UI Breakfast: UI/UX Design and Product Strategy

The pandemic is drastically affecting industries on a worldwide scale, and product management is not “immune” to these changes. How can product managers navigate through these hard times? Our guest today is Randy Silver, a product management consultant, author, and podcast host. You’ll hear inspiring stories about businesses that have successfully pivoted recently, along with Randy’s tips on sustaining your product and its customers.Podcast feed: subscribe to https://feeds.simplecast.com/4MvgQ73R in your favorite podcast app, and follow us on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.Show NotesWhat Do We Do Now? — Randy’s bookUser Personas, JTBD — frameworks for customer developmentShape Up — a book by Ryan SingerJohn Cutler’s Medium articlesVito — a live-streaming tool by Paul Campbell and the Tito teamThe Product Experience — a podcast hosted by Randy Silver and Lily Smithpita.social — a virtual, lean-style coffee meetup for Product peopleFollow Randy on Twitter: @randy_silverOutofowls.com — Randy’s websiteToday’s SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Springboard — a mentor-led platform guaranteed to get you hired for a design role. Springboard’s UI/UX Design Bootcamp will prepare you for your next design job by pairing you with an industry design expert, career coach, and student advisor. You’ll gain real-world design experience and build your portfolio all 100% online. Apply today at springboard.thld.co/uibreakfast2.Interested in sponsoring an episode? Learn more here.Leave a ReviewReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. Here’s how.

Customer success as a discipline is often overlooked in early-stage companies, but it’s essential to define and fulfill customer needs. Our guest today is Anna Jacobsen, a customer success leader, and Head of Customer Success at YouCanBook.me. You’ll learn why customer success is different from customer support, and how to proactively create such opportunities in your product.Download the MP3 audio file: right-click here and choose Save As.Podcast feed: subscribe to https://feeds.simplecast.com/4MvgQ73R in your favorite podcast app, and follow us on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.Show NotesYouCanBook.me — an online scheduling tool for teamsDrip — Anna’s previous place of workUserlist — Jane’s SaaS product that does lifecycle emailEpisode 75: Organizing a UX Research Panel with Ashley WarrenNotion, Confluence — tools for CRM note-takingHow Effective Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) Build and Sustain Project Momentum — an article by WebEnertiaThe Customer Success Professional’s Handbook — a book by Ashvin Vaidyanathan and Ruben RabagoSupport-Driven Growth by Help Scout, which implements the “Yes, and…” modelFollow Anna on Twitter: @annagjacobsenannajacobsen.com — Anna’s websiteToday’s SponsorThis episode is brought to you by the new season of Wireframe — a podcast by Adobe about how UX can help technology fit into our lives. Whether you’re a designer or simply design-curious, you’ll learn how design intersects with the current world changes and hear from major leaders in the design and technology industries. Check out the show here, or just search for “Wireframe” in your favorite podcast app.Interested in sponsoring an episode? Learn more here.Leave a ReviewReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. Here’s how.

Have you ever wondered if SEO and design can work hand-in-hand? Our guest today is Daniela Furtado, SEO consultant and founder of Findable Digital Marketing. You’ll learn about on-page and off-page SEO techniques as Daniela hones in on Google algorithms, keyword research, navigation design, UX writing, product naming, and the best SEO practices for any kind of website.Podcast feed: subscribe to https://feeds.simplecast.com/4MvgQ73R in your favorite podcast app, and follow us on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.Show NotesFindable Digital Marketing — Daniela’s marketing agencySearch Engine Optimization — a Wikipedia articleGoogle, Bing, Yahoo — some of the popular search enginesEpisode 172: Naming Your Product with Brad FlowersUserlist — Jane’s SaaS productSEO Scout — a tool by Jonny PlattThis is Marketing — a book by Seth GodinInfluence: The Psychology of Persuasion — a book by Robert B. CialdiniScientific Advertising — a book by Claude HopkinsGrowth Hacker Marketing — a book by Ryan HolidayGoogle Webmaster Blog — the source for current SEO informationThink with Google — a blog on Google marketing researchSEO Checklist by SEMrushFind Daniela’s agency on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn13 Tips on How to Write a Service Page — a useful Findable articleThisIsDanielaFurtado.com — Daniela’s personal blogToday’s SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Springboard — a mentor-led online education platform that helps people transition into a career in design. Springboard’s UI/UX Design Bootcamp matches you with a design mentor, a career coach and a student advisor to guide you along the way. The program is 100% online and a great way to build your portfolio. Apply today at springboard.thld.co/uibreakfast.Interested in sponsoring an episode? Learn more here.Leave a ReviewReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. Here’s how.

Jim Kalbach, author of The Jobs To Be Done Playbook and Head of Customer Experience at MURAL, discusses the Jobs to Be Done method and how it can be applied to fulfill customer needs. Topics include human-centered product and marketing strategies, interview methods, job maps, and customer success.

AI is disrupting multiple industries, and UX design is no exception. What if UX designers could leverage AI in their workflow? Our guest today is Tony Beltramelli, CEO and co-founder of Uizard Technologies. You’ll learn how AI powers products and interfaces, along with Tony’s insight on high-fidelity deliverables, styling, prototyping, testing, and the evolution of UX design.Download the MP3 audio file: right-click here and choose Save As.Podcast feed: subscribe to https://feeds.simplecast.com/4MvgQ73R in your favorite podcast app, and follow us on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.Show NotesUizard — Tony’s companyWired article featuring Tony’s productSketch, InVision, Figma — product design toolsUX Collective, Prototypr — popular UX blogsGrammarly — AI-based text toolDescript — podcast editing platformSynthesia — AI video generation platformUserTesting, Maze — user testing platformsGet direct access to the private beta at uizard.io/uibreakfastToday’s SponsorThis episode is brought to you by ProductCamp — an online event for all product people: product managers, UX designers, and researchers. It includes 60+ Barcamp presentations, inspirational talks and practical case studies run by top UX designers and product managers such as Melissa Perri, Marty Cagan, Jonathan Courtney, and Scott Belsky. Join the Barcamp for free, or get tickets to the entire event at productcamp.pl.Interested in sponsoring an episode? Learn more here.Leave a ReviewReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. Here’s how.

Amy Balliett, CEO and founder of Killer Visual Strategies and author, shares her expertise on the power of visual communication. She highlights how quality design fosters trust and branding. The conversation dives into the use of custom illustrations over stock images, effective social media strategies, and the impact of layout in engaging content. Amy also discusses the success of Warby Parker's visual strategy and sheds light on using display ads to connect with consumers. Her insights are essential for anyone looking to enhance their visual content.

“Being yourself” is an important success factor, especially in creative industries. So how can designers explore their own personal design style without fear? Our guest today is designer, comedian and performer Meg Lewis. You’ll hear Meg’s tips on determining personal style while unlearning norms and standards, and how to confidently inject that style into your client work and other projects.Podcast feed: subscribe to https://feeds.simplecast.com/4MvgQ73R in your favorite podcast app, and follow us on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.Show NotesOvertime — Meg’s podcast on DribbbleSit There & Do Nothing — Meg’s comedy mindfulness podcastGhostly Ferns — Meg’s freelance collectiveMeg’s Co-Loop designer accessory collectionFull Time You — Meg’s personal brand and career fulfillment projectZAG — a book by Marty NeumeierEpisode 169: Building Your Brand with Austin ChurchEpisode 172: Naming Your Product with Brad FlowersOscar Health Insurance — the first brand to go “friendly” illustration-wiseFollow Meg on Twitter: @yourbuddymegmeglewis.com — Meg’s personal websiteToday’s SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Userlist — a lifecycle messaging tool for your SaaS product. At Userlist, our mission is to make your founder journey more enjoyable and less overwhelming. That’s why we built an email automation tool that does exactly what you need. No more, no less. Manage your users, segment them, and get in touch throughout their journey — all based on their behavior. Try Userlist free whenever you’re ready at userlist.com.Interested in sponsoring an episode? Learn more here.Help FoundersAnd here’s another product featured in our Help Founders section. PPC Protect provides click fraud prevention for online advertisers. They automatically stop click fraud at source and protect your Google Ads campaigns. Head over to ppcprotect.com to learn more.If you’d like your product to be featured for free on multiple awesome shows, welcome to apply at helpfounders.com.Leave a ReviewReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. Here’s how.

When it comes to habit-forming products like email, product design is all about finding a balance between power and simplicity. Our guest today is Sebastian Stockmarr, a partner at Founders venture studio and the co-founder of Tempo. You’ll learn the story behind their minimalist email tool, the current state of the email industry, and the various processes they used to shape this product.Podcast feed: subscribe to https://feeds.simplecast.com/4MvgQ73R in your favorite podcast app, and follow us on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.Show NotesTempo — an email client we're talking aboutFounders — a startup studio that helps entrepreneurs build the next big thingLean Startup — a popular methodology not favored by Sebastian, who used a private beta insteadiA Writer — another minimalist SaaS product that inspired SebastianSuperhuman — another popular email clientJay Keeree — illustrator and motion graphics designer who worked on TempoFollow Sebastian on Twitter: @stockmarryourtempo.co/friend-of-the-app — sign up to receive a discount once product is out of betaToday’s SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Userlist — a lifecycle messaging tool for SaaS companies. It’s perfect for sending smart onboarding campaigns, or any other behavior-based communication. We have everything you need to get started quickly and painlessly: developer-friendly API, campaign templates, and hands-on support from the founders. Try Userlist free at userlist.com.Interested in sponsoring an episode? Learn more here.Help FoundersAnd here’s another product featured in our Help Founders section. Slate helps freelancers manage their work schedule and check the financial health of their business. It’s an ideal tool  for organising your schedule, projects and finances in one place. Head over to heyslate.com to learn more.If you’d like your product to be featured for free on multiple awesome shows, welcome to apply at helpfounders.com.Leave a ReviewReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. Here’s how.

How can designers take business leadership roles? What skills can make them more relevant in the entire business system? Our guest today is Ryan Rumsey, the founder of Second Wave Dive and the author of Business Thinking for Designers. You’ll learn about the various types of leadership, as well as the tools and strategies designers can use at the decision-making table.Podcast feed: subscribe to https://feeds.simplecast.com/4MvgQ73R in your favorite podcast app, and follow us on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.Show NotesBusiness Thinking for Designers — Ryan’s bookTransformational leadership — a concept of leadership suggested by RyanDesign sprints, retrospectives — the designer “ceremonies”Analytical storytelling — the alternative to traditional narrative storytellingBarbara Minto — the founder of the SCQA framework and Pyramid PrincipleEpisode 70: Articulating Design Decisions with Tom GreeverFull range leadership — a general leadership model that was developed in the 90sTransactional leadership — Ryan refers to this type of leadership as more authoritarianOKRs, KPIs — both great and necessary according to Ryan, but lack any relation between them and can prove to be a struggle within the organization.Ryan Rumsey — Ryan’s personal websiteSecond Wave Dive — Ryan’s companyUse coupon code UIBREAKFAST to get $200 off Ryan’s upcoming course, Business Thinking IntensiveToday’s SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Userlist — a lifecycle messaging tool for your SaaS product. At Userlist, our mission is to make your founder journey more enjoyable and less overwhelming. That’s why we built an email automation tool that does exactly what you need. No more, no less. Manage your users, segment them, and get in touch throughout their journey — all based on their behavior. Try Userlist free whenever you’re ready at userlist.com.Interested in sponsoring an episode? Learn more here.Help FoundersAnd here’s another product featured in our Help Founders section. Screenjar makes it easy to request screen recordings from customers to help diagnose support issues that are hard to explain with text. Screenjar is an ideal tool for those managing customer support for web-based products. Head over to screenjar.com to learn more.If you’d like your product to be featured for free on multiple awesome shows, welcome to apply at helpfounders.com.Leave a ReviewReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. Here’s how.

Knowing the newest product trends is pivotal as they can be applied across many industries. But what’s the best way to identify and watch trends? Our guest today is Dru Riley, the founder of Trends.vc. You’ll learn the story behind his famous newsletter, how he creates his reports, and what trends you can apply to your business in 2020 and beyond.Podcast feed: subscribe to https://feeds.simplecast.com/4MvgQ73R in your favorite podcast app, and follow us on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.Show NotesColor of Change — an organization that fights injustice in the black community, Dru’s recommendationSpark — a micro-framework Dru has extensively worked withObviously Awesome — a book by April DunfordNo-code — the trend of creating software without learning to programStartup Studios, Online Courses, Micro Private Equity, Paid Newsletters, Cloud Kitchens — Dru’s top 5 trend reportsBen Thompson — an advocate of networking who has inspired DruCan’t Unsee — a design game and potential growth toolTrends.vc — Dru’s websiteFollow Dru on Twitter: @DruRileyToday’s SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Userlist — a lifecycle messaging tool for SaaS companies. It’s perfect for sending smart onboarding campaigns, or any other behavior-based communication. We have everything you need to get started quickly and painlessly: developer-friendly API, campaign templates, and hands-on support from the founders. Try Userlist free at userlist.com.Interested in sponsoring an episode? Learn more here.Help FounderAnd here’s another product featured in our Help Founders section. Conversion Crimes gives you the opportunity to watch people use your website, software, or app while speaking their thoughts out loud. This user testing tool provides feedback that founders can utilize to make their products easier to use, reduce friction, and increase conversions. Head over to conversioncrimes.com to learn more.If you’d like your product to be featured for free on multiple awesome shows, welcome to apply at helpfounders.com.Leave a ReviewReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a review on iTunes. Here’s how.