Software People Stories

Darren Hood challenges us to learn the history of UX, to beware of snake-oil when assessing training options, and to revisit our thinking on imposter syndrome. Highlights include: ⭐ How are UX bootcamps and courses impacting the field? ⭐ Why is it important to know the history of UX? ⭐ What’s driving people to declare imposter syndrome? ⭐ Is the popularisation of UX enabling better design practice? ⭐ What does the field of UX need to become more effective? ====== Who is Darren Hood Darren is a Principal Product Designer at Omnicell, the world-leader in pharmacy robotics. There, he champions product design and coaches other designers, cultivating a culture of curiosity, clear communication and collaboration.  Alongside his work as a designer, Darren is helping to prepare the next generation of UXers, serving as an Adjunct Professor at Kent State University and Lawrence Technological University. He is also on the faculty of Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. A passionate contributor the global UX community, Darren is the host of the podcast The World of UX. He is also a regular conference speaker, blogger and podcast guest - sharing his refreshingly unfiltered views on the field. ====== Find Darren here: Website: https://www.dhoodux.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwhood/ YouTube: https://bit.ly/3p244mf Medium: https://uxuncensored.medium.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/darrenhood/ Podcast: https://worldoux.com/ ====== Liked what you heard and want to hear more? Subscribe and support the show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen). Follow us on our other social channels for more great Brave UX content! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheSpaceInBetween/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-space-in-between/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespaceinbetw__n/  ====== Hosted by Brendan Jarvis: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanjarvis/ Website: https://thespaceinbetween.co.nz/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/brendanjarvis/

Jaime Levy shares the importance (and danger ⚡) of putting yourself into your work, how UX going mainstream has changed the field, and wonders, “where are all of our design heroes?”. Highlights include: ⭐ How is the mainstreaming of UX changing the field? ⭐ Why is it important to put yourself into your work? ⭐ How far do we have to go to create a meaningful career? ⭐ Why did you stop teaching UX design at university? ⭐ How do you reconcile being burned out with being an overachiever? ====== Who is Jaime Levy? Jaime is a world-leading UX and Product Strategist, based in Los Angeles, California. For more than 30 years she has been a pioneer of digital products and services, working for Fortune 500 companies and award-winning agencies, across many sectors. The author of the best selling book, “UX Strategy: Product Strategy Techniques for Devising Innovative Solutions”, which has been translated into 9 languages and is now in its second edition - Jaime knows a thing or two about UX strategy. A passionate and longstanding contributor to the UX community, Jaime regularly delivers workshops, online masterclasses, and speeches at conferences, such as Interaction Latin America, From Business to Buttons, and UX Week, on top of her consulting engagements.  ====== Find Jaime here:   Website: https://jaimelevy.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimerlevy/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaimeRLevy/    Buy the book:   UX Strategy - Product Strategy Techniques for Devising Innovative Digital Solutions:  https://www.userexperiencestrategy.com/   ====== Liked what you heard and want to hear more? Subscribe and support the show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen). Follow us on our other social channels for more great Brave UX content! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheSpaceInBetween/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-space-in-between/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespaceinbetw__n/  ====== Hosted by Brendan Jarvis: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanjarvis/ Website: https://thespaceinbetween.co.nz/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/brendanjarvis/

Kate Leto calls on us to improve the EQ of our product orgs, so that we can improve their performance, our team's happiness, and our own self-awareness. Highlights include: ⭐ Why do we focus overly on technical product management skills? ⭐ How do you make the business case for investing in Product EQ? ⭐ What mistakes do we often make when interviewing product people? ⭐ How can people come to terms with imposter syndrome? ⭐ How can product leaders avoid their own EQ blindspots? ====== Who is Kate Leto? Kate is the Principal and Founder of Kate Leto Consulting, the vehicle through which she shares her 25 years of expertise in product management, organisational design, culture transformation and personal development with the world. Before founding her consulting practice, Kate was the Head of Product at Moo.com in London, where she built and led the product management and UX teams responsible for the business’ e-Commerce platform, and premium physical product range. A regular speaker, blogger, and the author of a book worth its weight in gold, “Hiring for Product EQ: Using Product EQ to go beyond culture and skills”, Kate has a huge heart (and mind) for increasing the effectiveness of product organisations. ====== Find Kate here: Website: https://www.kateleto.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateleto/ Meidum: https://kleto.medium.com/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/kleto/ What the heck is self-awareness and why should you care? https://bit.ly/3rHjf69 ====== Liked what you heard and want to hear more? Subscribe and support the show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen). Follow us on our other social channels for more great Brave UX content! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheSpaceInBetween/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-space-in-between/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespaceinbetw__n/  ====== Hosted by Brendan Jarvis: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanjarvis/ Website: https://thespaceinbetween.co.nz/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/brendanjarvis/

In this final episode of 2021, instead of an in-depth interview, you’re going to hear a series of short and important messages from a range of previous Brave UX guests. There's plenty of healthy mind food in this episode, especially as you reflect on the year that's been and contemplate the year ahead. Stay safe and be well. And... Keep being brave! ====== Liked what you heard and want to hear more? Subscribe and support the show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen). Follow us on our other social channels for more great Brave UX content! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheSpaceInBetween/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-space-in-between/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespaceinbetw__n/  ====== Hosted by Brendan Jarvis: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanjarvis/ Website: https://thespaceinbetween.co.nz/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/brendanjarvis/

Gregg Bernstein shares what it takes to build an impactful UX research practice, how to avoid compromising your findings, and why *NSYNC is better than the Backstreet Boys. Highlights include: ⭐ What role does humility play in being an effective UX researcher? ⭐ Is it dangerous for UX Researchers to be seen as service providers? ⭐ What common business blindspots do UX Researchers have? ⭐ How do you help your team to manage the stress of their roles? ⭐ What difference did the UX of your wife’s cancer care make? ====== Who is Gregg Bernstein? Gregg is a leading voice in the UX Research community 💡 and is currently a User Research Lead at Conde Nast, the media company behind such storied titles as The New Yorker, Wired, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and GQ.  Before joining Conde Nast, Gregg held a number of senior UX research roles, including at Mailchimp and Vox Media. At Vox, Gregg started as the first an only UX researcher and went on to grow a great team, and to become the Senior Director of User Research. Gregg is also the author of, “Research Practice: Perspectives from UX Researchers in a Changing Field”, a book that helps aspiring researchers to see inside the field through the stories and experiences of current practitioners. ====== Find Gregg here: Website: http://gregg.io/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greggbernstein/ Buy the book: Research Practice: Perspectives from UX researchers in a changing field https://researchpractice.co/ And if you want to refresh your memory on 90s boy bands… *NSYNC - Bye Bye Bye video: https://youtu.be/Eo-KmOd3i7s ====== Liked what you heard and want to hear more? Subscribe and support the show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen). Follow us on our other social channels for more great Brave UX content! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheSpaceInBetween/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-space-in-between/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespaceinbetw__n/  ====== Hosted by Brendan Jarvis: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanjarvis/ Website: https://thespaceinbetween.co.nz/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/brendanjarvis/

Tracy McGoldrick talks about the challenges of building a Research Ops practice that supports over 100 UX researchers, and how IBM’s increasing the impact of design. Highlights include: ⭐ How do you know if Research Ops is doing a good job? ⭐ What is the biggest misconception people have about Research Ops? ⭐ How has GDPR and CCPA impacted the Research Ops practice? ⭐ Why is IBM investing hundreds of millions of dollars into design? ⭐ How did you make your massive research repository easy to use? ===== Who is Tracy McGoldrick? Tracy is the Head of UX Research Ops and Design Eminence at IBM in Austin Texas, where she is currently creating the infrastructure to help accelerate IBM’s Cloud and Cognitive Software research practice.  A passionate evangelist for User Experience and Design Thinking, Tracy actively works with all aspects of IBM’s business to grow the relationships and culture that develop awareness, appreciation, and ability in human-centred design practices. Before joining IBM in 2017, Tracy was the Head of Global Photography and CG Imaging at Dell Technologies. There, she led the talented teams who created visual assets for the company, while also running the operational aspects that supported them.  ====== Find Tracy here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracymcgoldrick/ ====== Liked what you heard and want to hear more? Subscribe and support the show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen). Follow us on our other social channels for more great Brave UX content! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheSpaceInBetween/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-space-in-between/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespaceinbetw__n/  ====== Hosted by Brendan Jarvis: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanjarvis/ Website: https://thespaceinbetween.co.nz/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/brendanjarvis/

Mikkel Michelsen takes us into the world of UX design for mission critical systems (including the F-35), where users’ lives are quite literally in the hands of the designer. Highlights include: ⭐ Did you get to fly in an F-35? ⭐ How did it feel to design systems that had direct impact on human life? ⭐ How did you involve users in the design of mission critical systems? ⭐ How do design for the unpredictability of people in high-stress situations? ⭐ How do you manage being both a PM and a Lead UX designer? ====== Who is Mikkel Michelsen? Mikkel is a Product Manager and Lead UX Designer at Systime Solutions, a division of Gyldendal, Scandinavia’s largest publisher.  Before Systime, Mikkel was the Chief UX Designer at Danske Bank, the largest bank in Denmark. He has also held other senior design roles, such as the Head of UX at WhiteAway Group, and Lead UX Designer at eBay Scandinavia.  But, it was Mikkel’s work at Systematic, a provider of mission critical technology solutions, that really caught my attention. During nearly 8 years there, Mikkel designed some of the critical systems within the F-35 fighter jet, as well as other defence and healthcare experiences. ====== Find Mikkel here: Website: https://nielsmikkel.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikkelm/ ====== Liked what you heard and want to hear more? Subscribe and support the show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen). Follow us on our other social channels for more great Brave UX content! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheSpaceInBetween/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-space-in-between/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespaceinbetw__n/  ====== Hosted by Brendan Jarvis: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanjarvis/ Website: https://thespaceinbetween.co.nz/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/brendanjarvis/

Eva PenzeyMoog shines a light on how digital products are being used to enable domestic violence, and what we can do to protect our most vulnerable users. Highlights include: ⭐ What is domestic violence and how does it show up? ⭐ How is technology being weaponised by domestic abusers? ⭐ Why can’t our users be solely responsible for their own safety? ⭐ How can designers use archetypes to help safely shape their products?  ⭐ How can leaders help their teams to design for safety safely? ====== Who is Eva PenzeyMoog? Eva is the founder of The Inclusive Safety Project and the author of Design for Safety, a brand new book that shows us how we can prevent our work from being weaponised for interpersonal harm, and protect and empower our most vulnerable users. Alongside her consulting practice, Eva is a Principal Designer at 8th Light, a leading Chicago-based software design and development agency.  Previously, Eva was volunteer domestic violence educator and rape crisis counsellor, spending time with survivors of sexual assault in emergency rooms, making sure they felt supported and understood their options, while advocating for their positive treatment by medical and law enforcement professionals. ====== Find Eva here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evapenzeymoog/ Website: https://evapenzeymoog.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/epenzeymoog/ Design for Safety: https://abookapart.com/products/design-for-safety The Inclusive Safety Project:  https://www.theinclusivesafetyproject.com/ ====== Liked what you heard and want to hear more? Subscribe and support the show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen). Follow us on our other social channels for more great Brave UX content! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheSpaceInBetween/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-space-in-between/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespaceinbetw__n/  ====== Hosted by Brendan Jarvis: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanjarvis/ Website: https://thespaceinbetween.co.nz/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/brendanjarvis/

Amy Santee encourages us to take control of our careers, to take action when we see something that’s not right, and to realise we have more power than we think we do. Highlights include: ⭐ Are jobs in UX and other ares of HCD bullshit jobs? ⭐ Why did you write and publish your own code of ethics? ⭐ How do you help people to establish useful career goals? ⭐ What should people considering a career change to think about? ⭐ What can people do when they see something that’s not right at work? ====== Who is Amy Santee? Amy is a Career Strategist & Coach for User Experience Professionals, who want to navigate their own path to success and impact the world for the better.  Through her coaching practice, Amy has helped clients who work at (and have landed jobs at) a wide range of organisations, including Sony, Google, Github, Peloton, Mayo Clinic and the Government of Canada. Amy’s own career journey has been quite the story, moving from Anthropology in academia, to in-house UX research roles at companies like State Farm Insurance and eBay, where she was a Senior Design Researcher.  ====== Find Amy here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amysantee/ Website: https://www.amysantee.com/ Blog: https://anthropologizing.com/ ====== Liked what you heard and want to hear more? Subscribe and support the show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen). Follow us on our other social channels for more great Brave UX content! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheSpaceInBetween/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-space-in-between/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespaceinbetw__n/  ====== Hosted by Brendan Jarvis: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanjarvis/ Website: https://thespaceinbetween.co.nz/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/brendanjarvis/

Dan Balcauski makes product positioning and pricing easy to understand, and shares techniques for uncovering what customers value and are willing to pay for.  Highlights include: ⭐ What is product positioning and why does it matter? ⭐ How do you know if your product has great positioning? ⭐ Why is it so difficult for companies to build what customers value? ⭐ How do you determine what a customer’s willingness to pay is? ⭐ What can researchers and designers do to increase their impact?  ====== Who is Dan Balcauski? Dan is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Product Tranquility, where he helps high-volume B2B SaaS CEO’s to dispel the pricing and packaging illusions that prevent new products from growing to their potential. A reformed software engineer, that went on to earn an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and become a Head of Product, Dan knows a thing or two about what it takes to create products that serve users and deliver on business objectives. Dan’s product leadership experience has included time as the Product Strategy Principal at SolarWinds, a cloud platform for DevOps. Dan was also the Head of Product at LawnStarter, an Austin Texas based platform that connects consumers to lawn service professionals. ====== Find Dan here: LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/B11vgD Twitter: https://twitter.com/dan_balcauski Website: https://www.producttranquility.com/ Blog: https://bit.ly/3GSeaNc Understanding the Jobs to be Done by Bob Moesta: https://youtu.be/f2l75aAJo44 ====== Liked what you heard and want to hear more? Subscribe and support the show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen). Follow us on our other social channels for more great Brave UX content! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheSpaceInBetween/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-space-in-between/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespaceinbetw__n/  ====== Hosted by Brendan Jarvis: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanjarvis/ Website: https://thespaceinbetween.co.nz/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/brendanjarvis/