Insights Unlocked

Episode web page ----------------------- >>> Insights Unlocked audience survey <<< Link https://bit.ly/3y4u9IJ We're conducting a survey to learn more about our listeners, and we'd love your participation! Your feedback will help us tailor our content to better meet your needs and interests, ensuring Insights Unlocked continues to provide valuable and engaging episodes. Thank you for helping us improve the show! ----------------------- The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register. ----------------------- Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review. Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day. ----------------------- Show Notes In this episode of Insights Unlocked, Jason Giles, VP of Design at UserTesting, sits down with Ryan Leffel, VP and Head of Design at Priceline. They explore what it takes to lead design teams during times of uncertainty, whether it's a global pandemic, economic shifts, or technological changes. Ryan reflects on his leadership journey, shares key lessons from managing through the COVID-19 crisis, and provides actionable insights for staying resilient, innovative, and customer-focused in turbulent times. Ryan's career spans roles at major companies like RGA, Yahoo, and Quora before landing at Priceline, where he leads design and research across multiple platforms. His experiences have shaped his ability to adapt, solve problems creatively, and maintain focus on user-centered design, even when the external landscape is constantly shifting. Key Takeaways: Leadership in times of uncertainty: Ryan emphasizes the importance of staying calm and resilient as a leader. Leaders who remain composed encourage their teams to stay focused and avoid panic. Staying true to your mission: Throughout times of change, it’s crucial to remain aligned with your company’s mission.  Creative problem-solving and efficiency: In today’s fast-paced environment, especially with fewer resources, creativity in how teams approach work is more important than ever. Embracing change as an opportunity: Ryan discusses the mindset of viewing change not as a disruption, but as an opportunity for innovation. Fostering a safe space for failure: Experimentation is a core part of design and research. By creating a culture where it's safe to fail, teams can iterate quickly and improve faster. The role of AI in design and research: Ryan touches on the growing influence of AI in design and research. While there may be some initial skepticism, he believes AI is a tool that can assist—rather than replace—designers and researchers. Cross-functional collaboration: One of the keys to building successful products is getting cross-functional teams involved early. This approach ensures alignment from the beginning and empowers everyone to contribute to the solution.

Episode web page ----------------------- >>> Insights Unlocked audience survey <<< Link https://bit.ly/3y4u9IJ We're conducting a survey to learn more about our listeners, and we'd love your participation! Your feedback will help us tailor our content to better meet your needs and interests, ensuring Insights Unlocked continues to provide valuable and engaging episodes. Thank you for helping us improve the show! ----------------------- The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register. ----------------------- Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review. Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day. ----------------------- Show Notes: In this episode of Insights Unlocked, host Nathan Isaacs sits down with Paul Strike, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Design Research, formerly at Goldman Sachs. With over 20 years of experience in design leadership, Paul shares his deep insights into how organizations can cultivate a progressive design and innovation culture. He discusses the critical role of leadership in fostering environments where design can thrive and highlights the importance of balancing strategic thinking with tactical execution. Paul also delves into the challenges of integrating design into core business strategies, offering practical advice on overcoming the disconnect between design and business goals. He introduces three key leadership roles—Architect, Bridge, and Catalyst—that are essential for driving design-centric innovation and creating a culture of continuous discovery and learning. Towards the end of the episode, Paul explores the future of design, particularly in the context of AI and the evolving employee experience, offering his thoughts on how these trends will shape the digital landscape in the years to come. Key Takeaways: Mature Design Culture: A mature, progressive design culture is marked by the ability to operate at both strategic and tactical levels, leveraging diverse skill sets to drive change at scale. Leadership's Role in Innovation: Effective leadership in a design-driven organization involves shaping cultures and capabilities, co-creating future visions, and fostering an environment that supports innovation at every level. Three Essential Leadership Roles: Architect: Focuses on building cultures and capabilities. Bridge: Leverages external expertise to complement internal efforts. Catalyst: Acts as a change agent to accelerate innovation across the organization. Authentic Leadership: Transparency and integrity are crucial for building a culture of trust and engagement. The HAL framework (Honesty, Authenticity, Integrity, Loyalty) is a powerful tool for leaders looking to foster open communication. Continuous Discovery and Learning: Successful design teams embrace a culture of continuous discovery, iterating and learning from failures to create superior products and services. Future of Design: The rise of AI and the evolution of the employee experience are poised to significantly impact the digital landscape, with design playing a central role in shaping these developments. Connect with Paul Strike: LinkedIn: Paul Strike on LinkedIn

Episode web page ----------------------- >>> Insights Unlocked audience survey <<< Link https://bit.ly/3y4u9IJ We're conducting a survey to learn more about our listeners, and we'd love your participation! Your feedback will help us tailor our content to better meet your needs and interests, ensuring Insights Unlocked continues to provide valuable and engaging episodes. Thank you for helping us improve the show! ----------------------- The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register. ----------------------- Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review. Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day. ----------------------- Show Notes: In this episode of Insights Unlocked, we sit down with Kasey Canlas, UX Research Manager at Genesys, live from a UX conference. With over five years of experience in research operations and three years as a manager, Kasey shares her expertise on how to strengthen collaboration within organizations to amplify the impact of UX research. Key Takeaways: Leveraging Internal Expertise: Kasey discusses the importance of looking beyond your immediate team to find and collaborate with experts in other departments. By harnessing the strengths of colleagues across the organization, UX researchers can improve their own work and drive more meaningful outcomes. Clear and Actionable Communication: One of the major themes Kasey emphasizes is the need for delivering research findings in a clear, concise, and actionable manner. Avoiding unnecessary complexity in presentations ensures that key insights are easily understood and applied by stakeholders. Building Genuine Relationships: Kasey highlights the value of forming genuine connections with stakeholders before critical needs arise. Regular, informal check-ins help in understanding their values and working styles, which can lead to more productive collaborations down the line. Creating and Maintaining Research Repositories: The episode touches on the challenges and successes of implementing research repositories in different organizations. Kasey stresses the importance of having the right processes and shared responsibility in maintaining these resources. Giving Stakeholders Grace: Kasey advises listeners to practice empathy with stakeholders, recognizing that everyone has different expertise and constraints. This approach fosters better communication and collaboration. Quotes from the Episode: “It’s about making everything you have—whether it’s findings or recommendations—actionable, clear, and easy to follow.” “Build relationships before you actually need anything from them. That’s how you create genuine connections.” Episode Links: Kasey Canlas on LinkedIn UXDX conference

Episode web page ----------------------- >>> Insights Unlocked audience survey <<< Link https://bit.ly/3y4u9IJ We're conducting a survey to learn more about our listeners, and we'd love your participation! Your feedback will help us tailor our content to better meet your needs and interests, ensuring Insights Unlocked continues to provide valuable and engaging episodes. Thank you for helping us improve the show! ----------------------- The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register. ----------------------- Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review. Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day. ----------------------- Show Notes: Key Themes & Topics:1. Introduction to Rory Madden Rory Madden's background and his roles as co-founder of UXDX and creator of Zero Blockers. His journey from big consultancies to startups to co-founding UXDX. 2. Zero Blockers Framework Purpose & Development: A framework designed to help companies maintain the agility of small teams while scaling. Challenges Addressed: Tackles issues such as team empowerment, funding, governance, and dependency management. Implementation: Built on insights from 800 real-world case studies, emphasizing practical solutions over theoretical concepts. 3. The Challenges with Agile Theory vs. Practice: Agile's brilliant theoretical foundation versus its practical difficulties in large organizations. Bureaucracy and Dependencies: How traditional agile frameworks add layers of management and slow down processes. 4. Insights from UXDX Conference Conference Evolution: From niche UX discussions to a comprehensive event covering product development, design, and teamwork. Format and Approach: Focus on case study-driven content, interactive forums, and cross-functional team collaboration. Upcoming Events: Details about the next UXDX conference in Dublin, Ireland, featuring diverse sessions and networking opportunities. 5. Practical Advice for Conference Attendees Setting Goals: Whether to learn industry trends, enhance skills, or network. Effective Networking: Approaching networking with a mindset of offering value and building meaningful connections. 6. Real-World Applications and Case Studies Examples and Takeaways: Stories from industry leaders and how they've applied the Zero Blockers framework. Listener Engagement: Encouraging listeners to visit the Zero Blockers and UXDX websites for further resources and to share their own case studies. Key Quotes: "Zero Blockers helps companies scale and maintain the speed of small teams by addressing challenges that other frameworks evade." "Agile is brilliant in theory, but when applied in practice, it often creates bureaucratic slowdowns due to dependencies." "At UXDX, we emphasize real case studies and practical solutions over theoretical discussions to foster better team collaboration." Episode Links: Rory Madden on LinkedIn UXDX conference Zero Blockers UserTesting’s The Human Insight Summit (THiS)

In this Insights Unlocked episode, Brian Walker shares expert insights on how retailers can master digital commerce this holiday season. From optimizing e-commerce fundamentals to navigating the complexities of retail media and omnichannel strategies, Brian shares invaluable tips to help you stay ahead in a competitive market. Whether you're a retail veteran or new to the game, you won't want to miss this episode!. Episode web page ----------------------- >>> Insights Unlocked audience survey <<< Link https://bit.ly/3y4u9IJ We're conducting a survey to learn more about our listeners, and we'd love your participation! Your feedback will help us tailor our content to better meet your needs and interests, ensuring Insights Unlocked continues to provide valuable and engaging episodes. Thank you for helping us improve the show! ----------------------- The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register. ----------------------- Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review. Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day. ----------------------- Key Topics Discussed: The Importance of Fundamentals: Brian emphasizes the need for retailers to focus on the basics, such as site speed, product discovery, and a seamless checkout process, to ensure a frictionless shopping experience during the holiday rush. Pull Quote: “It’s going to be important to really focus in on the fundamentals and the basics.” Common Digital Obstacles: Even large retailers face challenges like irrelevant search results and non-intuitive filtering options. Brian discusses the importance of seeing these issues through the customer's eyes and leveraging tools like UserTesting to identify and fix pain points. Pull Quote: “It really comes down to seeing it through the customer's eyes.” The Role of Retail Media: Brian highlights the rapid growth of retail media and the potential risks it poses to the user experience. He advises retailers to strike a balance between monetizing their platforms and maintaining a positive customer experience. Pull Quote: “The proliferation of retail media is going to have a pretty significant impact overall.” Omnichannel Challenges: The discussion also covers the complexities of providing a seamless omnichannel experience, where many retailers still struggle with siloed systems and inconsistent customer journeys. Pull Quote: “The customer doesn’t perceive it that way at all and hasn’t for a while.” Future Priorities for Retailers: Looking ahead to 2024, Brian advises retailers to invest in order management solutions, personalization strategies, and the integration of marketing with digital experiences to stay competitive. Pull Quote: “Personalization has been a key topic for 25 years... where marketers and merchants will start to pay closer attention is the intersection between their marketing and the digital experiences they’re delivering.” Episode Links: Substack: Cocktails and Commerce

In the latest episode of Insights Unlocked, Richard Dalton, Head of Design for Consumer at Verizon, shares his framework for designing sustainable customer experiences from how you build the team to nurturing a customer-aware organization.  Episode web page ----------------------- >>> Insights Unlocked audience survey <<< Link https://bit.ly/3y4u9IJ We're conducting a survey to learn more about our listeners, and we'd love your participation! Your feedback will help us tailor our content to better meet your needs and interests, ensuring Insights Unlocked continues to provide valuable and engaging episodes. Thank you for helping us improve the show! ----------------------- The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register. ----------------------- Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review. Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day. ----------------------- Show Notes: Introduction: Host introduces Richard Dalton, Head of Design for Consumer at Verizon. Richard’s role at Verizon involves overseeing the design of all consumer-facing interactions, including apps, websites, and physical interactions and store experiences. He leads a  team of 250 designers (and growing) who create human-centric experiences for over 100 million customers. Key Themes and Takeaways: Creating Effective UX Design Structures: Richard emphasizes that hiring talented designers is not enough; organizations must also invest in building internal design teams and supportive structures. The need for internal design of the organization to enable the creation of exceptional experiences for both employees and customers. Behavior-Based Metrics for UX: The limitations of broad metrics like Net Promoter Scores (NPS) for design purposes. Richard's preference for specific, behavior-based questions to measure customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Examples of actionable metrics, such as product usage patterns and customer behaviors. Extending UX Beyond Digital Interfaces: The misconception that UX design is limited to surface-level elements like colors and navigation. How every department in an organization, from legal to procurement, impacts the overall customer experience. The importance of a holistic approach to UX, ensuring all organizational decisions consider their impact on customers. Fostering a Customer-Aware Culture: Richard's vision of a future where all employees understand and prioritize customer impact in their decision-making. The dream of seeing policy discussions centered around customer impact even without a designer in the room. Visualization and Communication: The significance of visualizing complex information on a single page for better decision-making, inspired by Edward Tufte's design principles. The critical role of effective storytelling in ensuring that important information influences organizational decisions. Verizon's Design Team Expansion: Richard announces Verizon's plans to hire 180 designers. The goal is to increase the representation of full-time employees in the design team, reducing reliance on contractors and agencies. Episode Links: Richard Dalton on LinkedIn Verizon's careers page BLOG: A primer to design systems: Making yours in 5 steps GUIDE: The ultimate guide to user-centric product design

In this episode, Rebecca Goodman, the Chief Digital Officer at the FDIC, shares her advice for building a team from scratch. Episode web page ----------------------- >>> Insights Unlocked audience survey <<< Link https://bit.ly/3y4u9IJ We're conducting a survey to learn more about our listeners, and we'd love your participation! Your feedback will help us tailor our content to better meet your needs and interests, ensuring Insights Unlocked continues to provide valuable and engaging episodes. Thank you for helping us improve the show! ----------------------- The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register. ----------------------- Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review. Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day. ----------------------- Episode Description: In this insightful episode of Insights Unlocked, we sit down with Rebecca Goodman, the Chief Digital Officer at the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation). Rebecca shares her journey and the monumental tasks she has undertaken to overhaul the FDIC’s digital presence. From building a digital team from the ground up to implementing a new content management system, Rebecca’s work is revolutionizing how the FDIC interacts with its stakeholders. Tune in to learn about the challenges and triumphs of driving digital transformation in a federal agency. Episode Highlights: Introduction to Rebecca Goodman (00:00 - 00:12) Rebecca’s role as the Chief Digital Officer at FDIC. Overview of FDIC’s mission to insure bank deposits. Rebecca’s Journey and Role at the FDIC (00:12 - 01:18) Her 13-year career in the federal government. Initial tasks at FDIC: overhauling digital properties and establishing a UX practice. Challenges of Digital Transformation in a Federal Agency (01:18 - 02:54) Managing extensive projects and avoiding overwhelm. Implementing a content management system and overhauling the intranet. Building and Leading a Digital Team (02:54 - 04:34) Hiring the first UX designer at FDIC. Recruiting for various roles including developers, UX researchers, and social media experts. Navigating the Federal Hiring Process (04:34 - 05:58) Challenges of federal hiring regulations. Importance of specialized experience and the direct hire process for certain roles. Creating a Seamless Digital Experience (05:58 - 07:24) Conducting stakeholder interviews across the organization. Designing an intranet that integrates multiple internal tools for ease of use. Advice for Digital Transformation Leaders (07:24 - 09:09) Importance of cultural fit and soft skills in building a team. Coaching existing teams to adapt to new digital processes. Motivation for Working in the Federal Government (09:09 - 12:34) Rebecca’s mission-driven approach and dedication to public service. The critical role of FDIC in maintaining financial security and public trust. Closing Thoughts and How to Connect with Rebecca (12:34 - 13:17) Rebecca invites listeners to reach out via FDIC’s social media channels or her LinkedIn profile. Resources Mentioned: FDIC Website: FDIC.gov Connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn: Rebecca Goodman

In this episode, Nathan Isaacs talks with Anthony Maggio, VP of Product Management at AirTable, about building an AI-powered product development process. Episode web page ----------------------- >>> Insights Unlocked audience survey <<< We're conducting a survey to learn more about our listeners, and we'd love your participation! Your feedback will help us tailor our content to better meet your needs and interests, ensuring Insights Unlocked continues to provide valuable and engaging episodes. Thank you for helping us improve the show! Survey link https://bit.ly/3y4u9IJ ----------------------- The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register. ----------------------- Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review. Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day. ----------------------- Episode Links: Anthony on LinkedIn UXDX Airtable Join the Conversation: We’d love to hear your thoughts on today’s episode. Join the discussion on our social media channels or leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.

In this episode, Nathan Isaacs talks with Mamuna Oladipo, VP of Product at Shopify, about building trust within an organization. Episode web page ----------------------- The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register. ----------------------- Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review. Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day. ----------------------- Episode Description: In this insightful episode of Insights Unlocked, we sit down with Mamuna Oladipo, the VP of Product at Shopify. Mamuna shares her wealth of experience from her journey through various tech roles and companies. She delves into the crucial topic of building trust within cross-functional teams and offers practical advice on networking within a company. Whether you’re a product manager, UX designer, or an executive, Mamuna’s insights on leadership and team dynamics are sure to resonate and provide valuable takeaways. Key Themes and Ideas: Introduction to Mamuna Oladipo: Mamuna introduces herself and shares her background in tech, highlighting her roles in design, product management, engineering, data, and research. Building trust in teams: The importance of building trust slowly and steadily. Tips on how to genuinely understand team dynamics and create personal connections. Emphasizing one-on-one meetings and being fully present to build strong relationships. Networking within a company: Mamuna’s strategy for building a robust internal network by meeting different people and seeking further introductions. The significance of maintaining these relationships and periodically checking in. Leadership concerns and strategies: Key concerns for leaders, including team impact and alignment with company goals. The necessity of continuous communication and staying deeply involved in team activities to prevent misalignment. Proactive steps to ensure teams stay on track and avoid long-term issues. Advice for leaders: The importance of knowing your team members and understanding their challenges and workflows. How this understanding drives both individual and team impact, aligning efforts with broader organizational goals. Notable Quotes: "Take the time to learn and understand your team, understand the dynamics. Understand how you can differentiate, just how the team has been operating." "Building a network within the company is vital. You need to have connections to understand the company culture and gather insights." "Ensuring continuous communication and staying ahead of potential issues by being deeply involved in team activities is crucial." Episode Links: Mamuna on LinkedIn Shopify UXDX The First 90 Days Join the Conversation: We’d love to hear your thoughts on today’s episode. Join the discussion on our social media channels or leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.

In this episode, Nathan Isaacs talks with Parisa Bazl from Commvault Systems about building scalable design systems that unite developers and designers. Episode web page ----------------------- The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register. ----------------------- In this episode of Insights Unlocked, we sit down with Parisa Bazl, Head of UX at Commvault Systems, at a UX conference in New York City. Parisa shares her expert insights on creating scalable design systems that work seamlessly for both designers and developers. She delves into the importance of clear frameworks, the challenges of scaling in large enterprises, and the role of AI in design. Additionally, Parisa discusses the significance of diversity in tech and her efforts to create opportunities for underprivileged youths in the industry. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on bridging the gap between design and development, and the human-centric approach to technology. Key Themes: Scalable Design Systems: Importance of frameworks in scaling design systems. Utilizing object-oriented development to organize patterns and components. Reducing the need for constant guidance between designers and developers. Challenges in Scaling: Addressing the resource disparity in design teams. Strategies to meet demands without extensive handholding. Importance of clear standards and empowering teams. Starting with Key User Flows: Focusing on specific use cases before abstracting patterns. Creating a reference system for future use cases. Overcoming Resistance: Speaking developers’ language to ease workload concerns. Ensuring designers understand their ongoing role amidst standardized systems. Role of AI in Design: Potential for automation in design decisions. Emphasizing the human aspect of technology. Using AI as a tool to deliver better user experiences. Diversity in Tech: Importance of diverse viewpoints in technology design. Creating pathways for non-traditional candidates. Parisa’s involvement with a program training underprivileged youths in technical skills. Human-Centric Approach: Keeping the focus on human experiences in technology. Adapting to the ever-evolving tech landscape. Guest Bio: Parisa Bazl is the Head of UX at Commvault Systems, specializing in enterprise software applications for data protection, cybersecurity, and cyber resiliency. With a strong background in UX design and a passion for bridging the gap between designers and developers, Parisa brings valuable insights into creating scalable and effective design systems. Episode links: Commvault Systems: Commvault Parisa’s LinkedIn: Parisa Bazl Follow Us: LinkedIn: Insights Unlocked Twitter: @InsightsUnlocked YouTube: Insights Unlocked Subscribe & Leave a Review: Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe to Insights Unlocked on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review!

In this Insights Unlocked episode, T. Rowe Price’s Alex Wilson explains why you should take a business-centric approach to managing your design system. Episode web page ----------------------- The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register. -----------------------

In this Insights Unlocked episode, Toast’s Jehad Affoneh describes the ‘pulling the thread’ methodology to solve complex problems. Episode web page ----------------------- The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register. ----------------------- Episode Description: In this insightful episode recorded at the UXDX conference in New York City, host Nathan Isaacs talks with Jehad Affoneh, the Chief Design Officer at Toast, to delve into an innovative methodology his team employed to enhance the customer experience for Toast's 100,000+ restaurant customers. Toast is a restaurant point of sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience. Key Themes: Pulling the Thread Methodology: Addressing complex problems by finding the right thread in a tangled ball of yarn and pulling it to untangle the complexity. Steps to Implement: Identify pain points from both customer and internal perspectives. Find themes within these pain points to locate scalable solutions. Test these solutions with a cohort of customers to validate effectiveness. Challenges in the Restaurant Industry: Restaurants operate in fast-paced, high-stress environments with frequent technical issues. Reflections on the Journey: The rewarding nature of working at Toast, making daily impacts on real people and communities. The satisfaction of seeing long-term projects come to fruition and positively affect customers. Additional Resources: Toast website UXDX Conference UserTesting Subscribe and Follow: Don't forget to subscribe to the Insights Unlocked podcast for more expert insights and tips on designing digital products that people love. Follow us on LinkedIn for updates and more content.

In this enlightening episode of Insights Unlocked, host Nathan Isaacs sits down with Karen Hawkins, Principal of Accessible Design at Level Access, during the UXDX conference in New York City. Together, they dive deep into the world of digital accessibility, exploring why it remains a critical yet often overlooked aspect of design. Karen shares valuable insights on how companies can create inclusive digital experiences and the importance of accessibility in today's digital landscape. Link to this episode's web page ----------------------- The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register. ----------------------- Episode Description: In this enlightening episode of Insights Unlocked, host Nathan Isaacs sits down with Karen Hawkins, Principal of Accessible Design at Level Access, during the UXDX conference in New York City. Together, they dive deep into the world of digital accessibility, exploring why it remains a critical yet often overlooked aspect of design. Karen shares valuable insights on how companies can create inclusive digital experiences and the importance of accessibility in today's digital landscape. Key Themes & Takeaways: Introduction to Digital Accessibility: Karen introduces herself and her role at Level Access. The discussion opens with an overview of digital accessibility and its importance in ensuring everyone can execute tasks efficiently, regardless of their abilities or characteristics. Current State of Accessibility: Despite existing laws and guidelines, accessibility issues persist, particularly simple ones like contrast problems. Karen references Web Aim’s annual survey, which highlights recurring accessibility issues on top websites. Challenges and Solutions: The need for both grassroots efforts and top-down support to drive meaningful change in accessibility. Importance of conducting audits focusing on people, processes, and tools to benchmark and improve accessibility. Setting realistic, incremental goals for continuous improvement in accessibility practices. Beyond Digital Products: Accessibility extends to organizational culture and practices, including hiring and travel policies. The discussion emphasizes that accessibility is a global issue, supported by laws like the European Accessibility Act and guidelines from the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Resources and Personal Responsibility: Karen recommends resources like the W3C’s introductory courses and Web Aim for those looking to learn more about accessibility. The importance of individuals taking personal responsibility for creating accessible digital content within their organizations. Call to Action: Karen encourages listeners to connect with her on LinkedIn for further resources and insights on accessibility. Final thoughts on fostering a culture of inclusivity and accessibility in every aspect of digital and organizational practices. Connect with Karen Hawkins: LinkedIn: Karen Hawkins (Note: Ensure you find the right Karen Hawkins, not the romance novelist!) Additional Resources: W3C Introductory Course on Accessibility Web Aim

Episode web page ----------------------- The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register. ----------------------- Special Offer To celebrate her participation in the podcast, Caroline offers a 15% discount on her book "Surveys That Work" from Rosenfeld Media. Use the code CJFORMS24 at checkout, valid through July 2024. ----------------------- Episode Summary: In this episode of the Insights Unlocked podcast, hosts Nathan Isaacs and Mike McDowell are joined by Caroline Jarrett, a leading expert in forms and surveys. Caroline, the author of "Surveys That Work" and "Forms That Work," shares her extensive knowledge on designing effective surveys and forms that yield meaningful insights. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of her consultancy Effortmark, Caroline delves into best practices, common pitfalls, and the evolving role of AI in survey methodologies. Key Themes: Importance of interviews before surveys: Caroline emphasizes starting with interviews to understand the vocabulary and concerns of potential respondents. Interviews help refine survey questions and ensure they resonate with the target audience. Focus on the Most Crucial Question(s): The discussion highlights the need to identify and prioritize the most crucial questions in a survey. Avoiding lengthy and overwhelming surveys helps maintain respondent engagement and yields more reliable data. Iterative testing and design: Caroline and Mike stress the importance of iterative testing in survey design. Continuous refinement based on feedback ensures that surveys are effective and user-friendly. Impact of AI on surveys: The role of AI in surveys is explored, noting that while AI can enhance data processing, human oversight is crucial for interpreting complex responses. Caroline shares her early experiences with AI in forms, providing a historical perspective on its development. Practical tips for form design: The episode includes practical tips for optimizing form design, such as placing confirmatory fields below the initial input fields to reduce errors. Caroline advocates for avoiding placeholder text inside input boxes, as it can lead to confusion and mistakes. Guest Information: Caroline Jarrett on LinkedIn Website: Effortmark Social Media: Caroline is active on LinkedIn and Blue Sky, and occasionally checks Twitter as @CJForms. Special Offer: Caroline offers a 15% discount on her book "Surveys That Work" from Rosenfeld Media. Use the code CJFORMS24 at checkout, valid through July 2024. Additional Resources: Caroline's website provides access to various resources, including a free poster titled "Listen First, Ask Second." For more insights, listeners can explore Caroline's articles and presentations on form and survey design. Blog: 4 methods for designing truly engaging customer surveys Connect with Us: Nathan Isaacs: Senior Manager for Content Production at UserTesting Mike McDowell: Senior Solutions Consultant at UserTesting, known for his UX research videos on LinkedIn and YouTube. Subscribe & Follow: Stay updated with the latest episodes and insights by subscribing to Insights Unlocked on your favorite podcast platform. Follow us on social media for more updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Episode web page ----------------------- The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register. ----------------------- SHOW NOTES:  Host: Andy MacMillan, CEO of UserTesting Guest: Jakob Nielsen, UX pioneer and founder of UX Tigers Summary: In this enlightening episode of Insights Unlocked, host Andy MacMillan converses with Jakob Nielsen, a renowned figure in the UX world. Known as the “King of Usability,” Nielsen shares his thoughts on the commoditization of UX, the role of AI in transforming digital experiences, and offers crucial career advice for UX professionals. Key Themes & Topics: AI as the Integration Glue: Nielsen explains how AI can unify fragmented digital experiences—improving the user’s experience—by integrating various applications and platforms, particularly through natural language processing and image recognition. “The hope is that AI can actually become the integration glue that will put this fragmentation together again, like a jigsaw puzzle” The Commoditization of UX: Nielsen discusses how AI-created efficiencies is dropping the costs for UX research, making it more accessible, reducing skill gaps and allowing a broader range of professionals to contribute to UX tasks. Career Advice for UX Professionals: Embrace the evolving nature of the industry and focus on becoming highly specialized in a specific domain. Join small, agile teams that are empowered and can move quickly, akin to superhero teams. “Try to get on some of those fast-moving, very high efficient, very empowered, augmented, accelerated product teams”​​. Democratization vs. Amateurization of UX: Nielsen prefers the term "amateurization" over "democratization," emphasizing that more people can now engage in UX without necessarily being experts. “I don't care what people's job title is. I care that they use these methods of user research and iterative design” . AI in UX Research and Design: AI significantly enhances ideation by generating numerous ideas rapidly, aiding in analysis by converting qualitative data into quantitative insights. “Ideation is free with AI, so just ask for as many ideas as you feel like having time to read” . Future of UX Teams: Nielsen predicts a shift towards more efficient, smaller teams with enhanced capabilities due to AI, reducing the need for extensive management hierarchies. “We will start having very, very efficient product teams, quite likely very small product teams that can accelerate immensely how fast they ship”​​. Quotes: "Accept how the world is evolving and find your best place in that rather than resist it" - Jakob Nielsen "AI can vastly increase usability by integrating fragmented user experiences" - Jakob Nielsen "The synergy of collaboration between human and AI is where the future lies" - Jakob Nielsen Where to Learn More: Follow Jakob Nielsen's latest insights on his new website, UX Tiger, and subscribe to his newsletter for weekly updates.