The How This Works show

Jen Blatz, principal UX researcher at Boeing Employees' Credit Union (BECU), takes us on a journey from journalism to UX design, sharing practical insights from the trenches of financial institutions and animal hospitals. With experience spanning VCA animal hospitals to Capital One to Rocket Mortgage, Jen brings a refreshingly honest perspective on the evolving UX landscape—including what's broken with personas and why the future might look different than we think. Her background in journalism shapes how she approaches ethnographic observation, whether she's watching veterinarians work with anxious pets or understanding how credit union members navigate digital banking. Jen doesn't shy away from tough conversations about AI's role in research, the limitations of traditional UX methods, or the reality of today's competitive job market. Currently at BECU, Jen navigates the unique challenge of conducting remote research for a Washington State credit union while being based in Texas herself, highlighting how smaller financial institutions operate differently from big banks with vendor constraints and community-focused approach. You can listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: https://www.howthisworks.show/035-jen-blatz Or watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/B-uMrQ4d4RQ Key points: Ethnographic observation in unexpected places - Jen shares her early UX experience at VCA animal hospitals, including watching a dog undergo anesthesia for dental cleaning. This field work taught her the importance of understanding real working conditions rather than making assumptions about user needs. Financial institutions aren't all the same - Drawing from her experience across banks, credit unions, and FinTech companies, Jen explains how resource constraints and third-party vendor dependencies create unique challenges for smaller financial institutions compared to tech giants. The consultancy model reality - Working within Boeing Employees' Credit Union's distributed research team structure, Jen discusses the trade-offs between learning about different business aspects versus sustained project influence — and why this model might be more common than we think. AI as assistant, not replacement - From her experiments with ChatGPT and Adobe Firefly, Jen shares practical insights about using AI tools for desk research and image generation while emphasizing the critical need to double-check AI outputs for accuracy. Why personas miss the mark - Jen critiques traditional personas for focusing on irrelevant demographic information instead of actionable insights, introducing the Scenario Alignment Canvas (SAC) framework as a more effective alternative that focuses on specific scenarios, goals, and pain points. The changing UX job market - Predicting that design system roles may become obsolete as AI tools advance, Jen discusses the trend of UX researchers moving into product owner roles and shares honest advice about building real-world experience in a competitive market. Personal branding as differentiation - Currently exploring how to define and build personal brands, Jen emphasizes networking and practical experience over theoretical knowledge as keys to standing out in today's UX landscape. Jen also touches on the challenges of remote research when you're not physically located where your users are, and how the pandemic shifted both researcher capabilities and user expectations around digital experiences. The audio and video for this episode has been edited by Gideon Kroutil.Special Guest: Jen Blatz.

Dr. Chui Chui Tan, cultural strategist and author, shares her journey helping businesses navigate cultural nuances for global growth. With over 16 years of experience in user experience internationally, she has orchestrated successful market launches for companies like Spotify, Netflix, and Bumble across 50 countries. Her approach goes beyond user research and experience to incorporate a holistic understanding of market ecosystems, helping businesses avoid cultural stereotyping while making informed strategic decisions. Born in Malaysia to Chinese parents, Chui Chui moved to the UK over 20 years ago. Her unique background and global experience inform her approach to cultural strategy. Beginning with mechanical engineering and an unexpected transition through music technology to human-computer interaction, she eventually specialized in international research after conducting user interviews in Beijing for a hotel client. Over time, her work evolved from pure user experience research to a more holistic approach that considers history, infrastructure, politics, and economic factors when helping businesses enter new markets. You can listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: https://www.howthisworks.show/034-dr-chui-chui-tan Or watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Q9mC2bykxuo Key points from the conversation: Four-bucket methodology - Chui Chui shares her framework for organizing market knowledge into known facts, strong hypotheses, weak hypotheses, and unknowns when entering new markets. This approach helps align teams and identify critical knowledge gaps. Context-specific cultural adaptation - She explains how cultural manifestations differ depending on product context, using her contrasting work with Asana and Spotify in Japan to illustrate how the same users interact differently with different products based on cultural values. Cultural frameworks in practice - Chui Chui discusses the strengths and limitations of popular frameworks like Erin Meyer's "Culture Map" and Hofstede's cultural dimensions, emphasizing the importance of practical application over theoretical models. Future of AI in cultural strategy - Drawing from her experiments with ChatGPT, Baidu's Ernie, and Inception's Jais (Arabic) to analyze cultural insights, she predicts AI will complement but not replace human understanding of cultural nuances. Cross-cultural identity - Reflecting on her own bicultural experience, Chui Chui discusses how individuals navigate multiple cultural identities, noting she can "be more British in certain aspects of my life, and then when it comes to certain things, I'm quite Malaysian or quite Asian." Personal philosophy - "Care less about things that are not as important" – Chui Chui's evolving perspective on focusing energy on what truly matters, both personally and professionally. Chui Chui also shares her fascination with understanding the origins of cultural differences, currently exploring this through reading "Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari among others. You can find Chui Chui at: Website: beyo.global LinkedIn: Chui Chui Tan YouTube: @chuichuitan The audio and video for this episode has been edited by Gideon Kroutil.Special Guest: Dr. Chui Chui Tan.

Drew Burdick, founder and managing partner of StealthX, shares his unconventional journey into design and entrepreneurship. After growing up in the Philippines (age 4-18) and studying political science and communications in college, a chance internship introduced him to graphic design — beginning with a bootleg copy of Illustrator/Photoshop CS2. During the 2009 recession, Drew scrapped his way forward, balancing freelance design work with jobs like valet parking at the Ritz Carlton and window washing. His path included founding a successful clothing brand for the electronic music scene (complete with 163 street team members) before transitioning into corporate roles and eventually launching StealthX, a consultancy focused on customer strategy, product design, and software engineering. You can listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: https://www.howthisworks.show/033-drew-burdick Or watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/mxyRWsKJEDg?si=5EmG0VKhiA99US5m Key points from the conversation: What's next for customer experience: Drew emphasizes moving beyond "fast, easy, and cheap" to create memorable moments that build brand loyalty. He applies this philosophy both to client work and to StealthX itself, crafting thoughtful touchpoints throughout the client journey. The future of design teams: Drawing from his experience leading both large and small teams, Drew predicts a shift away from traditional large design organizations toward nimble, high-velocity small teams augmented by AI capabilities. Industry specialization: Drew advocates for designers to develop deep industry expertise rather than remaining discipline-generalists, suggesting that understanding specific sectors like manufacturing or insurance will become increasingly valuable. Community and connection: Despite the rise of remote work, Drew emphasizes the growing importance of local, in-person relationships and community building, particularly in regional tech hubs like Charlotte, North Carolina. AI Inflection Point: Drew likens the current state of AI to the "256MB era" of computing, predicting rapid acceleration in capabilities and encouraging designers to embrace these tools as augmentation rather than threat. Personal philosophy: "Do the next right thing" – tattooed on Drew's arm, this mantra emerged during COVID as a reminder to focus on immediate, actionable steps rather than getting overwhelmed by uncertainty. Drew also predicts that within a year, solopreneurs will increasingly build and launch products independently using AI tools, potentially challenging traditional team structures in larger organizations. He encourages experimenting with these tools, seeing them as opportunities to augment human creativity rather than as threats. You can find Drew on social media as @drewhburdick and at drewburdick.com Learn more about StealthX at stealthx.co Listen to the second part of our conversation over at Drew's podcast, "Building Great Experiences" — • On Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/future-of-cx-beyond-product-into-ecosystems/id1776618976?i=1000686740180 • On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/329mlkTWefrP7nQr8KMRV5?si=doVa-TrxS52MyNIjGHDDCA • Or watch it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RShAkpaXRwU?si=KX9sgbXRQDABmL_ZSpecial Guest: Drew Burdick.

Skipper chats with Bumhan Yu, a designer and coder, about his perspective shaped by his linguistics and psychology background. After moving from Korea to New York City, he transitioned from academia to design, where his non-design background enriches his approach to understanding user needs and communication. His career evolved from graphic design to design operations and team dynamics, emphasizing problem understanding before solution creation. Beyond design, Bumhan maintains interests in theoretical physics and the Zettelkasten note-taking method among other topics. You can listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: https://www.howthisworks.show/032-bumhan-yu Or on Youtube: https://youtu.be/O_qGqCS9i0A During the show, we talk through a number of topics, including: German-speaking Bumhan comes from an academic family, with professor parents. Initially studying linguistics and psychology in academia, he left his psychology graduate program, worked various jobs including translation and military service in Korea, then discovered design (read: graphic design) through a trade school for executive assistants in Manhattan. His spatial-visual thinking style, using schematics and diagrams, led him to realize he could build a career making things. He views design as problem-solving beyond aesthetics, distinguishing between specialized "capital D" design and general "lowercase d" design. Bumhan's LinkedIn tagline "business of design, design of business" reflects his dual focus on design operations and organizational dynamics. At DoubleVerify, he maintains design systems, defines visual tokens, and collaborates closely with front-end engineers while focusing on systematic problem-solving approaches. He critiques design thinking's commodification while valuing its core principle of understanding problems before solutions, drawing inspiration from Bruce Lee's philosophy of adaptation and evolution. His coding skills enhance collaboration with engineers through better understanding of backend structures, while his linguistics and psychology background provides unique insights into human behavior and communication. Beyond design, Bumhan's also passionate about theoretical physics, particularly Carlo Rovelli's work. Here's a photo of Bumhan's t-shirt from the episode: Special Guest: Bumhan Yu.

Skipper chats with Aaron Young, founder of Switch Insights, breaking down the concept of "switch interviews" — a lesser known methodology that reveals the contextual moments leading customers to change products or services, emphasizing the importance of understanding the "why" behind customer behavior rather than just the "what." He explains that while companies often think they know why customers switch, a directed interview can reveal the complex, messy reality of customer decision-making, encompassing factors like grievances, magnetism, and effort underneath and surrounding the change. You can listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: https://www.howthisworks.show/031-aaron-young Or on Youtube: https://youtu.be/vNEZi_RaSN4 During the show, we talk through: The evolution of switch interviews, from Aaron's early discovery of the methodology (while observing Jobs to Be Done expert Bob Mesta) to his specialization in this approach after seeing its unique ability to reveal customer insights that traditional research misses Two case studies of "switches" — Aaron's personal journey moving from Washington D.C. to Atlanta, which unfolded over several years with multiple decision points, and a wedding dress business that used switch interviews to understand why brides choose at-home try-on experiences The critical difference between how companies typically view customer decisions (as single moments) versus the reality revealed through switch interviews: a complex journey involving factors like grievances with current solutions, attraction to new options, and the effort required to change Why traditional demographic-based personas often fall short, and how switch interviews help create more meaningful customer segments based on the progress people are trying to make in their lives The challenge of "hubris" in understanding customer behavior — how companies often think they know why customers make changes, but miss the crucial contextual details that switch interviews can uncover As businesses increasingly turn to technological solutions, Aaron expresses concern about over-reliance on AI for understanding customer behavior, noting that artificial intelligence might miss the nuanced contextual details that human-conducted switch interviews are uniquely positioned to capture His belief in the importance of verbs over nouns in career satisfaction Stay tuned until the end where Skipper tells Aaron about Stephen Colbert's oatmeal rum-soaked bing cherry cookie recipe, which Colbert (yes, him) says is so irresistible you'd "step on a baby's finger for one."Special Guest: Aaron Young.

In this episode, Andy Polaine, Dr. Polaine to some, talks about his career journey, starting with his background in film and interactive media, his transition into service design, and his current focus as a design leadership coach. Andy discusses his coaching approach, which is rooted in his experience as a designer, facilitator, and teacher. He also talks about some of what he's hearing from design leaders right now, emphasizing the importance of reading the room, even in a digital context, and how his work addresses common challenges faced by design leaders, such as imposter syndrome and the "leadership dip" — a period of uncertainty and self-doubt that can arise when transitioning into a leadership role. The interview also touches on the evolving role of design leadership in organizations and how designers can more effectively communicate the value of their work to stakeholders. You can listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: https://www.howthisworks.show/030-andy-polaine Or on Youtube: https://youtu.be/fdC1f-QcUMA Some topics discussed: Andy’s career began in the early '90s as an interaction designer, before "UX" or "user experience" were common terms He studied film, video, and photography, transitioning into interactive media, which later led him to meeting Ben Reason at LiveWork and getting into service design Andy was global Group Design Director of Client Evolution at Fjord and co-leads a Master’s program in service design in Switzerland Fluent in German and having lived in Australia, Germany, and the U.K., Andy developed a deep appreciation for cross-cultural communication and how we use language Andy describes his transition from filmmaking to design, drawn by the way multimedia integrates sound, video, and interactive elements — modes of storytelling persists today Andy’s coaching focuses on supporting design leaders through a number of phases, including "design leadership dip," a period uncertainty common at mid- and advanced-career stages, which he helps leaders navigate Andy shares his personal experience with imposter syndrome/phenomenon, emphasizing that it can affect anyone, regardless of background Andy highlights the skill of “reading the room," focusing on empathy, active listening, and participant engagement He discusses the nuances of digital coaching, using techniques like teleprompters and collaboration tools for increased effectiveness in virtual communication Andy reflects on the future of design, noting that designers must focus on discernment and answering the question, So what?! He concludes by emphasizing relationships, empathy, and plans for a book on the inner journey of design leadership, including "design leadership dip" He talks about the "assembly line" approach to design, likens it to AI — where the subject matter is being treated as a mere tool for rapid prototyping rather than a process for addressing user needs, almost like the discipline is being treated like a GPT itself, which reduces designers to carry out prompts Stay tuned until the end where we hear a behind the scenes (bts) snippet, a peek into our lives today, where we wait for Andy's wife to open/close some doors as she's seeing a patient at home while we're recording.Special Guest: Andy Polaine.

Joanne Weaver, who co-runs a design recruiting agency in New York City, discussed her dual career in recruitment and music. She highlighted the importance of networking and tailoring job applications to specific roles. Joanne emphasized the need for efficiency in communication and the value of understanding both job seekers and clients. She shared her journey from starting her agency during a financial crisis to having built a successful business. Joanne also discussed the significance of connection and authenticity, both in her professional and personal life, recommended the show "Alone" for its exploration of human resilience, and talked about her semimonthly show on LinkedIn live with two other design recruiters, Jared Tredly and Erica Fortgang for Design:Unfiltered @DesignedXTalent Keep listening until after the outro music for a bit of tape from our first attempt at recording (Internet connection problems) where Joanne talks about how being a singer and being a performer helps to understand the clients and job seekers she works with. A few specific points from the episode: Joanne's work as a singer, including albums, performances, and cover songs Her musical style blends jazz and trip-hop, with inspiration from sci-fi and the Voyager probes Her indie band, Broanne, and their EP "We're Totally Blowing Up" Her view of the job of a recruiter: matching clients with candidates and guiding them through the hiring process Her journey started at a nanny agency in London, eventually leading her to start her own recruitment agency in New York City Initial struggles in starting her agency and stresses the importance of networking and building personal connections Meeting her business partner, Rebecca Levy, through a mutual connection — advice, "take the lunch" The need for taking breaks and disconnecting to recharge The 2008 financial crisis impacted her business but also led to new opportunities Tailoring resumes and portfolios to specific job opportunities A tip on standing out in the job market: be efficient and professional in communications Common fears like not being good enough and encourages leaning into those fears Strategies for overcoming anxiety: focus on service and giving to others Stresses authenticity and connecting with others in both personal and professional contexts The value of small moments of connection, which can lead to larger opportunities. The importance of connection and talking to people Recommendation for Tunde Oyeneyin's audiobook, "Speak" and the show "Alone" for its exploration of human connection and survival She plans to begin work on a cabaret show about an unnamed 80s/90s pop sensation, inspired by recently reading their biography Special Guest: Joanne Weaver.

On this episode of the How This Works show, Skipper Chong Warson talks to Carl Cleanthes, founder of Epic Made, a creative content agency based in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Carl shares his entrepreneurial journey from selling timeshares to establishing an agency that now collaborates with top brands like SyFy, Nickelodeon, USA, TNT, and WWE. He discusses his passion for art and creativity, focusing on his exploration of NFTs as a way to immortalize his late father’s artwork. Throughout the conversation, Carl emphasizes the importance of living authentically, expressing emotions freely, and using his creativity to honor his father’s legacy. Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts: https://www.howthisworks.show/028-carl-cleanthes. You can also listen on Youtube: https://youtu.be/yn74GSse5f0. Key details from the episode: Carl describes himself as a "lifelong, ADHD, extroverted, creative kind of like counter culture, delightful weirdo," heavily influenced by his father’s art Early entrepreneurial ventures included earning money through in-game economics in Everquest After struggling with depression and dissatisfaction in traditional employment, Carl quit his IT job in 2007 and started his agency by hiring art school students, expanding into animation, illustration, and graphic design He embraces an unconventional lifestyle, incorporating barefoot walks, toe shoes, upcycling, and growing his own food The pandemic significantly impacted his business, pushing him to explore NFTs as a new creative outlet and revenue stream Carl launched an NFT project using his late father’s artwork, which he sees as both a healing journey and a new business direction He continues to honor his father’s creative legacy through live streaming sessions where he creates new art incorporating his father’s work Special Guest: Carl Cleanthes.

Back in August, Skipper had a conversation with Jen Dary about her personal experiences and insights on leadership coaching, the importance of self-awareness and belief in one's abilities, Plucky's So Now You're a Manager (SNYaM), navigating the publishing industry, and prioritizing self-care in the coaching profession. Other topics include: Jen shares her experience as the oldest of three kids and how it influences her leadership style and ability to empathize with others (it might play it yours as well, dear listener) She highlights the importance of identifying a specific niche in coaching and how coaching is different from consulting Jen emphasizes the importance of setting a finite amount of time for coaching and encourages clients to come as long as they need and go when they're ready She primarily works with clients in technology, including engineers, designers, product managers, professors, academics, and doctors, with a majority of them being women Jen reflects on the importance of understanding one's purpose of work and encourages listeners to measure their current job against that purpose She talks more about So Now You're a Manager (SNYaM), a manager training program that she's developed at Plucky currently modeled after a part-time MBA plus, the importance of community and connection in learning, and the challenges of remote training Jen has observed a trend of people in the tech industry expressing a desire to retire earlier and wanting to "do their own thing" She talks about recently watching "The Andy Warhol Diaries," a six episode Netflix series, and having a greater understanding of the '70s and '80s Stay tuned until the end for an outtake around speaking French to a stranger on the train in front of her sons Special Guest: Jen Dary.

Karen's personal and professional journey exploring different forms of art, including classical music and site-specific contemporary performance art Empathy and storytelling in design, perspective taking, and understanding the difference between empathy and caring The struggle with showing empathy towards oneself and the importance of non-judgment The concept of being an "asshole" in social situations and intentional adjustment The unintended consequences of Karen's work on compassion and caring The virtue of patience and its role in creating oneness Practicing love and accepting all things without hierarchy or morality The idea of helpfulness versus rightness and an example of a deer The tagline for Others Unlimited and its focus on empathy, research, collaboration, and citizenship Exploring the relationship between mercy and justice The metaphor of polishing a rough gem and the importance of perspective-taking The importance of empathy, active listening, and being present Accepting others as they are and embracing the truth for personal growth The second season of FX's "The Bear" and the idea of watching television as a kind of babysitter A surprising answer from Karen to the question, "Imagine you unexpectedly had a day off, money was no object, you could bend the laws of space and time, what would you do?" Stay tuned for a bit of tape at the end where Karen and Skipper talk about one's "need to be right." Note from TED: Karen's talk linked below contains a discussion of suicidal ideation. If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please consult a mental health professional and/or support organization, as this talk is not a substitute for mental health advice. If you are struggling with self-destructive or suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 to connect with someone who can help.Special Guest: Karen Faith.