ProjectUX Podcast: Recent Episodes
ProjectUX
On the ProjectUX podcast we dive deep into the multitude of topics that make up the discipline of User Experience (UX). From the latest news in tech and design to insights into the field of design and research we tackle it all. Brought to you by the producers of the web series ProjectUX, the UX show for startups.
In the first episode since the Coronavirus outbreak, we ask a lot of question about how this is effecting various media related industries.
How is it effecting the video industry? Is this an opportunity to create media in more creative ways using virtualized environments like AR and VR?
What about meetings? Will more and more meetings be done remotely using apps like Zoom? What about conferences? Are there reasons to even have face-to-face meetings and conferences?
And, as usual, Cheenu pimps the potential of chatbots, which leads us to the thought, “Is Siri’s voice sexy?”.
Things do get a little political in talking about the Coronavirus situation so...beware!
Wanna support and help ProjectUX? You can do so in the following ways:
- Share an article, podcast, and/or episode with others
- If you have an idea for an article or podcast topic, let us know!
- Become a patron of ProjectUX on Patreon
- Become a sponsor of our show
- Post a review and let others know what you think about the show!
Joining us on the podcast is magician James Munton. We talk at length about what it takes to create great experiences with magic and how that world parallels with UX design practices. Later, we talk about his podcast, AppleSauced, a podcast about technology, life, and beer. We chat a bit about how people’s experience with beer have changed, especially with the resurgence of local microbrews. And, being that James is from England, we talk about the difference between the US and UK pub scene.
Links:
- AppleSauced
- James Munton - Magician
Wanna support and help ProjectUX? You can do so in the following ways:
- Share an article, podcast, and/or episode with others
- If you have an idea for an article or podcast topic, let us know!
- Become a patron of ProjectUX on Patreon
- Become a sponsor of our show
- Post a review and let others know what you think about the show!
We're revisiting fitness for the New Year and making our own resolutions. Jeff and Chenu share what they're doing with their own fitness and how UX plays a part in all that. We take a look at what's happening with virtualization of indoor cycling and rowing. We also talk about how the Nintendo Switch can help you with your fitness by playing games like Ring Fit Adventure. As usual, the conversation goes into unknown territory and deeper dives.
Links:
- Zwift
- The Sufferfest
- TrainerRoad
- Peloton
- Bowflex C6
- Schwinn IC4
- Tacx Neo Bike
- Wattbike Atom
- Wahoo KICKR Bike
- Engadget: Echelon made a more-affordable smart rowing machine
- Hydrow: The Live Outdoor Reality Rower
- SmartGym
- GymPact
- TRX Suspension Training
- DC Rainmaker: Garmin’s Biggest Competitor Is Their Own Software Instability
- Design Doc’s Favorite Games of the Year - Fire Emblem, Ring Fit Adventure, and Yooka-Laylee - YouTube
- Ring Fit Adventure - What Does a Professional Trainer Think About this Workout Game? - YouTube
- Medium: Use Temptation Bundling to Create Better Habits - UPENN
- Using Behavioral Science to Build an Exercise Habit - Scientific American
Wanna support and help ProjectUX? You can do so in the following ways:
- Share an article, podcast, and/or episode with others
- If you have an idea for an article or podcast topic, let us know!
- Become a patron of ProjectUX on Patreon
- Become a sponsor of our show
- Post a review and let others know what you think about the show!
Dominos Pizza is in the news regarding a potential case involving the accessibility of their website, one that could be a landmark case if it goes to the Supreme Court. Join Jeff Whitfield, Seda Maurer, and Greg Rutledge as they talk about this case and what it means for the future of accessibility standards.
Links:
- Domino’s Pizza delivers a case to the US Supreme Court
- Should websites be accessible to everyone? Domino’s says no
- Domino’s asks the Supreme Court to shut down a lawsuit requiring its website be accessible to blind people
- Target to pay $6 million to settle site accessibility suit
Wanna support and help ProjectUX? You can do so in the following ways:
- Share an article, podcast, and/or episode with others
- If you have an idea for an article or podcast topic, let us know!
- Become a patron of ProjectUX on Patreon
- Become a sponsor of our show
- Post a review and let others know what you think about the show!
Surveys are a great tool for UX research and can be useful in finding answers to many questions you might have about your users. But they can also be misused and misunderstood. In this episode, we talk about the different types of surveys, best uses and practices, as well as some of the tools used to create them. Anne Badt joins us for the first time along with Jeff Whitfield, Rob Andrews, and Cheenu Chari for a wonderful discussion.
Links:
- The Essential Guide to Writing Effective Survey Questions
- 7 Survey Incentives That Get Respondents Every Time
Wanna support and help ProjectUX? You can do so in the following ways:
- Share an article, podcast, and/or episode with others
- If you have an idea for an article or podcast topic, let us know!
- Become a patron of ProjectUX on Patreon
- Become a sponsor of our show
- Post a review and let others know what you think about the show!
Jeff and Rob dive into the problem of startup fraud. The discussion starts with the story of the rise and fall of Theranos, a company that has gone on to have an influence on other similar startups. Both Jeff and Rob share a few personal stories about instances where they saw potential startup fraud.
Links:
- The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley
- Blood-Test Startups Try to Crawl Out From the Shadow of Elizabeth Holmes
- Redesigning the iQsquare Power Meter
Wanna support and help ProjectUX? You can do so in the following ways:
- Share an article, podcast, and/or episode with others
- If you have an idea for an article or podcast topic, let us know!
- Become a patron of ProjectUX on Patreon
- Become a sponsor of our show
- Post a review and let others know what you think about the show!
Jeff and Cheenu dive into a variety of heavy hitting topics. Cheenu talks about the UX of chatbots and AI which leads us into a conversation about quantum computing. We also touch on some user experience related topics with health. We end things with our picks on a negative UX experience. Cheenu talks about his experience with Snapchat and Jeff talks about the UX problems with underwear.
Wanna support and help ProjectUX? You can do so in the following ways:
- Share an article, podcast, and/or episode with others
- If you have an idea for an article or podcast topic, let us know!
- Become a patron of ProjectUX on Patreon
- Become a sponsor of our show
- Post a review and let others know what you think about the show!
In this episode we explore the emerging trend of experiential art with a deep dive into Rainbow Vomit, an immersive art exhibit created by lead curator Deanna Theis, Rob Andrews, and other members of ProectUX. Rainbow Vomit contributor Melody Ramey makes her podcast debut in which we cover topics such as service design, the nature of experience in physical environments, the relationship between art and design, and more!
Check out rainbow Vomit on the official website: www.rainbowvomit.com
Get a sneak peak tour of the exhibit from Good Morning Texas: https://www.wfaa.com/mobile/article/entertainment/television/programs/good-morning-texas/explore-rainbow-vomit-in-fair-park/287-287fe5db-cfd9-4acd-ac79-089b055ff1aa
Wanna support and help ProjectUX? You can do so in the following ways:
- Share an article, podcast, and/or episode with others
- If you have an idea for an article or podcast topic, let us know!
- Become a patron of ProjectUX on Patreon
- Become a sponsor of our show
- Post a review and let others know what you think about the show!
ProjectUX had the distinct pleasure of attending the Dallas World IA Day event held at UT Dallas. While we were there, we interviewed the presenters as well as one of the organizers including:
- Jennifer Blatz (Organizer, Senior UX Designer, Fidelity Investments)
- LaBoria Willis (UX Operations Manager Alkami)
- Lana Gibbons (Senior UX Content Strategist, Fidelity Investments)
- Loretta Hudelot (CX Strategist / Researcher, Verizon)
- Courtney Cox Wakefield (Digital Marketing Expert and Speaker, Children’s Health)
- Ben Judy (Head of User Experience, 7-Eleven)
- Brian Sullivan (Design Strategist, Researcher, Award-Winning Designer, College Professor, Author, Speaker, Big Design Conference Founder, Sabre and Big Design)
Wanna support and help ProjectUX? You can do so in the following ways: 1. Share an article, podcast, and/or episode with others 2. If you have an idea for an article or podcast topic, let us know! 3. Become a patron of ProjectUX on Patreon 4. Become a sponsor of our show
With Amazon Go locations opening up in a few select markets, the future of the retail shopping experience is likely to change. So we asked the question: What does the future really hold for retail? Jeff Whitfield, Rob Andrew, and Cheenu Chari dig into this topic along with a discussion on why some markets have been failing.
Links:
- Amazon Go is the inevitable evolution of supermarket retail
- The future of retail is not of this Earth
- Performance Bicycle owner ASE files for bankruptcy
- Toys ‘R’ Us lenders cancel auction, plan to revive brand
- Why Best Buy Remains Relevant In The Age of Amazon
- Amazon Vs. Walmart: Who Wins in the Battle of the Behemoths?
Wanna support and help ProjectUX? You can do so in the following ways:
- Share an article, podcast, and/or episode with others
- If you have an idea for an article or podcast topic, let us know!
- Become a patron of ProjectUX on Patreon
- Become a sponsor of our show
Recently, the Oculus Go was released, a $199 device that gives consumers a reasonably inexpensive entry point into the world of VR. Other products like the Everysight Raptor show big promise for where AR could go for consumer-based products. We asked Karen Vanderpool and Preston McCauley what they thought about these products and what the future may hold for AR and VR for the average consumer.
The founding fathers may never have heard the term UX, but they clearly had an understanding the concepts. However, are we living up to a system of governance that really works well for all people? In this special election themed episode we dive into UX as it relates to government, covering topics including lean government, the voting process, the constitution, and ways we can make our public systems run more efficiently.
Links:
- Lean Government Center
- Lean Government (Wikipedia)
- Eight Workable Strategies for Creating Lean Government
- The UX of Voting is Miserable
- Kialo
Storytelling sits at the core of many of the greatest experiences of our lives, from the media we consume to the apps, websites and services we utilize. In this episode we talk with ProjectUX contributor Brianna Taeuber about the art of storytelling and the many layers through which it weaves into UX. Along with its benefits we discuss practical tips for harnessing the power of storytelling as well as a personal story from each of us.
Links:
- 6 storytelling principles to improve your UX
- 7 Examples of the Storytelling Potential of Great UX Design
- The fundamentals of storytelling in UX
- Millenials Are Screwed
Educating the next wave of designers is a complex task, as preparing someone for real-world jobs is not always easy in a classroom setting. Cassini Nazir, UTD professor and keynote speaker at the Big Design conference, talks about the state of UX education, the methods that belong in a UXers toolbox, and the implementation of the practice across different industries in this special episode we go inside the Big Design studio.
Every year the Big Design Conference gathers several of the brightest minds and most interesting ideas in design and UX. ProjectUX guest contributor Cheenu Chari and former student of Cassini’s reported live on the scene in this special interview series.
Many of us fall victim overuse of our phones, playing too many video games, or switching tasks too often. The truth is the power of design can have serious implications on the way we live our lives. In this special episode we go inside the Big Design studio with Coco Chalfant, an information architect who gave a talk at the conference about how good UX can sometimes have negative consequences.
Every year the Big Design Conference gathers several of the brightest minds and most interesting ideas in design and UX. ProjectUX show host Brandon Ward reported live on the scene in this special interview series.
Every year the Big Design Conference gathers several of the brightest minds and most interesting ideas in design and UX. ProjectUX reported live on the scene talking topics ranging from VR, ethics, cannabis and leadership in this jam-packed episode featuring speakers Preston McCauley, Randy Krum, Jay Schu, and Brandon Ward.
Conference Presenters:
- Michael Vaughn (@mcvaughn)
- Preston McCauley (@uidesignguide)
- J. Schuh
- Randy Krum (@rtkrum)
- Brandon Ward (@uxward)
Most everyone uses email on a daily basis in their work, but there are many UX issues we face with this common tool. On this episode we break down the UX of gmail and talk with Zachary Wiles, co-founder of the public benefit corp Coedit. We also offer tips for writing better emails in addition to talking about the philosophy of creating companies that focus not just on profits but also public benefit.
Need to take a quick note? There’s an app for that! Everybody has experience taking notes, from our days at school to making to-do lists to brainstorming sessions. In this podcast we explore how the UX of note-taking has changed with the introduction of apps such as Evernote, Google Docs, and companies like Rocketbook.
Episode Notes: * Evernote slashes price of Premium subscription as many executives depart * The best note-taking apps to use in 2018 * Rocketbook * Quip * coedit
On this special episode we get a chance to interview Jared Spool, maker of UX awesomeness and founder of UIE and Center Centre. Conducted by ProjectUX host Brandon Ward, we discuss design education, the UIE conference, and get a dose of his unique sense of humor with some personal questions as we go inside the big design studio.
Technology and design can do a lot to help improve our fitness, from wearables to fitness apps to smart gym equipment, On this episode we discuss the UX of these tools and what separates the useful ones from the not-so-useful. Topics covered included the differences in FitBit versus the Apple Watch, changing the metrics of fitness tracking, and using technology to assist in customizing workouts.
- Training indoors is boring, right? Not with Swift.
- Strava and other technologies could be fuelling exercise addiction in cyclists
- The Psychology of “Strava or It Didn’t Happen” - Social Media Addiction
- After Strava Heat Map Revealed Military Sites, Fitness Tracking Bans Are Issued to Active Duty Military - Running with Miles
- Apple Considers Making Its Own Health Monitoring Processors
- Fitbit’s Charge 3 Offers a New Take on an Old Tracker
- Fitbit Charge 3 Fitness Tracker Goes Live - But It’s Missing A Key Ingredient
- The Google Fit update doesn’t care about steps
- Google Fit gets all-white redesign, new activity rings
- Google Fit redesign includes ‘Heart Points’ gamification for the fitness tracking app
- This Home Gym Uses Machine Learning to Help You Work Out Smarter
- Connecting your fitness tracker with a smart home
- Apple Watch: Survey Reveals How Wearing One Could Boost Your Attractiveness
- SmartGym
- Bowflex - Premium Home Exercise Equipment
The recent ban of Alex Jones from nearly all the major platforms raises some serious questions. Content drives the UX of companies like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, but where do they draw the line? In this episode we explore designing the system and the enforcement of content policies that these companies must undertake. We also cover the topics of privacy and customer service looking at examples from Google Maps and MoviePass.
- Infowars, Alex Jones test the limits of free speech on Twitter and beyond
- WordPress removes several alt-right blogs that spread Sandy Hook conspiracies
- Twitter bans Alex Jones, Infowars from tweeting for seven days
- Death to Bullshit
- Google Tracks You Even If Location History's Off. Here's How to Stop It
- MoviePass is un-canceling people’s accounts
This week we are joined by Mark Rummel of Habitat for Humanity and Heidi Hiser, an independent UX consultant tackling the complex problem of homelessness, as we explore utilizations of UX principles to help better tackle social issues. We discuss how using concepts such as gamification, quality on-boarding systems, and service design can help do good that takes UX well beyond designing apps and websites.
- Trinity Habitat for Humanity
- Mark Rummel (@markrummel)
- Heidi Hiser (@heidihiser)
Most everything we interact with in life is designed, and the news is no exception. In this episode, we talk about the experience of news in the modern era of "fake news," Facebook, catered-news apps, and the changing models of paying for content. Additional UX topics include changes to Amazon's text, Google Maps API, and email functionality.
Links:
- Amazon Changed Its Website Fonts, and Some People Are Not Taking It Well
- Google revamps its Google Maps developer platform
- Death to Bullshit
- Mike Monteiro – How to Fight Fascism
- Steve Jobs told Rupert Murdoch Fox News is an “incredibly destructive force”
In this episode we examine the value of UX research, discussing why it is so important for companies of all sizes to invest in truly understanding their customers and how they interact with their product. We tackle concepts including personas, language choices, rapid-iteration testing, and more using real-world examples and our own experience in UX research.
Bias is everywhere, not just in our opinions, but in everything from data to design. In this episode we dive into the topic from a UX perspective, discussing its prevalence and ways to overcome it, including zen and mindfulness techniques. We go deep into topics including stoicism, systems-thinking, and spiral dynamics seen through the lens of user experience.
Links:
- Information Architecture Lenses
- The Grand Model Of Psychological Evolution - Clare Graves & Spiral Dynamics
On the inaugural PUX podcast your hosts Rob Andrews, Teresa Nguyen, and Jeff Whitfield lay the foundation for the importance of User Experience and what makes us so passionate about it. We then dive deep into specific topics that affect us in the realm of UX including the recent WWDC conference, touching on areas including privacy, the Apple watch, what we can do to attempt to use our phones less and last but not least, tongue detection!