Beyond UX Design

We underestimate how long projects will take—even when experience tells us otherwise. In this episode, I break down the planning fallacy: why it happens, how it derails projects, and what you can do to protect your team from unrealistic deadlines.Why do we keep convincing ourselves that this time the project will be different, when it almost never is?Every designer has been there: a bold timeline handed down from leadership, optimism in the air, and a quiet voice inside whispering, there’s no way this is going to happen. That voice is usually right, and it’s the planning fallacy at work.In this episode, I share a real-world story of a global team tasked with rebuilding a massive legacy app on an impossible one-year deadline. The result? Chaos, delays, and missed expectations—classic symptoms of the planning fallacy. Along the way, I connect this to famous examples like the Sydney Opera House project and explain why even seasoned experts fall into the same trap.Most importantly, I walk through practical strategies for beating the bias: using reference class forecasting, building in buffers, involving cross-functional teams in estimation, and learning from past outcomes. Because if we can see the planning fallacy for what it is, we can start making more realistic commitments—and protect our teams from burnout and broken trust.Want to keep exploring cognitive biases that impact design teams? Subscribe to the Cognition Catalog newsletter and get a new bias in your inbox every week.Topics:• 01:57 The Planning Fallacy in Action• 03:54 Understanding the Planning Fallacy• 05:50 Consequences of the Planning Fallacy• 07:30 Strategies to Combat the Planning FallacyTo explore more about the Bike-Shedding Effect, don’t miss the full article @ cognitioncatalog.com

In this insightful discussion, Thijs Kraan, a designer-turned-growth partner, reveals why writing is the ultimate meta-skill for designers. He shares his journey from web development to a daily writing practice that sharpened his thinking. Thijs emphasizes how clear writing fosters clarity in design and decision-making. He also delves into the benefits of documenting decisions, the three types of writing every designer should practice, and how AI can be a helpful tool without compromising originality. Tune in for practical tips to enhance your writing skills!

Too many designers wait for their companies to approve conferences or courses before investing in themselves. This week, we unpack why that’s a career-limiting mistake and how taking ownership of your education builds leadership, confidence, and community.What if the biggest career mistake you’re making is waiting for your company to invest in you?This week, I sit down with Yao Adantor, a UX professional, educator, founder of UX Con and User Experience University. Yao has built a career across Fortune 500s, startups, and government, while also teaching at Johns Hopkins and MICA. At the heart of his story is one simple belief: don’t wait for permission to grow.In our conversation, Yao shares why investing in your own education is less about buying a certificate and more about building confidence, networks, and opportunities that pay dividends for years. We talk about the “entrepreneurial mindset” of learning—how approaching your growth like a founder changes the way you show up in your job.We also dig into the hidden ROI of conferences, courses, and communities. Beyond the talks, it’s the connections, the ideas, and the confidence you bring back to your team that make the investment worth it. Whether you’re a junior designer or a seasoned leader, this episode will challenge how you think about your growth.If you’ve ever hesitated to spend your own money or time on learning, this conversation is for you. Give it a listen and rethink how you approach your education and career.Topics:• 03:04 – Investing in Your Own Education• 03:39 – Guest Introduction: Yao Anor• 05:15 – Yao’s Journey into UX• 08:23 – The Importance of Networking and Conferences• 15:39 – Leadership and the Entrepreneurial Mindset• 25:52 – Defining Education and Personal Growth• 31:09 – Community and Fulfillment Through Education• 32:57 – Maximizing Education for Personal Growth• 34:09 – Balancing Family and Professional Development• 35:09 – The Sacrifices of Pursuing Education• 40:06 – The Importance of Leading by ExampleHelpful Links:• Connect with Yao on LinkedIn• UXCon 2025—Thanks for listening! We hope you dug today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! And if you really enjoyed today’s episode, why don’t you leave a five-star review? Or tell some friends! It will help us out a ton.If you haven’t already, sign up for our email list. We won’t spam you. Pinky swear.• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get a FREE audiobook AND support the show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out show transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on Stitcher⁠

Jen Briselli, a strategist and educator, dives into the complexities of design, illuminating why conventional best practices often fall short. She explains that navigating chaotic organizations requires focusing on relationships and informal networks rather than rigid structures. Briselli contrasts complicated design challenges with truly complex ones, advocating for adaptability and learning. She emphasizes how fostering growth conditions within teams unlocks potential and encourages experimentation, offering a fresh perspective for designers feeling lost in complexity.

Designers are told to climb ladders and fight for influence, but what’s the cost? Rashmi Lopez shares why she walked away from the corporate chase, how burnout stole her joy, and why community, creativity, and mental health are better markers of success than any leadership title.What if climbing the ladder to a “seat at the table” comes at the expense of your health, joy, and sense of purpose? Would you still want it?Corporate design culture pushes us toward one version of success: titles, promotions, and that coveted “seat at the table.” But for many, that seat comes with exhaustion, burnout, and a nagging question—why doesn’t this feel like success?In this episode, I talk with Rashmi Lopez, a designer who hit that wall, realized the cost, and chose another path. After years of grinding in tech and reaching leadership roles, Rashmi found herself drained and disconnected. A layoff became her turning point, leading her to step back, heal, and refocus on helping small businesses tell their stories with design.We explore how to rethink career success beyond titles, why boundaries and mental health are non-negotiable, and how community can give you more influence and fulfillment than any corporate ladder. If you’ve ever felt trapped in the cycle of overwork and chasing validation, this conversation will give you permission to define success on your own terms.—Thanks for listening! We hope you dug today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! And if you really enjoyed today’s episode, why don’t you leave a five-star review? Or tell some friends! It will help us out a ton.If you haven’t already, sign up for our email list. We won’t spam you. Pinky swear.• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get a FREE audiobook AND support the show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out show transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on Stitcher⁠

Naresh Shan, Global Director of UX and Design Ops with over 20 years of experience, dives into the transformative power of story points in UX design. He explains how moving from hour-based estimates to a Fibonacci-based system enhances team collaboration and trust. Naresh sheds light on the complexities of design estimations and emphasizes the need for a shared language between designers and product managers. From boosting creativity to bridging silos, he provides practical insights for better planning and communication in agile environments.

AI isn’t killing design. It’s reminding us what design really is. In this episode, we talk about the illusion of control, why designers often feel powerless, and how the real work has always been about making meaning and managing systems, not just making screens.What if AI isn’t changing design at all, but finally showing us what design has really been about this whole time?It’s tempting to think AI is rewriting the rules of design. But maybe the truth is simpler: it’s exposing what design was always about.In this conversation with Dennis Lenard, founder of Creative Navy, we explore how AI is pushing designers to confront the illusion of control, the limits of pixel pushing, and the bigger role of meaning-making. Dennis brings over 20 years of experience working in UX, teaching design, and writing on interface design for high-stakes industries like healthcare. His perspective? The anxieties we’re feeling aren’t new; they’re just harder to ignore now.We cover why prioritization matters more than production, why empathy should extend to your team as much as your users, and how to reframe design as managing the system, not just the interface. If you’ve ever felt like AI is destabilizing your role, this episode will help you see it as a mirror, not a threat.Topics:• 04:16 – The Impact of AI on Design• 08:11 – Navigating Control and Anxiety in Design• 15:13 – Redefining Design Roles and Responsibilities• 31:44 – Building Relationships and Empathy in Teams• 37:21 – Leveraging AI for Designer’s Advantage• 38:10 – The Double Diamond Model in Design• 38:27 – The Importance of Designing the Right Thing• 38:36 – AI’s Role in Design and Prioritization• 40:29 – Human Empathy vs. AI in User Experience• 42:27 – The Impact of Design in High-Stakes Industries• 43:32 – Adapting Design Processes for Different Industries• 44:30 – The Importance of Research and Critical Thinking• 47:16 – Navigating Ambiguity and Focusing on Controllable Elements• 47:50 – Practical Advice for Designers• 58:07 – The Value of Attention and Continuous ImprovementHelpful Links:• Connect with Dennis on LinkedIn—Thanks for listening! We hope you dug today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! And if you really enjoyed today’s episode, why don’t you leave a five-star review? Or tell some friends! It will help us out a ton.If you haven’t already, sign up for our email list. We won’t spam you. Pinky swear.• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get a FREE audiobook AND support the show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out show transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on Stitcher⁠

Ever spent an hour debating button alignment? You're not alone! The podcast unpacks the Bike-Shedding Effect, where teams gravitate towards trivial details, sidelining important decisions. Discover why this bias occurs and how it sabotages productivity. Personal anecdotes bring the struggle to life while offering strategies to refocus discussions on what really matters. Learn to recognize the signs and shift your team's culture away from pixel debates towards impactful outcomes. Perfect for anyone involved in team meetings!

We unpack the continued influence effect—why wrong ideas and early takes often outlast the truth—and how it can quietly shape your team’s decisions long after the facts are corrected.Why do people still believe a story even after it’s been proven wrong?If you’ve ever run an A/B test that “failed” only to see the wrong lesson stick around for months, you’ve felt the continued influence effect in action. It’s that pesky bias where the first version of a story, whether true or not, keeps shaping behavior long after it’s been corrected.In this episode, I share a story from my own work where a redesign underperformed in testing. Even though we learned valuable lessons and built a better version, the dominant narrative became “the test failed.” From planning sessions to hallway chatter, that early interpretation continued to influence how we thought and acted.We’ll dig into the research behind this bias, how it shows up in everyday team dynamics, and practical steps you can take to keep outdated or misleading narratives from derailing your work. Listen in and learn how to replace sticky misinformation with better, more accurate stories your team will actually remember.Topics:• 00:00 - The Test Failed: A Case Study• 01:38 - The Continued Influence Effect Explained• 02:04 - A Familiar Story of Misinterpretation• 04:12 - The Psychology Behind the Continued Influence Effect• 05:40 - Real-World Implications and Examples• 07:53 - Strategies to Combat the Continued Influence EffectTo explore more about the Continued Influence Effect, don’t miss the full article @ cognitioncatalog.com

Designers love talking about empathy… Just not for the people they work with. This week, we talk about why empathy has to extend beyond users and how you can apply familiar UX research techniques to better understand your teammates, PMs, and stakeholders.If empathy is such a core UX skill, why are so many designers bad at applying it to the people they work with?Designers love talking about empathy for users. But if your research findings are getting ignored or your design recommendations keep getting watered down, it might be time to turn that empathy inward.Thomas and Lawton join me from Drillbit Labs. They both have PhDs in human factors, and they help product teams make smarter decisions with less drama. This week, they make a pretty compelling case: if you’re not applying your research mindset to the people you work with, you’re not doing your job.We talk about how to use stakeholder interviews, power mapping, one-on-ones, and intentional relationship-building to get unstuck—and what to do when your best ideas are still getting shot down. If you’re tired of saying “they just don’t get it,” this episode is for you.Topics:• 03:04 – The Importance of Empathy in Software Development• 03:25 – Guest Introduction: Thomas and Lawton from Drill Bit Labs• 04:27 – Empathy for Team Members: A Deeper Dive• 07:10 – The Role of Human Factors in Team Dynamics• 16:06 – Practical Tips for Building Empathy with Stakeholders• 20:49 – The Importance of Stakeholder Relationships• 36:51 – Tools and Tactics for Effective Team Collaboration• 38:39 – Understanding Empathy in Decision Making• 39:33 – De-biasing Techniques and Their Importance• 40:23 – Spotting and Naming Cognitive Biases• 43:05 – The Value of One-on-Ones• 45:37 – Remote Work and Maintaining Human Connection• 54:06 – Balancing Personal Investment in Work DecisionsHelpful Links:• Connect with Thomas on LinkedIn• Connect with Lawton on LinkedIn• Depth Newsletter• Drill Bit Labs—Thanks for listening! We hope you dug today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! And if you really enjoyed today’s episode, why don’t you leave a five-star review? Or tell some friends! It will help us out a ton.If you haven’t already, sign up for our email list. We won’t spam you. Pinky swear.• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get a FREE audiobook AND support the show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out show transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on Stitcher⁠