Kate and Laura finally agree on something. Unfortunately, it's to end the podcast. They reminisce about the good parts and talk a bit about what comes next.  Drink pairing (Kate): Long Island Ice Tea Drink pairing (Laura): Champagne

In this episode, Kate and Laura complain about a lot of stuff they use every day and then wonder why they do that.  Drink pairing: Prosecco 

The two least consistent people in the world argue about why consistency matters. And why it doesn't. It's pretty much what you'd expect.  Drink Pairing: Mulled Wine

In an episode that should have been called "a cry for help," Kate and Laura shriek about how old things can actually work just fine and please stop changing everything. The subtext is strong with this one.  Drink Pairing: Old Fashioned Support the damn podcast on Patreon, you cheap bastards! 

In this episode, Kate and Laura really go off the rails talking about the similarities, differences, and issues with various different higher level UX jobs, many of which they haven't actually held in well over a decade, if at all.  Drink Pairing: Daquiri Support the podcast on Patreon! 

In this episode, Kate and Laura whine about how hard it is to actually make things and Laura makes fun of The Future, again.  Drink Pairing: Hard Cider

This episode is like being on a long car ride with two loud friends (Kate and Laura) who won't shut up about the journey. They yell a bit about how designers make everything into a much bigger deal than users really want or care about.  Drink pairing: Anything out of a hip flask

In this episode, Kate and Laura argue about semantics. Again. This time they try to decide why collaboration is good and committees are bad.  Drink Pairing: Sazerac

In this episode, Kate and Laura argue about how to best predict disasters when deciding what to build. Obviously they never applied this framework before they started making a podcast.  Drink Pairing: Hurricane

Kate explains why she likes to make everything three times as hard as it needs to be. If you're playing the What is Wrong with UX drinking game and drinking every time they mention Task Flows, then maybe don't make any plans for after the podcast.  Drink Pairing: Triple Sec

In this episode, Laura and Kate talk about the many voices that talk to them while they're designing things and frankly, we think maybe 2020 was a little bit much for them and they finally snapped.  Drink Pairing: Whiskey and Sarsaparilla 

In this episode, Kate and Laura discuss designing for lazy, irrational people. Or, you know, people.  Drink Pairing: Veuve Clicquot Rose

In this episode, Kate and Laura contradict pretty much everything they've ever told you so that Laura can brag about her new electric car that she doesn't drive anywhere because she never leaves the house.  But seriously, sometimes you're designing something you can't really measure! And that's hard! Drink Pairing: It's nog season, baby!

In this episode, Kate and Laura ask a fundamental question - why on earth do you believe that completely unbelievable thing? Or anything really? What are you basing your product assumptions on and how can you stop doing it so badly?  Drink Pairing: Make Believe  

In this episode, Kate and Laura argue about what it means to design with real content and actual user data, which is a weird thing to argue about, since it's pretty straightforward. Anyway, knock it off with the Lorem Ipsum!  Drink Pairing: Sour Dorothy Parker Support the podcast on Patreon! 

In this episode, Kate and Laura get a little more serious than usual when yelling about how you never think of the consequences of your actions.  Drink Pairing: Smoked Old Fashioned

In this episode, Kate and Laura not so briefly discuss design briefs and how you should approach them. Laura almost achieves enlightenment when she asks "What is Chair?" but then quickly ruins it, as you might imagine.  Drink pairing: Armagnac  Like the podcast? Support us on Patreon! 

Kate and Laura lecture you on when you should demand cash and when you shouldn't, and the answer isn't "demand cash all the damn time" like you'd think it ought to be.  Sponsor: Springboard  Drink Pairing: Money Maker

In this episode, Kate and Laura quibble about why on earth people would use anything that they designed. Apparently some people get value out of it? Who knew?  Drink Pairing: Sparkling Persimmon Margarita

In this episode, Kate and Laura reveal all the secrets (ed note: there are no secrets and they're probably wrong) to creating a successful (ed note: HA!) UX podcast.  Some tools they use: Libsyn Zencastr Patreon Audacity Drink Pairing: Shots of Patron

In this episode, Kate and Laura take a decidedly unprincipled look at design principles. Kate proves that drinking does, in fact, affect your memory, when she completely forgets Laura's entire work history.  Drink Pairing: Absinthe

In this episode, Kate and Laura complain about how UX Debt is like a terrible gift from Past You that you now have to clean up. Kate tries to put a good spin on it, and Laura crushes all her dreams immediately. As per usual.  Drink Pairing: Boulivardier

In this episode, Kate and Laura blather on about how you’re probably not doing nearly enough work to build UIs for every single possible state a user or product could be in. Because you aren’t. And they love making other people work. Drink Pairing: Blue Hawaii

In this episode, Kate and Laura blather on about how you’re probably not doing nearly enough work to build UIs for every single possible state a user or product could be in. Because you aren’t. And they love making other people work. Drink Pairing: Blue Hawaii

Kate and Laura take a break from getting almost nothing done to tell you how to get more done with timeboxing. Laura, of course, doesn't use it because she prefers simply doing nothing.  Drink Pairing: Tequila Shots

Kate and Laura really start to crack under the pressure as they offer advice about the three phases of your career: smartass, kickass, and badass. Mostly it's an excuse to say "ass" a lot. Like they need an excuse.  Drink Pairing: Grappa 

Kate and Laura continue to panic this week as they talk a bit about how remote user research is different from in person (besides being, you know, not in person) and also how everything is different now anyway, so just use your best judgement.  Drink pairing: Quarantinis

In this week's episode, Kate and Laura yell about how to pretend you're still getting work done while you're actually searching online for toilet paper during a pandemic. Also, some tips about actually getting some design done from home, which is a lot like getting design done at work, but it's easier to panic unobtrusively.  Drink Pairing: Whatever you still have left in the bunker (But not the Purell. That will kill you. Seriously. Stop drinking it. Kate.)

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about a few interesting people who are doing interesting things and how we can apply some of their lessons to design.  Drink Pairing: Chianti

In this episode, Kate and Laura insist that, while designers don't need to know how to code, they do need to learn every single other aspect of technology. So, you know. Good luck with that. Kate actually shares a very useful resource: https://illustrated.dev. Check it out.  Drink Pairing: Pink Gin

In this episode, Kate and Laura tell long winded stories about telling stories, bringing the drunken blathering to a whole new level. And no, it's nothing like the previous podcast Story Telling for Entrepreneurs which is totally different despite having almost exactly the same name and being done by Laura and Kate who only have three stories to tell between them? Why would you even think that?  Drink Pairing: Hard Cider

In the interests of clarity, this episode should be called "The ROI of shouting about design and also contradicting each other" but that wasn't as catchy. Kate and Laura shout about whether the value of design can or should be measured. TL;DR; Often and It Depends. Drink Pairing: Rob Roy

In this episode, Kate and Laura yell even more than usual about how hard it is to design things in environments that say they're agile (but probably aren't).  Drink pairing: Shots! Preferably flu shots, followed by the shot of your choice

In this episode, Laura and Kate blather on about how Words Have Meanings and debate what on earth people mean when they say that they "advocate for UX within their organization."  Drink Pairing: Hot Toddy

Once again, Kate and Laura decide to talk endlessly about a visual medium. In this episode, they talk about what we mean when we talk about visual design, which is very slightly more interesting than it sounds.  Drink Pairing: Wild Turkey (tis the season)

In this episode, Kate and Laura attempt to give advice to new UXers (something neither of them has been since dinosaurs roamed the earth). Laura advocates violence, surprising nobody who has ever met her.  Drink Pairing: 20 year old scotch

It's a totally arbitrary milestone! On this, their 99th episode, Kate and Laura pretend that they're capable of learning and argue about what's changed and what's stayed the same over the years since they started yelling at each other.  Drink Pairing: Candy Corn Martini (it's a martini made with candy corn infused vodka which is apparently a thing that exists because everything is terrible)

In this episode, Laura's off yelling at clouds, and the notable Jess Ivins steps in to talk about learning, education and how to keep growing as a UX person. Jess says smart and helpful things while Kate rambles on but does get in some good references to articles she did not write. A highlight is how to talk to your boss to get the company to invest in your learning. Drink pairing: The dark, inky joy of a good Malbec.

In this episode, Kate and Laura yell about PRDs, MRDs, and FRDs which are things that nobody under 40 has ever heard of or cared about. They also talk about how PMs and UXers can never agree on who is responsible for what kinds of requirements, probably because they're all too busy redefining their job descriptions.  Drink pairing: Pumpkin Spice Vodka (Look, it's autumn, so I assume this abomination exists somewhere)

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about absolutely nothing design related whatsoever. It's pretty much all just Laura whining about reinstalling Python and Kate asking if you've turned it off and on and again. There's probably a minute or two of useful info on how to troubleshoot a system.  Drink Pairing: Body Shots!

In this episode, Laura rants for several minutes about virtual keyboards, since apparently it's still 2008. Then they talk about car crashes and how to maybe not contribute to them with your stupid design tradeoffs.  Drink Pairing: Irish Coffee (made with Fair Trade coffee, obvs)

In this episode, Laura whines that she doesn't have a robot army yet, and Kate gets distracted thinking about robot bartenders. Do robots podcast yet? Asking for a social media intern who has to write these blurbs.    Drink Pairing: Old Fashioned

For some horrible reason, Kate and Laura are beating the dead horse that is Everybody is a Designer...wait...NOBODY is a Designer...I mean...oh who the hell cares? Just tell me what we're drinking for this one.  Drink Pairing: Just decide already. I mean I GUESS EVERYBODY IS A BARTENDER NOW TOO. 

What's that? Kate and Laura are talking about doing things again? Well, beats the hell out of actually doing anything, I suppose.  Drink Pairing: Dewars and soda 

In this episode, Laura blathers on again about DevOps while Kate desperately tries to explain how any of this is relevant to designers. (Ed. note: It isn't!) They finally agree to yell at people about naming their layers while admitting that they never have and never will. Laura accidentally coins the phrase: Enforce, Evolve, and Enhance, which sounds like something directly out of 1984.  Drink Pairing: Fuzzy Navel

An unintentionally long episode about time estimates that proves that time estimates are bullshit. Also, Kate talks about her favorite drink recipe.  Drink Pairing: Old Fashioned

In this episode, Kate and Laura discuss the only thing they're really experts on: pissing people off.    Drink Pairing: Light Beer

In this episode, Kate tries to talk Laura into caring about the podcast listeners. Hey, that's you! If you enjoy hearing people cackle about borderline abusive neglect, this is the episode you've been waiting for.  Drink Pairing: Highball (this was a listener request, so don't say we never listen to our listeners, despite the fact that we explicitly say we don't in this episode)

In this episode, Kate and Laura discuss something (semi) topical. They argue about whether designers should lead and then of course somehow veer into what design even is anyway and it's pretty much a typical mess.  Drink Pairing: Mojitos (or anything muddled)

In this episode, Kate and Laura argue about The Craft, which relates to neither witchcraft nor macrame owls, so honestly why do they even bother? Seriously though, tune in for 30 minutes of blathering about what words mean.  Drink pairing: Craft beer

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about how to get and stay motivated in a design environment. In an ironic and completely foreseeable twist, I honestly can't be bothered to come up with something clever to say about any of this.  Drink pairing: eh. Whatever's closest. 

In this episode, Laura and Kate take on the world - specifically, a framework for making decisions that takes into account the fact that humans are bad at long vs short term decision making. You can really tell that Laura failed Philosophy a few times in this one.  Drink Pairing: White Russian

In this episode, Kate and Laura ask the important question: Should you make the same stupid mistake that Laura has made repeatedly? No. The answer is no. Also, what is wrong with you? Have we taught you nothing?  Drink Pairing: Absinthe

In this episode, Kate and Laura complain about UX job descriptions and give people some suggestions about how to deal with them. TL;DR; There's nothing you can do about it so just ignore them.  Drink Pairing: Anything sparkling

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about how and why to protect your users from each other while they slowly lose what little faith they still had in humanity. Happy New Year.  Drink pairing: Bottomless Mimosas. Or topless. Whatever. You do you. 

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk endlessly about visual things. Again. This time it's storyboards. Also, Laura apparently has something against Cleveland? And also the rest of humanity? Who even knows? Drink pairing: Mulled wine

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about how to be better at whiteboard challenges if you can't avoid them entirely, which you can't, so just deal.  Drink pairing: Wild Turkey

Once again, Kate and Laura try to pretend that being extremely lazy makes them good at their jobs. Whatever those jobs are. This episode is mostly just maritime puns and Laura whining about not having a yacht yet.  Drink pairing: Veuve Clicquot

In this episode, Kate and Laura get all metaphorical about basic task definition and flows. Also, they introduce a drinking game where you have to chug every time they say "task flow," so you're going to have to sign a release saying the podcast is not responsible for your inevitable alcohol poisoning.  Drink Pairing: Preferably something that won't kill you when you drink a gallon of it

In this episode, Kate and Laura barely conceal their terror that they could be replaced by people with no skills or abilities whatsoever at any time. For once, they're not wrong.  Drink Pairing: Mudslide (in honor of our newest patreon!) You want a drink pairing of your own? Patreon us!  https://patreon.com/WhatIsWrongWithUX

In this episode, Kate and Laura, with a somewhat shocking lack of self awareness and irony, argue about whether they should be nicer to technology. Everybody they have ever met rolls their collective eyes and think, "so close..." Support the show on Patreon!  Drink Pairing: Spiked Punch

In this episode, Kate and Laura attempt YET AGAIN to describe a visual thing with words. So. Many. Words. They explain what a task flow is, why you should do it, roughly how to do it, and why you're a terrible person for not doing it.  Drink pairing: Lava Flow 

In this episode, Kate and Laura whine for 30 minutes about how people should make things simpler and less nuanced. Occasionally they veer dangerously close to debating the nature of truth, but pull back from it because Laura failed Philosophy at least twice.  Drink Pairing: Something with subtle hints of currant, cherry, and asphalt 

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about not wasting time making the wrong stuff. You'll be completely unsurprised that what sorts of deliverables you should make for your team depends entirely on who you're making stuff for and what you want out of it.  Drink Pairing: Grappa

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about fights instead of fighting. Specifically, they bring up some of their least favorite examples of people comparing totally different methodologies against each other. Personas vs JTBD! Agile vs Waterfall! Come on, people. No need to argue. Everything can suck equally.  Drink Pairing: Appletinis

In this episode, Kate and Laura UXplain GDPR (probably incorrectly) and talk about some good approaches to treating your users' data a little more respectfully.  Drink Pairing: Vodka Martini (I'd say "shaken, not stirred" but that bruises the booze, so knock it off with that nonsense)

In this episode, Laura and Kate revisit the concept of Change Aversion and talk about why change is hard for users and what you can do to make it easier.  Drink Pairing: California Zinfandel

In this episode, Kate and Laura discuss how usability testing strategies may change depending on...wait for it...that's right, the context of the company and type of product. Drink every time they say, "It depends." No, seriously, don't do that. You'll die.  Drink pairing: Lemon Drops

In this episode, Kate and Laura argue about how understanding what you can do may affect what you want to do, which is exactly backwards from what they usually drone on about.  Drink pairing: Cheap Chablis

audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more In this episode, Kate and Laura complain about screen-based designers again. They also talk about designing for multi-modal interfaces in a failed attempt to sound modern and like they haven't been doing this since the Paleolithic Era.  Drink Pairing: Old Fashioned

Happy New Year! In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about what they're probably not going to do differently in 2018, because honestly, who are we kidding?  Drink pairing: Bottomless mimosas

In this episode, Laura and Kate do not sing at you. YOU'RE WELCOME.  Instead, they continue the discussion about different types of work environments, this time looking at how it's different when you're working on a B2B product vs a B2C product.  Drink Pairing: Mulled Cider with Brandy

In this episode, Kate and Laura decide to sing for some reason. 'Tis the season for assaulting your eardrums, apparently. Anyway, I would like to just preemptively apologize for this, and I promise we'll try not to get this drunk in the future. (We will fail at this, but it's the thought that counts, probably.) Look, at least it's short.  Drink pairing: Whatever it is, you're gonna need a shitload of it. Did I mention we sing? Sorry, "sing". 

In this episode, Laura and Kate talk about how your job as a product manager or designer can vary based on how close you are to the company's business model. There's a framework, because of course there is.  Drink Pairing: It's nog season, baby! 

In this episode, Kate and Laura give sketchy advice about starting your own freelancing or consulting business. Reminder: you should probably not take legal advice from drunk people on the internet.  Drink Pairing: Whiskey Sour

In this episode, Kate and Laura argue about a very specific kind of complexity. They talk about how some features can be complicated problems while others are "just work," and then argue about why anybody might care about this distinction. Laura quotes someone she hates but who she reluctantly admits might be on to something, which really doesn't narrow it down much.  Drink Pairing: Pisco Sours

In this week's episode, Kate and Laura reminisce about old research stories and how much better things were before. Ok, mostly they talk about what's still true of the things they learned in old research and what's changed.  Drink Pairing: Old Fashioned

In this week's episode, Kate and Laura reveal that everything they've been saying has been a lie and they really think that statistics are lies. Ok, honestly, this is just them banging on about how not everything is for everybody again.  Drink Pairing: It's pumpkin spice season, so enjoy bourbon and disdain for people who drink things that taste like pumpkin spice.

Kate's back! In this week's episode, Kate and Laura talk about what it means to truly be an expert in something, and how hard it can be to believe you are one. Laura admits to occasionally having doubts about something, which shocks everybody.  Drink Pairing: Irish Affogato (This is an Irish Coffee poured over ice cream. It's a drink I invented because I am a genius.)

On this week's episode, Kate escapes from her cage, so Christina Wodtke valiantly takes her place to talk about how designers can talk to people who aren't designers. That's right. Two designers talking to each other about how they might hypothetically talk to other people.  Drink Pairing: Gin! 

In this episode, Kate and Laura overthink everything, as usual, and discuss how to take a feature that seems simple and be a total buzzkill by showing how complicated it really is.  Drink Pairing: Mint Juleps (because they're muddled)  

Kate and Laura, having run out of actual topics, decide that designers need a new animal, now that unicorns have been stolen by big, private, profitless companies. This may be proof that Kate and Laura will argue about literally anything. Strap in.  Drink Pairing: Wild Turkey

Kate and Laura begrudgingly tolerate each other for just long enough to tell you how to work better with other people. Also, there's some stuff about how people and teams change each other, but it's not like there's any agreement.  Drink Pairing: A 12 pack of something

After a few podcasts talking about things they don't like, Kate and Laura decide to be slightly more positive and discuss a few tools that make their work lives easier. Besides booze. Drink Pairing: Tequila Sunrise

Kate and Laura discuss whether some commonly misunderstood tools and frameworks (Surveys? Agile?) are bad or just really misunderstood a lot of the time. Drink Pairing: Shot of Jager

In this episode, Kate and Laura go off on several tangents about why everything does not have to be designed and built from scratch by your organization. Seriously, you're not making artisanal, locally sourced pickles here, folks. Unless you are. In which case, carry on.  Drink Pairing: Small batch, home brewed cider made from cruelty free, free range, heirloom apples, obviously

In this episode, Kate and Laura fight about what it means to design things collaboratively and the ways in which everybody seems to screw it up. Hint: collaborative design does not mean everybody makes every single decision together! This is not a democracy, people.  Drink Pairing: Sidecar

Kate and Laura really don't like to be told what to do. That's why they get annoyed when people declare "Designers should really be able to..." In this episode, we discuss the pros and cons of designers learning things like coding, story telling, and metrics, and then we leave it up to you, the listener, to make your own damn decisions.  Drink Pairing: Who are we to tell you what to drink? Make up your own mind!

In this episode, Kate and Laura argue about terrible things they hear people say when building products. Apparently, there are words more triggering than "chatbot." Drink Pairing: Dirty Martini

In this episode, Kate and Laura give five reasons why everybody, even designers and researchers, need to understand how their products and companies make money.  Drink Pairing: Margaritas

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about the kinds of things people miss when building products, why that's bad, and how to avoid it. Drink Pairing: Anything but Moonshine (which can cause blindness)

The hottest of takes on the most trivial of topics. Kate and Laura argue about the future of AR, chatbots, the on demand economy, and whether pattern libraries will finally put designers out of business (fingers crossed!).  Drink Pairing: Trader Joe's Brand Bourbon (BECAUSE APPARENTLY KATE DRANK ALL THE BLADE AND BOW)

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about building a personal brand as a designer, and why in the name of all that is holy anybody in their right mind would want to do that. They have some vague advice about speaking at conferences, writing about design, and (don't do it) podcasting.  Drink Pairing: Blade and Bow Bourbon (Thanks, Bob and Celeste!)  

In this episode, Kate and Laura discuss a tool and process for tracking the things you believe and getting better at predicting. The tool, predictably, is from Build Better Products. Which you should have bought by now, but if you haven't, there's still time! Build Better Products: A Modern Approach to Building Successful User-Centered Products $39.00 By Laura Klein Drink Pairing: Bloody Marys

In this episode, Kate and Laura try and fail to tackle some typical UX questions in 2 minutes or less. Laura gives the most useful advice you will ever get about starting a new job. It's a short one, because frankly, it's the holidays, and this podcast crap is cutting into our drinking time. Drink Pairing: Veuve Clicquot, Vintage Rosé Brut 2004

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about picking the right users and advocating for them. Also, they explain why this is not entirely the designer's job.  Drink Pairing: Mulled Wine Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

In this episode, Kate and Laura plug their new book, Build Better Products, by discussing how the User Map was created. Surprise! It involves design thinking and sketching.  Drink Pairing: Irish Coffee (this is a long one. you'll need the caffeine.) Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton User Map Template: Get the Book! Build Better Products: A Modern Approach to Building Successful User-Centered Products $35.73 By Laura Klein

In this episode, Kate and Laura discuss the pros and cons of doing UX work in agencies, big companies, and startups. This is a good one if you're trying to figure out where to go next.  Drink Pairing: Sidecar Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

Kate and Laura discuss the difference between "building a chatbot" and "building a product that solves a need for a human." Also, we talk about how to decide which platform is right for something that you're building.  Drink Pairing: Sidecar Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about why sketching is useful and how to get better at it without being an artist.  Drink Pairing: G&T & keep 'em coming Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton Want more advice from people who know what they're talking about? Check out the User Research for Everyone conference from Rosenfeld Media on October 11, 2016! Use KLEIN for $50 off the ticket price. 

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about some of the red flags that can mean a project or a job is not a great place for doing good UX design work.  Drink Pairing: Red Bull and Vodka Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

In this episode, Kate and Laura completely fail to answer simple questions about UX. We do blather on for a bit about ourselves though, as usual.  Drink Pairing: Craft brews - the more pretentious the better Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

Kate and Laura dig in a little more on what "designing for delight" really means. They argue that most things designers find delightful just end up annoying users.  Drink Pairing: Something delightful, obvs Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

It's not always clear when you should stand up for yourself against clients or stakeholders and when you should do what is asked of you, even when you think it's a bad design decision. Kate and Laura argue about where the line is and whether it's better to be flexible or to push back.  Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton Drink Pairing: The stiffest drink you can stand

Kate and Laura answer questions submitted by the fine UXers at Tradecraft. This week, we completely fail to tell the future of the UX.  Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton Drink Pairing: Vintage Champagne

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about the advice we wish people had given us instead of making us learn things the hard way. We really don't like doing things the hard way.  Drink Pairing: You never drink what we tell you to, anyway Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

In this episode, Kate and Laura discuss the best advice that we've ever been given about life, products, and work in general.  Drink Pairing: Ask someone else for advice on this Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

In this episode, Kate and Laura argue about what makes a design good and come dangerously near a few moral absolutes.  Drink Pairing: Whatever you like best. Who are we to judge?  Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

In this episode, Kate and Laura discuss the things that we wish people, including designers, knew about UX design.  Drink pairing: Rum and coke Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

In this rapid fire episode, Kate and Laura try (and fail) to answer easy, yes or no UX questions. Maybe is not an option, nor is death. It's the antidote to "It Depends."  Drinks: Screwdrivers Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

You can't solve every problem for every user. That means you need to learn to prioritize your design changes. In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about how we think about priorities and the really important things that you're probably forgetting to prioritize.  Drink Pairing: The important thing is that you're drinking.  Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about some of the unanswerable questions they get asked all the time like "What sort of research should  do?" and "What is wrong with my product?" Then we answer them, because why the hell not?  Drink Pairing: Absinthe Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

In this episode, Kate and Laura discuss why it's so easy to get blocked when doing "creative" work. We also offer a few, probably unhelpful, tips about how we personally get past the blockers. Hint: it's not all booze and self loathing.  Drink Pairing: Singapore Sling Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

In this episode, Kate and Laura complain about the overuse of UX-specific jargon and then totally contradict ourselves by explaining why we sometimes find it incredibly useful. Laura also complains, unsurprisingly, about the fact that we can't all agree on what certain words like "designer" mean anyway.  Drink Pairing: Lemon Drops Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about the different types of spaces in which design activities occur and fight about which are the best ones for which tasks.  Drink Pairing: Scorpion Bowl (which Kate assures me is a Tiki drink and not an actual bowl of scorpions, but she is not to be trusted) Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

Sometimes stakeholders or clients want things that you know will be terrible for their users. In this episode, Kate and Laura discuss how to handle bad feature or design requests and argue about our responsibilities as designers.  Drink Pairing: Dry Martinis Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

Sometimes stakeholders refuse to look at any deliverables that aren't pixel perfect Photoshop mocks, which causes all sorts of problems for designers. In this episode, Kate and Laura explain why this is such a terrible idea and give designers some suggestions for handling it better.  Drink Pairing: Something Artisinal Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

You can never get a straight answer out of a designer. In this episode, Kate and Laura explain why designers like the phrase, "It depends" so damn much and what we can do to make it slightly more useful.  Drink Pairing: Truth Serum (or gin, whichever you have on hand) Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

In this episode, Kate and Laura discuss how to take the feedback you asked for a little more graciously and maybe even benefit from it. Do not, in any way, think that this is a request for you to give feedback to Kate and/or Laura. Yes, we understand the irony, and no, we're not having any of it.  Drink Pairing: Your Tears, probably Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about the dismissive bastards who claim "users don't know what they want." In a surprising twist, they also give some decent advice about how to think about getting user feedback.  Drink Pairing: Mimosas  Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

In this episode, Kate and Laura discuss the one weird trick to doing better customer interviews. Ok, it's not really a trick, but it is weird. When conducting research, interviewers often behave very differently than they would normally, creating a sort of Research Persona or Character that helps them build rapport quickly and get participants to open up and share.  Drink Pairing: Wassail (that's a thing, right?) Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton

Users who care deeply about your product can get very angry when you make changes. Sometimes it's change aversion, and sometimes you seriously screwed something up. In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about how to tell when it's your fault that your users hate you.  Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton Drink Pairing: Eggnog

Just in time for Thanksgiving, a plea to consider the assholes in your life and workplace. Sometimes people who are hard to work with can be incredibly productive, useful members of teams. You can make great products with people you wouldn't necessarily invite over for a drink. In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about what really makes a coworker an asshole and how to deal with difficult people.  I shouldn't have to say this, but the language on this one is probably not safe work unless you work with a bunch of assholes.  Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton Drink Pairing: Wild Turkey or anything with Pumpkin Spice

In this episode, Kate and Laura discuss four things that will make you a better UX Designer. Learn why getting better at taking feedback and understanding business can help improve your career. Also, Laura gets shouty. Again.  Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton Drink Pairing: Single Malt Scotch

Kate and Laura talk about the things we wish we'd learned earlier in our careers as UX Designers.  Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton Drink Pairing: Brandy Alexanders 

In this episode, Kate and Laura talk about terrible clients (no, not by name. we're not committing career suicide just yet.) and how we can deal with them better as UX Designers. If you work with other people as a UX Designer, this one might be helpful. If you have worked directly with clients, consider this a possible trigger warning.  Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton Drink Pairing: The strongest thing you have in the house

In this episode, Kate and Laura bitch about some of the most annoying things about being a UX Designer and do everything in our power to keep you from becoming one. You'll thank us later.  Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton Drink Pairing: anything with bitters

In this very special hour long episode, Kate and Laura argue about how entrepreneurs and founders can tell their stories better by applying some very basic UX design techniques (like thinking about humans and whatnot). This episode was filmed in front of a live studio audience, and we take questions for the second half of it. Yes, there is video of us drinking while filming this Podclash. No, you may not see it.  Intro Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton Drink Pairing: Prosecco

UX Designers can talk a great game when it comes to empathy and being Human Centered, but how well do you walk the walk? In this podcast, Laura and Kate discuss how you can use some of those Human Centered design techniques to make yourself a better co-worker and human being. If that's what you're into. Also, Kate bitches about things that she finds annoying, to the surprise of absolutely nobody.  Intro Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton Drink Pairing: Fireball Whiskey

Laura and Kate discuss the reasons that most UX personas are useless and how to fix them to make them actually worth doing.  Intro Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton Drink Pairing: Late Harvest Zinfandel

Kate has Strong Opinions about exactly how technical other designers should be. Laura mostly just humors her.  Intro Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton Drink Pairing: Manhattan

In this week's episode, Kate and Laura bitch about the stupid things people say during the design and research process and the terrible questions people ask their customers. No UXers were harmed in the making of this episode, probably because Kate was just drunk enough to not have to be restrained.  Intro Music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton, who is awesome Drink Pairing: Woodford Reserve Bourbon

In this episode of What Is Wrong with UX, Kate and Laura argue about what the term Product Designer means and whether it's just a new word for the same job we've been doing for years.  Intro music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton.  Drink Pairing: Single Malt Scotch

Kate and Laura talk about C-FWOTs or Colossal Fucking Wastes of Time. What makes a design project a C-FWOT, and how can we avoid them?  Intro music: The Future Soon by Jonathan Coulton Drink Pairing: Absinthe

Kate and Laura fight about what makes a designer "senior" other than just years on the job and what that means for hiring people to your design organization.  Intro music: The Future Soon, by Jonathan Coulton Drink Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc