Awkward Silences

What does good “scrappy” user research look like? According to Varun Murugesan, Co-founder of Apple and Banana, “You could throw anything at Jason Bourne and he would solve it... Would it be effective? {Yes—and] that's what I think about. I don't need all the fanciest tools or software.” Being good at scrappy user research is like being the Jason Bourne of research: being effective with what you have, even if you’re shot down by a tight research budget or limited in bandwidth. Varun joins Erin and JH to discuss his tips for doing scrappy research, advice for finding and utilizing creative techniques in research, and the potential positive and negative effects of the AI explosion. Highlights:  [00:01:38] The value of “scrappy” research in tough economic times [00:05:50] Being “scrappy” is about speed [00:08:51] Innovating with scarce resources during the pandemic [00:17:33] Enhancing creativity through messiness [00:21:40] Sources of inspo for creative research [00:25:07] Re-evaluating your work and success [00:31:03] Research during the AI explosion [000:35:55] 7 years strong doing research, plus new opportunities for the future Sources mentioned in the episode: userinterviews.com/awkward fruitful.appleandbanana.org About Our Guest Varun Murugesan is the Co-Founder of Apple and Banana, a UXR training and development company helping to build better products through fruitful research. He is also the author of Fruitful, an online UX research library and toolkit of resources for researchers and UX teams aimed at conducting user experience research that drives impact. He is also the Senior UK Researcher of SeatGeek, a mobile ticketing marketplace. Before these positions, Varun worked in UXR roles at Best Buy and Facebook. An entrepreneur, author, and researcher, Varun has spent his career immersed in psychology, technology, and design, and has been featured on a various media platforms sharing fruitful research and his personal UXR career journey. A gift from Apple & Banana and Awkward Silences Interested in trying Apple & Banana for your next research project? Use our code AWKWARD-FRUITS-35 to save 35% on Fruitful, an advanced UX research repository used by 100s of teams around the world. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

“There’s a certain amount of forgetting that we need to do in order to learn something new.” – Kevin Kelly, Founding Editor of Wired magazine Whether you are designing a research project, prototyping a product, or carving out your career path, unlearning plays an important role in learning new things. But how do we embrace them in a practical way that leads to viable success? For Kevin Kelly, Publisher and Founding Editor of Wired, leaning on failure is a crucial aspect of the creative writing process—and the motions of life in general. From giving advice on embracing mistakes to finding true joy and fulfillment, Kevin Kelly shares a raw perspective on applying important life lessons to both work and life. In this episode we discuss: Understanding “known failures” and “unknown failures” Forgetting and unlearning your bias.  Prototyping and experimentation in research and in life Career advice, tips, and hacks Highlights: [00:01:51] Navigating failure: tractable vs. intractable failures [00:05:37] Understanding other people's beliefs and questioning our own [00:12:25] The value of prototyping and experimentation in life and your career [00:16:47] Redefining success and exploring unique opportunities [00:22:15] Learning what to ignore and discarding unnecessary information [00:33:44] Kevin's current project on a 100-year desirable future! Sources mentioned in the episode: userinterviews.com/awkward https://kk.org/books/the-inevitable About Our Guest Kevin Kelly is an accomplished author, speaker, and “evergreen optimist,” known for his work on technology, innovation, and the future. As the founding executive editor of Wired, Kevin has been instrumental in shaping discussions around technology and its implications on society. He has authored several influential books, including "The Inevitable," which delves into the technological forces that will impact our future. Currently, Kevin is working on a project envisioning a desirable 100-year future. Awkward Silences Survey Take this survey and let us know what topics you want to hear next! userinterviews.com/awkwardsurvey --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

AI has recently become hugely popular with the likes of ChatGPT becoming a staple in day to day life, and it looks like it is here to stay. Could it replace the job of a researcher completely? Mike Adams, CEO and Founder of Grain doesn’t think so. Join the conversation as they discuss the potential perks and limitations of utilizing AI in research and product development, tips for getting started in the world of AI, and an insight into the current shift in the roadmap for research products. In this episode we discuss: [00:02:37] The potential of AI for automating away the monotonous  [00:14:23] Utilizing AI: building versus buying [00:18:05] Tips for getting started with AI applications [00:25:55] A shift in the roadmap of potential research products [00:31:43] How utilizing AI could go wrong for researchers Sources mentioned in the episode: userinterviews.com/awkward grain.com About Our Guest Mike Adams is the CEO and Co-Founder of Grain, a communication platform for teams that helps capture video snippets with ease. Self-describing as a three-time founder with over ten years of experience building skills for job education software programs, Mike is a pioneer for fully immersive cohort-based education. His current mission with Grain is to help teams to share more understanding with each other and the people they work together to serve, thus creating a more cohesive working environment. Mike has authored several useful articles, including “The Founder’s Guide to Actually Understanding Users”. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

Sylvana Rochet, Founder and Principal Coach at Elan Vital Coaching, visits the show to discuss what UX business coaching entails and how to maximize your professional growth opportunities with business coaching. Sylvana shares her past experiences coaching in the world of UX so you can learn what to expect from business coaching, how coaching works, and what the path of building a coaching career looks like. In this episode, we discuss: What does coaching entail? The individual benefits of coaching Finding the right coach When is it a good idea to consult a coach? What qualities do effective coaches have? Advice for aspiring coaches Highlights: [01:48.73] Sylvana defines coaching and shares her career journey [07:05.40] Sylvana explains why most people look for leadership coaches [10:59.60] The difference between mentorship and coaching [19:40.69] When not to call a coach and the duration of a coaching arrangement [21:52.00] Factors to consider when choosing a coach [27:14.36] What you can expect from working with a UX coach [39:51.76] Career tips for aspiring coaches  Sources mentioned in the episode: http://userinterviews.com/awkward https://www.linkedin.com/in/sylvanarochetbelleri https://www.linkedin.com/company/elan-vital-coaching About Our Guest Sylvana Rochet is the Founder and Principal Coach at Elan Vital, a leadership coaching and personal development company that helps founders and executives tap into their full potential and achieve their goals. Before founding Elan Vital, she worked as a Partner and Executive Coach at Evolution, a leading coaching, consulting, and investment firm that specializes in working with high-growth companies. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

A solid UX research strategy serves as the compass that guides research ops and helps ensure repeatable success. But how do you envision, create, and execute a strategy that helps you achieve your goals in the most effective way possible?  In this episode of Awkward Silences, Devin Harold, Director of Research at Capital One, unpacks how to craft and refine a winning UXR strategy, including tips to help you make team playbooks, win stakeholder buy-in, and inform your strategy with maturity models. In this episode, we discuss: The significance of a robust UX research strategy The definition of a good and bad strategy  Essential components of an effective research plan Aligning research with stakeholder needs and expectations Metrics and KPIs to evaluate progress and success Highlights [00:01:17] Strategy vs delivery, prioritizing projects and allocating resources   [00:10:13] The role of flexibility and adaptability [00:15:38] Gaining stakeholder buy-in and tying research to organizational objectives [00:21:05] Establishing KPIs and metrics to measure progress and success [00:33:46] Periodic reviews and updates to maintain relevance and effectiveness Sources mentioned in the episode: userinterviews.com/awkward Good Strategy/Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt UXR Maturity Models: Move to a more advanced level in your org by Nikki Anderson of Dovetail UX Strategy Components by Nielsen Norman Group The Organizational Appetite for Research by Behzod Sirjani About our guest: Devin Harold is the Director of UX Research at Capital One, where he leads a team dedicated to improving end-to-end experiences and touchpoints for one of the company’s primary business units. With over eleven years of experience in UX design and research, he has a deep understanding of research methodologies, leadership, strategy, frameworks, and interaction design. Devin’s expertise and leadership have been recognized with multiple awards, including the IDEA Award, Verizon Beyond Award, and Verizon Credo Award. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

Maintaining a huge insights repository can be overwhelming. It’s even more difficult to extract the right insights from research findings. Atomic research is an approach developed concurrently by Tomer Sharon and Daniel Pidcock to manage and break down research knowledge to their smallest modular form.  This week on Awkward Silences, Daniel Pidcock, the co-creator of atomic UX research and founder of Glean.ly, joins Erin and JH to explain this new approach to research knowledge management. Additionally, Daniel shares success stories of companies that have used Glean.ly to integrate data from disparate sources and glean meaningful insights.  In this episode, we discuss: What is atomic UX research? The pillars of atomic research How atomic research can improve your research strategy How does Glean.ly power atomic research? Highlights: [01:38.75] What is atomic research? What is Glean.ly? [08:24.98] Daniel discusses why atomic research works, including how it helps organizations solve crime cases [11:14.58] How Glean.ly enabled Just Eat to grow and expand [14:06.67] One big benefit of atomic research powered by Glean.ly [23:59.45] Applications for atomic research and research strategy tips [38:27.70] The atomic research origin story Sources mentioned in the episode: http://userinterviews.com/awkward https://www.linkedin.com/in/pidcock  Glean.ly https://www.dropbox.com/s/z5zaxi088jsllju/Gleanly%20-%20Atomic%20research%20cheat%20sheet.pdf?dl=0 About Our Guest Daniel Pidcock is the co-creator of atomic UX research and founder at Glean.ly, a UX research repository platform used by some of the world’s largest brands. He has spoken about atomic research at several events, including the UX Brighton Conference and Atomic UX Research for agencies. Before founding Glean.ly, Daniel worked as a UX consultant at Neighbourly, JUST EAT, and ie Marketing Communications. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

What are the best UX career options? How do you vet a potential employer to ensure it’s the right fit? Should you join a smaller firm that offers plenty of autonomy and flexibility, or does it make more sense to work for a larger company with a ton of resources? Erin, JH, and Marieke McClosky, Director of UX Research at LinkedIn, address these questions, examining UX research as a career and a practice as they discuss Marieke’s journey as a UX researcher.  In this episode, we discuss: Navigating a career path in UX research Making career moves that align with your goals How to start a career in UX research Pros and cons of different working environments  Vetting potential employers Highlights [01:27] Marieke’s first job was at Nielsen Norman Group [04:42] The benefits of working at a large organization like LinkedIn [7:12] Getting started with– choosing a direction when you are new to UX research [12:57] How to vetMarieke shares valuable advice on vetting employers [19:37] How does the UX research team come up with research questions? [25:29] TJH summarizes the differences between working at a large company vs. a smaller firm [39:24] The best thing about consulting is “the breadth of who you get to work with, the different industries, different teams” Sources mentioned in the episode: userinterviews.com/awkward About our guest Marieke McCloskey is the Director of UX Research at LinkedIn. For over a decade, she has worked as a UX researcher and consultant with the world’s most innovative companies, including Nielsen Norman Group and the NFL. She completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at the University College Utrecht and earned a MA in Cognitive Science at John Hopkins University. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

YouX 2023 is a wrap! No big deal, just us and 3500 other UX-obsessed friends. The half-day virtual event featured breakout sessions and presentations conducted by some of the brightest minds in UX, who covered a number of topics from personal wellness and professional growth to work-life balance and community.   We’d like to thank everyone who attended the event, especially our guest speakers, panelists, and moderators. It was a truly extraordinary YouXperience for everyone. Head over to our blog to get a full recap of the 2023 YouX conference and videos of the sessions—we clipped all the awkward silences parts out, so you don’t have to. You can also download a recording of the entire event at the YouX event page. In this episode, we discuss: Interviewing with confidence Mentorships and coaching Wellness and UX Your unique UX career path Dealing with imposter syndrome Highlights:   [00:02:59] Interviewing with Confidence (Danny Essner) – Awkward silence is your friend and dealing with self-doubt [00:07:38] Will You Be My Mentor? (Paul Derby) – Navigating the mentor-mentee relationship [00:12:36] Reframing the Imposter Syndrome (Panel) – You are not a computer! The panel address imposter syndrome and getting to the root of the problem [00:18:06] Wellness and UX: Going Beyond the User Experience (Dr. Christelle Ngnoumen) – Dealing with stress through mindfulness. The power of language on your perspective [00:24:32] Research for All: Building Healthy Teams Through Democratization (Kate Kalcevich) – for all, How can we democratize research? Democratizing generative and evaluative research Sources mentioned in the episode: userinterviews.com/awkward YouX 2023 Recap: Learnings, Session Recordings, and Additional Resources YouX 2023 - The Event for You, Researchers About our guests   Danny Essner is VP of Marketing at Chameleon, a SaaS platform that allows startups to create personalized and engaging experiences for their users. Paul Derby is a SR. Manager of UX Research at ServiceNow. Paul is also the founder of Paul Derby Coaching, LLC, where he provides 1:1 coaching to UX researchers who want to establish their personal style of leadership. Devin Harold is Director of UX Research at Capital One, where he leads a team focused on design and research for Capital One's Financial Services in New York. Erika Spear has ten years of experience in qualitative and mixed-method research design and execution. She is currently a Research Manager at AnswerLab. Varun M is a Senior UX Researcher at SeatGeek and the Co-Founder of Apple & Banana. Tiffany Eaton is a talented and creative self-employed graphic designer with expertise in logos, cover art, graphic design, children's illustration, and children's book illustration. Nikki Anderson-Stanier is Founder & Managing Director of User Research Academy, a company that offers coaching, mentoring, and remote courses on UX Research. Fredrick Royster is an accomplished educator and UX/Web/Graphic Designer with over twenty years of experience in web design and front-end development. Dr. Christelle Ngnoumen is Principal User Experience Designer at Headspace Health, where she leads internal and external research programs dedicated to the design of Headspace's evidence-based digital interventions. Kate Kalcevich is Head of Accessibility and Innovation at Fable, a platform for people of all abilities, where she works on democratizing design and accessibility. For our guests' full bios, visit https://www.userinterviews.com/blog/best-highlights-from-youx-2023 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

Whether you are a team of one or one hundred, cultivating a healthy research culture starts with strong leadership. Strong leadership encourages UXR teams to promote better research practices across teams and manage healthy conflict. But what does a healthy company culture look like IRL? And how do you promote best practices throughout the organization to help scale your research? Mike Oren, Head of Design Research at Klaviyo, has built and scaled several thriving research teams from scratch throughout his career. In this episode, he discusses the power of company culture and shares advice on culture building. In this episode, we discuss: The overall impact of research culture on companies’ bottom-line goals The anatomy of a “healthy” company culture Establishing cultural norms in your organization Dealing with challenges and avoiding mistakes Tips and tricks for nurturing and developing a research-focused company culture Highlights: [00:01:11] Planting the seeds of research culture [00:03:18] The importance of psychological safety for UXR teams [00:06:04] Maintaining healthy conflict and avoiding cognitive bias [00:12:21] Attributes of a healthy research culture [00:21:45] How research culture fits in with the rest of the organization [00:28:39] Tips on how to build research awareness and educate stakeholders Sources mentioned in the episode: http://userinterviews.com/awkward https://www.linkedin.com/company/klaviyo About Our Guest Mike Oren, Head of Design Research at Klaviyo, a technology company that provides an automated email marketing and SMS marketing platform. He is also the Founder of Societech, an Adjunct Professor at Illinois Institute of Technology’s Institute of Design, and an independent UX Research Consultant. Mike holds a Ph.D. and a Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction and Sociology from Iowa State University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and English Writing from DePauw University. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

In this episode of Awkward Silences, Erin May and John-Henry Forster are joined by Holly Hester-Reilly, CEO and Founder of H2R Product Science. They delve into how research can go  wrong, how bad research processes can give research a bad reputation, and how the methodology and timeline of your research can complement each other. Holly also outlines the best way to determine the right research method for your product. Tune in for an engaging conversation on research best practices with industry experts. In this episode, we discuss: How bad research processes can give research a bad reputation Top most common ways that research can go wrong The relationship between research methodologies and project timelines Figuring out the right method for your research Highlights: [00:04:27] Holly’s unique perspective from academic research and into tech [00:07:58] How can research go wrong? [00:10:20] The components of a good research model; what you need to get right [00:14:32] What to do with a research plan once you have it to ensure maximum alignment [00:16:54] How to combat biases in research and questionnaires [00:21:54] The interaction between methodology and the timeline in research [00:24:18] Figuring out the right method for your research [00:31:01] Interacting with stakeholders and organizations for the best research outcome Sources mentioned in the episode: Holly’s LinkedIn H2R Product Science Website H2R Product Science LinkedIn About our guest Holly Hester-Reilly is the Founder and CEO of H2R Product Science, as well as a Product Discovery Coach and Consultant for the company. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor at New York University, a Member of the Board of Advisors at Octane11, and a Product Advisor at Ergatta. Needless to say, Holly is an undisputed expert in her field, and we’re lucky to have her on the show! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

According to Derek Osgood, it takes a "great product and product marketing collaboration" to get people to adopt products. But with such a small window of opportunity and many moving parts, it's easy to get it wrong. So how do massively successful brands execute a winning product launch? Join Erin and JH as they welcome guest Derek Osgood, CEO of Ignition, to examine the key components of a product launch. Derek shares his perspective on branding at scale as he outlines critical aspects to consider before, during, and after launch. He also provides a step-by-step walkthrough of a successful go-to-market strategy, complete with specific marketing tactics for planning, targeting, collaboration, and research. In this episode, we discuss: What makes a successful product launch? The elements of a winning launch Best research practices, tactics, tips, and tools Common mistakes and oversights Highlights: [00:03:37] The ingredients to a successful launch [00:08:34] Walkthrough of a successful launch (plus a laundry list of important questions to consider) [00:12:11] Internal marketing and the importance of communicating across teams [00:17:17] How teams get it wrong, dos and don'ts [00:20:39] A simplistic way to segment your audience [00:26:25] Message testing tips - the how, when, and why [00:32:02] Specific tactics and tools Derek uses to find pricing and understand features Sources mentioned in the episode: http://userinterviews.com/awkward Ignition LinkedIn About Our Guest Derek Osgood is a product marketing specialist, entrepreneur, and Founder & CEO of Ignition, a platform that helps brands streamline go-to-market strategies. He has launched several products that have collectively generated over $1 billion in revenue. Before Ignition, Derek worked as Director of Product Marketing at Rippling, Director of Marketing and Growth at BBVA, and as a Product Manager at Playstation. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

Erin May, John Henry Forster, and Carlos Tellez, Growth Research Manager at Nubank, get to the bottom of growth research. This episode is focused on two of Erin's favorite things – optimization and research. They discuss how research informs growth teams as Carlos describes the moving parts involved in the research process. Listen to hear what Carlos loves the most about his job, the scope of growth research, research design methods, tools, and tactics. In this episode, we discuss: The value and impact of growth research Key differences between growth research and product research Research workflows and the dynamics of working relationships Research methodologies, tactics, and toolkits Highlights: [00:01:08] What is growth research? What is platform research? [00:06:52] One big difference between growth research and product research [00:12:07] How does growth research "operate within the growth context"? [00:09:39] Support from leadership and the value of research in the context of growth [00:15:18] Carlos shares Nubank's approach to qualitative research [00:18:34] Carlos details his team's creative approach to data collection [00:28:41] Tactics for identifying the impact of research [00:28:41 Triangulation is a requirement of UX research; it's also the trickiest part to get right Sources mentioned in the episode: userinterviews.com/awkward Nubank website Nubank LinkedIn About our guest Carlos Tellez is a digital strategist, UX researcher, service designer, and education enthusiast. Currently, he is the UX Research Manager at Nubank. Much of his work is focused on creating effective research teams and advancing the field of UX research. Carlos has a Master's degree in Architecture from Harvard University Graduate School of Design. He also has a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Vassar College. a6vl5qrs9Oyq2oKaK1Oa --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

UX is exploding! It's tremendously exciting. But much of the technology pushing the state-of-the-art has been around for over a decade. What are the key driving factors behind the rapid rise of new tools like Figma? What does this mean for the future of collaboration? How will this affect research practices? Alfonso de la Nuez, Co-Founder, CVO & BoD Member at UserZoom, and Dana Bishop, VP, Strategic Research Partners at UserZoom, drop by to discuss the evolution of the UX and muse on Adobe's recent acquisition of Figma. They take Erin and JH along for a retrospective look at the past 30 years of UX, dig into industry trends, and explore the nuances of user research. In this episode, we discuss: The reasons behind the rise of UX tools like Figma The nature of collaboration in UX design, research, and stakeholders How tools affect the way we approach projects An evolution of UX design and UX research Highlights: [00:01:52] Why is Figma the “darling of the design world”? [00:06:37] Prototyping changing for two reasons: time and necessity [00:13:09] Alfonso puts things into historical perspective with an anecdote [00:17:28] Fundamental differences between UX design and UX research [00:24:38] Dana discusses one dramatic industry change [00:30:06] A CX story about an encounter DoorDash [00:36:46] What's the next big thing in UX research? Sources mentioned in the episode: http://userinterviews.com/awkward https://www.figma.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/userzoom https://www.userzoom.com About Our Guest Alfonso de la Nuez is Co-Founder, CVO & BoD Member at UserZoom. He has over seventeen years of experience in various disciplines, including UX, digital marketing, eCommerce, web design, and user-centered design. He is also the author of The Digital Experience Company, co-founder and former CEO of Xperience Consulting, and former co-founder and CEO of Xperience Consulting. Dana Bishop, VP and Strategic Research Partner at UserZoom, has over twenty years of experience in UX research. After spending nine years at Keynote Systems, Dana worked at Key Lime Interactive until she joined UserZoom in 2017. Her work in UX research is primarily focused on competitive research and benchmarking. Currently, she is co-host of UXpeditious, a weekly podcast exploring the world of UX. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

Episode Description: In this episode of Awkward Silences, hosts Erin May and John Henry Forster welcome Ryan Glasgow, CEO of Sprig, to discuss the importance of in-product research. They dive into Sprig’s generative and evaluative research tools, as well as recruiting current customers and reaching out to prospective users for market research. The conversation concludes with a discussion about best practices for in-product research. In this episode, we discuss: What is in-product research? Why is it important? The power of real-time research post-launch Strategies and best practices for conducting in-product surveys Shortening the feedback loop with Sprig Highlights: [00:01:46] The role of in-product research in the process of product development [00:04:39] How Sprig streamlines gathering feedback for in-product research experiments [00:08:26] Best practices: advice on how to maximize response rate and more [00:14:49] The benefits of hyper-targeted product research [00:17:55] Advanced use cases for Sprig - combining sentiment data with conversion data Sources mentioned in the episode: http://userinterviews.com/awkward Sprig About Our Guest Ryan Glasgow is the Founder and CEO at Sprig (formerly UserLeap), a research platform that provides advanced usability testing and in-product survey capabilities to companies such as Dropbox, Loom, and Shift. He is the author of The Customer‑Obsessed Product Manager's Playbook and current host of the People Driven Products Podcasts. Ryan has a strong background in product management. Prior to founding Sprig, he was the Group Product Manager at Weebly, Product Manager at Vurb, and Product Designer at Extrabux. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

The rise of UX research was a game changer in software design and development. As UX continues to grow in nearly every industry, research ops experts with strong leadership skills are critical for companies working at scale. In this episode, A'verria Martin, Director, Chief of Staff, Head of Research Operations and Strategy at ServiceNow, provides a high-level overview of the UX Research Chief of Staff role and explains why this position is in high demand. As A'verria shares her journey, she defines the role of UX Research Chief of Staff and outlines her core responsibilities. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

Thomas Aquinas once said, “Tacos cannot exist without tide pods”. In this bittersweet edition of Tacos and Tidepods—Erin and JH say their goodbyes to Roberta and reflect back at her time at User Interviews. Roberta talks about her decision to pursue a career in coaching and leadership development training at Design Dept. From career challenges and memories to lessons she’s learned, Roberta shares her journey with User Interviews as Erin and JH do their best to make her cry. In this episode, we discuss: Roberta's career path Roberta's legacy at User Interviews Career development (finding your niche) Coaching for design leaders Highlights: [00:02:54] Roberta shares the most important lessons she's learned from working at User Interviews [00:06:11] They discuss Roberta's contributions [00:14:52] How to grow as a leader through self-care and teamwork [00:16:22] Roberta's tacos: what she's looking forward to the most as [00:18:21] Career tips on networking and finding your niche Sources mentioned in the episode: userinterviews.com/awkward Design Dept. Leadership Coaching Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans About our guest Roberta Dombrowski is currently VP of User Research at User Interviews. She is also an ICF certified Coach & Mindfulness Teacher, Level II Reiki Practitioner, and Predictive Index (PI) Certified Talent Optimization Leader. Roberta has been instrumental in creating and shaping cultures of learning at User Interviews, edX, Predictive Index, and Year Up. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

Finding your dream customers can be tricky, and knowing which customers aren’t a good fit is important. That’s where customer profiles come in handy. In this episode of Awkward Silences, Andrew Michael, CEO of Avrio, discusses the importance of ideal customer profiles. Andrew draws upon his experience and shares insights on creating customer profiles, customer research methods, and tips on how to get started. In this episode, we discuss: The role of the ideal customer profile (ICP) in an organization Using thermographic and demographic properties to create an ICP Creating personas and segmenting audiences Conducting studies and collecting data about your customers How teams get ICPs wrong Tips and best practices for developing and using ICPs Highlights: [00:06:03] The benefits of ideal customer profiles (ICPs) and who uses them [00:08:15] Andrew discusses the details of how they developed ICPs at Hotjar [00:11:34] Anti-ICP: Ruling out a large portion of your audience [00:24:08] Andrew details how to discover criteria that reveal insight [00:25:40] Tip: Don’t overcomplicate ICP, three or four defining characteristics are enough [00:29:19] Anti-ICP: How to communicate with customers that you don’t want [00:32:16] An effective ICP contributes to retention, alignment, and customer satisfaction [00:35:44] Andrew's final piece of advice: ICPs “needs to be a company-wide initiative” Sources mentioned in the episode: userinterviews.com/awkward CHURN.FM Podcast About our guest Andrew Michael is the CEO at Avrio – a software development research platform – host of Churn.FM, and Founding Member of Startup Cyprus. Andrew is also a teacher and speaker featured at the How to Web Conference 2022 and Advancing Research 2022. Before joining Avrio, Andrew worked at Hotjar, where he held leadership roles in marketing, management, and experience design. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

If you ask Roberta Dombrowski why it's her favorite time of year, she'll probably mention the UX Research Tools Map. Why? Because it’s one of User Interviews’ most popular projects of the year that features the best UX research tools available across different use cases. Ye one and all are invited to explore the fantastical land of the 2022 UX Research Tools Map! From the Royal Courts of The High Kingdom of Recruiting and Panel Management to the dark waters of Megalodon 365 and G-Dragon, you can explore more about each UX tool and get a comprehensive view of the UXR tool landscape. Informative, fun, and entertaining in its detail—the medieval-themed map is designed to help UX researchers far and wide gain a better understanding of the different UX tools available to them. In this episode, we discuss: Why the UX Research Tools Map is awesome New features we love, updates, and categories The challenges of optimizing your tool stack Tools! UX research tools! And more wonderful tools! Highlights: [00:01:44] Taco: Roberta explains the motivation behind the map [00:06:11] JH and Roberta list some of their favorite UXR tools [00:07:30] Why we created the map and how it informs the tool optimization process [00:10:44] À la carte vs all-in-one, the challenge of choosing the best solution [00:12:24] Exciting new UX research tools and use cases for tools User Interviews relies on [00:15:59] Fun features, funny details, and easter eggs Sources mentioned in the episode: userinterviews.com/awkward https://sprig.com https://www.userinterviews.com/ux-research-tools-map-2022 About our guest Roberta Dombrowski is the VP of User Research at User Interviews. She is also a Coach & Mindfulness Teacher at Learn Mindfully—her professional and personal development service that helps leaders and individuals reach their full potential. Roberta holds a Master of Science and Organizational Development Workplace Learning from Boise State University, a Level II Reiki Certification, and is a perennial lover of nature. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

Healthcare organizations are responding to the UX design boom by focusing on the patient experience. What is driving this shift? Why did it take so long? How does quantitative research align with qualitative research? In this episode of Awkward Silences, Tiffany Mura, Senior Vice President of Health Practice Lead at Mad*Pow, and Erica Devine, Associate Director, Patient Experience Strategy and Support at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Companies (U.S.), discuss patient-centered design in healthcare research. They explore the complexities of the healthcare ecosystem and share key aspects of their research methodologies to help paint a picture of how research can help improve the overall patient experience. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message

What can we learn about collaboration from the widespread blend of hybrid, remote, and in-person meetings? Here’s what Miro’s latest research study says about it. Episode description: As teams look for effective ways to collaborate between in-person and remote work, hybrid meetings are a flexible solution to meet both needs. But how can teams strike a balance of both in-person and remote meetings in a hybrid setting? How can facilitators reimagine collaboration to make meetings more effective and productive? In this episode of Awkward Silences, Lead UX Research Manager at Miro, Eduardo Gomez Ruiz, is back to share his team’s insight from Miro’s latest research study on the advantages and challenges of hybrid meetings. He shares exactly how he secured stakeholder buy-ins, UX research methods, and surprising signals. As hybrid working models take hold, this study serves as a great starting point for understanding new paradigms, trends, and attitudes as we continue to navigate new ways of working. In this episode, we discuss: How UX is affected by the evolving hybrid work environment Effective ways to gather collaborators and stakeholders The various UX research methods Eduardo and his team used for the study, and some surprising results The role of inclusion in facilitating hybrid work environments Best tips and practices from successful hybrid meeting facilitators Highlights: [00:05:17] The project's hypothesis was to uncover the dynamics of the overlap between devices, environment, and culture [00:09:12] How Eduardo gained support from the CEO and the Chief Product Officer [00:13:50] The four-phase plan; observation, interviews, surveys, and a co-creation session [00:18:57] Revealing surprising insights about IRL vs. remote user research and inclusivity [00:21:27] Attending in-office meetings as if they were remote [00:25:29] The biggest challenge: maximizing hybrid meetings for both remote and in-person contributors [00:35:01] J.H. touches on emerging approaches to asynchronous communication in meetings [00:37:33] Helpful tips on inclusion and initiating collaboration during hybrid meetings Sources mentioned in the episode: userinterviews.com/awkward https://miro.com/ About our guest Eduardo Gomez Ruiz is the Lead UX Research Manager at Miro, which develops cutting-edge collaboration software trusted by over forty million users. He has also served as a Design Thinking Associate Professor at IE Business School for nearly eight years. Since Eduardo joined Miro in 2020, he has been instrumental in the growth and development of the company’s UX research department. Prior to joining Miro, he held positions at Uber and several consulting agencies as a Global UX Researcher and UX Consultant --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awkwardsilences/message