Who do we really mean when we say “the user”? And who gets left out?
In this episode, Therese Fessenden chats with cultural anthropologists Mike Youngblood and Ben Chesluk, who are challenging overly narrow definitions of users in UX. They explore how systems thinking and anthropology can deepen our understanding of complex user ecosystems — and why rethinking “the user” is more important than ever.
About the speakers:
About Rethinking Users, including some helpful resources and a link to purchase the book:
https://www.rethinkingusers.com
Article about User Ecosystem Thinking:
https://www.epicpeople.org/toward-ethnography-of-friction-and-ease-in-complex-systems
Mike & Ben’s other books:
Related NN/g Articles & Videos:
What does it mean to design experiences in a world where pixels are no longer the focus? In this episode, service design thought-leader and author Erika Flowers shares her thoughts on how designers must evolve as AI transforms the tools, processes, and expectations of our work. Erika shares lessons from her journey—spanning early web design, pioneering service blueprinting at Intuit, and orchestrating experiences at NASA—and offers a forward-looking take on why skills like facilitation, systems thinking, and storytelling will define the future of design.
About Erika Flowers: helloerikaflowers.com | LinkedIn
Related NN/g Courses
Related Free NN/g Articles:
AI can do more than it’s ever done… but there’s a lot of unfounded hype, especially when it comes to user research. When should you delegate tasks to AI? And when should you insist on keeping the human in the loop? In this episode, Therese Fessenden sits down with Alexander Knoll, co-founder of Condens, to discuss the strengths and limitations of AI tools for research, and the evolving role of the user researcher.
About Alexander & Condens: LinkedIn | Condens.io
Research Repository Guide: https://condens.io/guides/research-repository-guide/
On-Demand Recording of Condens Event: Making an Impact with User Research: How to Drive Change and Get Noticed
Alex’s Article with NN/g: Common-Sense AI Integration: Lessons from the Cofounder of Condens
Other Related NN/g Articles & Courses:
In this episode, Peter Merholz—co-founder of Adaptive Path and co-author of Org Design for Design Orgs—joins us to talk about what it really takes to build and scale effective design teams. We explore the systems, structures, and leadership mindsets that shape successful organizations, the relationships between product and design teams, and how design leaders can foster clarity, consistency, and impact as their teams grow. Whether you’re managing a team or aspiring to, this conversation is packed with insights on navigating the evolving role of design in today’s organizations.
Learn More About Peter:
Website: https://petermerholz.com/
Newsletter: https://petermerholz.com/newsletter/
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/petermerholz
Podcast: https://findingourway.design/
Book: https://orgdesignfordesignorgs.com/
Full-Day Courses (also available in half-day formats):
DesignOps: Scaling UX Design: https://www.nngroup.com/courses/scaling-ux-design-and-user-research/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ep50
Product and UX: Building Partnerships for Better Outcomes: https://www.nngroup.com/courses/product-and-ux/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ep50
Leading Highly Effective UX Teams: https://www.nngroup.com/courses/leading-ux-teams/?lm=pm-ux-different-views-of-responsibilities&pt=article&utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ep50
UX Leader: Essential Skills for Any UX Practitioner: https://www.nngroup.com/courses/ux-leadership-skills-for-all/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ep50
New UX Managers: https://www.nngroup.com/courses/new-manager/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ep50
Related Free NN/g Articles:
DesignOps: Study Guide: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/design-ops-study-guide/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ep50
Product & UX: Study Guide: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/product-and-ux-study-guide/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ep50
PM and UX Have Markedly Different Views of Their Job Responsibilities: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/pm-ux-different-views-of-responsibilities/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ep50
UX practitioners often struggle with shifting requirements and increasing product complexity, making it difficult to design intuitive experiences. Object-Oriented UX (OOUX) offers a structured approach to simplify digital products by focusing on core objects rather than pages or screens. Sophia Prater explains how this method improves usability, reduces inconsistencies, and streamlines collaboration across teams.
About Sophia Prater: Bio (via RewiredUX.com) | LinkedIn | Instagram
Learn more about Object-Oriented UX:
Upcoming Free UX Level-Up Training
OOUX for AI & AI for OOUX (course)
Related NN/g Courses & Resources:
UX Basic Training (full-day or 2 half-day course)
What is Object-Oriented UX? (3-min video)
As AI continues to evolve, designers are increasingly finding themselves tasked with creating AI-powered experiences—often without prior experience in the space. In this episode, NN/g UX Specialist Caleb Sponheim discusses the current state of AI tools, what’s working (and what’s not), and how designers can position themselves to navigate this shift. We also explore what it really means to develop AI safely and how designers can play a role in ensuring ethical, user-friendly AI experiences.
About the speaker: Bio | LinkedIn
Full-Day Course: Designing AI Experiences(also available in half-day formats)
Related NN/g Articles:
As tech layoffs and budget cuts dominate the start of the year, UX teams are navigating a critical challenge: proving the value of research while doing more with less. In this episode, NN/g Director of Research Maria Rosala sits down with ResearchOps pioneer Kate Towsey to explore how ResearchOps can help teams think strategically about the impact and efficiency of their research.
Learn more about Kate Towsey Kate’s Book: Research That Scales: The Research Operations Handbook Kate's Substack: Scaling and Systematising Research Kate’s Masterclasses in Australia and Europe: Defining a ResearchOps Strategy, 2025 Kate's ChaCha Club - a member's club for ResearchOps professionals: https://chacha.club/
NN/g Courses and Content on ResearchOps Full-Day Course: ResearchOps Free Article: Research Ops 101 4-min Video: Strategic vs Reactionary Research 4-min Video: Research Repositories 101 3-min Video: Research Participant Database
Most experienced professionals in the industry will tell you that the best designs don't operate in a vacuum. Yet, most of our measurement approaches do. How do you know you're actually making a measurable impact toward users' long-term goals? Connor Joyce, author of the book, Bridging Intention to Impact, shares his thoughts on how to create and evaluate products that center on meaningful user outcomes.
Order the book
Related NN/g Resources & Courses:
To explore how is AI shaping UX research and analysis, host Therese Fessenden shares two interviews on the topic; one with Savina Hawkins, Co-founder of Altis, and one with Caleb Sponheim, UX Specialist at NN/g. In this episode we explore the opportunities AI presents for enhancing productivity and innovation in UX work, alongside the risks and challenges it brings. Savina & Caleb offer practical advice on how UX professionals can leverage AI tools effectively and remain competitive in their field. Learn more about Altis Learn more about Caleb Sponheim, PhD Get trained on using AI for UX work: Practical AI for UX Professionals Course NN/g Articles on Artificial Intelligence Caleb’s Favorite Resources: Optimistic Perspective: Ethan Mollick’s One Useful Thing. Skeptical Perspective: Ed Zitron’s Where’s Your Ed At. Weekly Newsletter
Product-centric design can be an efficient way to design interfaces, but it can often lead to disjointed and poorly optimized customer journey experiences. Kim Flaherty shares her recent research into journey-centric design, and insights on how a journey-centric design practice can help organizations overcome product-centric challenges.
Report: Architecting a Journey Management Practice
Learn more about Kim:
NN/g Resources about Journey Management:
The 3 Competencies of Journey Management (5-min video)
Journey Management vs. Service Design (4-min video)
The Practice of Customer-Journey Management (free article)
Customer Journeys and Omnichannel UX (free article)
Journey Mapping to Understand Customer Needs (UX Certification course)
With AI developing rapidly, and AI policy often lagging behind, calls for responsible tech design and development are louder and more public than ever. In this episode, Paige Lord offers some insight into ways UX professionals can play a role in creating ethical AI products and services.
Learn more about Paige Lord:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thepaigelord/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aiethicswithpaige
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@aiethicswithpaige
Substack: https://thepaigelord.substack.com/
Other related content:
Responsible AI Institute: https://www.responsible.ai/
Icons are popular components to incorporate into digital designs that can help simplify user experiences. But, not every icon is created equal. In this episode, Kate Kaplan shares the latest insights from her research on digital iconography which can be found in her new book, Digital Icons that Work.
Learn more about Kate Kaplan: Bio | LinkedIn
Her book: Digital Icons That Work (nngroup.com)
Other Related Articles:
Accessibility isn’t a novel concept, but in the realm of digital design, it's rare to find a product or service that's truly accessible to a broad audience with many needs. In this episode, Stéphanie Walter shares a bit about what got her interested in accessibility to begin with, what accessibility truly means in UX, some common misconceptions, and how designers can create more inclusive experiences.
Learn more about Stéphanie Walter: LinkedIn | stephaniewalter.design
Related NN/g Resources:
Accessibility and Inclusivity Study Guide (free article)
How to Conduct Usability Studies with Accessibility Report (free report)
Usability Guidelines for Accessible Web Design Report (free report)
Accessibility Articles and Videos
Emerging Patterns in Interface Design Course (NN/g UX Certification-eligible course)
“If you squint hard enough, every problem is a prioritization problem.” -Harry Max
UX professionals are often faced with the challenge of managing backlogged work and doing so with limited time, budget, and resources. In this episode, we chat with Harry Max about the common misconceptions with prioritization and how to get better at it over time.
NN/g Articles & Training Courses
5 Prioritization Methods in UX Roadmapping (free article)
Using Prioritization Matrices to Inform UX Decisions (free article)
Using Trade-Off Scales for Prioritization in UX Design Projects (2 min video)
Incorporating UX Work into Your Agile Backlog (free article)
Related Courses
Expanding into global markets is a key priority for companies in today's interconnected world. While many companies rely on translations for their digital platforms, this is just one aspect of effective global expansion. In this episode, we're joined by Feifei Liu, International UX Researcher at NN/g. She discusses the importance of cross-cultural research and its role in helping organizations effectively expand into international markets while honoring cultural values and practices.
NN/g Articles & Training Courses
Modify Your Design For Global Audiences: Cross Cultural UX Design
International Usability Testing: Why You Need It?
Cultural Differences in User Research Facilitation
Translate User-Generated Content For Global Audiences
4 Ways to Support International Purchasers
6 Tips for Improving Language Switchers on Ecommerce Sites
Other Resources
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory
Chapters
(0:00) Intro
(01:15) Cross-cultural UX research: What is it?
(06:57) Importance of cross-cultural UX research
(09:46) Factors designers and researchers need to consider when creating cross-cultural designs
(13:07) Example of a localized design (Australian pharmacy website)
(15:34) Developing a cultural lens
(18:42) Facilitating cross-cultural UX research
(25:19) Keeping up with cultural trends
In this episode, we dive into User Interviews with Steve Portigal, discussing their critical role in product development and design research. User interviews, a qualitative method, involve conversations with users to gather insights about their experiences, behaviors, and needs. We discuss the benefits of this approach, such as deep user empathy and informed decision making, alongside common challenges like bias and recruitment. Join us in understanding when to use user interviews and how to get the most out of them.
NN/g Articles & Training Courses
User Interviews (full-day/2 half-day UXC course)
User Interviews 101 (free article)
The 3 Types of User Interviews: Structured, Semi-Structured, and Unstructured (free video)
When to Use Which User-Experience Research Methods (free article)
5 Facilitation Mistakes to Avoid During User Interviews (free article)
Learn more about Steve Portigal
Interviewing Users (2nd Edition) 20% discount code: interviewing
AI is changing faster than we can sometimes process and will likely do so for a while. The recent tech layoffs have also not spared UX professionals, adding to the uncertainty about our future roles in this rapidly changing environment. While there is still much we don't know about AI, Don Norman, co-founder of NN/g, and Sarah Gibbons, VP at NN/g, share their insights on the future roles of designers, encouraging professionals to think big in the wake of AI's advancements.
Related NN/g Articles & Training Courses
Generative UI and Outcome-Oriented Design
The 4 Degrees of Anthropomorphism of Generative AI
AI Chat Is Not (Always) the Answer
AI-Powered Tools for UX Research: Issues and Limitations
Prompt Structure in Conversations with Generative AI
Sycophancy in Generative-AI Chatbots
New Course: Practical AI for UX Professionals
Other Related Content
Chapters
0:00-1:12 - Intro
1:13-18:18 - What will design’s role be as AI expands?
18:18-23:15 - What is going to stay the same as AI expands?
23:16-end - Rapid Fire Questions
Extended reality (XR) experiences hold the potential to transform the way we learn, work, and collaborate. Specifically, it can make educational experiences more interactive, engaging and ultimately drive higher learning outcomes. In this episode, we feature Jan Plass, who discusses the affordances of XR technology, provides examples of XR learning experiences and shares his expectations for its impact on the education landscape. Jan Plass is a Professor at New York University, Paulette Goddard Chair, and Director of CREATE. Learn more about Jan Plass: CREATE Lab Looking Inside Cells On the Morning You Wake Verizon AR/VR Learning Apps (i.e. Visceral Science, Mapper's Delight, UNSUNG, Looking Inside Cells etc.) NN/g ARTICLES & TRAINING COURSES Augmented/Virtual Reality vs. Computer Screens 10 Usability Heuristics Applied to Virtual Reality Virtual Reality and User Experience Emerging Patterns in Interface Design (full-day/2 half-day UXC course)
The Design of Everyday Things CHAPTERS: 0:00-3:13 - Intro 3:13-5:35 - What is XR? 5:35-8:54 - XR as a Learning Opportunity 8:54-12:19 - Examples of XR for learning 12:19-15:30 - Evidence of Learning with VR Technology 15:30-18.51 - Can VR features Induce Emotions and Result in Better Learning Outcomes? 18:51-23.45 - Comparing UX in 2D and 3D spaces? 23:45-27:41 - Accessibility and Inclusivity in XR 27:41 - XR Development: The Role of Affordances
The surge of AI is currently changing the way we work and live. To avoid feeling left behind, it is important to engage with and understand these tools. This is true for UX designers just as much as almost everybody else. In this episode, we feature Henry Modisett from Perplexity AI and Kate Moran to get two insightful perspectives on the current state of AI and its connection to UX. Learn more about Henry Modisett Learn more about Kate Moran Perplexity.AI NN/g ARTICLES & TRAINING COURSES AI for UX: Getting Started (free article) AI & Machine Learning Will Change UX Research & Design (free video) AI Improves Employee Productivity by 66% (free article) AI-Powered Tools for UX Research: Issues and Limitations (free article) AI: First New UI Paradigm in 60 Years (free article) Sycophancy in Generative-AI Chatbots (free article) Information Foraging with Generative AI: A Study of 3 Chatbots (free article) The ELIZA Effect: Why We Love AI (free article) Practical AI for UX Professionals (full-day/2 half-day UXC course) CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 1:43 Perplexity AI: History & Value Proposition 10:30 Perplexity AI: Next Steps & Future Developments 15:04 Making AI User Friendly: Generative Interfaces 24:33 Understanding AI as a Consumer Product 28:28 Mental Models for AI 30:41 An Outlook for AI 35:51 NN/g’s Role in the AI Movement 37:34 Anthropomorphism of AI 40:07 Dealing with the Fear of AI
Wireframing is an incredibly useful design technique to flesh out conceptual ideas and communicate them to others. However, with the advent of powerful prototyping tools, some designers may think of these as irrelevant or outdated practices. Leon Barnard, Content Manager at Balsamiq and co-author of the book Wireframing for Everyone, discusses why he thinks wireframing is not only still relevant, but essential for maximizing creativity and innovative thinking.
Related NN/g Articles & Training Courses
How to Draw a Wireframe (Even if You Can’t Draw) (free article)
UX Basics: Study Guide (collection of free articles)
UX Basic Training (UX certification course)
UX Deliverables (UX certification course)
Visual Design Fundamentals (UX certification course)
