User Defenders Podcast: Inspiring Interviews With Ux Superheroes

Jessica Ivins schools us on the critical value of a growth mindset in UX Design. She teaches us how to learn how to learn. She enlightens us as to why it’s always better to generalize before specializing. She reminds us introverts that we can only truly succeed by extroverting. She also reveals how the best tool recommendations can only come when it’s clear what one is trying to learn. Personal Passions (5:18) Origin Story (6:28) Biggest Failure (12:52) Introvert or Extrovert (17:10) Awkward Testing Story (18:30) Design Superpower (24:46) Design Kryptonite (31:14) Secret Identity (33:09) Fights for Users (34:41) Habit of Success (35:27) Best Tips (37:15) Invincible Resource (42:10) Generalize Vs Specialize (44:18) Recommended Book (47:36) Your Why (51:57) Best Advice (53:13) Check out the detailed show notes including mentioned links, transcript and Eli Jorgensen’s astonishing superhero artwork at userdefenders.com/063 This episode is brought to you by Optimal Workshop. Imagine a world where the right thing

On the eve of the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo Moon launch/landing, I invite you to come hear my rocket scientist father (G.A. "Jim" Ogle) re-tell his experience on User Defenders: Community (https://community.userdefenders.com) of the events that took place the day of the launch on July 16, 1969, leading into the unforgettable and awe-inspiring day of July 20, 1969 when the U.S. achieved the unimaginable feat of landing the first humans on the moon. He will also answer your questions live! Check out the show notes at https://userdefenders.com/rocketman which includes a compelling slideshow of my Dad from childhood (including accident photos) through to his exciting career in the space industry, Eli Jorgensen's superhero art, a timeline of my Dad's career accomplishments, and much more! Join User Defenders: Community at https://community.userdefenders.com (Try it FREE for 7 Days)  

Welcome to Joe Natoli’s UX School of No B.S. Class is now in session. Joe reveals that there’s no limit to how far any UX’er with a healthy dose of grit and resilience can go. He puts jargon in a choke-hold, then proceeds to drop-kick it in the privates! He inspires us to be like Tom Hanks in “Big”...never afraid to ask questions for the betterment of the people and project. He motivates us to apply for any job we truly want, especially when we feel unqualified for it. He also teaches us how leaving a legacy should never start with one foot in the grave, it starts right here...right now! What Do You Like to Do When You’re Not Working? (7:42) What Inspired You to Pursue a Career in This Field? (10:34) How Do You Get an Entry Level Job That Requires 3-5 Years of Experience? (34:28) What Is It About Jargon That Drives You Nuts? (47:31) One Definition of What UX Is (1:01:15) What Value Do Older UXers Bring to the Table? (1:08:16) UX Advice for Juniors in the Field (1:13:15) The One Thing You Wish You Knew When Y

Jason Ogle proves that empathic design is not only possible, but essential in creating life-changing products and services. He enlightens us to our seldom talked about mirror neurons and the critical role they play in user testing. He shines a spotlight on incredibly powerful and moving examples of empathy in design. He also teaches us how empathy can not only be taught and learned, but practiced, because being great designer begins and ends with being a great human. Intro Story (00:24) What is Empathy? (5:04) Mirror Neurons (9:14) Still Face Experiment (11:17) Mirror Neurons and Movies (15:59) Inspiring Examples from IDEO (19:19) Doug Dietz's Empathy for Terminally Ill Children (23:35) Margaret Hamilton's Empathy for Apollo 11 (29:44) Can We Grow in Empathy? (34:07) Seth Godin Explaining Empathy (35:21) Put Your Oxygen Mask on First (36:10) Seth Godin on Faked Empathy (39:19) Seth Godin on Being Indispensable in an AI World (40:57) Empathy & Mindfulness (43:23) Rise to the Empathy Challenge (45:55) Tho

Mike Gorgone unleashes his impromptu playbook to rescue us from our most unwelcome critic...ourselves. He teaches us how marrying the two seemingly disparate concepts of improv & UX, can help us break free from the crippling self-doubt that keeps us from our best collaborations. Yes, and he shows us how fun kills fear. He also reveals how even the "bad ideas" can lead us to great ones while building a fantastic UX punchline worthy of a standing ovation. What Got You into Improv? (3:47) What Was the Aha Moment That Inspired You to Combine Improv with UX? (7:43) Are You Also Presenting at These Workshops? (9:44) Are You Writing a Book on This Topic? (10:09) Workshop Topics (11:09) Where Does Improv Fit in the Design Process? (18:01) How Does the Yes And Exercise Work? (20:57) Coaching Through the Fears of Doing Improv (26:47) Feeling Safe About Ideas in the Workplace (32:36) What Can Help to Make You Better at Improv? (38:56) How Can We Use This in the Field? (42:09) Final Thoughts (51:50) Check out the d

Scott Kubie shows us how writing is designing with words. He reminds us that someone has to be the writer, and it’s our job to know who that person is. He calls on us to take up the task of writing when nobody else can, and warns of what leaving it till the end will do. He also shares some neat tricks to spur momentum and overcome those intimidating blank pages. Why Do We Forget About Writing? (6:30) What's Wrong with Lorem Ipsum? (9:36) Present the Problem Before the Visuals (12:57) Are Designers Expected to Be Writers? (15:55) The Rough-In Process (20:08) Getting Approval Through Stakeholder Participation (24:11) Putting It All Together (30:12) IKEA Instructions with Words (37:43) Edit Yourself Later (41:49) How to Level Up (47:10) Check out the detailed show notes including mentioned links, transcript and Eli Jorgensen’s astonishing superhero artwork at userdefenders.com/055 This episode is brought to you by Adobe, makers of XD. Try it FREE at userdefenders.com/xd Fight for User Defenders! userdefenders.

Help me keep User Defenders podcast on the air...and help yourself to some amazing, exclusive perks! Creating and running a podcast like User Defenders is not only a ton of work, but also very expensive. Each episode costs $200-300 to put into the world, not to mention the recurring monthly/annual costs for software, hosting, CDN, Web dev, and more I won't bore you with. Sponsors are what have made this show possible and kept the lights on since 2015, but sponsor dollars are scarce and unreliable. I also don't want to just keep the lights on, but continue to grow the show (what got you here, won't get you there). I am envisioning some amazing things to continue happen and branch out from this purposeful, mission-minded entity. In addition to continuing to release the best UX podcast content in the Universe, organizing & running UD Community (and all the ongoing special training/events happening there), I'm currently trying to get a UD Mentors program off the ground, as well as even thinking about organizi

Justin Dauer implores us never settle in our important quest to find the right cultural fit. He reminds us that being human-centered doesn’t just affect our users, but especially the humans we interact with. He encourages us to think hard about where we choose to hang our hat, and understand what the ramifications of the wrong decision may be. He also reveals the maze of signals to watch out for in our search for the culture that will foster our creativity, and empower our passion to produce what could be our greatest work…yet. What Does It Mean to Say "The Right Cultural Fit"? (5:07) Why It's Vital to Find That Fit (7:28) What Are the Reasons You Made This Your Life Mission? (8:55) Is It a Good Plan to Apply for Jobs Everywhere? (17:13) The Best Ways to Vet a Company’s Culture (22:47) Is It Worth Jumping into an Undesirable Culture to Gain Experience? (31:57) Before Heading into an Interview (34:25) Thoughts on Interview Questions (40:32) Advice for Listeners Who Feel Stuck (44:35) Check out the detailed s

Andy Vitale teaches us all about how to interview for our next UX job like a boss. He emphasizes the importance of avoiding jargon, and at all costs the temptation to conflate confidence with arrogance. He reminds us to be prepared to get way out of our comfort zones, and even offers smart techniques on how to cope with the discomfort in those critical moments. He also points out that pay isn't everything, and that a fantastic work culture can make all the difference. The Importance of Soft Skills (4:55) Calming Your Nerves (17:08) The Importance of Body Language (22:18) What Do You Love About Interviewing? (36:15) What Do You Hate About Interviewing? (38:21) How Much Should I Be Paid? (41:13) Discussing Salary During an Interview (47:06) Favorite Last Interview Questions (51:07) Whiteboard Exercise Preparation (54:58) How to Tell If a Company Understands UX (60:29) Words of Encouragement (63:47) Check out the detailed show notes including mentioned links, transcript and Eli Jorgensen’s astonishing superher

Sarah Doody challenges us to think of our portfolio as one of the most important products we’ll ever create. She urges us to not only communicate our contributions, but to both show and tell the story of each project. In the end, she teaches us that using the right process is more than just about landing our next UX job–it will also make us better designers. Ideal Number of Projects (4:07) Lead with the Best Project (5:40) Alternate Portfolios (7:13) What a Recruiter Is Looking For Most (13:03) Proving Your Knowledge (15:52) What Does Storytelling Mean? (23:47) Edit Your Work (29:48) Do You Need a Website? (39:44) Build a Portfolio Quickly (49:36) The UX Academy (54:09) Best Advice (56:31) Check out the detailed show notes including mentioned links, transcript and Eli Jorgensen’s astonishing superhero artwork at userdefenders.com/056 This episode is brought to you by Adobe, makers of XD. Try it FREE at userdefenders.com/xd  

Andy Budd reveals what the hiring minds of companies are really thinking. He answers how to navigate the recruitment process and presents an invaluable insight that shows how to subvert it altogether. He urges us to be more of who we are and to recognize that each of us has unique talents that are fit for the right organizations at the right time. He also emphasizes that it's up to each job seeker to communicate their personal value if they want to land the job of their dreams. Resumes That Stand Out (6:20) UX Education (28:45) Does Your Appearance Matter? (38:23) What About Soft Skills? (48:25) The Recruiter Follow-Up (60:09) Asking for Feedback (67:30) Check out the detailed show notes including mentioned links, transcript and Eli Jorgensen’s astonishing superhero artwork at userdefenders.com/055 This episode is brought to you by Adobe, makers of XD. Try it FREE at userdefenders.com/xd

UD Community is Live! Join the most passionate, empathic, and hungry community of UXers around, now! UD Community is a safe gathering place for Defenders in all areas and phases of UX to connect with other Defenders, ask questions, share knowledge, and offer inspiration to help us not grow weary in our important mission of fighting for our users! https://community.userdefenders.com

Seth Godin shows us what radical empathy looks like. He reminds us to do work that matters, for people who care by focusing on serving a minimum viable audience. He teaches us that the way to stay indispensable in our work is to do work where you can’t write down the steps. He also reveals how faked empathy is just as good as real empathy for the true professional acting as if. Creating UX for Early Computer Games (4:23) What Book Would the Seth Godin of the Industrial Revolution Write? (6:43) How Do You Define Empathy? (9:30) Why is Empathy Important in Doing Great Work? (12:01) What's Your Greatest Story of Empathy in Action? (14:50) One of the Greatest Marketing Lessons Seth Ever Learned (18:44) Status Over Empathy (25:07) Empathy Learned the Hard Way (28:19) What's Your Best Advice in Building our Empathy Levels? (30:33) Advice for Becoming Better Storytellers (32:51) Are Our Smartphone Addictions Negatively Affecting our Empathy Levels? (34:27) Seth's Apple Rant (37:44) Apple Could Solve the Texting &am

Becca Kennedy teaches us how to do UX research on a budget. She encourages newer designers to demonstrate their problem-solving superpowers by redesigning sub-par experiences they use regularly. She reminds us that users are human before they’re users. She also shows us how we can have anything in life we want, if we will just help others get what they want. Becca's Tattoo's Origin Story (5:31) Why Psychology? (6:26) What is Human Factors? (11:43) How do we find research subjects? (24:06) The Law of Diminishing Returns (31:16) Awkward Testing Story (32:57) Design Superpower (39:14) Design Kryptonite (40:48) Coping with Imposter Syndrome (44:49) UX Superhero Name (49:10) Should we Call Them Users? (53:45) Fights for Users (56:33) Habit of Success (59:11) Invincible Resource (61:54) Recommended Book (63:54) Best Advice (66:09) Contact Info (70:07) Check out the detailed show notes including mentioned links, transcript and Eli Jorgensen’s astonishing superhero artwork at userdefenders.com/054 This episode is b

Imposter Syndrome is a very common and unwelcome condition especially among creative people. In Jason Ogle's very first monologue episode, he...wait, it's me writing this (and my voice matters, dog gonnit!)...I tackle the important, and very common condition among creative people known as imposter syndrome. I address what it is, why we have it, and how to kick it in the privates! Check out the detailed show notes including mentioned links and transcript at userdefenders.com/impostersyndrome This episode is brought to you by Adobe, makers of XD. Try it free at userdefenders.com/xd

Denise Jacobs teaches us how to banish our inner critic. She motivates us to realize what we’re capable of creatively. She encourages us to overcome the fear of the unknown by turning that fear into curiosity. She also guides us into how to ask for feedback in a way that’s healthy and beneficial to us. Why do so many think they're not creative? (6:08) Name that inner critic! (28:13) Listener Question: (43:35) Best advice for imposter syndrome sufferers? (80:34) Check out the detailed show notes including mentioned links, transcript and Eli Jorgensen’s astonishing superhero artwork at userdefenders.com/innercritic-2 This episode is brought to you by Adobe, makers of XD. Try it free at userdefenders.com/xd Get your FREE audiobook from Audible at userdefenders.com/freebook. No commitment. Cancel in 30 days, and you won't be charged. The book is still yours to keep.

Denise Jacobs teaches us how to banish our inner critic. She motivates us to realize what we’re capable of creatively. She encourages us to overcome the fear of the unknown by turning that fear into curiosity. She also guides us into how to ask for feedback in a way that’s healthy and beneficial to us. Why did you write “Banish Your Inner Critic”? (8:27) We’re all born creative…what happens to us? (27:11) Creativity > public school (35:04) Do you have Dunning Kruger effect? (39:49) The value of a creativity cheerleader (49:25) Listener question: How can I assure my self worth is not dependent on external sources? (57:05) Check out the detailed show notes including mentioned links, transcript and Eli Jorgensen’s astonishing superhero artwork at userdefenders.com/innercritic-1 This episode is brought to you by Adobe, makers of XD. Try it free at userdefenders.com/xd Get your FREE audiobook from Audible at userdefenders.com/freebook. No commitment. Cancel in 30 days, and you won't be charged. The book is still

Josh Clark enlightens us to everything we need to know about the current state of UX in AI. He takes us on an unsettling stroll through uncanny valley. He encourages us to let machines do what they're really good at, and humans do what they're really good at. He guides us into how to begin getting our hands dirty with AI/Machine-Learning. He also articulates how our software/machines are embedded with values, and inspires us (for future's sake) to be intentional about the kinds of values we embed into them. Josh passes the Turing Test (07:33) What is AI/Machine Learning? (10:04) Is AI’s uncertainties driving engineers nuts? (18:28) Listener Q: How do we address AI's failure in presenting errors? (27:00) Taking a stroll down "uncanny valley” + “mechanophilia" (34:35) Is there hope for the UX of Voice UI? (42:05) Will the machines we’ve built eventually overtake and destroy us? (55:08) Will AI eventually take our jobs? (68:35) Is there a specific area of focus that will benefit designers interested in AI? (77:

Alan Cooper teaches us what it means to be a good ancestor. He enlightens us to why it’s so hard to build good software. He reveals how money trumps good UX and ethics far too often. He explains why UX is not about finding the best location for a hamburger menu, but about solving the big problems that exist for the user and the business. He also inspires us to consider (and potentially redirect) the footprints we’re leaving now, for the generations to come. Should designers code? (4:40) Specialization vs. generalization (7:41) How do designers get business on board with building great products? (13:19) How do you be a good ancestor? (25:30) Ancestry Thinking (41:06) What does the future of UX look like to you? (44:01) What advice do you have for aspiring UX designers? (53:13) What do you want your legacy to be? (57:16) Check out the detailed show notes including the transcript and Eli Jorgensen’s astonishing superhero artwork at userdefenders.com/053-2 This episode is brought to you by Adobe, makers of XD.

Alan Cooper teaches us what it means to be a good ancestor. He enlightens us to why it’s so hard to build good software. He reveals how money trumps good UX and ethics far too often. He explains why UX is not about finding the best location for a hamburger menu, but about solving the big problems that exist for the user and the business. He also inspires us to consider (and potentially redirect) the footprints we’re leaving now, for the generations to come. There’s no such thing as UX Design? (8:13) Why do you put so much emphasis on Interaction Design? (24:41) How important are design patterns? (31:35) How do you build a product you can’t prove is valuable yet? (45:58) Why are there so many bad products in the world? (50:50) Check out the detailed show notes including the transcript and Eli Jorgensen’s astonishing superhero artwork at userdefenders.com/053-1 This episode is brought to you by Adobe, makers of XD. Try it free at userdefenders.com/xd Get your FREE audiobook from Audible at userdefenders.com/f