UX Research Geeks

Stefan shares personal stories and practical approaches to accessibility, discussing how inclusive design can create better products and experiences for everyone. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you too. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com. 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/stefan-barac-accessibility/ Episode highlights 00:02:07 – Stefan’s personal journey with accessibility 00:19:28 – Examples of accessibility challenges in manufacturing 00:28:20 – Medication and temporary disabilities in accessibility 00:32:14 – Testing as the key to accessible design 00:33:46 – Where to follow Stefan’s journey About our guest Stefan is an expert in designing accessible technology and creating ergonomic products that are both practical and usable for diverse audiences. He leads large-scale projects across various industries, including transportation, city planning, medical technology, and manufacturing. As the cofounder of incluthon.com, Stefan focuses on connecting accessibility experts with businesses, helping them understand accessibility needs and empowering them to create inclusive solutions. He emphasizes the importance of involving the audience in the creation process, stating: "Include people with disabilities in your product teams!"  Stefan’s vision is to use accessibility as a jump-off point for product innovations beyond the visual level. 🔎 Where to follow Stefan  LinkedIn  👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Kevin Liang, where he talks about driving strategy in reactive environments. About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them.  🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter

Mariana discusses her work in participatory design, focusing on immigration policies and public services in Finland. She shares how designers can improve public policy creation, support inclusive dialogues, and turn data into practical outcomes. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you too. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/mariana-salgado-designing-for-participation/ Episode highlights 00:02:30 – Mariana’s move to Finland 00:05:11 – Using participatory design in Helsinki’s urban development 00:10:45 – Designers’ role in shaping public policies 00:20:28 – Participatory design in public services About our guest Mariana Salgado Mariana Salgado is a senior designer and researcher specializing in service and interaction design with a focus on participatory methods. She produces and hosts Diseño y Diáspora, a podcast on design for social change in Spanish, Portuguese, and English, with 570 episodes and 6,000 monthly listeners, making it the most popular design podcast in Latin America. Currently, Mariana works as a service designer at ICOS ERIC, contributing to the EU project IRISCC. Her career includes leading Inland Design, a Finnish innovation lab for immigration services, and collaborating on cultural heritage, global health, and participatory projects with diverse communities. Mariana has also worked as a researcher, lecturer, and co-founder of a design studio. 🔎 Where to follow Mariana   LinkedIn / Podcast 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Kevin Liang, where he talks about driving strategy in reactive environments. About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them.  🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter

Chloe Sharp shares how research supports innovation, focusing on connecting with stakeholders, measuring ROI, and aligning research with business objectives. She discusses her experiences in helping companies make informed decisions and develop products that meet user needs while balancing creativity and business strategy. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you too. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/chloe-sharp-making-products-that-matter/ Episode highlights 00:01:27 – Chloe Sharp’s diverse research background 00:05:00 – Explaining the value of research to skeptical stakeholders 00:12:14 – Finding opportunities for innovation through research 00:17:08 – Presenting insights in ways that drive action 00:21:12 – Advice for researchers exploring project management roles About our guest Chloe Sharp Dr Chloe Sharp has built her career around research and innovation. She began as a Research Fellow before transitioning to the commercial sector as a Social Researcher at a UK Catapult. She later joined an AI startup, focusing on user and market research, and co-founded a research and grant writing consultancy, helping charities, startups, and scale-ups develop products. After exiting the consultancy, Chloe worked in the finance sector as a Product Manager, gaining new perspectives on research. Her experiences inspired her book, Make Products That Matter, a practical guide to creating user-focused products. She now runs Sharp Insight, an innovation consultancy focusing on bringing ideas to reality and navigating change and uncertainty in the process. 🔎 Where to follow Chloe   LinkedIn / Website  About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them.  🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to Follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter

Kelly discusses the rebranding of Screencast-O-Matic to ScreenPal, focusing on the research and user feedback that drove the change. She explains the challenges of aligning brand perception with user needs and managing a global market transition effectively. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you too. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/kelly-jura-user-research-rebranding/ Episode highlights 00:01:42 – Combining brand and user experience roles at ScreenPal 00:12:53 – Methods used to validate and select new brand name 00:18:40 – Data-driven rebranding decisions 00:21:07 – Communicating the benefits and value of rebranding to leadership About our guest Kelly Jura Kelly Jura is a design leader who is driven by the ways that people interact with ideas. Throughout her career, she leverages her deep understanding of brand and behavior, gaining patents, accolades and widespread public acclaim on the way. 🔎 Where to follow Kelly  LinkedIn / Website About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them.  🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to Follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter

Kate explores scaling research within organizations, building effective infrastructure, and crafting strategies for solo or small teams. She also touches on her book, Research That Scales, and offers insights on drawing inspiration from fields like librarianship and systems thinking. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you too. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at:  https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/kate-towsey-scaling-research-ops/ Episode highlights 00:01:38 – Recent release of Research That Scales 00:02:56 – What inspired Kate to write a book on research operations 00:11:14 – Research operations as infrastructure 00:14:12 – Addressing the unique needs of large, complex research teams 00:20:51 – Strategy tips for a team of one 00:29:40 – Finding inspiration for research ops outside the UX field About our guest Kate Towsey Kate Towsey is an independent advisor, coach, and educator. For more than a decade, she has been at the forefront of ResearchOps. The inventor of the widely used acronym PWDR (pau·duh) for “people who do research,” Kate also wrote some of the earliest blog posts about setting up research operations, founded the ResearchOps Community, and launched the #WhatisResearchOps movement, putting ResearchOps on the map. In 2019, she stepped back from the ResearchOps Community and started the Cha Cha Club, a members’ club for full-time ResearchOps professionals, which she runs to this day. Over twenty years, Kate has delivered operations in e-commerce, education, government, retail, and tech. She built and managed the Atlassian ResearchOps team, widely recognised as the benchmark for scaling research services and systems to hundreds of people.  🔎 Where to follow Kate  LinkedIn / Website / Cha Cha Club / Substack About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them.  🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to Follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter

Steve shares insights from his decade in gaming research, discussing the contrast between indie studios and larger companies. He covers the challenges faced in game research, ethical concerns when working with children, and provides advice on breaking into a career in game research. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you too. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at:  https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/steve-bromley-games-user-research/ Episode highlights 00:02:04 – Steve’s background in gaming research 00:05:49 – Comparing work with indie studios and larger companies 00:18:23 – Challenges of research in games 00:28:36 – Ethical considerations when conducting research with children 00:31:16 – Tips for starting a career in game research About our guest Steve Bromley Steve is an experienced user research consultant based in London, specializing in building new user research teams and conducting user research for video games. He’s the author of Building User Research Teams and How To Be A Games User Researcher. He is also the director of gamesuserresearch.com, where he provides consultancy and runs playtests for game studios. With a passion for advancing games user research, Steve regularly speaks at global conferences and shares his expertise through writing. 🔎 Where to follow Steve LinkedIn / Website About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them.  🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to Follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter

Join Sarah Doody, founder of Career Strategy Lab™, as she shares her journey from corporate roles to empowering UX professionals. She emphasizes common pitfalls in portfolio building and strategies to navigate NDAs. Sarah discusses how to articulate the business impact of research, especially when facing implementation challenges. She also offers standout application tips for freelancers and highlights the importance of in-depth interview preparation. Tune in for her insights on thriving in a competitive job market!

Noam discusses why NPS is a flawed metric and why companies should stop using it. He explains the issues with NPS from a survey science perspective and suggests better alternatives for measuring customer satisfaction and engagement. 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at:  https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/noam-segal-nps-the-garbage-metrics/ Episode highlights 00:01:36 – Noam’s background 00:07:07 – Introduction to NPS flaws 00:16:10 – Creation of npsistheworst.com 00:19:59 – Alternatives to NPS 00:23:26 – Focus on custom KPIs over NPS 00:31:33 – UX researchers’ role in metrics and ethics 00:34:30 – Noam’s closing thoughts About our guest Noam Segal Noam Segal is a UX leader with experience at companies like Airbnb, Intercom, Wealthfront, X, and Meta. He’s currently Senior Research Manager at Upwork and founder of The Disruptive Coach, offering career coaching and resources for tech professionals. He helps individuals and teams grow, and has taught at Stanford and Harvard, as well as spoken at major industry conferences like UXRConf and Quant UX Con. 🔎 Where to follow Noam LinkedIn / Rosenfeld About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them.  🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to Follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter

Zsuzsa Kovács talks about the problems with using surveys in UX research and why she prefers interviews. She explains how surveys can be biased and miss important details. 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at:  https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/zsuzsa-kovacs-surveys Episode highlights 00:01:45 – Zsuzsa’s Background in UX 00:05:56 – Problems with Surveys 00:10:29 – Why Interviews Are Better 00:23:06 – Handling Stakeholder Expectations About our guest Zsuzsa Kovacs Zsuzsa is a Freelance Lead UX Researcher, who has worked in UX since 2008. She tried many different roles around building products but in every role her main focus was involving users in the process early on and keeping them close. She enjoys talking to people, seeing products through their eyes, understanding their point of view. She is interested in psychology, especially areas that affect research. She is a co-organiser of the Amuse UX Conference. 🔎 Where to follow Zsuzsa LinkedIn  About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them.  🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to Follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter

In this engaging discussion, Matt Wallaert, an expert in behavioral science and UX research with a diverse career from startups to Fortune 500, critiques the effectiveness of personas in UX design. He champions behavioral archetypes as a more reliable alternative, emphasizing the use of quantifiable data to enhance empathy in user research. The conversation delves into the limitations of traditional methods, the significance of understanding diverse user experiences, and the power of combining qualitative insights with scientific rigor for better design outcomes.