What is UX?

Natalia is a design leader from La Paz, Bolivia and now works in Dallas, Texas as Director of Product Design for Cariloop, a caregiver support company focused on relieving the stress and anxiety felt by all caregivers. After interning at advertising agencies she fell in love with the interaction design portions of campaigns and quickly transitioned into the world of user experience. She’s had the great fortune of working with some exciting brands, most notably Verizon, 7-Eleven, Animal Supply Company, Coca-Cola and Qdoba, before ultimately adopting the mission of helping caregivers. Natalia is a strong believer in thoughtful design, and intentional storytelling, and works hard to bring empathy, emotion and quality to products. In this episode, we talked about: What is Cariloop?Natalia’s role at CariloopHow Cariloop serves peopleTransforming customer’s journeyNatalia’s background and how did she get into designNatalia’s advice on people who are struggling to become a better designerNatalia as an artistWhat do expect if you will try Cariloop’s services Links: https://cariloop.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cariloop/ Connect with Natalia

Meesh Lin began designing and launching websites at age eight by learning from her self-taught web designer mother. She's had an unconventional path to design—having freelanced, contracted, and designed-in house for start-ups and public companies over the last 6+ years. Today, Meesh is designing Okta's first consumer product. Inspired by her design journey, she discovered a deep passion for mentorship and helping aspiring designers and technologists break into tech. Also, having worked alongside so many different people and personalities on global remote teams, Meesh has mastered the art of leveraging soft skills to build authentic relationships at work, which lead to effective cross-functional collaboration and happier teams. Meesh mentors for ADPList, Co.Lab, and First Round Fast Track. She also provides design advice for early-stage start-ups. Prior to Okta, Meesh designed at Lilt, 15Five, Reddit, eBay, and Gigster. In this episode, we talked about: What is Okta?How did Meesh learn design from her momHow to find opportunities as new designersPay gapsHow to advocate for yourselfHow to get people to engage more in a meetingMeesh’s first job and her challengesFrom archaeologist to designer Links: https://meesh.design/ https://twitter.com/meesh_lin https://www.instagram.com/meesh.lin/

Peter Szalontay is the DataGoat/CEO at DataMilk, it is a team of data science and UX experts on a mission to empower eCommerce brands to build AI-powered UX on the level of Big Tech. DataMilk’s Smart UX suite enables fast, fluid, and predictive digital experiences that boost user engagement and gross profit. In this episode, we talked about: How Artificial Intelligence will impact UX DesignWhat is AI software called “DALL-E”Peter’s career at GooglePeter on creating businesses out of AI applicationsWhat UX means to “DataMilk” Links: Connect with Peter https://www.datamilk.ai/

Alicia is a Product Design Director for IT Products at Rippling - the platform that frees smart people to work on hard problems! She has been a designer across industries, including higher education, academia, insurance, pharmacy, e-commerce, and technology, and is an Adjunct Instructor at Columbia College, where she focuses on how to prepare for moving from college to what your life as a designer will be like. She co-organizes the Ladies that UX Chicago meetup, where she brings conversations like accessibility, ethics in design, and emotional intelligence to the community. In this episode, we talked about: How to get a job after being unemployed for a yearHow to see if a company is a good fit for you using organizational designTips on career strugglesUX driven transformationHow did Alicia get into designAlicia’s role at RipplingWhat is Rippling and how does it serve people? Links: Connect with Alicia https://twitter.com/mika_jo https://www.rippling.com/ https://adplist.org/mentors/alicia-joy-warren Hiring: Product Designer: https://www.rippling.com/careers/5035370003?gh_jid=5035370003 Lead Product Designer: https://www.rippling.com/careers/5201191003?gh_jid=5201191003 UX Researcher: https://www.rippling.com/careers/5035351003?gh_jid=5035351003

Erick Arias is an Experienced Product Designer with a demonstrated history of transforming the way enterprises build software. He is currently the Sr. Product Designer at Meta (formerly known as Facebook, Inc.) In this episode, we talked about: Erick’s advice and tips with portfolio reviewsHow did Erick get into designWhere did Erick grow up and the story of his upbringing Erick’s first job as a designerErick’s mentorship at ADPlistLinks: erickarias.com https://adplist.org/mentors/erick-arias https://twitter.com/erickarias https://medium.com/@earias1

Nima H. K. graduated from York/Sheridan Program in Design, and is a passionate storyteller obsessed with user experience and telling the right story at the right time. Currently a design director in San Francisco, and just recently designed and built a SaaS product from scratch. He has 16+ years of experience working as a freelancer, at design agencies, and startups. He is happy to share his findings throughout this journey to inspire other designers. In this episode, we talked about: Building team for design orgMentoring at ADP listLearning from people in regards to passion and leadershipLessons, advice and principles on building great teamsCareer strugglesOpinion on consulting vs full-time employee debateAnd MUCH MORE! Links and Resources Five Love Languages https://adplist.org/mentors/nima-h-k https://www.linkedin.com/in/nimahk/ Hiring! Director of Product Design: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3126648593 Senior Product Designer-Strong UI: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3141175010 User Experience Research Lead: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3060459257 Senior Product Designer-Design System: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3141169643

Glen Lipka is a product leader who has created innovative products for B2B companies since 1995. Previously, he was the first employee at Marketo, best in class marketing automation software acquired by Adobe and helped guide the company through IPO up to 1000 employees in 9 years. He holds several patents in design innovations. In this episode, we talked about: What is the definition of design for Glen? How does Glen think about design?Glen on being the first employee at MarketoHis job and learning in the pre-internet eraDesigners and their role in societyThe one rule of design for GlenWhat’s needed for a successful companyAnd more of his personal design journey and the role that design has played in his life, the insights and knowledge, how he got in where he is now and the inspiring lessons he’d learned along the way! Links and Resources: The Power Broker https://amzn.to/3aj0Ypa https://commadot.com https://adplist.org/mentors/glen-lipka https://twitter.com/glenlipka https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenlipka/ https://www.joelonsoftware.com/2006/06/16/my-first-billg-review/

Ari Krzyzek is the Co-founder and chief creative officer of Chykalophia (read: see-ka-lo-fia), she helps Femtech DTC and women-led companies craft a brand that delights their customers beyond a pretty design, delivers no-brainer user experience, and gets them the clarity they need to for their business to thrive online. She has over 10 years of branding and design experience, a certified brand strategist, and UX expert. She has transformed businesses' visions into a tangible form that helps set their business apart from their competitors. As her diverse client roster attests, the one constant in her work is spot-on design for major impact every time. She’s the co-host of Halo Femtech Podcast, a podcast that honors disruptive innovators and change-makers advancing women’s health. Furthermore, she serves as a design consultant, mentor and professional peer in support of fellow female entrepreneurs through the #1 ranked private business incubator in the world, 1871 Chicago, Interaction Design Foundation, Ms.Tech, and ADPlist. In this episode, we talked about: Winning Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program Women of Color GrantStarting Chykalophia design agency with her husbandMore tips from Ari about increasing sales and web conversions without codingAri’s story of growing up as a Southeast Asian and her humble beginningsIdeal customers for her company Links and Resources: https://arikrzyzek.com/ https://chykalophia.com/ Connect with Ari

Erik Kennedy is the creator of Learn UI Design and Learn UX Design. He’s also a freelance UX/UI designer based in Seattle, WA. He has also spoken in the US and abroad at businesses, meetups, and universities (like UC Berkeley, Yale, and UW). His design writing has been read by over a million people. In this episode, we talked about: Links and Resources Erik’s Design Hacks Newsletter FREE! Learn UI Design Website: https://app.learnui.design/a/aff_3n5bydnn/external?affcode=70335_ndhyzl7p https://erikdkennedy.com/

Jeany Ngo is the co-founder at Kairos, which provides the tools for anyone to create, publish and sell NFTs without touching a single line of code. She blends her love of visual storytelling with thoughtful understanding of user behavior. 10+ years in product, UX/UI, and visual design comes from working at Brex, Airbnb, LinkedIn and consulting for design agencies and startups. Clients include Figma, Ueno, TM, Crunchyroll, Tempo Fitness, Handshake, Safari Riot, Yembo Inc, GoInsurance, Eleven Inc, Mira, Osmo Systems, Proven. In this episode, we talked about: Jeany’s career journey at Airbnb, Linkedin and BrexHow did Jeany get into design?Life as a designer-entrepreneur and its challengesJeany talks about her startup: KairosKairos’ team and system structureWhy Kairos and the NFT spaceKairos missionJeany’s creative systemJeany’s awardsAnd much MORE! Links: https://kairos.art/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanyngo/ https://www.jeanyngo.com/ https://twitter.com/gojeanyn

Marissa Louie is the Director of UX Design at SiriusXM Pandora, she leads a design organization that thoughtfully creates experiences for 100m+ users. She also serves as the Chairwoman of Animoodles, and runs Designers Club and Designers Guild. Previously, she was a design leader at Apple, Expedia, Ness, and Yahoo. It brings her joy to design delightful products, drive innovative visions with billion dollar results, and help others achieve their full creative potential. In this episode, we talked about: How did Marissa get into design?Marissa’s career at AppleWorking as a “Jill of all trades”Mentoring and speaking engagementsWho is Marissa outside of her professional careerAnimoodles storyHighlights and accomplishments of AnimoodlesHer role at SiriusXM PandoraAnd MUCH MORE! Links and Resources: https://karanarising.org/ https://www.thewaytomyheart.org/ https://www.theanimoodles.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/siriusxm/jobs https://www.linkedin.com/in/malouie/ https://malouie.com/ @malouie

Pawel Bak is a strategic and passionate product/service designer with 12+ years of experience designing for mobile, wearables and IoT devices. Designs and helps develop high-performing design solutions and engaging customer experiences which drive business goals and user satisfaction for well-known brands. An innovative and hard-working leader who is both strong on ideation and implementation, as well as on enabling global agile teams to succeed. Mentors designers and manages established or growing design teams. Builds collaborations and establishes trust to engage and influence global stakeholders. In this episode, we talked about: The transition from studying Computer Science to becoming a designerPawel’s role at AbbVieHow AbbVie serves peoplePawel’s career at NokiaMemorable experiences in designing for NokiaPawel’s career experience at MicrosoftTransition from working at mobile companies to working on automotive company which is BMWEvolution of mobile design systemAnd MUCH MORE! Links: http://www.abbvie.com/ Connect with Pawel

Sarah is currently the Experience Designer at Patagonia. She also worked with Google, Pinterest and Nike, leading strategy and UX in a highly collaborative work environment. Mentored junior staff. Participated in the hiring process, project casting and scoping. She makes experiences by orchestrating cross-disciplinary teams of designers, writers, developers and content creators. Her passion and curiosity about people and how we interact with the world around us drive her to continuously explore and learn. In this episode, we talked about: Sarah’s role at PatagoniaPatagonia’s product and e-comm sideHow Sarah started in designThe transition from graphic design to UX designAgency work vs in-house work experienceSarah’s career as a design instructorDesigning for a global audienceAnd MUCH MORE! Links and Resources: https://baymard.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/uxhiggins/ https://www.patagonia.com/home/

Katie Swindler is a human-centered design strategist with 15 years of experience. Originally educated as a theatre director, her creative approach combines storytelling and technology, emotion and utility to enable brands to connect deeply with consumers and fulfill real human needs. Author of the book Life & Death Design, published by Rosenfeld Media in January 2022, which looks at what life-saving technology can teach us about designing for the human stress response. She’s an experienced presenter who has spoken on UX topics internationally at industry events such as SXSW Interactive, IXDA, 4A’s and PUSH. In this episode, we talked about: Katie’s role in AllstateDuties as a head of design strategy for the Innovation DepartmentHow did Katie start in design?The transition from theater to design careerKatie’s book: Life & Death DesignAnd MUCH MORE Links and Resources: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katieswindler http://www.katieswindler.com https://twitter.com/katieswindlerux https://www.lifeanddeathdesign.com

Nicole Torgersen is Vice President of Design at Dialpad. She’s been working in digital design since the late '90s working with a range of industries including cloud collab and storage at Dropbox, retail at Gap, and recruiting at Monster Worldwide. A Design craftsperson by trade, Nicole has been a leader most of her career, building teams by way of leveraging empathy and vulnerability in the balance to find business impact while mentoring individuals. In this episode, we talked about: Nicole’s role in DialpadHow did Nicole get into design?How to become a leaderHer career at Monster Worldwide, Gap and DropboxHardest transitions in Nicole’s careerNicole’s learnings and insights in her career adjustmentsAnd MUCH MORE! Links and Resources: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ntorgersen/ How to Win Friends & Influence People Making Ideas Happen Tara Brach

Ryan Tauss is the leading product design for Tide Cleaners. The past almost 4 years, along with a talented crew have greenfield an entire suite of applications that help run operations, customer service, and improve the guest experience making laundry as convenient as just using your thumb. Before that, he worked at America's largest church, Life.Church. It was at this time in his career he made a switch from graphic design to product design. He went from art directing and brand creation to contributing to just about every digital space of Life.Church. He understands agency life and how fun and exciting it can be. He’s even had the opportunity to return to his alma mater and teach a design course. All these experiences have built on the other and he feels very grateful to have experienced each one. Lastly, He’s just tipped his toe into mentoring through ADP, and the first few connections have been warm and authentic. In this episode, we talked about: What is Tide Cleaners?Tide Cleaners relation to Press Box?Tide Cleaners “personas”How did Ryan get into design?Transition from graphic designer to UX designerTide Cleaners design teamValues and why are they importantHow can design help create a better organization?How does Ryan’s cultural background affect his careerAnd MUCH MORE! Links and Resources: Product Leadership, by Richard Banfield, Martin Erickson, and Nate Walkingshaw Michael Bierut Paul Rand https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryantauss

Sumier Phalake is Head of Design, Next Billion Users at Google, which focuses on products that bring connectivity to users in emerging markets. He has over 15 years of experience across both consumer and enterprise products. Episode highlights: What is “Next Billion Users” (Google) and how it benefits people?Files by Google - file management that helps mobile freeing up spaceFiles by Google success and its million users around the worldSumier cited more of their productsSumier on working on tools to make Googlers more productive and more beneficial to Google usersHow did Sumier get into design?How did Sumier get to work at Google?And MUCH MORE! Links and Resources: Digital Confidence Toolkit https://nextbillionusers.google/tools/ Connect with Sumier https://twitter.com/sumierflake

Tessa Rodes joined the very first cohort of IBM Design Bootcamp in 2013, and since then has seen the design organization and company grow and evolve into a truly design-led system. She has reviewed 100s of portfolio applications in the 8.5 years of IBM Design, and has strong opinions about both what makes a great portfolio and what NOT to bother with. She launched the initial version of the product IBM Cloud and has worked to ensure quality, consistency and differentiating features ever since. In this episode, we talked about: How did Tessa get into designIBM design BootcampTessa’s role at IBM CloudTips on what makes a good portfolio?Importance of cover letter in the application processIBM’s interview and hiring processHow pandemic affects IBM operation and current workplace environmentAnd much MORE! Links: https://www.ibm.com/design/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tessarodes/

Ryan has spoken all over the world at schools, and organizations sharing his story and inspiring others to live their dreams. Ryan is a father, husband, mentor, motivational speaker, and designer. His current role, leading product design at Rocket Homes. He is an experienced User Interface Designer with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry. Skilled in App Design, User Experience (UX), E-commerce, and Leadership. In this episode, we talked about: Motivational story of Ryan who was born without arms and legsHow Ryan designsRyan’s early journey and how did he started in designDesign tools he’s usingRyan’s role in Rocket HomesHow should people think about accessibility?Ryan’s past role in Ford MotorRyan as a motivational speakerLook Mom No Hands – The Story of Ryan Hudson-PeraltaAnd MUCH MORE! Links: Connect with Ryan https://lookmomnohands.com/ Tiktok: lookworldnohands https://twitter.com/hudsonperalta https://dribbble.com/hudsonperalta

Jared Spool is the founding principal of User Interface Engineering (UIE), a research, training, and consulting firm that specializes in website and product usability, He is also the Maker of Awesomeness at @CenterCentre/@UIE. Helping designers everywhere help their organizations deliver well-designed products and services. In this episode, we talked about: Links: Jared Spool Twitter Jared Spool Articles Center Centre UIE UX Centered Careers