We're Jabbin': On UX research and design: Recent Episodes
Kenji Kaneko
We're Jabbin' is a weekly podcast hosted by Kenji Kaneko (a Product Designer) and Licheng Zhu (a UX researcher) where they discuss topics broadly related to UX research and design. The two debate a variety of topics in the field, share their stories, and give advice (where they can!).
Many in the tech industry are getting laid off and our podcast hosts are not immune to this recent wave in layoffs. In this very personal episode, Kenji and Licheng discuss Licheng being recently laid off from the 15-person, seed-stage startup for which he poured his blood, sweat, and tears.
They discuss:
- Licheng’s experience at an early-stage startup and recent layoff
- How Licheng is coping with being let go
- Tips for others who are going through a similar experience
- Working through major life changes
Resources mentioned:
- “Yes, you can beat the layoffs” - article by Licheng
- The “Peak-end Rule”
We're Jabbin' is a weekly podcast hosted by Kenji Kaneko (a Product Designer) and Licheng Zhu (a UX researcher) where they discuss and debate topics broadly related to UX research and design.
Follow us!
Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WereJabbin
Follow Kenji: https://twitter.com/kenjivkaneko
Follow Licheng: https://twitter.com/Lichenger
Email the pod with questions, topics you'd be interested, or feedback:
werejabbin@gmail.com
Mimetic, what?! In this episode, Licheng and Kenji discuss the theory of Mimetic Desire originally created by the French philosopher René Girard, in which he states that human desire is inherently social. The theory has recently come into the limelight in interviews with Peter Thiel as well as deeply explored in the recent, excellent book by Luke Burgis "Wanting The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life."
They discuss:
- What exactly is Mimetic Desire?
- Thick vs. Thin Desires
- Fulfillment Stories: How can we tap into stories of what has fulfilled us to make sure we are pursuing the right things in our lives and careers.
- Hierarchical values for companies
- How Mimetic Desire applies to our careers, design / UX, and our lives in general
Resources mentioned:
- Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire by Luke Burgis
- Rene Girard Explains Mimetic Desire (Short Youtube Video)
About the Pod We're Jabbin' is a weekly podcast hosted by Kenji Kaneko (a Product Designer) and Licheng Zhu (a UX researcher) where they discuss and debate topics broadly related to UX research and design.
Follow us!
Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WereJabbin
Follow Kenji: https://twitter.com/kenjivkaneko
Follow Licheng: https://twitter.com/Lichenger
Email the pod with questions, topics you'd be interested in, or feedback:
werejabbin@gmail.com
Time to reflect! In this episode, Kenji and Licheng talk about UX, and despite the thought that UXers should be the voice of the user, it often feels like the relationship with users is transactional and project-based....and how we might move away from that.
They discuss:
- Is the work I'm doing as a UX-er meaningful?
- Business goals vs. actual things users care about in real life
- Being connected with people who use your product
- Baking in reflection points into the product development process
- How to make software teams feel proud about what they have created
- How can we move away from "imperialist" research and design?
About the Pod We're Jabbin' is a weekly podcast hosted by Kenji Kaneko (a Product Designer) and Licheng Zhu (a UX researcher) where they discuss and debate topics broadly related to UX research and design.
Follow us!
Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WereJabbin
Follow Kenji: https://twitter.com/kenjivkaneko
Follow Licheng: https://twitter.com/Lichenger
Email the pod with questions, topics you'd be interested, or feedback:
werejabbin@gmail.com
We're back for Season 2!
Licheng and Kenji talk about their experiences with onboarding remotely to a new job and how this differs from onboarding to an "in-person job".
They discuss:
- Their experiences as they are onboarding remotely to new jobs
- Is it important to get to know your teammates beyond project work?
- The challenges to building meaningful bonds remotely and ideas for creating relationships with colleagues
- Struggles with deciphering the boundaries when getting to know your colleagues
- How might online gaming teach us about remote teams?
- Final thoughts for improving onboarding
About the Pod We're Jabbin' is a weekly podcast hosted by Kenji Kaneko (a Product Designer) and Licheng Zhu (a UX researcher) where they discuss and debate topics broadly related to UX research and design.
Follow us!
Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WereJabbin
Follow Kenji: https://twitter.com/kenjivkaneko
Follow Licheng: https://twitter.com/Lichenger
Email the pod with questions, topics you'd be interested, or feedback:
werejabbin@gmail.com
As the first book in their #BookBoyz series, Licheng and Kenji discuss a great book on building product: "Escaping the Build Trap" by Melissa Perri. They also dive into a listener question about working with stakeholders who don't value user research.
In this episode, they discuss:
- What is the build trap?
- What are the 4 types of organizations that Perri discusses?
- What does a product-led organization look like?
- Key takeaways from the book
Resources mentioned:
- Escaping the Build Trap
About the Pod
We're Jabbin' is a weekly podcast hosted by Kenji Kaneko (a Product Designer) and Licheng Zhu (a UX researcher) where they discuss and debate topics broadly related to UX research and design.
Follow us!
Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WereJabbin
Follow Kenji: https://twitter.com/kenjivkaneko
Follow Licheng: https://twitter.com/Lichenger
Email the pod with questions, topics you'd be interested, or feedback:
werejabbin@gmail.com
On this episode of the We're Jabbin' podcast, Kenji asks Licheng to talk through his 8-month long job search. After being the field of UX research for ~3 years, this search was a bit different than what he looked for when he first came out of grad school. Licheng gives a peek behind the curtain, detailing everything from the companies he interviewed with to the offers he received.
Licheng spills the tea on:
- Why he was looking to leave his most recent job
- What he was looking for in his next role and company
- The where and what ($$$) of the offers he received
- Why he chose this particular job offer in the end
----more----
About the Pod
We're Jabbin' is a weekly podcast hosted by Kenji Kaneko (a Product Designer) and Licheng Zhu (a UX researcher) where they discuss and debate topics broadly related to UX research and design.
----more----
Follow us!
Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WereJabbin
Follow Kenji: https://twitter.com/kenjivkaneko
Follow Licheng: https://twitter.com/Lichenger
----more---- Email the pod with questions, topics you'd be interested, or feedback!:
werejabbin@gmail.com
On this episode of the We're Jabbin' podcast, Licheng and Kenji discuss what they wish they looked for in their first UX research and Design jobs. The guys talk about their paths, what they wish they had done differently, and what they would do now if they were on the hunt for their first UX job. Everyone needs that first job but not all are created equally...
They discuss:
- The type of companies that are a good place to land (hint: organizations that value UX)
- The different roles to consider (intern, contractor, full-time employee)
- How to learn more about how much a company values design and UX (ask good questions!)
----more----
Resources mentioned:
- Object-Oriented UX
----more----
About the Pod
We're Jabbin' is a weekly podcast hosted by Kenji Kaneko (a Product Designer) and Licheng Zhu (a UX researcher) where they discuss and debate topics broadly related to UX research and design.
----more----
Follow us!
Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WereJabbin
Follow Kenji: https://twitter.com/kenjivkaneko
Follow Licheng: https://twitter.com/Lichenger
----more---- Email the pod with questions, topics you'd be interested, or feedback!:
werejabbin@gmail.com
On this episode of the We're Jabbin' podcast, Licheng and Kenji discuss what they are looking forward to in 2021 and their predictions in the worlds of UX, tech, and society at large for the new year.
----more---- About the Pod
We're Jabbin' is a weekly podcast hosted by Kenji Kaneko (a Product Designer) and Licheng Zhu (a UX researcher) where they discuss and debate topics broadly related to UX research and design.
----more----
Follow us!
Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WereJabbin
Follow Kenji: https://twitter.com/kenjivkaneko
Follow Licheng: https://twitter.com/Lichenger
----more---- Email the pod with questions, topics you'd be interested, or feedback!:
werejabbin@gmail.com
On this episode of the We're Jabbin' podcast, Licheng and Kenji discuss what it means to level up beyond usability for product designers and UX researchers. They cover what they perceive to be the three levels of design/research (that they know about) and reflect on what they have learned so far in their careers.
They discuss the 3 levels of being a Product Designer/UX Researcher:
- Level 1 - Execution
- Level 2 - Collaboration & Facilitation
- Level 3 - Influence & Product Thinking
- Level 4 - TBD (???)
----more---- About the Pod
We're Jabbin' is a weekly podcast hosted by Kenji Kaneko (a Product Designer) and Licheng Zhu (a UX researcher) where they discuss and debate topics broadly related to UX research and design.
----more----
Follow us!
Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WereJabbin
Follow Kenji: https://twitter.com/kenjivkaneko
Follow Licheng: https://twitter.com/Lichenger
----more---- Email the pod with questions, topics you'd be interested, or feedback!:
werejabbin@gmail.com
On this episode of the We're Jabbin' podcast, Licheng and Kenji do a post-mortem of the remote design sprint that Licheng ran last week at his company. Licheng recovers from the intense week and later the guys get a bit deep on topics unrelated to UX.
They discuss:
- What went well in Licheng's first-ever design sprint
- What could have been improved
- Tips for running a remote design sprint
----more---- Resources referenced:
- Sprint by Jake Knapp
- How I Invest My Money, edited by Josh Brown
- The Rise and Fall of Getting Things Done by Cal Newport
----more---- About the Pod
We're Jabbin' is a weekly podcast hosted by Kenji Kaneko (a Product Designer) and Licheng Zhu (a UX researcher) where they discuss and debate topics broadly related to UX research and design.
----more----
Follow us!
Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WereJabbin
Follow Kenji: https://twitter.com/kenjivkaneko
Follow Licheng: https://twitter.com/Lichenger
----more---- Email the pod with questions, topics you'd be interested, or feedback!:
werejabbin@gmail.com
On this episode of the We're Jabbin' podcast, Licheng and Kenji talk about preparing for facilitating a remote, 5-day design sprint and also preparing for workshops in general. As Licheng prepares for running a design sprint this week, the two talk about his concerns and how he might ensure that the workshop is a success. Stay tuned for the results and a post-mortem of the workshop next week...
They discuss:
- Concerns about running a 5-day remote design sprint
- Remote vs. in-person workshops
- Tips for running a successful workshop
Resources referenced:
- Sprint by Jake Knapp
- OOUX by Sophia Prater
- UX Magic by Daniel Rosenberg
- The Remarkable tablet
- Advanced UI/UX course by the Fountain Institute
About the Pod
We're Jabbin' is a weekly podcast hosted by Kenji Kaneko (a Product Designer) and Licheng Zhu (a UX researcher) where they discuss and debate topics broadly related to UX research and design.
Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WereJabbin
Follow Kenji: https://twitter.com/kenjivkaneko
Follow Licheng: https://twitter.com/Lichenger
Email the pod with questions, topics you'd be interested, or feedback!:
werejabbin@gmail.com
On this episode of the We're Jabbin' podcast, Licheng asks Kenji what it is about design that particularly touches his soul. This episode touches on meandering career paths, finding a passion, the importance of curiosity, craft, and learning for designers, and how design differs depending on your company.
They discuss:
- What Kenji loves most about being a UX/Product Designer
- What makes a "good" designer
- How design differs in school compared to the "real world"
Resources referenced:
- The Ranch Mine (award-winning architecture firm)
- Sprint by Jake Knapp
About the Pod
We're Jabbin' is a weekly podcast hosted by Kenji Kaneko (a Product Designer) and Licheng Zhu (a UX researcher) where they discuss and debate topics broadly related to UX research and design.
Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WereJabbin
Follow Kenji: https://twitter.com/kenjivkaneko
Follow Licheng: https://twitter.com/Lichenger
On this episode of the We're Jabbin' podcast, we flip the script a bit as Kenji dives in to ask all about Licheng's perspective on UX research and what he wishes non-UX researchers knew about research. This is a great episode for folks who either want to become a UX researcher or designers who want to understand their researchers better.
They discuss:
- The difference between a design researcher, a user researcher, a product researchers and a user experience researcher (so many terms, oh my!)
- The common misconceptions of UX research
- Is there more to research than interviews, surveys, and usability tests?
Resources referenced:
- The Advanced UX/UI Course by the Fountain Institute
About the Pod
We're Jabbin' is a weekly podcast hosted by Kenji Kaneko (a Product Designer) and Licheng Zhu (a UX researcher) where they discuss and debate topics broadly related to UX research and design.
Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WereJabbin
Follow Kenji: https://twitter.com/kenjivkaneko
Follow Licheng: https://twitter.com/Lichenger
On this episode of the We're Jabbin' podcast, Kenji and Licheng jab about their favorite UX-related books, but with the caveat that these aren't the typical UX books on most "best of" lists.
They discuss:
- Their 3 favorite UX-related books that many people may not be familiar with. Kenji talks about 3 UX books great for designers and Licheng dishes his 3 favorite for UX researchers.
- Why these books are 3 of their favorites and in what context they were useful to them
- Touch on the UX "classics" like Don't Make Me Think and Design of Everyday Things
Kenji's Top 3 books for UX/Product Designers
- Build Better Products by Laura Klein
- The Smarter Screen by Shlomo Bernartzi
- How will you measure your life? by Clayton Christensen
Licheng's Top 3 books for UX Researchers
- Validating Product Ideas by Tomer Sharon
- Quantifying the User Experience by Sauro and Lewis
- Cracking the PM Interview by McDowell and Bavaro
Other resources referenced:
- Measuring the User Experience by Albert and Tullis
- Jobs to Be Done by Anthony Ulwick
- Shipping Greatness by Chris Vander Mey
- The Moth Presents: Occasional Magic
- Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
About the Pod
We're Jabbin' is a weekly podcast hosted by Kenji Kaneko (a Product Designer) and Licheng Zhu (a UX researcher) where they discuss and debate topics broadly related to UX research and design.
Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WereJabbin
Follow Kenji: https://twitter.com/kenjivkaneko
Follow Licheng: https://twitter.com/Lichenger
On this episode of the We're Jabbin' podcast, Kenji and Licheng jab on the pros and cons of getting a UX degree in a traditional academic setting (bachelors/masters).
They discuss:
- Their respective journeys into the fields of UX research and Product design.
- Their experience doing the Human-Computer Interaction (now UX) masters program at the University of Michigan
- Other avenues to get into UX like bootcamps and online courses
Resources referenced:
- The Almanack of Naval Ravikant New, free book containing the wisdom of the Angellist co-founder
- Black Box Thinking by Matthew Syd Good book on failure, creativity, and the importance of feedback loops for success
About the Pod
We're Jabbin' is a weekly podcast hosted by Kenji Kaneko (a Product Designer) and Licheng Zhu (a UX researcher) where they discuss and debate topics broadly related to UX research and design.
Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WereJabbin
Follow Kenji: https://twitter.com/kenjivkaneko
Follow Licheng: https://twitter.com/Lichenger
On the inaugural episode of the We're Jabbin' podcast, Kenji and Licheng jab on what it's like to work in UX and technology outside of the major coastal tech hubs of San Francisco and NYC.
They discuss:
- What are the benefits of working outside of the coasts?
- What are the drawbacks?
- How does this change with remote-work and COVID?
- What does the future look like?
Resources referenced:
- The Social Dilemma (Netflix documentary):
- Jared Spool on Personas (free to sign up)
About the Pod
We're Jabbin' is a weekly podcast hosted by Kenji Kaneko (a Product Designer) and Licheng Zhu (a UX researcher) where they discuss and debate topics broadly related to UX research and design.
Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WereJabbin
Follow Kenji: https://twitter.com/kenjivkaneko
Follow Licheng: https://twitter.com/Lichenger