Delta CX Live Streamed Podcasts: Recent Episodes
Delta CX
Welcome to the Delta CX Podcast, produced by Debbie Levitt. Here we do completely live, unedited podcasts on various topics related to CX, UX, customer experience, user experience, usability, industry careers, industry evils, and what we need to change to improve customer satisfaction, our jobs, our teams, our projects, our processes, departments, and companies. Let's create change!
Learn more about our company and initiatives at DeltaCX.com. Follow Debbie on LinkedIn [https://linkedin.com/in/debbielevitt]. We take live questions, so please subscribe on YouTube if you want to join in the live broadcasts. [https://youtube.com/c/DeltaCX]
Warning: Some episodes have a couple of swear words.
Abby discusses information architecture, diagrams, and her new book. We had an impromptu surprise diagram critique session of a "Jobs To Be Done" job types map.
This one ended up a bit visual, so I suggest watching the YouTube version if possible: https://youtu.be/zF07B3lVyos
Like, comment, subscribe, and tell friends about Delta CX on YouTube, please!
Find out more about Delta CX: https://deltacx.com
Join the free Delta CX community on Discord: https://deltacx.link/discord
Join the free Delta CX community on Slack: https://deltacx.link/joinslack
Follow on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/delta-cx/
If you're interested in one-on-one coaching with Debbie, everybody gets 30 min for free (once). https://deltacx.link/coaching
All other links like our events calendar, how to send stuff in, portfolio reviews, etc. https://deltacx.com/links
Reading and discussing my Medium article on this topic. https://rbefored.com/should-product-managers-do-user-experience-research-or-design-1358d452f488
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-AkdaAsRL7c
Like, comment, subscribe, and tell friends about Delta CX on YouTube, please!
💗 Find out more about Delta CX: https://deltacx.com 💬 Join the free Delta CX community on Discord: https://deltacx.link/discord 💬 Join the free Delta CX community on Slack: https://deltacx.link/joinslack 💼 Follow on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/delta-cx/
🎓 If you're interested in one-on-one coaching with Debbie, everybody gets 30 min for free (once). https://deltacx.link/coaching
🔗 All other links like our events calendar, how to send stuff in, portfolio reviews, etc. https://deltacx.com/links
(This one might not work as an audio podcast. You might want to watch the YouTube version if possible to see what we see. https://youtu.be/YVgNzYG6oCU )
The always awesome Hang signed up for a LinkedIn Recruiter account. Let's see what they see, and use that knowledge to be smarter about LinkedIn and UX and CX jobs.
Like, comment, subscribe, and tell friends about Delta CX on YouTube, please!
Find out more about Delta CX: https://deltacx.com
Join the free Delta CX community on Discord: https://deltacx.link/discord
Join the free Delta CX community on Slack: https://deltacx.link/joinslack
Follow on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/delta-cx/
If you're interested in one-on-one coaching with Debbie, everybody gets 30 min for free (once). https://deltacx.link/coaching
All other links like our events calendar, how to send stuff in, portfolio reviews, etc. https://deltacx.com/links
Are you curious about transitioning from academia to UX? Alaina will be here to tell us about her experience and give her advice. You can also check out her new book. https://www.amazon.com/What-Wish-Knew-Thriving-Graduate-ebook/dp/B09TTXWG3M
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/acHcoSnwP3I
I'll be reading my article and turning it into a live discussion. https://rbefored.com/ux-research-without-a-hypothesis-and-for-products-that-dont-exist-yet-6133b6f59203
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NYtfLtynSxg
This was our show with Hang Xu. My internet died a bit there, but this was the version that was recorded locally on my computer.
All links relating to the show: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/800sDjuMKoQ
Considering a UX bootcamp? Let's talk about how I would select one, and then how I would get my money back afterwards.
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hKgaP7PbSFY
I'll be reading my latest Medium article, and we'll discuss it. https://rbefored.com/ux-roles-need-ux-managers-a9fc2dda1e17
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4GedQh_gtgI
I'll be reading Nick Foster's "On Design Thinking" Medium article, and we'll discuss it. https://medium.com/@fosta/on-design-thinking-8426ecf328b3
We had more time so we also ready my article, "2 Opportunities To Tell Companies They’re Doing CX/UX Incorrectly" https://rbefored.com/2-opportunities-to-tell-companies-theyre-doing-cx-ux-incorrectly-c36089d88888
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Uwrb-ymJ1fw
Meet more people who've struggled to find a job in UX. Lots of great ideas and advice in here!
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/i35wZjXo2RU
So many of you have questions about being a freelancer or contractor, or starting your own small business. Some of you have already learned the hard way how things can go wrong without contracts, insurance, and other important things. American lawyer Jay Russ joins us today to answer common questions.
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-3-M-Rc70bQ
The #1 question I get, especially from those trying to find their first UX job is: how can my portfolio stand out? Let's talk about HOW.
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6szSmu_MUZo
Join our panel guests as they talk about their lows and highs in trying to find their first UX job. How long did it take? What worked and didn't work? Come ask your questions and share your comments!
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kOGUjBO4JOY
Writing? Want to write? Come learn! We'll be talking about the Medium Partner Program, putting courses on Udemy, publishing to Amazon and Kindle, sometimes shady contracts with publishers, and running your own online courses.
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9Q6iy4W6rz0
Why aren't more UX newbies getting entry-level jobs with training, support, and coaching? Who are those jobs going to instead, and it we want to point fingers, who is to blame? UX newbies are right: there are gatekeepers, but they are not who juniors often THINK they are. The blame is on the wrong people. It's time to name names and call out who is actively working towards UX Extinction.
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gGfxmrLs6Ms
Let's look at what's been predicted for 2022 as hot or trendy. Do you think it'll happen? Last? Is it really a trend?
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iQ70DMVtBRE
Let's discuss Lean and what it really means... or should mean! Based on my article https://rbefored.com/real-lean-and-nouveau-fake-lean-are-opposites-57a5cdf1b322
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/OrUWM6YCD6c
I'll be reading my new Medium article, taking questions and comments, and opening it up for discussion. We'll also be talking about critical thinking, and how someone people manipulative language (and you) so that you shut off your critical thinking. Also, is design thinking a cult? It sure can sound that way. Let's dive in.
https://rbefored.com/was-design-thinking-designed-to-not-work-791a08bf32bd
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VJmBefUZ-WE
Michele Ronsen from CuriosityTank.com will be telling us all about ResearchOps!
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ElGaEPcNpqM
Time for critical thinking about "The Lean Startup" book and what came from it including MVPs, shipping fast, and the Lean UX book, which picked up where Lean Startup left off.
https://rbefored.com/the-lean-startup-is-outdated-drop-everything-that-comes-from-it-9bebdd328bfd
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3ysvcQMBJ9U
Taking piles of live questions about CX and UX freelancing, contracting, and starting your own agency.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Bk0Svi2NI30
Join our panel of experienced UX pros Sophie, Salomon, and Julia. Learn what working in UX is really like.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/m52YyR9cZx0
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Nearly all UX education courses, programs, degrees, videos, and more are making the same mistakes. Let's look at 2 ideas I have on how to fix them.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GDDoyQwYgKY
All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Let's discuss how CX, UX, and Agile can work better together. All links related to the live stream: https://deltacx.com/links
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lndEnrrcJNg
People wonder how UX can get a seat at the table. CX/UX doesn't need a seat at the table. We ARE the table. All you have is the customers' experiences. That's what your company sells. Let's talk about it! Plus a preview of a new series I'll be starting soon on the YouTube channel.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AeNAJmedJQU
Today we'll be talking about the difference between being feature-oriented and being task-oriented. Plus Q&A time.
Come hear special guest Sophie Freiermuth talk about where project and product management are part of our UX work. Sorry about some of her internet blips!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/csyiU3L6ClA
Welcome special guest Bettinna to help us learn at least the basics :) about blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and NFTs... and how these tie to UX. Sorry for some of the audio blips!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GU6tie2vibA
3 more UX pros join us today to tell us what day to day UX work is really like. Ask your questions live through YouTube [youtube.com/c/DeltaCX] or LinkedIn.
Panel #1 was episode 124. https://youtu.be/iyC8egfbaqY
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4FwBWU6SsL8
Join guest Julia DeBari as we suggest some questions you should ask during interviews. Let's make sure the place interviewing you is really where you want to work!
Slides in PDF form: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EcxbJGoCErIul4lkEiZxzrMxj0LFjqxt/view?usp=sharing
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/OEmohwlbfwo
Join guest Lee Andrese as we give tips and advice on better interviewing. How to give more concise but compelling answers to interview questions. :)
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HvVZ0OCMZR0
You've been sending in lots of programs. Let's take a look if any seem good! We previously did this in episode 110 with another bunch of programs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqU8AUNu7MQ
NotSponsored - None of these programs asked to be discussed or paid me. And rightfully so since most were awful. :)
This one looked at a lot of websites so you might want to check it out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YA-6yt6VgMU
Apologies! We had multiple audio and video problems during this show. But the info was great and I hope you will give it a listen anyway!
Join guest Michele Ronsen from Curiosity Tank as we discuss improving your UX Research storytelling!
Michele's event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/improve-your-ux-research-skills-with-ask-like-a-pro-registration-167534320663?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/eF7RN-2T0iY
Can you really get a UX or UI job without education, knowledge, experience, qualifications, a degree, a certificate, or a portfolio? Many videos and articles say that you can.
But critical thinking is critical :) to UX work... are these videos really showing you the path to getting a UX job without qualifications? Or does the title claim that and the video delivers a different message?
Tune in to hear about which of these articles and videos are clickbait that you shouldn't believe. And please subscribe to our YouTube channel for free CX/UX lessons, advice, and answers. We're live roughly 4 times a week at 6:30pm Central Europe time.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TFYXiHACnck
Is UX all workshops and sticky notes and delight? Join 3 live panelists who will talk about their real day to day experiences working in UX. It might not be what you thought our work is like! Thanks to Shaleen Sachdeva, Michelle Pakron, and Wilson Thai for being our panelists!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iyC8egfbaqY
Answering your questions and giving advice on planning, recruiting, and executing moderated and unmoderated UX research.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hHCb_Jj6gUo
(quick note: episode 122 didn't turn out as planned and won't be added to this podcast)
Michele Ronsen discusses assessing your job's situation, improving UX maturity where you can, getting research buy-in, and learning during job interviews if you they support research. She also explains her definition of "democratizing research"... and it might not be what you think! :)
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/e-FjeMF43MY
(quick note: episode 122 didn't turn out as planned and won't be added to this podcast)
Join us live for a very special guest, Vivianne Castillo. We'll be discussing her HmntyCntrd endeavors, self care, personal trauma, and workplace trauma.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kFgL_D8vpfg
Welcome our special expert guests Jessica Smith and Suzanne Richards.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YuDnLaAfvVE
I'll be reading my new Medium article and taking your feedback and questions live! https://medium.com/delta-cx/the-coming-cx-ux-correction-and-shift-19b23ed8af22 This turned into a lovely conversation with the people in the chat rooms. Thanks, everybody!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ofAsdGOkBoM
Join guest Stephanie Walter to learn about working in Enterprise UX!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cvwI-SSXTjY
Part 2... Episode 115 was part 1... https://youtu.be/u6pGxpU133w These are my new slides on understanding Agile and Lean, how we can use those principles, how we can speak the business' language, and get that seat at the table. Pop the popcorn!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZVddRkPt4ak
Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 01:54 Understanding Lean and Agile (slides on Lean) 13:13 Agile, In General 27:10 "Big Design Up Front" 38:23 SAFe Agile Is Quite Possibly The Worst 45:22 Making CX and UX More "Agile" and "Lean" 1:12:48 Additional Advice 1:25:53 Warning: You're Gonna Need Resilience 1:34:54 Transforming Companies Toward Customer-Centricity 1:35:08 Speaking The Business' Language 1:47:39 Time Estimation 1:55:37 CX and Customer-Centricity 02:09:26 Where Do We Start? 2:18:06 Maturity Is Customer-Centricity
This is part 1 of a 2-part presentation, "Transforming Towards Customer-Centricity." Part 2 next Wednesday will be about what Agile and Lean really are (might not be what you think), and how we can use those principles in our strategies, planning, and work.
Chapters: 0:00 Theme Song and Intro 02:15 We're In Trouble 07:10 Aspirologies™:The Newest Forms of Evangelism 21:43 Lean UX Is Neither Lean Nor UX 51:37 “Democratize,” “Decentralize,” Retrofit, and “Upskill” 1:14:49 Aspirologies: Costs and Budgets 1:23:57 What To Do Instead of Aspirologies 1:34:15 Delta CX Ideation Workshop 1:43:37 Delta CX Risk Mitigation Workshop
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/u6pGxpU133w
Marked explicit for a few swear words.
Join Daniel Engelberg as he gives his advice for juniors and advanced practitioners when it comes to getting access to real users for your research and testing.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fiFSoqIcZJ8
We did a live panel discussion on the Google UX Design curriculum and program. Joining me are three people who each took most of it. Shaleen Sachdeva, Madalina Galie, and Geoffrey Crofte. Spoiler: way more cons than pros.
Madalina's Medium article: https://madalinagalie.medium.com/is-this-the-peak-of-flawed-online-ux-certification-programs-cb5e5ad66acb
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oCwl_IyjhTc
My new Medium article about how we have to start undoing what's been undoing our industry. I'll take live questions and comments as I go. https://deltacxdebbie.medium.com/ux-and-evangelism-undoing-whats-undoing-ux-8eecfb3a3b6f
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FrhwwFiY3Kw
My new Medium article, and taking live questions, comments, and disagreements. https://medium.com/delta-cx/2-year-prediction-for-cx-ux-professions-b6e85baef936
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TgeaGVRNG7c
Today's the day I look at educational curricula and tell you if any of these look good. I have a long list people have been sending in for weeks!
I started with a slide about how you can determine if any course is a good one. Then I gave a disclaimer about how I was going to assess programs. Then we looked at over 20 programs.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wqU8AUNu7MQ
This is my 2021 conference presentation for non-CX/UX audiences. Learn how we can push for greater customer-centricity and therefore CX/UX maturity at our workplaces.
Sorry for the early technical difficulty. It gets cooking around 3 min 20 sec in.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WFkXPFWbQ9k
Join Ben Smithwell for a smart and snarky look at the endless definitions and uses of design thinking.
I got so excited by the premiere of my new theme song that I forgot to say HI I'm Debbie from Delta CX. We're a full service CX and UX agency. :)
This is marked explicit since we did use some swear words.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ltkhvScFXn0
Learn how to transition into research from Michele Ronsen! Resources mentioned:
Sign up for Fuel your Curiosity, my monthly-ish newsletter for user researchers and other curiosities. https://curiosity-tank.ck.page/1a8928f540
Should I join an established UX team or build my own? (Fuel Your Curiosity Newsletter about accessing UX Maturity) https://www.curiositytank.com/blog/should-i-join-an-established-ux-team-or-build-my-own
Kill 3 birds with 1 stone (Fuel Your Curiosity Newsletter about building UXR portfolios) https://www.curiositytank.com/blog/kill-3-birds-with-1-stone
Ask Like A Pro UXR learn-by-doing workshops. Check out the three ways to participate. https://www.curiositytank.com/workshops
Is ‘Ask Like A Pro Right for Me’ Q&A Event with Alumni on May 3, 2021. Register for this free event here. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/improve-your-ux-research-skills-with-ask-like-a-pro-registration-151497764893
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WblmPNMrzF4
Join Dr Seth Finkle as we discuss what critical thinking is, how you can tell when someone isn't using it, and how we can do more of it.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lAHI4NFlEK8
Recommended books:
Books relevant to Critical Thinking: * Critical Thinking for Helping Professionals (Leonard Gibbs & Eileen Gambrill) - super practical * Critical Thinking Skills (Stella Cottrell) - super practical * Critical Thinking Unleashed (Elliot Cohen) - nice overview of various different kinds of reasoning & logical fallacies * Neuroscience & Critical Thinking (Albert Rutherford) * Vital Lies, Simple Truths: The Psychology of Self Deception (Daniel Goleman) * Thinking, Fast and Slow (Daniel Kahneman) * How Would You Move Mount Fuji?: Microsoft's Cult of the Puzzle -- How the World's Smartest Companies Select the Most Creative Thinkers (William Poundstone)
Neil deGrasse Tyson Teaches Scientific Thinking & Communication is an excellent MasterClass that addresses, among other things, critical thinking. Highly recommended.
Join special guest UX researcher Sotiris Sotiropoulos to learn more about setting up and managing your own user pool!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FPEJucYPQZQ
Julia DeBari, an instructor who has taught at 7 bootcamps, told us a bit about how the sausage is made.
Marked explicit for one swear word.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-IQRLuqE_Gs
Super guest Dr. Seth Finkle (psychologist) is back to talk about more self and workplace help. We'll be talking about being a better advocate for yourself and avoiding burnout.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/vb4nN-1LUJY
Join IA genius and author Abby Covert to learn more about Information Architecture.
This one had a few visuals so you might want to watch it on YouTube. https://youtu.be/vy16Hnu6BG0
It's a premiere of some of the slides from my upcoming training program aimed at HR, recruiters, sourcers, and hiring managers. I showed the slides with the most cringeworthy "UX" job descriptions I found. Then I shared my training's 7 rules for creating great CX/UX jobs.
This one has some visuals on slides, so it might be better to watch on YouTube. https://youtu.be/D1WiyR0BfU8
Join Dimitris Niavis to discuss the potential dangers of being data driven. And bring a cake because it's our 100th live streamed podcast episode! Warning: this episode heavily features cake, but also actionable advice about data, research, and collaboration.
Marked explicit for a few swear words.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5qGunMyn9no
Join Darren Hood as we discuss how if CX and UX workers and outcomes were held accountable at jobs, everything going wrong in our profession would quickly change and improve.
This really gets cooking around 07:28 when I start listing everything I believe will change when UX workers and processes are held accountable for outcomes and quality of work.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ET_JDpa_hkg
Join guest Sean McSharry to learn more about autism, UX and autism, and his personal experiences.
Marked explicit because we said a few swear words.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oiEzG6eL_0I
I've been running a secret apprenticeship program and I'm sharing how I did it. Learn all about what I suggest for a program for CX or UX apprentices at your corporation or agency. Set this up at your company right freaking now!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qLpDNSGGhD0
Join UX recruiter Nick Grantham (from Zebra People) to learn a recruiters advice for CX and UX folks looking for jobs.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0zCWpu5nszU
UX Researcher and career coach Amy Santee answered live questions about research and research careers.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xG-FqHraiQo
Guest Chad Zollinger will be talking about his real-life experiences doing a UX bootcamp. Was it worth it? Does he recommend it? Come find out!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LpJ9t4pu-m8
Come learn about UX and Conversion Rate Optimization with special guest, friend of the show, and birthday girl Shannon Kelly! Sorry about all the blips... we had some internet issues during the live show. I've edited a total crash out, but parts are still blippy.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VzLLYzblLP0
Join guest Scott Smallman as we discuss some do's and don't for tomorrow's juniors.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SMNngfa76XA
Join guests Stéphanie Walter and Ben Smithwell for a snarky look at 2021 CX and UX predictions.
This is marked explicit due to swear words and sexual innuendo.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2C1y0z2Bvvc
This is my new 25-min conf presentation. CX/UX Strategies to Reinvent the Customer Experience
In an era of faster, faster, faster, our workplaces are sacrificing product, service, and experience quality to “just ship it” or call it “done.” We fired the R&D department so we could follow models that guess, cut corners, and skimp on important tasks. We quote Steve Jobs and Walt Disney, but then emulate startups, who fail roughly 90% of the time.
We know it’s time for a CX reinvention because it’s hard for us to think of a website, app, or system that really wows us; it solves our problems, it helps us accomplish tasks efficiently, and we didn’t need help learning or using it. Why are we getting it wrong more often than we get it right? Customers notice when we get it wrong. Our competitors, investors, shareholders, the press, bloggers, and social media also notice.
Great customer experiences require a business transformation into an organization focused on the level of quality that understands, meets, and exceeds customers’ expectations, needs, and tasks. Learn the 5 key strategies we will need to shift (and how) to be more customer-centric and guarantee high quality products, services, and experiences.
Marked explicit because a live question used the word s**t.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/f7XLlGulStU
Meet Tiffany McIntire, a senior Human Factors Engineer in the healthcare space. Learn what that is and likely ways to enter into that kind of career.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/810TYGuoLoU
Special guest Lee Andrese from akathame.com discusses UX job titles, levels, job descriptions, and what is the future of UX jobs.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/N7cN0G42rKg
Larry Marine is finally our guest! Learn more about observational research and knowledge design.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9lRnnRqvVuE
Join guest Nick Morgan as we discuss and warn about the ugly sides of some UX job applications and interviews.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/R0K5jeqYLZQ
Dr Seth Finkle joins us again for a look at respect. What are we doing at our jobs that earn it or kill it? Does "democratization" make us and CX/UX more respected or less? Join live and ask your questions.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nG0567zHre4
Why should we prototype? Why prototype realistically? Why do I recommend using Axure for realistic rapid prototyping? Come learn a little bit about Axure and the importance of realistic prototyping.
https://deltacx.link/dec2020 to register for the discounted video package and 2-day live workshop for only $60. Offer good through 2 December 2020. You can also find my Axure video packages at https://ptype.academy
This one might be better to watch on YouTube since I'm demonstrating Axure. https://youtu.be/Ibo8gNzOGfE
(the stream blipped at some point but it comes back!)
Join Darren Hood & Dr. Nick Fine live as we discuss how UX juniors can stand out, especially when they are looking for that first job. We'll have some do's, don'ts, and we'll take your questions.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_qQJsYA2XT8 (sorry the screen said episode 82 the whole time - wrong number!)
Guest Joel Barr shares some strategies and ideas around how we can get more buy-in for UX research on our teams and in our organization. This turned into "Ask Us Anything About UX Research." We'll plan a part 2!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xUIrFSfdCvU
Let's learn the right things to say plus what the heck things mean. Join guest Michele Ronsen from CuriosityTank.com.
Video and transcript options: Descript.com Otter.ai Reduct.video Upload a private video to YouTube and grab the auto-captions. Siri & Google Assistant
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/f5on899M4HY
Join guest David Knickerbocker to learn more about machine learning and artificial intelligence. We're probably using those terms incorrectly, so let's learn more!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nvfTdy8vMlc
How can we know the value of a UX certificate or program? How do we make that decision, weighing the value of your time and money against other things that could use that time and money? Join live to ask your questions.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/X1FU0Z1T1cQ
Join Laurel Elders live as we discuss your life purpose. What is it? How do you find it? We'll have an exercise at the end to help you start to figure it out.
Download the list of values: https://www.dropbox.com/s/nrk7rmmd0g8g3wl/List%20of%20Universal%20Values.pdf?dl=0
Download the Core Values exercise: https://www.dropbox.com/s/r3w5zpbtl4nf4bq/Values%20Inventory.pdf?dl=0
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/D3PNKEg_riM
Join guest experts Susan Hura and Cheenu Chari in a discussion about chatbots and conversational UX. What are they? How can you get into that field?
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WkuMwSQb4sg
Join guest Elisa del Galdo as we discuss what service design is. How is it different than other CX/UX work? How do you get into it?
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AZo9qAXkYVw
With business analysts documenting exactly how this looks and works, product owners doing wireframes, and engineers asking customers "what they want," do we really need CX/UX specialists at their company? Or do our teammates have our work covered? Special guest Stéphanie Walter examines this issue and gives actionable advice for our workplace adventures.
(marked explicit for one swear word)
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DO3-6PSg66M
Today's special guest is Sam Harper to talk about his popular Medium article, "10 sobering realities every brand-new UX designer needs to accept." This article was full of great points worth saying out loud and discussing. Join us live!
https://uxdesign.cc/10-sobering-realities-every-brand-new-ux-designer-needs-to-accept-e1fea1fe76cf
(marked as explicit for some s-based swear words)
Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/xKlRgjsG52Y
Join guest Joel Barr as we debunk bad portfolio advice! We burned some of these bad ideas to the ground, hence the fire. Remember that the #1 way to have a portfolio that stands out is to have skill and proficiency. Show you know what you're doing. That's rare right now, sadly. If you really want to stand out, know what you're doing and be able to show it.
If you are working on a UX portfolio in research, architecture, or design, this video makes a great follow up to episode 54: Portfolio Do's and Don'ts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk3eGASK_VI
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hDMBwlQhGPk
Join special guest Andy Foote to talk about your personal brand and how to express it on LinkedIn. We also covered a lot about strategy for connecting, creating content, and understanding the algorithm.
Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/IiO5hXzDWcA
Join our international panel of guests: Nehal Shah, Francis Nwakire, and Tom Kozacinski. We'll be talking about startups we've been in (or are working on now), and where things went well or poorly. If you are working at a startup or are considering creating one, this episode shouldn't be missed!
Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/nG_4pm2EVg0
We hope people understand what UX does, but do we understand what other roles do? Let's learn. We'll demystify several basic misunderstandings that teams have on DevOps and look at how the DevOps movement was originally started. We will look at the future of DevOps and why you are already a part of it. Join guest Eswaran Balakrishnan to learn more about Agile, Scrum, and DevOps.
Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/fsrFzDuJx4A
You're relatively new to UX but you are interested in writing about it or creating videos about it. What should you write about? Should you write how tos? Should you talk about your own career journey? Should you be the 1000th person to publish a Medium article about "task analysis: painting a wall"? You may have seen bootcamps or programs suggesting you write or broadcast to "stand out" or "look like a leader," but what impression might hiring managers get? We'll discuss this with special guest Jason Grant. Join live to ask your questions!
Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/HtTS0MrzZIo
You are passionate about working in CX/UX, but you are tired of feeling like you constantly have to sell it. How DO we get that seat at the table that we should have? What can we do to try to once and for all find the right allies and sponsors, and increase understanding and respect for CX/UX? Super special guest Elisa del Galdo will be sharing actionable advice (and probably a few war stories!). Join live to ask questions and share comments.
Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/qvGP0ioWj-U
Join special guest Adam Kleinberg, CEO of Traction, an award-winning agency/consultancy in San Francisco. Agencies are too often order takers, just doing what the client asks for. How can they break out of that and be the expert consultant the client really needs rather than the hired pair of hands?
(Marked explicit since Adam dropped a few f bombs)
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cpSrzyucJVs
Join Ruth Diaz, PsyD for a discussion about what resilience is and how we improve it. It's vital for working in CX/UX! You can also find her at FigureItIn.org
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NAbLSl9pqeg
We're thrilled to have Dr Seth Finkle joining us again for a look at recognizing gaslighting and how to tell when you're being set up to fail at work. This has probably happened to all of us. Sadly, Seth had some tech issues but we mostly got everything working! This ran late because we had so many great questions and comments.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RGLDJ-H8zY8
Join special guest Michele Ronsen from Curiosity Tank as we explore some of the "how tos" of UX research. We'll talk a bit about question types and getting your questions in the right order. We'll talk about your personal bias - what is it, why do we want to avoid it, how to identify it, how to mitigate it, etc.
https://CuriosityTank.com
Find Michele on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-ronsen-0a55233/
You can also sign up for Michele's live (remote) classes at General Assembly here. https://tinyurl.com/y2ajj8pt
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nEgElYKgPYw
I have a report based on a 2004 study asking "experts" what the internet will be like in 2014. Were they right? Were they close? What did they predict? This podcast is not my usual hard-hitting journalism. This one will be fun and a little cringey.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HaWHJXVnWik
Join special guest David Snodgrass as we unwrap and discuss "empathic" or "empathetic" design. What is empathy? What is empathetic design? Should we do this or not? Why? Also a few thoughts in here on design thinking and how important good research is. Empathy or not, check your biases! (Apologies for my technical difficulties. They turned out to be my USB hub randomly dying, therefore killing my camera and mic.)
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZhkfwqqRVmI
Guests Dr. Nick Fine and Darren Hood discuss is UX elitist from a number of angles. Is the barrier to career entry too high? If so, is that elitist? If not...??? Are we evil jerks who use too much jargon and lingo? Are our co-workers elitist when they use jargon and terms related to their work? What about expensive CX and UX conferences and expensive conference speakers? If it's not free or cheap, is it elitist? So many questions, lots of answers!
This is marked explicit because we used some swear words.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/eUSNG8rf53I
Our first panel discussion will include some senior UX practitioners giving their advice on what you need to be a UX junior. Panelists include Scott Smallman, Steve Zebrowski, and Yas Caon. We had so many questions that this ended up mostly being about education and applying for jobs! We'll have to do a part 2!
YouTube video version: https://youtu.be/wyowMTH0JjY
Join special guest Edgar-Keiron Robinson as we discuss what should you look for in a mentor? Why do you need one? What does a good one do for and with you? How can you tell a bad mentor? Join live and ask your questions.
https://youtu.be/I-0G5clFhUg
One way to try to persuade managers and leaders of the value of great CX/UX people and work is to look at internal and external costs of poor quality. Yes, releasing garbage and guesses to our customers is risky and can lose time, money, and customer happiness. Today we're talking to Deborah Gill-Hesselgrave about Lean Six Sigma's "Cost of Poor Quality" model.
From Deborah:
Here are the two books I wanted to share with your audience:
- What is Lean Six Sigma?, by Mike George, Dave Rowlands, & Bill Kastle – 2004, McGraw-Hill
- Lean Six Sigma Pocket Toolbook, by Michael L. George, David Rowlands, Mark Price, John Maxey – 2005, McGraw-Hill
Two more that I have found useful over the years are:
- Design for Six Sigma, by Greg Brue and Robert G. Launsby, 2003, McGraw-Hill
- Statistics for Six Sigma Made Easy!, by Warren Brussee – 2004, McGraw-Hill
This was a very visual episode, so I suggest watching this one on YouTube rather than trying to follow the audio-only version: https://youtu.be/gFHNLNjA3ak
Conversion rates are something that talented CX/UX practitioners can really help. This is great for customers, marketing, and "the business." What are reasonable changes to expect? What might happen as a result of those changes? How can we estimate this before doing a project? I'm going to show you a tool I stumbled on and have been playing with.
We looked at a tool called Geru, which as of recording is a one-time fee of $67 if you go to https://geru.com/lifetimeoffer Not sponsored, I make no money from that link.
Meet my new model: "Phases of CX Proficiency." Bootcamps and other CX/UX schools are always a hot debate and very polarizing. But why is there so much conflict and disagreement? I've been wracking my brain on this topic. Thanks to a chance conversation with my friend, Chris Lenhart, I think I have a model that explains what all the pro-bootcamp/anti-bootcamp fuss is about. Let's talk about levels of proficiency and what you can expect from most (current) UX education.
Note: this version edited out the beginning where audio wasn't working.
You requested it, you got it… a podcast about doing UX work in the video gaming industry! Join Celia Hodent, PhD, Game User Experience Consultant, and author of “The Gamer’s Brain.” We’ll learn more about what type of work UX practitioners do in gaming.
No matter when you’re looking for a job, it can be very important to have a great portfolio that makes someone want to interview you. What are the key elements to include or exclude? How long do you have to make an impression? How much detail do you include? Join live and ask your questions as Debbie walks through her advice (as of July 2020, which may change in the future!).
Have you been wondering lately about how SpaceX can go from a rocketship with a zillion switches to some touch screens? How about how concert and studio audio and lighting equipment shifted away from knobs and faders to screens? We’ll learn more about the UX behind these and how these products transition from Matteo Gratton.
Job titles, holy cats, what a mess! What is a product designer, UX/UI designer, or experience designer? What does a mid-level do versus a senior? How are these different? This podcast is the Delta CX approach/suggestions for what our titles and levels should be so that they are unified and clear. It should be obvious to ourselves, each other, and our non-CX/UX teammates what we do!
Surveys! Relatively easy to create and send out to your networks. Now you ran a survey! But was it well-planned or created? Did it tell you anything actionable? Who took the survey? There are so many ways to get surveys wrong. Join special guest Stéphanie Walter as we look at when surveys may or may not be the right way to go.
Design thinking… what is it? We can’t cling to decades-old definitions of it, even if we like those better. What has it evolved to mean now? Is it a paradigm, framework, toolkit, mindset, canvas, exercises, process, approach, methodology, or something else? Is it a cottage industry and certificate factory? How is design thinking different from UCD? Most importantly, is the evangelism of design thinking helping or hurting the UX industry and our jobs? When everybody is a certified “design thinker,” do we still need CX and UX specialists? Or can anybody do our jobs? Join me for some critical thinking about design thinking.
Join UX researcher Joel Barr as we discuss the good, bad, ugly, and cringe-worthy sides of the “design challenges” many of us are given in the course of job interviews. Are these good ideas? Should we always do them? What should we learn before we do a challenge?
Design sprints. Some people love them, some hate them. Some have altered them into being way better but still call them design sprints. What are they? Where did they come from? Why are they bad for UX jobs and professions? Let’s dive in.
Join the always awesome Dr Nick Fine for a discussion of: is UX a mindset? Is it a “state of mind”? Are you “doing UX” if you can get into the mindset? Are you “doing UX work” if you care about users or consider customers as you design?
Join guest Tatawan Sütő to learn more about learning design and instruction design. How are they different than UX? How can we partner with them?
What's the difference between collaboration, design by committee (or other work by committee), decentralization, and democratization? What are these things? Which do we want? Which are good for our jobs and careers? Which are bad for our jobs and the whole UX profession? How can we tell when we're doing design by committee (whether or not we meant to do design by committee)?
Wondering if UX is a fit for your personality, talents, or skills? Let’s talk about the most important traits someone can have in our profession. Special surprise guest Darren Hood joins later in the broadcast to share a few more slides and ideas around Emotional Intelligence.
What is a narcissist? How can we recognize one in our workplace? And then… what can we do about it? Join psychologist Dr Seth Finkle as we have another lively discussion. You rarely win against a narcissist, but you can “manage” or “deal” with them. Good luck!
Candidates want to turn to recruiters for help in finding jobs. But there are so many types of recruiters. Which ones are really working for and with us? Which ones don’t care? How can we tell when it’s worth investing time into the recruiter relationship? And when isn’t it worth our time? Veteran expert Lee Andrese from akathame will clear it all up for us, plus take live questions.
Join in the never-ending battle! Should CX/UX jobs require us to write code? Does writing code make you better at UX work? Does writing code make you a better pal or collaborator to Engineering roles? Let’s pour through this and more. We landed on a pretty interesting conclusion, so I hope you’ll listen to the whole episode.
The title just about says it all! Join special guest Uyen Vicky Vo, who wrote a very popular Medium article about neumorphism. We discuss this visual design trend and why it’s bad for accessibility and UX. The live YouTube stream ended up with tech difficulties, but I’ve edited those out for the listeners.
The awesome Darren Hood is back! We’ll be talking about conflicts between junior/up-and-coming UXers and seniors. Are seniors just dinosaurs with outdated ideas, avoiding using the newest techniques? Juniors are often told to fake it until they make it… well then how did today’s seniors and leaders make it? Did they fake it too? If someone who graduated a boot camp 6 months ago is qualified (according to the boot camp) to teach the next cohort of boot campers, why do seniors act like the best learning comes from them? So much fighting. Let’s fix or improve this.
Special guest Mitchell Wakefield joins to discuss the issues we see in UX job descriptions and titles. When should you negotiate for a higher title? Are you still a “Director” if you’re doing all the tactical work? What hints can we find in job descriptions that tell us this company might be low UX maturity, setting you up to fail, or looking for the impossible unicorn?
We also ended up talking about UX boot camps.
Special guest Michele Ronsen, from CuriosityTank.com, to learn lots of do’s and don’ts about looking like an awesome UX Research job candidate!
The “Lean UX” book was widely rejected by UX practitioners and experts, especially the second edition of the book. But this book was completely adopted by software dev approaches like SAFe Agile and Scrum.org. We’ll take a look at why this book is so flawed, why UX pros would want to reject it, and why software dev and engineering wants to embrace it. Throw away your Lean UX Canvas. Learn why the Lean UX book is at the core of most of the anti-UX problems you have at your job.
We were live with Dr Gyles Morrison (he says Google him for the many ways you can connect with him) talking about Clinical UX, a term he invented. And I see that I had my title spelled incorrectly the whole time on the screen. Oops! Anyway, this was a really lively chat with great info from Dr Gyles plus lots of questions from the YouTube and LinkedIn chats!
With the down economy, layoffs, and so many new UX juniors looking for their first jobs, everybody keeps telling everybody to “network.” But what does that mean? When does that work? When is it a waste of time? I did a surprise, unscheduled podcast to give my advice on these matters. Let’s be more active and let’s create human connections. You can collect people but how does anybody feel connected to you?
How can any of us get to know YOU? That’s where the connection happens. It doesn’t happen from you clicking LIKE and it doesn’t happen from someone saying, “I have 40,000 new followers in the last week and you can too! Comment here and meet each other!” That gives them a huge bump in the LI algorithm, but what did you really get?
Let’s take a fresh look at various types of #networking and how we can sharpen what we’re doing.
A long presentation on why UX and Agile have such a hard time trying to blend together. Learn where and why Agile seems to so deeply misunderstand or underestimate UX, and what we can do about it. This podcast is aimed at CX and UX workers, but is also great for engineers, product managers, project managers, business analysts, Agile coaches, and Scrum Masters.
Have you ever heard of a Walt Disney World invention called “Pal Mickey”? Probably not, yet he’s one of the most innovative and interesting products in decades. He led to Disney’s MagicBands, which you may or may not have heard of. Pal Mickey is conveniently left out of a famous speaker’s presentation that says Disney was in the “UX dark ages” for the period of time Pal Mickey was being developed and was released to the public.
It’s time for you to learn what that speaker didn’t tell you.
Learn about Pal Mickey, MagicBands, why they are both important to know more about, and how Disney Parks are never in the “UX dark ages.” This podcast goes beyond the UX tipping point of Pal Mickey to also expose the speaker’s very flawed model of UX maturity, and how he sets up the whole talk to try to convince you to hire him for private training… while giving you no actionable information or advice.
Learn about my “Bad Actor Brainstorming Workshop” and why Zoom should have run at least one a looooong time ago.
Learn about two new Delta CX models (so new that one of them is not in my 2019 book, “Delta CX”). “Empathy-Knowledge-Action” and “Behavior Triggers.” You can put these to use pretty much immediately at your current or next job.
Dr Seth Finkle, psychologist and frequent guest, discusses the psychology of change… both in our workplaces and in our covid-19 world.
Join Oz du Soleil for the first in our new series: “Our Customer.” Oz doesn’t work in CX or UX, but man is he frustrated by the products and services that our companies release to him. Hear some of his key concerns, tragedies, and triumphs.
Special guest Sheri Byrne-Haber [sheribyrnehaber.com] shares her immense knowledge of digital accessibility. We also talk a bit about disabilities and nomenclature.
Join Molood Ceccarelli from RemoteForever.com as she gives actionable ideas and advice for remote working and remote Agile.
Join special guest Jonathan Tesser as we discuss mostly quantitative metrics, some qualitative data, and how to determine if your metrics are junk and lack critical thinking.
Special guests Brett Maraldo and Dr Don Hameluck discuss the science side of UX and why it’s important. We also ended up on the topic of how “design thinking” lacks the science of UX.
Join guests Jonathan Toler and Cameron Craig as we discuss the relationship between product management and UX.
Join UX Researcher and teacher Michele Ronsen for a live podcast on how to correctly plan user testing. Learn some steps, some do’s, and some don’ts! Find her at https://CuriosityTank.com
Join Debbie as she flies through a mountain of common UX myths. Get some ammunition to use the next time someone says these at your workplace.
UX boot camps and trade schools are graduating hundreds of people (if not more) around the world monthly. It has created a flood of people on the market for junior jobs that mostly don’t exist. Grads expect a job that wants to keep training and mentoring them. Workplaces expect a well-trained worker, ready to hit the ground running solo on real projects.
Special guests Dmitry Nekrasovski in Canada and Jeff Russell in Colorado are two hiring managers who will give you their positive and negative perspectives of speedy UX training and certificate programs.
I’ve been looking at a lot of UX portfolios, and my fave is https://www.avinandanbasu.com/ I think he’s doing a lot right! Check it out. Note that this podcast was very visual as I was showing the portfolio I was reviewing.
You might want to watch this one on YouTube with the video, especially since he changed his portfolio since this broadcast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3xzYIQP_jg
We were live with William Ntim, Principal UX Designer at The Home Depot, talking about presenting to stakeholders and getting pushback. Great points about eyes on the prize and staying focused on doing the craft of UX well. Sometimes you’re playing the long game.
Join Lee Andrese from akathame.com as we look at how CX and UX practitioners can craft and tell stories in their portfolios and at their jobs.
I get asked a lot by CX/UX practitioners at all levels, but especially entry-level and junior job hopefuls: “should I apply to this job?” And I’ve previously said that if you know you are unqualified for a job, don’t apply. It’s not so black and white, so let’s talk about all the “it depends” and what to look for when considering if a job is really out of reach or one you should try for.
One of our fave guests is back! Dr. Seth Finkle (psychologist) discusses empathy, which he also discussed in my Delta CX book. Empathy sure has become a buzzword, but what is it really? Do we need it? How do we create it? Can exercises create it? What can we do when co-workers don’t seem to have it? What if we don’t have it? So many questions. We ran over time, and still didn’t cover some of my notes! I’m sure he’ll be back.
CX Visual Designer Sarah Buczek joins us to discuss design systems. What are they, why are they helpful, how do they improve collaboration, where do we start… so many fantastic questions!
Special guest Ira Wolfe from Success Performance Solutions discusses our “Four Horsemen of Bad CX” model, and how it applies to HR, hiring, and the candidate experience. He and I came up with the “antidote” to the Four Horsemen.
Get to know the Decision Matrix from the Delta CX book (you do not have to have read the book). How can we use it to make better decisions about projects and who does those projects? How can we use it to warn cross-functional teammates or stakeholders when we’re making a poor decision?
Special guest and psychologist Dr. Seth Finkle discusses impostor syndrome, typical causes, and some things that we can do to combat it and keep it away. With an estimated 70% of people experiencing impostor syndrome at one point or another, it’s extremely common, and you’re certainly not alone.
Thinking about freelancing? Don’t do it without having legal and financial paperwork and protections in place. Debbie is NOT a lawyer or an accountant, so her advice is general and based on her own experiences.
Special guest Darren Hood, MSUXD, MSIM, is back (and back-to-back as a guest!). Emotional Intelligence… what is it, what we should aim to be, and how we can recognize when we’re getting it wrong. Beware the red flags! Follow Darren on LinkedIn, and also on his YouTube Channel, UX Uncensored.
Special guest Darren Hood, MSUXD, MSIM discusses the career journey of a UX professional. What are some elements you might want to adjust along your career path? What pitfalls should you avoid? What are some great resources?
Fewer and fewer UX trade schools, programs, or educational programs appear to be great or even good. It’s time for us to be honest and talk about the elephant in the room: UX education can be wildly expensive and still NOT prepare you for a job. From poorly designed courses to “UX” programs that barely teach UX to instructors being recent grads with little or no work experience to the cost to the lack of mentoring to the bad portfolios and so much more… it’s time to talk about this honestly. If you went to one of these schools or are thinking about it (or know someone in those situations), this podcast is not to be missed. Our special guest discusses his bad experience.
The difficulties older and veteran CX and UX workers are having finding and keeping jobs. The reasons why we need these people at every company. Special Guest: Don Hameluck, PhD.
Join UX Wonder Women and mentors Michele Ronsen and Amy Dalton for a live discussion about mentoring junior practitioners.
Design thinking. What is it? What isn’t it? Who isn’t doing it? Is it the process I would see in your CX or UX portfolio of work? Or is it something else? Let’s talk about it!
This is a hot topic and this surely won’t be the last episode on this one. Episode 50: Design Thinking Has Jumped The Shark was a better episode on this topic!
Delta CX book available on Amazon, Kindle and paperback. https://deltacx.link/deltacx-book
This episode was really just a test broadcast, but ended up the first of many Delta CX live streaming discussions. Q&A included if anybody asks questions. Topic ended up being UX and Agile. Audience questions included on transitioning into UX and moving up into leadership.
After this episode, Debbie split the livestreams into scheduled podcasts and (separately) office hours/AMA (ask me anything). She also changed streaming services since the one she started with blipped too much.