The YouX Podcast

By: Chris Kovel & Mustafa Ahmed
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  • Summary

  • Hosts Chris & Mustafa live worlds apart but are brought together by their mutual interest in topics at the intersection of research, design, and development. Every episode Chris & Mustafa use their experience and knowledge to discuss current trends and best practices in technology development and user experience design. Raised in different parts of the world and with completely different backgrounds (Chris is from the US and has background in philosophy and Mustafa lives in Dubai and was trained in computer science) YouX is truly a global podcast offering a unique take on the field. Whether you're a product designer, researcher, developer, entrepreneur, or simply interested in the nuts and bolts of R&D, join Chris & Mustafa as they explore and discuss the ever-evolving field of UX and the methods, tools, and principles that support it.
    2023
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Economics
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Episodes
  • AI and UX Research

    AI and UX Research
    Dec 13 2023
    In 1965, Herbert Simon predicted that "machines will be capable, within twenty years, of performing tasks that a man can do." Similarly, in 1970, Marvin Minsky was quoted saying, "within a generation, the problem of creating 'artificial intelligence' will largely be solved." These two men were pioneering AI researchers and are widely regarded as founding fathers of the field. However, these predictions turned out to be shortsighted and overly optimistic. Recently, AI research and companies have made tremendously interesting advancements, introducing brand new products and tools that are categorically different from anything seen before. Are we on the cusp of something radically new about how humans work and live? In this episode of YouX, the hosts delve into AI and its implications for the practice of UX research. Each host offers a unique perspective, sparking a spirited and engaging debate. The core question that they begin with is whether AI, in its current form, can replicate the functions of UX researchers, and if the field should be concerned about ChatGPT taking their jobs. The discussion begins with the hosts defining UX research and AI. Chris, refusing to mince words, strongly asserts that AI, particularly the current iteration of Large Language Models (LLMs), cannot conduct primary research (produce novel knowledge) like a trained professional. Mustafa takes a more techno-optimistic stance, arguing that with minimal human input and sophisticated automation, many types of primary research are within AI's reach, even today. Chris counters by arguing that, by virtue of what LLMs are, they cannot collect or interpret data as humans do. He points out that they lack, and cannot be programmed to have, the motivations or desires a human researcher possesses to explore a topic or question—elements that often initiate research projects. Furthermore, Chris argues, LLMs cannot model or manipulate the world as humans do when seeking answers to unknowns and producing novel answers. Mustafa, unperturbed by Chris's arguments, believes that with sufficient development and the right kind of prompts, these systems could match the capabilities of run-of-the-mill researchers and designers. It's evident that this is just the beginning of broader and deeper conversations, as AI continues to evolve and become increasingly relevant in various aspects of life and work. We are witnessing the dawn of a new era in technology and industry, so join us for what is sure to be the first of many episodes of YouX that will discuss AI and its far-reaching implications for the world of UX and beyond.  Find Chris:    christopher-s-kovel-660029a6   www.chriskovel.com Find Mustafa:   mustafazubairahmed   Muzzy the Researcher:  mustafazubairahmed   Sources:  https://web.eecs.umich.edu/~kuipers/o... https://www.datacamp.com/cheat-sheet/...
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Kathryn Brookshier

    Kathryn Brookshier
    Nov 27 2023

    Welcome to the Universal Lens Channel. Getting to the bottom of all things human-centered design. I'm your host Chris Kovel.

    In this episode of our "In Dialogues" series, we are pleased to bring you our conversation with Kathryn Brookshier. Chris and Kathryn sit down to chat about several issues within the nascent and growing field of UX research. They discussed centralized vs. decentralized research models, the challenges faced by researchers on immature cross-functional product teams, the continual specialization of UX research job titles (a good thing!), and other topics.

    However, the main reason Chris wanted to have Kathryn on was to discuss her publications that told an intriguing and possibly heterodox story about the state of UX in 2023 (see links below). This story is particularly relevant for anyone who is bearish about the future of UX or believes we are in the midst of a reckoning because tech has lost faith in design. 

    Kathryn Brookshier is a mixed-methods UX research manager at Indeed and a lecturer for the University of Washington's Human-Centered Design and Engineering master's program. She holds a master's degree from the University of Washington in Human-Centered Design and Engineering and a bachelor's degree in Interaction Design from Olin College of Engineering. She is an active mentor with Hexagon UX in Seattle, WA.

    Where to find Kathryn:

    • https://kathrynbrookshier.com/
    • https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbrookshier/

    Where to find Chris:

    • https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-s-kovel-660029a6/
    • www.chriskovel.com 

    UX Research Job Postings Show the Discipline is Here to Stay

    UX Job Listings Plunged in 2023

    How Indeed Established a Major UX Research Org in Just a Few Years: 
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    1 hr and 59 mins
  • The Business Value of UX #3

    The Business Value of UX #3
    Nov 21 2023
    In the guys' 3rd installment of their recurring series on the business value of UX, they have another marathon episode for you. Chris gets things started by highlighting two themes that have emerged based on past conversations and interviews on UX business value: (1) the ROI of UX and (2) how to best reorganize or transform businesses to be more experience-led. The point of focus for this episode is the 2018 McKinsey article “The Business Value of Design” (link below). While the article does supply facts and figures on how design can positively impact traditional business metrics like P&L and stock prices, this article is mainly centered on how to transform businesses to make them design-led. The authors argue that organizations can only gain the increased profits generated by design principles and methodology by restructuring and becoming design-led. The way this happens, according to McKinsey is by caring about 4 main business characteristics: Analytical leadership Cross-functional talent Continuous iteration User Experience The guys dissect all 4 characteristics and embrace some digressions along the way. They bring up a number of topics including the difference between UX and CX, the importance of research and design ops to work quick, agile, and continuously iterate, and what customer-centric strategies look like. Chris also raises the important and open question: do all businesses want and need to be design-led? For UX and HCD to fully mature as a profession, does that mean we need a new form of business that challenges the status quo and seeks to rewrite the operating model? All good questions that we need more voices on. To finish things off, Chris talks about the parallels and overlap between different models, calling for businesses to be more customer-centric. From his vantage point, the two clear points of agreement across all the models are (1) placing a designer in the C-suite and (2) relying on customer data and user research across every step of the business and design decision-making funnel. Sit back, buckle up, and get ready for a business transformation deep dive!  Do all businesses need to be design-led?  Drop us a line about what you think!  https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities...
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    2 hrs and 16 mins

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