11min
Hitting Pause…
After nearly a year of consistent podcasting, it’s time for me to hit pause… You can also read about this.

Sep 12, 2016 • 1h 3min
Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products with Nir Eyal
I have a listener survey and one of you suggested Nir Eyal as a superguest. Today (thanks to your suggestion) I got to interview the man himself. Nir is the author of the buzz-worthy book Hooked: How To Build Habit-Forming Products. Nir did not disappoint. The guy is a wealth of knowledge and you’ll notice listening […]

Aug 30, 2016 • 1h 3min
027: Looking Down the Road with Aarron Walter
Aarron Walter inspires us to always try and see the big picture. He challenges us to produce more grounded work by getting outside our bubbles, and feeling a bit more pain. He shows us how storytelling is central to the human experience and transcends our medium. He also inspires us to maintain plenty of inputs […]

Aug 15, 2016 • 59min
026: We Are Not Our Users with Nikkel Blaase
Nikkel Blaase reminds us that we are not our users. He encourages us to make time for deep thinking. He teaches us that without failing, there’s no learning. He guides us to not spend too much time figuring out a solution if we don’t know what the problem is. He shows us how creating value […]

Aug 1, 2016 • 1h 4min
025: UX Designers Work with Users with Ashley Karr
Ashley Karr teaches us that we can’t be exceptional at generalizing. She encourages us to always work with the people for whom we are designing. She motivates us to always trust ourselves and our instincts. She shows us how planning and organization are key contributors to success. She also inspires us to give back by […]