In this installment of the YouX Freestyle, the guys have a wide-ranging and free-wheeling conversation on numerous topics concerning research, design, development, and user experience. Mustafa gets things started by expressing frustration about how common it is at companies to silo product teams. Because these teams are working on different parts of a common user experience the result is fragmentation and an inelegant user experience. Chris proposes that senior leadership should do their best to "carve the product at the joints" and make sure to talk to each other about the big picture regularly.

The conversation switches gears, and Chris finally gets to put his history degree to good use. He points out that human-centered design (HCD) is an outgrowth or continuation of what companies have historically termed "R&D". Significant differences exist, such as how HCD emphasizes the complexities of human behavior while R&D teams have been focused on understanding and harnessing the complexity and laws of the natural world. Not surprisingly, the duo then delved into the topic of research and its role in the design process. They discuss the theory and rationale behind its ability to deliver business value and justify the ROI of a research budget. They also hint at a topic that they might cover in a full episode:'research recommendations' and how researchers nagivate the practice of taking the evidence and facts from the findings and appropriately implementing design adjustments and solutions.

Concluding their conversation, they talk about their aspirations for the podcast now that they have a few episodes under their belt. Chris wants it to be a platform for exchanging ideas, fostering maturity in HCD, and enhancing collaboration between design practitioners and businesses. Mustafa envisions the podcast as a hub for an open-minded community and hopes listeners will aim to harmonize design, technology, and business. While the podcast may not have all the answers, its spirit, rooted in its inception, is to ask questions fearlessly and with a healthy dose of humility. These are exciting times, but there is much work to do. And it is day 1. 

Chris' Article calling for more theory