Getting2Alpha

Steve Portigal a world-class expert in customer research, and the author of Interviewing Users, a practical handbook oh how to get the most value from customer interviews. In this podcast, Steve pulls back the curtain on his professional journey and shares powerful insights about who to talk with - and what to listen for - when you’re interviewing users.

Erika Hall is the co-founder of Mule Design, and the author of “Just Enough Research” - a handbook for improving design with smart, effective user research. Erika uses business goals to focus a project - and targeted customer insights to inform the design. She's got a big bag of research techniques - and knows which ones to pull out to get the job done. If you're into customer-centered design, Erika's work is right up your alley. Check out the episode notes for links and videos featuring Erika' work.

Join us for a look back at the highlights and key themes of the first season of Getting2Alpha - the podcast about how creative people bring their idea to life.

Jon Radoff is the CEO of Disruptor Beam, an independent studio building social games for beloved brands like Game of Thrones and Star Trek. Jon combines a deep love for strategy games with a knack for innovation. He's got great stories to tell about bringing iconic properties to life with rapid prototyping and early fan involvement. Tune in to find out what really goes on behind the scenes at a top independent game studio.

Hiten Shah is a serial entrepreneur and startup advisor who loves to create and grow businesses. He's is the co-founder of two software-as-a-service companies: Crazy Egg and KISSmetrics - and co-host of The Startup Chat - a podcast that offers actionable advice straight from the trenches of startup life. Hiten has great insights about business and marketing - and a knack for simplifying complexity into cogent ideas. Listen in and learn from a true pioneer who’s on the forefront of building and selling software as a service.

Peek inside the creative mind of Eric Zimmerman - a multi-talented game designer, educator and artist who never stops innovating. A self-described Play-Test Fundamentalist, Eric teaches at the NYU Game School and co-creates innovative experiences on the sides. Eric is a true industry visionary - always ahead of his time. What does Eric thinks about teaching, playing and creating compelling and meaningful games: Listen in.

Katherine Isbister is well-known for her work exploring how emotions are evoked through interactive entertainment. She's an accomplished game designer and educator who works with students and collaborators to bring innovative ideas to life. Her new book, Games and Emotions, will be out in February from MIT press. Join me for a glimpse into Katherine’s approach to teaching, researching, and creating emotionally evocative games.

Blair Ethington is a product manager turned game creator - with a passion for numbers and a knack for innovation. At Crowdstar, she's VP of Covet Fashion - a innovative mobile game with over 3 million monthly players who like to dress-up in real-world designer fashions - and then purchase those clothes in real life. I worked on Covet Fashion under Blair's leadership - I learned a lot from her, and admire her greatly. Listen in and discover what Blair has learned about bringing hit products to life.

Erin Hoffman is a game designer and fantasy novelist - with a passion for social activism and projects with a purpose. She's currently lead game designer at GlassLabs, a Gates-foundation initiative where she creates assessment-based learning games for underserved niches. Erin has deep insights into the nature of games and learning - and powerful ideas about how game design can impact the world.

Jesse Schell is a visionary game designer and educator whose work spans from theme parks to educational games. In this conversation, he unveils the enchanting origins of his passion for transformational entertainment. Jesse shares the art of prototyping and playtesting, stressing their impact on game design. He discusses the innovative fusion of physical and augmented reality in educational tools, like the Happy Atoms project. Finally, he highlights the importance of flexible team dynamics and self-awareness in fostering creativity and collaboration.