UX Research Geeks

UXtweak

UX Research Geeks is a podcast all about User Experience, UX Design, UX Research, and everything that goes along with it. It is hosted by a senior UX researcher and a product thinker Petra Rajkov, and is brought to you by UXtweak (www.uxtweak.com), an all-in-one UX research tool.

Join us in geeking out over research with senior researchers, designers, speakers, CEOs, startup founders, and many many more.

See what Petra, our amazing host, is up to:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-rajkov-b75511225/

If you have any inquiries about the podcast, reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com

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25 episodes
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Avg 28 min
English

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#2
Friday · 4 min
UX research speed, empathy, and AI: Lessons from Angie Amlani | UXR Geeks Field Notes
In this field notes episode, Petra Rajkov reflects on her conversation with Angie Amlani, Executive Director of Strategy and Research at Metalab, and outlines the lessons she is applying to her own user research practice. She examines why speed and rigor are not opposites and how narrowing the decision first keeps research fast without losing rigor, what sense-making looks like when you research AI-native products and an agent sits between the user and the product, and why empathy, trust, and the metaphors participants use remain central to the work no matter how much the technology changes.To hear the full discussion, watch episode 77 of UXR Geeks with Angie Amlani: https://youtu.be/z_wOCqYjG-M?si=lXWUOzAnEYJSScwYChapters:00:00 Speed vs. rigor: do you have to pick one?01:00 Narrow the decision first01:45 Sense-making for AI-native products02:50 Empathy, trust, and metaphors03:37 Petra’s conclusions👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com🐝 Listen to UX Research Geeks:Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3u5eHC4nFDe395Gmij1BXA?si=1c5c6e9039a64453Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ux-research-geeks/id1619307049YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@uxtweakPocket Casts - https://pca.st/lnp784oy
#1
October 19 · 6 min
In-person UX research, metrics & AI: Lessons from Joel Barr | UXR Geeks Field Notes
In this field notes episode, Petra Rajkov reflects on her conversation with Joel Barr and outlines the lessons she is applying to her own user research practice. She examines why getting out into the field and observing users in their own environment remains key for teams building software, which business metrics demonstrate the research value better than CSAT and NPS, and why she shares Joel's view that AI can support researchers but should not replace the people at the center of the work. To hear the full discussion, watch episode 76 of UXR Geeks with Joel Barr: https://youtu.be/MqtCH-6Ab9E?si=oNBHMhXo4CpKFCz6 Chapters: 00:00 The warehouse interface nobody used 01:58 Get out into the field 03:15 Choose the right metrics to prove your worth 04:08 Don’t replace users with AI 05:49 Petra's conclusions 📚 Related reading: - UXtweak meta-analysis of synthetic participants: https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9057643/v1_covered_9dfd9a10-c893-490f-b28d-cceb2180ed9c.pdf?c=1773733359 - UXtweak research on AI moderation in usability testing: https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2025/02/human-centered-design-ai-assisted-usability-testing/ 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter
#79
October 9 · 40 min
How AI changes UX research: speed, quality & team culture | Deniz Kartepe | #79
Deniz Kartepe, a product researcher at Miro, reflects on the most prominent changes AI is bringing to product development and UX research. He explores how agentic AI transforms the speed and quality of research, reshapes organizational culture and collaboration within teams, and redefines the skills the next generation of researchers will need. Deniz also advocates a distinctive view of the product lifecycle: bottlenecks never disappear, they simply shift from building to discovery and alignment, which gives researchers greater influence over what gets built in the first place. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/deniz-kartepe-how-ai-changes-ux-research About our guest Deniz is a Staff Product Researcher at Miro in Berlin, exploring how product teams work and build together in the agentic era. His focus is on how people collaborate and communicate, both with each other and with AI agents, and what the product development process will look like as those workflows evolve. He's also an agentic builder, moving beyond uncovering insights to using AI to shape and build solutions directly. One example is the conversational intelligence and discovery tool he built, which is now used by a large share of Miro employees. Outside of Miro, Deniz is a conference speaker, mentor, trainer, and consultant. 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Maria Rosala from NN/g, where she talks about using AI as a UX research partner. About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Petra Rajkov, a senior UX researcher and product thinker, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter
#78
September 17 · 33 min
Building a UX research career in 2026 | Mujaahida Shakur | #78
Mujaahida Shakur, a behavior scientist and UX researcher with a background in public health and experience at Amazon Web Services, reflects on her journey into UX research and the challenge of translating a nontraditional career path into a compelling professional story. She explores career pivots, resume language, AI in hiring and research, inclusive recruitment, and the realities of navigating today’s job market. She also explains how she turned networking into a research project and how her curiosity turned career conversations into opportunities for learning, self-discovery, and genuine connection. UPD: During the editing process of this episode, Mujaahida was hired at the SteerBridge as a User Experience Researcher. We wish her best of luck at her new company. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/mujaahida-shakur-ux-research-career Episode highlights 00:01:52 - Every UX research career is unique 00:02:58 - AI in the interview process 00:04:12 - Using AI in UX research 00:05:51 - Switching the industries 00:10:38 - Representation in UX research studies 00:11:58 - Framing your resume for success 00:13:01 - Importance of networking 00:19:13 - Discovering your strengths and weaknesses 00:22:40 - Learning from your connections 00:28:26 - Final advice About our guest Mujaahida is a Behavioral Scientist with 10 years of experience. With a background in Psychology and Public Health, she has dedicated her career to increasing equitable access to products, programs, and services that support traditionally marginalized populations. She has applied this interest across a variety of industries, including Education, Non-profit, Public Health, and Tech. She's currently working as a UXR, studying the ways people use and interact with technology to drive product and program strategy and development. 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Maria Rosala from NN/g, where she talks about using AI as a UX research partner: https://www.youtube.com/live/hRWLkpCBiyg?si=Bee9a1Ek7b7HKUqN About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Petra Rajkov, a senior UX researcher and product thinker, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter
#77
August 27 · 30 min
AI, empathy & user trust: Researching AI products | Angelina Amlani | #77
Angie Amlani, Executive Director of Strategy and Research at Metalab, talks about what it really takes to design AI-native products. She covers how UX researchers can navigate AI-specific challenges like user trust and ethics, stay rigorous while working at speed, and build stronger storytelling and systems-thinking skills. She also shares tips for using AI in research for running studies, synthesizing findings, and communicating insights to stakeholders, while keeping empathy at the center of UX research. 🐝 Add UXtweak as a preferred source to always have the latests insights from UXR experts! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=uxtweak.com⁠⁠⁠ 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/angelina-amlani-empathy-in-ux-research Episode highlights 00:02:04 - Advantages of being an agency UX researcher 00:04:20 - Empathy as the core of UX research 00:08:41 - Speed vs. rigor 00:11:04 - Sense-making in working with AI-native products 00:14:34 - Traditional UX research vs. research on AI products 00:16:08 - AI tools Angie recommends for UX research 00:17:52 - Key skills every UX researcher needs 00:20:35 - Communicating with stakeholders 00:22:11 - Working at Metalab 00:24:01 - User trust and AI products 00:28:00 - Summing up About our guest Angie Amlani is Executive Director of Research and Strategy at Metalab, the design agency behind digital products like Slack, Uber, Headspace, and Amazon. She helps product teams uncover what users need most, and turn that insight into clear, strategic decisions. With a background in systems thinking and human-centered design, Angie brings focus to the early stages of product and brand development, when direction matters most. 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Maria Rosala from NN/g, where she talks about using AI as a UX research partner. About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to ⁠geekspodcast@uxtweak.com⁠
#76
August 6 · 30 min
Rethinking where UX research belongs | Joel Barr | #76
Joel Barr, a UX engineer and software creation professional, reflects on why we need to rethink the place of UX research within organizations, arguing that researchers have much greater impact when they sit under operations rather than product. He explores the decline of field research, the importance of connecting UX to sales and customer success teams, and the risks of overrelying on AI and synthetic participants. Joel also advocates for measuring UX through business outcomes such as revenue, retention, and operational success rather than product-centric metrics, debating that only by proving its commercial impact can UX secure its future. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/joel-barr-ux-research-in-organizations Episode highlights 00:01:48 - Why UX Research should not sit under Product 00:08:08 - Servant leadership 00:11:40 - How companies benefit from having UX researchers in the field 00:16:27 - Will UX Research lose influence if moved under Operations? 00:21:23 - AI in UX research 00:26:10 - Connecting UX research with retention and sales metrics 00:28:12 - Summing up 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Stéphanie Walter, where she talks about overcoming the challenges of enterprise UX: https://www.youtube.com/live/d9p4ShC_fMA?si=eYEl_S0UErpJiT4B About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter
#75
July 29 · 14 min
New chapter of UXR Geeks | Petra Rajkov | #75
After 4 years and 70+ podcast episodes, we're saying a heartfelt thank you to Tina Ličková, our amazing host of UX Research Geeks since its first episode. Tina gave this show her critical mind, passion, and the courage to ask uncomfortable questions. She helped us shape UXR Geeks into what it is today, and we're incredibly grateful for that. Stepping in is Petra Rajkov, our Senior UX Researcher, who cares deeply for our field and the users. With her experience from Slido, Cisco, and now UXtweak, Petra brings a new perspective and genuine passion to the podcast. UXR Geeks continues. Same mission. New energy. New voice. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/new-chapter-of-uxr-geeks Episode highlights 00:00:36 - UX Research Geeks news 00:01:22 - Meeting Petra 00:02:15 - Petra’s experience in the UXR field 00:05:25 - Petra’s mission for UXR Geeks 00:07:08 - Petra’s first guest on the podcast 00:10:00 - Summarizing Tina’s 4 years with UXR Geeks 00:12:40 - Saying a heartfelt goodbye to Tina About our guest: Petra Rajkov is a senior UX researcher and product thinker. With a background spanning startups, scale-ups, and large corporations, she’s worked on a wide range of projects, but her main goal is always keeping real human experiences at the center of the company. Driven by curiosity and her experience at Slido, Cisco, and UXtweak, she is now bringing her passion for UX and empowering others to the UX Research Geeks Podcast. 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Maria Rosala, where she talks about using AI as a UX research partner. About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Petra Rajkov, a senior UX researcher and product thinker, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter
#74
July 10 · 35 min
Challenges of user research in healthcare | Dr. Gyles Morisson | #74
Dr. Gyles Morrison, a Clinical UX Strategist and former medical doctor, discusses how UX research can improve healthcare by addressing the realities of clinical practice, systemic bias, and complex care delivery. He explores why healthcare research must go above and beyond combining user research with population health data, workflow analysis, and an understanding of clinical systems to design products that patients and clinicians can actually adopt. Gyles also introduces his principle of "designing with discrimination in mind," arguing that digital health products should anticipate where bias enters clinical decision-making and deliberately shape workflows that make evidence-based care the easiest path to follow. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/gyles-morisson-challenges-of-user-research-in-healthcare Episode highlights 00:01:50 - Unique aspects of user research in healthcare 00:05:33 - Example of complexity of user research in healthcare 00:12:33 - Motivation for work in healthcare 00:16:27 - The biggest problems in healthcare 00:12:16 - Care plans in healthcare 00:23:21 - A clinitial's mindset and subconscious bias 00:28:23 - Communicating user research findings in healthcare 00:30:48 - Final advice About our guest Dr. Gyles Morrison is a Clinical UX Strategist with 15 years of healthcare experience (as of 2026). Originally a doctor in the UK, he now works globally, aiding UX professionals and healthcare firms in crafting valuable products and services for clinicians and patients. His expertise spans digital therapeutics, healthcare behavior change, health equality, and UX strategy. Gyles also leads the Clinical UX Association, a worldwide community passionate about healthcare. As a UX mentor and career coach, he assists doctors transitioning from clinical practice to UX careers and delivers talks and workshops on career change, personal development, and personal branding. You can connect with him through his website or on LinkedIn. 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Stéphanie Walter, where she talks about overcoming the challenges of enterprise UX: https://www.youtube.com/live/d9p4ShC_fMA?si=eYEl_S0UErpJiT4B About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter
#73
June 11 · 28 min
UX design vs UX research: Where do we draw the line? | Anfisa Bogomolova | #73
Anfisa Bogomolova, a product designer and the host of Honest UX Talks, reflects on how AI is dissolving the boundaries between UX design and UX research. She explains how role expectations are shifting and what role she expects UX researchers to play in the future. She also muses on the form of future collaboration between UX research and design roles and gives wonderful advice for junior UX folks. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/anfisa-bogomolova-ux-design-vs-ux-research Episode highlights 00:01:42 - Meet Anfisa 00:03:47 - Where is the line between UX design and UX research? 00:06:48 - What Anfisa values most in collaboration with researchers 00:09:29 - Getting a second perspective to reset your mindset 00:12:16 - The ideal cooperation 00:15:12 - Do UX researchers make good PMs? 00:16:21 - What should you learn from UX researchers? 00:18:45 - Radical curiosity 00:24:10 - Should UX designers do research? 00:26:08 - Final advice from Anfisa About our guest Anfisa is a Senior Product Designer with 14h of experience, a host of the Honest UX Talks podcast, and the founder of IntoUX.design, a community for designers who want to stand out on the market and land dream job. 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Stéphanie Walter, where she talks about overcoming the challenges of enterprise UX: https://www.youtube.com/live/d9p4ShC_fMA?si=eYEl_S0UErpJiT4B About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter
#71
May 14 · 37 min
Designing AI products | Vitaly Friedman | #72
Vitaly, the UX lead with the European Parliament and co-founder of Smashing Magazine, reflects on the messy reality of designing AI products and why UX matters more than ever in the age of artificial intelligence and AI agents. He also explores how and why many companies rush into implementing AI without addressing issues in their processes and systems and discusses the importance of trust, transparency, and guidance in designing AI products. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/vitaly-friedman-designing-ai-products Episode highlights 00:01:56 - The confusing reality of 2026 00:03:54 - What are we doing with AI? 00:06:28 - Prompting and user experience 00:09:56 - AI is the next Internet 00:13:52 - Current state of AI 00:17:57 - The main problem with designing AI products 00:23:44 - How AI amplifies structural and data issues 00:31:12 - Final advice from Vitaly About our guest Vitaly loves beautiful content and does not give up easily. Born in Minsk, Belarus, he studied computer science and mathematics in Germany. While writing algebra proofs and preparing for software engineering at nights in the kitchen, at the same time he discovered passion for typography, interface design and writing. After working as a freelance designer and developer for 6 years, he co-founded Smashing Magazine back in 2006, a leading online magazine for designers and developers. His curiosity drove him from interface design to front-end to performance optimization to accessibility and back to user experience over all the years. Vitaly is the author, co-author and editor of Smashing Books , and a curator of Smashing Conferences. He is the UX lead with the European Parliament and Smashing Magazine and front-end/UX consultant in Europe and abroad, working with large and small companies and organizations like Haufe-Lexware, Axel-Springer and others. He also runs Measure UX and Smart Interface Design Patterns, friendly video courses on UX and design patterns, along with a live UX training for passionate UX and product designers. 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Stéphanie Walter, where she talks about overcoming the challenges of enterprise UX: https://www.youtube.com/live/d9p4ShC_fMA?si=eYEl_S0UErpJiT4B About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter
#71
April 24 · 34 min
AI in UX research: What really changed since 2023? [UXtweak report findings] | Tadeas Adamjak | #71
This special episode is based on a webinar recording with Tadeas Adamjak, Head of Growth at UXtweak, where he shared the main findings from our AI in UX Research Revisited report. He talked about how stances on AI in our field have evolved in light of everyone’s deeper experiences with AI models, what common issues and concerns professionals have with the technology, and what the best use cases for AI in 2026 are. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Read the full report at: https://blog.uxtweak.com/ai-in-ux-research-revisited/ Episode highlights 00:00:00 - Introducing the "AI in UX Research Revisited" report 00:04:00 - 2023 results 00:05:55 - 2023 vs 2025 answers 00:10:40 - How UX researcher experts are using AI 00:14:15 - Applying the human-AI workflow 00:16:25 - Major problems with AI 00:20:43 - The risk of UX theater 00:24:49 - How to showcase the value of human research to stakeholders 00:29:11 - Synthetic participants 00:30:46 - The future of UX research About our guest Tadeas Adamjak is a CX/UX consultant and Head of Growth at UXtweak, a UX research platform that supports hundreds of research, product, and design teams worldwide. He is also one of the team members behind industry initiatives, including the 'Dealing with Resistance to UX Research' report, 'AI in UX Research' report, and Research Recruities: Award for the Best Recruiting Stories. 🔎 Where to follow Tadeas LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tadeas-adamjak/ 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Stéphanie Walter, where she talks about overcoming the challenges of enterprise UX: https://www.youtube.com/live/d9p4ShC_fMA?si=eYEl_S0UErpJiT4B About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to Follow UXtweak: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/uxtweak/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/uxtweak/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@uxtweak Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/uxtweak/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/UXtweak
#70
April 7 · 35 min
Contextual research renaissance in AI era | Leisa Reichelt | #70
Leisa, former Head of Research and Insights at Atlassian, reflects on how AI is changing the UX research industry. She discusses how vibe-coding helps shift from traditional project sequencing to faster, more iterative build-measure-learn cycles and how that impacts the role of UX research in organisations. Leisa expounds on her positive attitude towards AI, saying that the unique value of researchers will shift toward filling the "judgment gap" with deep, longitudinal human observation that machines simply cannot replicate. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/leisa-reichelt-contextual-research-renaissance-in-ai-era Episode highlights 00:01:47 - About Leisa 00:04:24 - Working in the UK government 00:07:39 - Research at Atlassian 00:09:56 - AI is the next Internet 00:14:18 - Sequencing in research is fading 00:20:01 - Role of UX researchers in 2026 00:24:12 - Maintaining UX research quality with AI 00:31:20 - Final thoughts About our guest Leisa Reichelt has spent two decades helping governments and organisations figure out what people actually need - and why that's so much harder than it sounds. As Head of Research and Insights at the UK's Government Digital Service, she helped reshape how we think about user research for public services. Most recently, she led research at Atlassian. These days, she's a walking mid-2020's cliché - offering coaching for impactful research, getting hands-on vibecoding niche app ideas, and studying and making podcasts. Leisa has particular obsessions with why well-intentioned systems so reliably make life harder for the people they're meant to serve and what the advance of AI means for UX Research. 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Stéphanie Walter, where she talks about overcoming the challenges of enterprise UX: https://www.youtube.com/live/d9p4ShC_fMA?si=eYEl_S0UErpJiT4B About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter
#69
March 9 · 25 min
Unspoken dangers of technology | Anne Njoroge | #69
Anne, an African-based UX researcher, talks about her transition from teaching into the tech scene, reflecting on how her focus on the well-being of individuals led her to UX research. She explores the silent harms of technology and how products are often designed to be addictive. She also offers UX researchers a valuable perspective on balancing business strategy with the responsibility of protecting users’ mental health. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/anne-njoroge-unspoken-dangers-of-technology Episode highlights 00:01:09 - About Anne 00:05:57 - Being an African-centered designer 00:07:51 - Technology is never neutral 00:13:18 - Tech and education 00:15:43 - Silent harms of technology 00:19:19 - Arming the users with the right information 00:22:43 - Using technology to achieve goals 00:23:50 - Final thoughts About our guest Anne is a UX designer with a background in training, design, and business development in technology. She enjoys using research, storytelling, and thoughtful design to make complex systems easier to understand, especially in emerging and decentralized technologies where education and empathy really matter. 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Stéphanie Walter, where she talks about overcoming the challenges of enterprise UX. About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter
#68
February 10 · 25 min
Gender and user experience: Improving UX for everyone | Danielle Jernberg | #68
Danielle, a UX researcher at MasterCard, talks about the intersection of gender and user experience. She explains how users differ on 5 dimensions and how the differences in cognitive styles and problem-solving influence user interactions with products. Danielle also shares how she applies the GenderMag framework and inclusive research practices to improve the product experience for all user groups in FinTech. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/danielle-jernberg-improve-user-experience-for-everyone Episode highlights 00:01:41 - About Danielle 00:03:19 - Danielle’s journey into FinTech as a UX researcher 00:05:15 - What is the GernderMag framework? 00:11:51 - Applying the GenderMag framework in FinTech 00:14:23 - GenderMag and gender biases 00:17:09 - How can applying GenderMag improve UX for everyone? 00:19:47 - Specifics of working in FinTech in Sweden 00:21:36 - Avoiding the wealth gap About our guest Danielle Jernberg is a Research Manager at Mastercard with nearly a decade of experience across digital product, UX, and user research. With a background in Psychology and Human–Computer Interaction, she has worked across fintech, finance, e-commerce, and consultancy, spanning leadership roles in digital product, technology commercialisation, and research. Danielle specialises in turning complex qualitative and quantitative insights into clear strategic direction, partnering closely with product and design teams to champion evidence-based, human-centred decision-making at scale. 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Stéphanie Walter, where she talks about overcoming the challenges of enterprise UX: https://www.youtube.com/live/d9p4ShC_fMA?si=eYEl_S0UErpJiT4B About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter
#67
January 16 · 30 min
Navigating UX leadership | Glauco Cavalheiro | #67
Glauco, the Research Lead at N26, reflects on his transition from an individual contributor to a UX research leader and the mindset shifts that come with scaling impact through others. He discusses why deep, insightful research is no longer enough on its own, and why today’s researchers must balance slow, foundational work with fast, highly actionable outputs. Glauco also explores how AI can support UX leadership and how context, strategy, and personal research philosophy help shape strong, modern research teams. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/glauco-cavalheiro-navigating-ux-leadership Episode highlights 00:01:51 - About Glauco 00:03:12 - Glauco’s journey to UX leadership 00:06:06 - Challenges of becoming a good UX leader 00:10:14 - Leading a research team at N26 00:16:00 - Fast vs slow track in UX research 00:21:41 - AI and UX leadership About our guest Glauco Cavalheiro is a user research manager at N26, where he leads an amazing team uncovering insights that shape the future of digital banking. Trained in applied social sciences, he brings a deep curiosity about human behaviour and attitudes to the world of product strategy. With 11 years of experience transitioning from individual contributor to research leader, Glauco is passionate about the craft of research - and building impactful research practices in fast-paced environments. 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Stéphanie Walter, where she talks about overcoming the challenges of enterprise UX: https://www.youtube.com/live/d9p4ShC_fMA?si=eYEl_S0UErpJiT4B About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter
#66
Dec 9, 2025 · 32 min
Unbiased research is a myth | SL Rao | #66
👉 AI in UX research report: https://blog.uxtweak.com/ai-in-ux-research-revisited/ SL Rao (she/them) unpack why bias is unavoidable in research and why the idea of complete objectivity is largely a myth. Drawing on examples from education, public policy, and systems design, SL explain how bias shows up in who we recruit, how we interpret data, and how solutions often reinforce existing power structures. SL also explains how to help communities to conduct their own research through participatory approaches and power-sharing. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/sl-rao-bias-in-research Episode highlights 00:01:40 - About SL 00:04:08 - Why is all research biased? 00:07:23 - Examples of how people bring bias into research 00:11:32 - Is some research better than none? 00:16:49 - Recruitment and empowering communities 00:22:59 - Giving away the power 00:29:46 - Final advice About our guest SL Rao (She/They) is a strategist who co-creates new futures in education, health and climate through design inspired system transformation. They bring a system-oriented, equity-centered approach to their work and to how they build, nurture, and grow teams and organizations. They are curious, and driven by the need to find solutions to seemingly intractable problems. 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Stéphanie Walter, where she talks about overcoming the challenges of enterprise UX: https://www.youtube.com/live/d9p4ShC_fMA?si=eYEl_S0UErpJiT4B About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter
#65
Nov 19, 2025 · 28 min
Why do user personas fail? And what to use instead | Jennifer Blatz | #65
Jen, a UX researcher at BECU and creator of BlatzChatz, discusses why traditional user personas fail to serve teams. She explains how her frustration with personas drove her to create her own framework - Scenario Alignment Canvas (SAC). She also shares how this method facilitates productive discussions, surfaces assumptions, and helps prioritize research opportunities, ultimately leading to more user-centric and effective design solutions. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/jennifer-blatz-why-user-personas-fail Episode highlights 00:01:14 - About Jen 00:02:27 - Jen’s journey to UX research 00:05:26 - Why user personas fail 00:09:26 - How many teams struggle to use personas 00:13:00 - Jen’s Scenario Alignment Canvas 00:18:18 - Running a Scenario Alignment Workshop 00:20:40 - Jen’s tips on running a UX workshop 00:25:16 - Final advice About our guest Jen Blatz is a Principal UX Researcher at BECU (Boeing Employee Credit Union), one of the largest credit unions in the United States. Jen's path to UX started in journalism and graphic design, progressed to UX design, and finally landed in UX research and strategy. She has worked in a number of fields, including finance, mortgage, cloud storage, security, and pet health. Jen loves being active in the UX community and is the co-founder of the UX Research and Strategy group, one of the largest UX groups in the world. Jen is a seasoned conference speaker who has spoken at several UX International conferences. She spends her free time interviewing UX pros and creating videos for her YouTube channel called BlatzChatz. 🔎 Where to follow Jen LinkedIn 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Stéphanie Walter, where she talks about overcoming the challenges of enterprise UX: https://www.youtube.com/live/d9p4ShC_fMA?si=eYEl_S0UErpJiT4B About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter
#64
Oct 20, 2025 · 31 min
Recycling research | Jake Burghardt | #64
Jake Burghardt, author of "Stop Wasting Research," discusses how organizations leave valuable insights unused from past studies and explains how this happens due to poor preparation, lack of accountability, and weak integration into planning. He emphasizes that activating existing research requires active knowledge management beyond just repositories, and offers practical ways researchers can extend their impact by prioritizing insights across studies and making past research accessible during planning cycles. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/jake-burghardt-recycling-research Episode highlights 00:01:38 - About Jake 00:05:13 - How we waste research 00:07:45 - Why we forget about research findings 00:12:30 - Research acceptance in teams 00:17:25 - Promoting research for decision-making 00:22:08 - Research and knowledge management 00:27:14 - Final thoughts About our guest Jake Burghardt Jake Burghardt is a consultant, author, and speaker at IntegratingResearch.com. His mission is to shift expectations in the tech industry so that almost every important product roadmap, prioritization, and design decision is grounded in research about people and real-world systems. Jake helps organizations drive product value, outcomes, and quality by: - Extracting more impact from existing research assets - Achieving a useful mix of new research in collaborative communities of practice - Integrating insights into crucial product decisions Jake has 20+ years of experience in product research, vision, planning, design, and experimentation. Previously, he owned insight activation initiatives in Amazon’s Retail and Alexa divisions. Before working within research communities, Jake consulted on products in a range of domains, including “new space” engineering, power plant operation, cockpit avionics, genetics instrumentation, creative production, and financial trading. 🔎 Where to follow Jake LinkedIn 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Stéphanie Walter, where she talks about overcoming the challenges of enterprise UX: https://www.youtube.com/live/d9p4ShC_fMA?si=eYEl_S0UErpJiT4B About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter
Sep 25, 2025 · 29 min
Balancing user needs with technological capabilities in product development | Amanda Di Dio | #63
Amanda Di Dio, VP of Partnerships and Operations at Optimistic Design, discusses the challenge of balancing user needs with technological constraints in product development. She shares her approach of treating users as active stakeholders, involving them in co-creation and continuous decision-making to shape product visions, prioritize features, and validate solutions. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/amanda-di-dio-user-needs-and-technological-capabilities Episode highlights 00:03:09 - User needs and technological capabilities 00:07:45 - Example of co-creation with users 00:15:00 - Conversations with users and stakeholders 00:19:06 - Conversations with technical teams 00:22:32 - Lessons from Amanda's practice 00:27:19 - Importance of continuous learning About our guest, Amanda Di Dio Amanda is an experienced delivery strategist and program lead known for her expertise in collaborating with multidisciplinary teams. She has a proven track record in strategizing, planning, and executing research strategies, as well as designing and delivering digital experiences across multiple industries. Amanda is currently the VP of Partnerships + Operations at Optimistic Design. Lately, Amanda's focus has been on the education sector, where she has developed key partnerships with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Khan Academy, MDRC, and USC Shoah Foundation. Additionally, she supports edtech organizations in integrating equity-centered approaches into their product R&D processes, playing a crucial role in their growth, support, and capacity building. 🔎 Where to follow Amanda LinkedIn 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Stéphanie Walter, where she talks about overcoming the challenges of enterprise UX: https://www.youtube.com/live/d9p4ShC_fMA?si=eYEl_S0UErpJiT4B About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter
#62
Aug 28, 2025 · 22 min
Accessibility and inclusive design | uxcon special w/ Bryce Johnson | #62
Get 10% off your conference passes with our special code "uxtweakatuxcon". Tickets available at uxcon.io. Bryce, an inclusive designer at Microsoft and co-founder of the Inclusive Tech Lab, discusses the inclusive design process and the philosophy he adopted to create accessible and inclusive products with and for people with disabilities, especially in the gaming industry. Bryce also gives practical advice on where and how to engage with different users to create more accessible and inclusive designs. 👉 If you have any tips on fantastic speakers from across the globe, feedback, or any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to geekspodcast@uxtweak.com 🔎 Do you want to know more? Check out this episode at: https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/bryce-johnson-accessibility-and-inclusive-design/ Episode highlights 00:02:09 - Inclusive design approach and philosophy 00:01:32 - Motivation for inclusive design 00:05:57 - The Xbox adaptive controller 00:08:38 - AI and accessibility 00:10:51 - Participatory design and research 00:19:16 - Advice for researchers About our guest Bryce Johnson Bryce is an inclusive designer for Microsoft Windows + Devices, where he is devoted to ensuring Microsoft products are accessible. Bryce initiated and designed the Inclusive Tech Lab at Microsoft, which has now hosted over twenty thousand visitors; it is a facility where people can explore how people with disabilities interact with Microsoft products and services. He strives to design systems of accessibility enhancement, like the Surface Adaptive Kit, across our devices. Bryce is one of the inventors of the Xbox Adaptive Controller and a proud member of the Microsoft Adaptive Accessories team. 🔎 Where to follow Bryce LinkedIn 👉 Did you know that UXtweak also offers a series of webinars packed with practical knowledge for UX professionals? Check out the episode with Stéphanie Walter, where she talks about overcoming the challenges of enterprise UX: https://www.youtube.com/live/d9p4ShC_fMA?si=eYEl_S0UErpJiT4B About this podcast: Welcome to UX Research Geeks, where Tina Ličková, a researcher and strategist, talks with researchers from around the globe about topics that matter to them. 🐝 Brought to you by UXtweak, an all-in-one UX research software. Start your research for free at: https://www.uxtweak.com/ 👈 🐝 Where to follow UXtweak: LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / Facebook / Twitter

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