Beyond UX Design

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

Not all prejudice is loud or obvious. In this episode, we explore the quiet kind: the one that hides behind gut feelings and culture fit. We'll break down how implicit bias shapes team dynamics, hiring decisions, and everyday interactions, even in well-meaning workplaces.What if the biggest barrier to equity on your team isn’t hate, but habit?In this episode of the Cognition Catalog, we dig into the subtleties of prejudice that often hide in plain sight. These aren't the overt acts of hostility we usually associate with bias, but the quiet, unnoticed attitudes and assumptions that shape who gets hired, heard, and left behind. We'll explore the nature of implicit prejudice, its impact on team dynamics, and how we can challenge and change these hidden biases to create fairer and more inclusive workplaces. Tune in to learn actionable steps to recognize and interrupt these biases, ensuring we all contribute to a more equitable environment.Topics:• 02:25 - A Personal Anecdote on Bias• 03:21 - Understanding Implicit Prejudice• 06:13 - The Science Behind Implicit Bias• 08:54 - Addressing and Mitigating BiasTo explore more about Prejudice, don’t miss the full article on the Cognition Catalog!Don’t forget to subscribe to the newsletter to be the first to know when new episodes drop!Join me every week for insights on a new cognitive bias!

Think all you need is a polished portfolio and perfect case study to land your next job? Trevor Alexander says otherwise. In this episode, we challenge the traditional career advice designers are given, and talk about what actually leads to long-term success, resilience, and trust.What if everything you’ve been told about how to build a successful design career was wrong?If you’re still clinging to the idea that a polished portfolio and deep Figma skills are your best bet for success in UX, this episode is going to challenge that—hard. I sat down with Trevor Alexander, author of An Ugly Design Career, to talk about why those things might actually be distractions.We cover everything from the myth of the “pretty” career to the real-world power of trust, communication, and grit. Trevor shares how he’s thrived in UX without a portfolio or job applications, because people keep bringing him along for the ride. Not because of fancy job titles, but because of how he shows up.From improv classes and Toastmasters to lifestyle creep and living in a founder’s basement, Trevor drops wisdom that hits different in today’s job market. Whether you’re new to UX or 15 years in, this episode is a gut check on what really matters. Give it a listen, and maybe rethink what “better” looks like.Topics:• 11:16 The Importance of Soft Skills in Design• 21:30 The Role of Tenacity in a Design Career• 27:48 Defining Success: What Does ‘Better’ Mean?• 32:19 Facing Job Loss and Financial Stress• 32:54 Managing Lifestyle Creep• 33:19 The Importance of Fiscal Responsibility• 35:23 High Earnings and Financial Prudence• 39:26 Leveraging Opportunities and Networking• 41:11 Building a Resilient CareerHelpful Links:• Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn• uglydesigncareer.com—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

In this throwback episode, I chat with Jason Ogle from the User Defenders Podcast about something we don’t talk about enough: self-care for UX designers. We explore how taking care of ourselves is essential to be truly empathetic.Could self-care be the most overlooked tool in a UX designer’s toolkit?How can we expect to fill our users’ cups if our own is empty? What if taking care of yourself is the most user-centric design choice you can make?This week, I got a chance to talk with with Jason Ogle of the famed User Defenders Podcast. We peel back the layers of UX design to discuss a foundational aspect that’s often neglected: the designer’s self-care. Jason shares his insights on how self-care is intrinsically linked to our capacity to care for and understand our users. He makes a compelling case for why designers must prioritize their well-being to truly excel in their work.We discuss the inherently altruistic nature of design and how this high calling to solve problems for others begins with solving our own problem of neglecting self-care. He highlighted the simple yet powerful concept: “We can’t fill someone else’s cup if our cup is empty,” emphasizing the need for designers to ensure they’re mentally and physically prepared to tackle the challenges of UX design.We also touched on the critical mind-body connection and how physical well-being directly impacts our creative and empathetic abilities. Jason shared personal strategies for making time for self-care, including the importance of sleep and how it significantly influences the following day’s mood, energy levels, and productivity.Jason’s approach to saying “no” and the freedom it brings to focus on what truly matters served as a powerful lesson in setting boundaries for personal and professional growth.Topics:• 15:31 – Design is a very altruistic thing• 20:06 – We can’t fill someone else’s cup if our cup is empty• 25:45 – There is a mind-body connection• 30:10 – Sleep influences the next day• 33:23 – ways Jason has found to make time for himself• 40:38 – Getting to the point where we can say “no”• 49:23 – How do we go to bed at a certain time?• 54:49 – Good habits are sacrificing now for benefits laterHelpful Links:• Connect with Jason on LinkedIn• jasonogle.com• Watch Jason on YouTube• User Defenders Podcast