Insights Unlocked

By UserTestingBusiness Entrepreneurship Technology Management

Insights Unlocked episodes

November 04, 2024Mastering UX research: from analysis to actionable insights with Steve Portigal
Episode web page
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Show Notes
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, we sit down with Steve Portigal, a seasoned user researcher, author, and host of the Dollars to Donuts podcast, to discuss how the field of user research has evolved over the past 20 years. Steve shares his unique perspective on the significant changes that have shaped the industry, from the rise of in-house research teams to the impact of remote work on research methodologies. He also delves into the crucial difference between analysis and synthesis in research and offers practical advice for improving research outcomes. Whether you’re a new researcher or a seasoned expert, Steve’s insights will help you navigate the dynamic and sometimes challenging world of UX research.
Key Themes and Ideas:
The Growth of User Research:
Steve reflects on how user research has grown from a niche, obscure practice to a well-established community of professionals. This growth has led to increased knowledge sharing through conferences, books, meetups, and podcasts, creating a stronger foundation for collective learning and debate.
The Shift from Agencies to In-House Research Teams:
One of the biggest shifts Steve discusses is the transition from research being outsourced to agencies and consultants to now being managed by in-house teams. While this change has brought research closer to the core of business decisions, it has also altered the dynamics of advocacy and how researchers communicate findings within organizations.
The Impact of Remote Work and Research:
With the rise of remote work, especially during the pandemic, remote research has become the default method. While this has expanded opportunities for inclusion and collaboration, Steve cautions that the loss of in-person interactions may limit researchers' ability to fully understand user behaviors and experiences.
The Importance of Synthesis in Research:
Steve emphasizes the often-overlooked distinction between analysis and synthesis in research. While analysis involves breaking down information, synthesis requires recombining that data into new insights and frameworks that can drive innovation. Steve provides tips on how researchers can improve their synthesis process by allowing time for deeper exploration and collaboration.
Practical Advice for New Researchers:
For those new to the field, Steve encourages embracing the growing community of UX researchers. He suggests seeking mentorship, engaging in networking, and experimenting with different ways of participating in the community, whether through writing, podcasts, or small peer groups.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Research-Led Companies:
Steve offers a thought-provoking idea about the possibility of research-led companies emerging in the future. He imagines a world where research isn’t just a service within organizations but a driving force behind product and service innovation.
Episode Links:
Steve Portigal’s Books: Interviewing Users and Doorbells, Danger, and Dead Batteries
Dollars to Donuts Podcast
Discount Code for Interviewing Users: Use "UNLOCKED" at checkout on Rosenfeld Media for 10% off
Steve's Website
LinkedIn
47 min
October 28, 2024How women’s health app Clue uses jobs to be done for product success
Episode web page
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Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.
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Show Notes
Podcast Episode: Understanding User Needs with Rhiannon White, Chief Product Officer at Clue
In this episode of the Insights Unlocked podcast, host Kerry Johnstone from UserTesting sits down with Rhiannon White, the Chief Product Officer at Clue, a women's health app with over 10 million users globally. Rhiannon shares her journey from political marketing and roles at BBC to leading product development at Clue, offering a unique perspective on how diverse experiences shape great product leadership.
Key Themes:
Career Journey and Curiosity About People: Rhiannon discusses her eclectic career and the common thread of curiosity about human behavior that has driven her work. Whether in marketing or product management, understanding people’s needs, problems, and desires has been central to her approach to creating successful user experiences.
Bringing Insights to Product Leadership: Rhiannon shares a key moment in her career when she realized that shipping products was not enough—she needed to bring deeper insights to the table. By reconnecting with her passion for user research, she now spends time every week directly interviewing customers, a practice she refers to as her “Friday treat,” to stay grounded in the user experience.
Jobs to Be Done Framework: One of the focal points of the conversation is how Clue uses the “Jobs to Be Done” framework to guide product decisions. Rhiannon explains how Clue’s users have four core needs: trust, orientation (understanding what's happening to them), empowerment (knowing what actions to take), and comfort (feeling connected and not alone). These “jobs” help the team at Clue prioritize product features that address real user pain points and deliver meaningful value.
Understanding Subjective User Needs: An interesting revelation from the framework was the subjectivity around accuracy, where users with highly regular cycles might have different perceptions of accuracy compared to users with irregular cycles. This insight has helped Clue refine its product approach, ensuring that the app remains valuable to a wide range of users.
Combining Emotional and Functional Needs: Rhiannon discusses how Clue integrates emotional needs, like trust and comfort, with functional aspects of the product. She gives examples of product features, such as pain tracking, that help users feel validated and connected while also providing actionable insights to improve their health management.
User Research as an Ongoing Practice: Instead of thinking of research as project-based, Rhiannon stresses the importance of continuous user research. This iterative approach, including fast unmoderated testing, allows Clue’s team to keep refining and improving their product without slowing down development.
The Role of AI and Human Connection: While AI is seen as a useful tool for processing data, Rhiannon emphasizes the irreplaceable value of direct human connection in product development. She advocates for staying close to users and cautions against over-relying on abstracted data or tools that disconnect product teams from real user emotions and experiences.
38 min
October 21, 2024Small words, big impact: how content tweaks can boost engagement by 30%
Episode web page
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Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.
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Show Notes
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, host Sean Treiser sits down with Kelly Erickson, a content designer at Warner Music Group, to explore the nuances of content design and the critical role it plays in shaping user experiences. Kelly shares her career journey, starting as a sports writer and transitioning into content design roles in nonprofit, sports, and tech sectors. With over a decade of experience, she offers rich insights into how content design differs from other design disciplines and the immense value of user and content testing.
From her time at Eventbrite, Kelly reveals surprising insights uncovered through content testing and how small changes in language can lead to significant improvements in user engagement. She emphasizes the importance of understanding user motivations and behaviors and how these insights can guide effective content design decisions.
Listeners will learn how to balance qualitative and quantitative data, prioritize content testing in fast-paced projects, and maintain brand consistency across various touchpoints. Kelly’s practical advice for content designers and UX professionals highlights the long-term impact of a user-centered approach and offers actionable strategies for integrating content testing into design processes.

Key Themes and Ideas Discussed:
Content Design Journey: Kelly discusses her path from sports writing to content design, reflecting on how her love for words and human behavior led her into the field of UX writing and content design.
The Role of Content Design in User Experiences: Kelly highlights how content design is fundamentally different from other design disciplines, emphasizing that without the right words, a design may lose its effectiveness. She underscores the importance of clarity and using language that speaks to the user intuitively and humanly.
Power of Content Testing: One of the core ideas Kelly shares is the importance of testing content before it goes live. She provides examples of how simple wording changes during her time at Eventbrite significantly impacted user engagement, including a 30% increase in click-through rates from a headline change.
Balancing Qualitative and Quantitative Data: Kelly discusses the balance between qualitative insights from content testing and quantitative data like click-through rates. She explains how each type of data informs content decisions and drives user-centric design.
Designing for User Motivation: A key insight Kelly shares is understanding and addressing user motivations. She explains how focusing on what users are trying to accomplish, rather than just delivering a product, can elevate the overall experience.
Consistency and Personalization in Content: The episode covers strategies for maintaining a consistent brand voice while tailoring content to different user scenarios. Kelly introduces the concept of a “tone dial,” where the intensity of the brand’s tone is adjusted based on the user’s interaction.
Advice for New Content Designers: Kelly encourages content designers to start testing early, even with time constraints, and to focus on building strong relationships with cross-functional teams like engineers and product managers to drive AB testing and other content experiments.
Episode links:
Strategic Content Design by Erica Jorgensen
Eventbrite’s publicly available style guide
Find Kelly on LinkedIn: Kelly Erickson LinkedIn
36 min
October 14, 2024How Signet Jewelers leverages customer insights across omni-channel experiences
Episode web page
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The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code
The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register.
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Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review
If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review.
Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.
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Show Notes
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, host Cornelia Klimek sits down with Shannon Graf, Director of Design Research at Signet Jewelers, to explore her journey in UX research and how her work shapes the digital and in-store experiences for some of the world’s top jewelry brands, including Kay, Zales, and Jared.
Shannon offers a behind-the-scenes look at how Signet integrates consumer insights to lead with data-driven decisions that enhance customer satisfaction and drive business outcomes. The conversation covers a range of themes from digital transformation, personalized customer journeys, and the impact of in-store UX research to fostering a strong employee experience within a large organization. Whether you're in UX, product management, or simply interested in digital experiences, this episode is full of actionable insights.
Key Themes:
The Journey of Saying “Yes” Shannon talks about how saying “yes” to unexpected opportunities, like writing her first nonfiction book during the pandemic, helped her unlock new personal and professional achievements. She shares how this mindset extends into her UX research career and offers advice on how listeners can apply this philosophy in their own lives and work.
Consumer Insights Driving Digital Transformation At Signet Jewelers, Shannon and her team leverage deep consumer insights to shape digital experiences for customers. This includes both e-commerce platforms and in-store technologies used by their jewelry consultants. Shannon emphasizes that leading with research and data helps businesses avoid costly mistakes, streamline decision-making, and deliver what customers really need.
Personalization and Confidence in Digital Experiences Personalization plays a significant role in Signet’s success, especially in the competitive jewelry market where customers want tailored experiences. Shannon explains how their research reveals consumer preferences for personalized shopping journeys and how confidence in a brand can make or break a digital experience.
The Importance of Employee Experience Beyond customer insights, Shannon’s team also focuses on employee experience research, working closely with internal teams to gather feedback that informs better organizational practices. This effort aligns with Signet’s broader vision of creating a positive and empowered workplace culture.
Leadership and Aligning UX with Business Objectives Throughout the episode, Shannon shares strategies for connecting UX research outcomes to broader business objectives, helping researchers and designers align their work with what truly matters to the company’s bottom line. She provides tips on problem framing, prioritization, and the importance of cultivating strong internal relationships.
Episode links:
Nothing but Pavement: Shedding the Should When the Path before You is Not Always the Path You Choose by Shannon Graf
Signet Jewelers – Brands include Kay, Zales, Jared, and Banter.
Instagram: @ShannonGrafCreative
37 min
October 07, 2024Best practices for activating your customer insights
Episode web page
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We're conducting a 6-question survey to learn more about our listeners, and we'd love your participation! Your feedback will help us tailor our content to better meet your needs and interests, ensuring Insights Unlocked continues to provide valuable and engaging episodes. Thank you for helping us improve the show!
-----------------------
The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code
The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register.
-----------------------
Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review
If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review.
Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.
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Show Notes
In this episode, Michelle Engle sits down with Matt Harrell, a seasoned expert in product management and customer experience, to explore the power of user research and how to turn insights into tangible product improvements. As VP of Customer Experience at Givebacks, Matt shares his experience with developing customer-first products and discusses the impact of research on business outcomes.
Key Themes:
Customer-Centric Product Development: Matt highlights how integrating user experience (UX) with product design is critical for creating products that meet real customer needs. He discusses his journey from software development to customer experience, emphasizing the inseparable relationship between product and customer experience.
Prioritizing Research for Business Impact: Matt explains how his team prioritizes research initiatives based on business goals and quarterly OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). This ensures that user research is aligned with strategic objectives, helping the team stay focused on what matters most to the business and its customers.
The Importance of Pre-Research Alignment: Before conducting any user testing, Matt stresses the importance of aligning on what’s being tested and the expected outcomes. By ensuring all stakeholders agree on the research objectives upfront, his team avoids confusion and maximizes the value of their findings.
Sharing Research Findings Effectively: Matt provides insights into how his team shares research results through detailed reports that include user insights, data visualizations, and highlight reels. This process helps stakeholders easily understand the key takeaways and encourages informed decision-making across the organization.
Governance in User Experience: Governance plays a crucial role in ensuring consistency in design and messaging across digital experiences. Matt discusses how Give Backs implements governance strategies to keep their tools and customer interactions cohesive, ensuring a seamless user experience.
Voice of Customer (VOC) Reports: A key tool in Matt’s approach is the Voice of Customer (VOC) report, which compiles feedback from various sources, including NPS scores and customer support data. These reports bridge the gap between raw user feedback and actionable business decisions, ensuring that all teams stay connected to the customer’s voice.
Resources Mentioned:
Learn more about Givebacks and how you can support causes through everyday purchases at Givebacks.com
Connect with Matt Harrell on LinkedIn
25 min
September 30, 2024Building trust in email marketing with Cornell’s Ashley Budd
Episode web page
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>>> Insights Unlocked audience survey <<<
Link https://bit.ly/3y4u9IJ
We're conducting a survey to learn more about our listeners, and we'd love your participation! Your feedback will help us tailor our content to better meet your needs and interests, ensuring Insights Unlocked continues to provide valuable and engaging episodes. Thank you for helping us improve the show!
-----------------------
The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code
The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register.
-----------------------
Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review
If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review.
Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.
-----------------------
Show Notes
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, hosts Nathan Isaacs and Lija Hogan sit down with Ashley Budd, Senior Director of Advancement Marketing at Cornell University, to explore the art and science of effective email marketing. Ashley, a leading voice in higher education marketing, shares insights from her experience, including strategies for building trust with audiences through authenticity, empathy, and logic—the pillars of her "trust triangle" framework. They also discuss how to optimize email engagement by connecting these principles to measurable outcomes, such as open rates and unsubscribe rates.
Key Themes & Takeaways:
The Trust Triangle Framework:
Ashley introduces the concept of the "trust triangle," composed of authenticity, empathy, and logic. This framework helps marketers craft emails that build and maintain trust with their audience. By applying these principles, marketers can foster stronger relationships and drive higher engagement.
Optimizing Email Communication:
Emails are a powerful but cluttered communication channel. Ashley emphasizes the importance of creating clear, concise, and authentic messages that resonate with recipients. She explains how being honest about who is sending the email, avoiding exaggerated claims, and keeping content relevant can make all the difference in driving engagement.
KPIs and Trust:
Ashley ties her trust-building approach to measurable KPIs like open rates and unsubscribes, suggesting that audience trust directly influences these metrics. She shares how tracking these indicators can reveal whether email strategies are resonating or falling short.
The Role of AI in Email Marketing:
The conversation explores how AI is shaping email marketing by increasing the volume of emails sent and improving productivity. However, Ashley warns that AI-generated content often lacks the nuanced touch needed to build trust and suggests ways marketers can use AI tools without sacrificing quality.
Notable Quotes:
"The trust triangle—authenticity, empathy, and logic—is essential for building relationships, whether you're talking to a colleague or sending a marketing email."
"We're all in a noisy inbox, and people are making split-second decisions about whether they trust you enough to read your email."
"With AI, we're going to see more emails, but we'll also need to be more clear and authentic to avoid getting filtered into junk folders."
Episode links:
Mailed It – A practical guide for crafting emails that build relationships and get results.
Visit ashleybudd.com for to sign up for Ashley’s newsletter
Ashley on LinkedIn
8 usability testing tips to get the most out of your research
32 min
September 23, 2024Why Focusing on User Outcomes (Not Outputs) Is the Future of Product Development
Episode web page
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>>> Insights Unlocked audience survey <<<
Link https://bit.ly/3y4u9IJ
We're conducting a survey to learn more about our listeners, and we'd love your participation! Your feedback will help us tailor our content to better meet your needs and interests, ensuring Insights Unlocked continues to provide valuable and engaging episodes. Thank you for helping us improve the show!
-----------------------
The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code
The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register.
-----------------------
Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review
If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review.
Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.
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Show Notes
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, we sit down with Connor Joyce, a mixed-methods researcher and behavioral scientist with a rich background at companies like Microsoft, Twilio, and Deloitte. Connor shares his journey through behavioral science and product strategy, highlighting key themes from his new book, Bridging Intention to Impact: Transform Product Development through Evidence-Based Decision Making.
Key Themes Discussed:
Behavioral Science in Product Development: Connor explains how behavioral science principles can help product teams create interventions that lead to lasting behavioral change, not just short-term engagement.
The Output vs. Outcome Dilemma: Many companies mistakenly equate product usage with success, but true success comes from creating products that satisfy user outcomes. Connor explains how shifting from tracking outputs (e.g., clicks, retention) to outcomes (e.g., behavior changes) can transform product success.
Ethical Product Design: Connor emphasizes the importance of ensuring interventions promote positive, long-term behaviors. He discusses how to create ethical designs that balance business needs with user well-being.
AI and Empathy in Product Development: As AI becomes more integrated into tech, Connor explores its potential to enhance empathy and help product teams better understand user perspectives. He also touches on the ethical considerations around using AI in a responsible, human-centered way.
Practical Frameworks and Tools: Drawing from his book, Connor introduces the User Outcome Connection and Feature Impact Analysis frameworks, which help product teams validate and measure the behavioral impact of their products.
Actionable Insights:
Focus on outcomes over outputs. Rather than simply tracking usage, aim to understand and influence the behaviors your users are trying to achieve with your product.
Use behavioral science to create small interventions within your product that help users reach their goals.
Incorporate ethical considerations into your design process by ensuring that your interventions promote positive, lasting behavior change.
Explore the potential of AI to deepen empathy in product design and user experience.
Episode Links:
LinkedIn: Connect with Connor Joyce
Book: Bridging Intention to Impact on Peach Pit
Consulting: Desired Outcome Labs
Behavioral science books like Nudge by Richard Thaler
44 min
September 19, 2024How to convince your boss to send you to The Human Insight Summit (THiS) in Austin, Texas
Episode web page
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>>> Insights Unlocked audience survey <<<
Link https://bit.ly/3y4u9IJ
We're conducting a survey to learn more about our listeners, and we'd love your participation! Your feedback will help us tailor our content to better meet your needs and interests, ensuring Insights Unlocked continues to provide valuable and engaging episodes. Thank you for helping us improve the show!
-----------------------
The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code
The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register.
-----------------------
Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review
If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review.
Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.
-----------------------
Show Notes
In this episode, Nathan Isaacs sits down with Paige Musto, Vice President of Corporate Marketing at UserTesting, to discuss the upcoming Human Insight Summit.

Key Takeaways:
About the Human Insight Summit: The Human Insight Summit, hosted by UserTesting, is an annual conference that unites the UX, research, and product design community. This year’s event, held in Austin, Texas from October 28-30, will feature thought leaders and hands-on workshops focused on driving innovation through customer collaboration.
Keynote Speaker: Adam Alter, NYU professor and behavioral scientist, will deliver a keynote on how hidden psychological forces shape decision-making, with actionable insights for UX design and product management.
Workshops and Sessions: The conference will offer 15 breakout sessions across three main tracks: Elevating Experience Research, Insights-Driven Product Design, and Driving Growth and Innovation. In addition, attendees can participate in all-day workshops, learning how to get executive buy-in and evolving as a UX leader.
Networking Opportunities: Paige emphasizes the importance of connecting with fellow attendees, noting that conference badges are a simple but effective tool for sparking conversations. Whether you’re a senior executive or early in your career, make the most of networking by focusing on both giving and receiving insights.
How to Get the Most Out of the Summit: Paige offers practical advice for maximizing your time at the Summit:
Identify Sessions Aligned with Your Business Goals: Before the conference, review the agenda and select sessions that best fit your organization’s needs.
Be Engaged: Don’t hesitate to ask questions and engage in discussions during sessions.
Leverage the Community: Make connections that can be valuable as your career grows. For senior attendees, focus on strategic networking and idea exchange. Junior attendees should be ready to absorb knowledge and make lasting connections.
Conference Justification Template: For those needing to secure company approval to attend, UserTesting has created a justification template that outlines the ROI of attending the Summit. Visit usertesting.com/this/justification-template for more details.
Special Discount Code:
Use the code "unlocked" when registering at usertesting.com/this to get a $100 discount on your Summit ticket.
9 min
September 16, 2024Mastering user-centric design during times of uncertainty
Episode web page
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>>> Insights Unlocked audience survey <<<
Link https://bit.ly/3y4u9IJ
We're conducting a survey to learn more about our listeners, and we'd love your participation! Your feedback will help us tailor our content to better meet your needs and interests, ensuring Insights Unlocked continues to provide valuable and engaging episodes. Thank you for helping us improve the show!
-----------------------
The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code
The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register.
-----------------------
Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review
If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review.
Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.
-----------------------
Show Notes
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, Jason Giles, VP of Design at UserTesting, sits down with Ryan Leffel, VP and Head of Design at Priceline. They explore what it takes to lead design teams during times of uncertainty, whether it's a global pandemic, economic shifts, or technological changes. Ryan reflects on his leadership journey, shares key lessons from managing through the COVID-19 crisis, and provides actionable insights for staying resilient, innovative, and customer-focused in turbulent times.
Ryan's career spans roles at major companies like RGA, Yahoo, and Quora before landing at Priceline, where he leads design and research across multiple platforms. His experiences have shaped his ability to adapt, solve problems creatively, and maintain focus on user-centered design, even when the external landscape is constantly shifting.
Key Takeaways:
Leadership in times of uncertainty: Ryan emphasizes the importance of staying calm and resilient as a leader. Leaders who remain composed encourage their teams to stay focused and avoid panic.
Staying true to your mission: Throughout times of change, it’s crucial to remain aligned with your company’s mission.
Creative problem-solving and efficiency: In today’s fast-paced environment, especially with fewer resources, creativity in how teams approach work is more important than ever.
Embracing change as an opportunity: Ryan discusses the mindset of viewing change not as a disruption, but as an opportunity for innovation.
Fostering a safe space for failure: Experimentation is a core part of design and research. By creating a culture where it's safe to fail, teams can iterate quickly and improve faster.
The role of AI in design and research: Ryan touches on the growing influence of AI in design and research. While there may be some initial skepticism, he believes AI is a tool that can assist—rather than replace—designers and researchers.
Cross-functional collaboration: One of the keys to building successful products is getting cross-functional teams involved early. This approach ensures alignment from the beginning and empowers everyone to contribute to the solution.
38 min
September 09, 2024Could empowering design teams be the key to your digital success?
Episode web page
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>>> Insights Unlocked audience survey <<<
Link https://bit.ly/3y4u9IJ
We're conducting a survey to learn more about our listeners, and we'd love your participation! Your feedback will help us tailor our content to better meet your needs and interests, ensuring Insights Unlocked continues to provide valuable and engaging episodes. Thank you for helping us improve the show!
-----------------------
The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO Code
The Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register.
-----------------------
Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review
If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review.
Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.
-----------------------
Show Notes:
In this episode of Insights Unlocked, host Nathan Isaacs sits down with Paul Strike, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Design Research, formerly at Goldman Sachs. With over 20 years of experience in design leadership, Paul shares his deep insights into how organizations can cultivate a progressive design and innovation culture. He discusses the critical role of leadership in fostering environments where design can thrive and highlights the importance of balancing strategic thinking with tactical execution.
Paul also delves into the challenges of integrating design into core business strategies, offering practical advice on overcoming the disconnect between design and business goals. He introduces three key leadership roles—Architect, Bridge, and Catalyst—that are essential for driving design-centric innovation and creating a culture of continuous discovery and learning.
Towards the end of the episode, Paul explores the future of design, particularly in the context of AI and the evolving employee experience, offering his thoughts on how these trends will shape the digital landscape in the years to come.
Key Takeaways:
Mature Design Culture: A mature, progressive design culture is marked by the ability to operate at both strategic and tactical levels, leveraging diverse skill sets to drive change at scale.
Leadership's Role in Innovation: Effective leadership in a design-driven organization involves shaping cultures and capabilities, co-creating future visions, and fostering an environment that supports innovation at every level.
Three Essential Leadership Roles:
Architect: Focuses on building cultures and capabilities.
Bridge: Leverages external expertise to complement internal efforts.
Catalyst: Acts as a change agent to accelerate innovation across the organization.
Authentic Leadership: Transparency and integrity are crucial for building a culture of trust and engagement. The HAL framework (Honesty, Authenticity, Integrity, Loyalty) is a powerful tool for leaders looking to foster open communication.
Continuous Discovery and Learning: Successful design teams embrace a culture of continuous discovery, iterating and learning from failures to create superior products and services.
Future of Design: The rise of AI and the evolution of the employee experience are poised to significantly impact the digital landscape, with design playing a central role in shaping these developments.
Connect with Paul Strike:
LinkedIn: Paul Strike on LinkedIn
22 min