Beyond UX Design

Estimating design work in hours sets teams up to fail. But story points help designers earn trust, align with product managers, and keep creative space intact. This week, we unpack how adopting story points can shift the way your team plans and communicates.What if the secret to better collaboration wasn’t a new tool or process, but a number?For years, UX teams have struggled with estimation. Say something will take ten hours, and suddenly you’re locked into a number that doesn’t account for iteration, alignment, or even creativity. The result? Broken trust and unrealistic expectations.This week, I chat with Naresh Shan, a design leader who’s built global UX teams and proven that story points, not hours, are the secret to bridging the gap between design, engineering, and product management. By shifting estimation from time to effort, Naresh shows how design teams can protect creativity while building credibility with stakeholders.We explore what story points are, what it looks like when designers adopt them, why this shared language breaks down silos, and how it transforms team dynamics.If you’ve ever felt sidelined in sprint planning or struggled to explain your workload, this episode will give you practical ways to earn trust and plan smarter.Topics:• 03:02 Understanding Story Points in Agile Teams• 03:33 Interview with Nhan: The Power of Story Points• 08:24 The Fibonacci Sequence and Story Points• 13:20 Challenges and Solutions in Estimating Design Work• 22:24 Decentralized vs. Centralized Teams• 32:04 Maintaining Momentum and Team Cohesion• 35:27 Building Team Unity Through Gratitude• 35:58 Embracing Change and Leadership• 36:36 Benefits of Story Points in Design• 41:22 Implementing Story Points: A Practical Guide• 46:32 Balancing Design and Management RolesHelpful Links:• Connect with Naresh on LinkedIn• Value UX Conference• Aligned Podcast• Aligned Consulting—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

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

What’s stopping your work from shipping? It’s probably not the design itself. This week, I chat with Guy Segal about the soft skills that make the biggest difference—giving feedback, earning trust, and aligning with your team when things get tough.What if the biggest reason your designs aren’t making it to production has nothing to do with design?You know your work is solid. You’ve put in the hours, iterated on the flow, and covered every edge case. But when it comes time to hand it off or get sign-off, something breaks. It stalls, gets picked apart, or falls flat. Sound familiar?In this episode, I sit down with Guy Segal—design leader and host of Design Downtime—to talk about why “soft skills” are the hardest part of UX, and how improving them can be the difference between your designs shipping or collecting dust. We cover how to give better feedback, how to handle misalignment without blowing things up, and what it actually means to be someone your team wants to work with.This conversation is a must-listen if you’ve ever felt like good design work wasn’t enough. Because it isn’t. The way you show up—how you talk to people, how you build trust, how you respond to tension—is what moves the work forward.Topics:• 02:31 – The Importance of Relationships in Software• 02:57 – Interview with Guy Siegel: Building Great Relationships• 04:09 – Challenges in Team Dynamics• 05:26 – Empathy and Communication in Teams• 13:00 – Feedback Framework for Better Team Collaboration• 28:58 – Aligning Team Goals and Values• 32:45 – Establishing Team Values and Hiring Practices• 33:27 – Importance of One-on-Ones and Setting Expectations• 35:06 – Empathy and Communication in Design• 36:08 – Feedback and Continuous Improvement• 37:09 – Challenges in Designer-Engineer Collaboration• 38:21 – Managerial Insights and Team Dynamics• 43:09 – Building Strong Work RelationshipsHelpful Links:• Design Downtime• Connect with Guy 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

Thomas Wilson, an award-winning UX, CX, and EX service designer, shares invaluable insights on power dynamics in organizations. He discusses how understanding power can enhance a designer's influence, even without a formal title. Wilson emphasizes the importance of building trust and empathy across generational gaps. He also explores practical strategies for negotiation and stakeholder management, reframing power as a tool for designers to propel change. This chat is a must for anyone looking to navigate their role in the workplace more effectively.