Join Fuego's Alex Smith as he chats with the top leaders in UX research, strategy, design, ai and product. Alex explores top trends in leadership, making an impact, collaboration with cross functional teams and advice for taking your craft to the next level.
Watch on YoutubeIn this episode, we chat with Chad Bercea to discuss the latest trends in design and tech, from the shift towards agentic workflows to the ongoing debate over the longevity of Figma and SaaS. We'll explore how AI is being used to automate repetitive tasks, enhance collaboration between designers and developers, and create more intuitive and personalized user experiences. Don't miss out on this deep dive into the future of design and the tools that are shaping it!
In this insightful interview, Alison Rand discusses the core themes of her book, Sentido, emphasizing the importance of non-traditional backgrounds and "organic intelligence" in the tech industry. Alison advocates for a more human-centered approach to design, encouraging leaders to build supportive sub-cultures within large organizations. Ultimately, she offers a powerful perspective on how personal growth and self-awareness can lead to more meaningful and impactful work in our rapidly changing world.
In this episode of the Fuego UX series, Carl Pearson shares his career journey through major tech companies like Red Hat, Meta and Reddit. He dives deep into the essential balance between qualitative and quantitative research, offering practical advice for researchers looking to expand their technical skills. Carl also discusses the impact of AI on the industry and provides guidance on how to maintain high-quality research standards in fast-paced environments. Whether you are a junior researcher or a seasoned pro, this conversation is packed with insights on scaling your impact and staying curious in the evolving UX landscape.
oin us for an insightful conversation with Tony Moura, a UX veteran with 30 years of experience, as he discusses the shift from designing interfaces to designing for intent. Tony shares his journey from visual effects to streaming video and offers a unique perspective on how AI is revolutionizing the design process. Learn about the importance of forward-thinking, human-centric design, and the evolving role of designers in an AI-driven world. Whether you're a seasoned professional or a junior designer just starting out, this video is packed with valuable advice and industry insights.
In this episode JC, shares his journey from self-taught designer who transitioned from learning on YouTube to becoming a top AI product developer. The core of the discussion is his AI-first development process, including the specific tools he uses to build full-stack applications without ever opening Figma. He provides a roadmap for new designers on what technical skills to acquire to future-proof their careers in the face of accelerating AI disruption. We also explore the contrasting realities of AI adoption in small startups versus large-scale enterprise environments.
In this conversation, UX Pilot founder, Adam Fard, shares his insights on the evolving landscape of design and the impact of AI. He explains that UX Pilot is an AI platform for product teams to explore ideas, create wireframes, and generate high-fidelity designs, which helps improve communication and speeds up the design process. Adam believes AI is "raising the baseline" for design, making it easier for non-designers to visualize concepts, but that professionals will retain an edge in guiding the AI. He discusses how AI tools, by working directly with code rather than vectors, could potentially make traditional tools like Figma "obsolete" and advises new designers to focus on foundational design principles over specific tools.
Ube Urban shares a critical perspective on the transition to design leadership, emphasizing that true leadership goes beyond titles and demands constant self-reflection and genuine consistency across all aspects of life. The discussion pivots to the importance of empathy, not just for users, but for internal stakeholders, developers, and product managers, advocating for a working knowledge of their worlds to foster better collaboration. Finally, he offers profound advice for new designers entering the industry today, stressing that personal brand and work ethic, what makes you truly different, are far more valuable and enduring than any specific tool or certification, especially in the age of AI.
In this conversation, Ned Dwyer shares his journey from product management to founding Great Question, an all-in-one UX research platform, was spurred by the "painful" reality of running research in large companies. He discusses the democratization of research, arguing that non-researchers like PMs and designers should be empowered to handle low-risk areas like usability testing since decisions will be made regardless of a researcher's availability. The conversation shifts to the impact of AI, which is accelerating product development and design speed, thus requiring a bigger need for quality research to avoid "slop". Ned also shares his optimism and advice for the AI-native generation entering UX research, encouraging them to lean into new tools to become highly employable.
In this conversation, Dan Brown discusses his extensive design career, from early web work to co-founding 8 Shapes and his new firm, Curious Squid. He highlights his new podcast, which explores the critical need for designers to create information spaces more resilient to disinformation, especially in the era of AI. Dan emphasizes that Information Architecture (IA) is experiencing a renewed interest because many products have outgrown their structures, and AI demands better IA for both training data and presenting its probabilistic outputs. Finally, he introduces the concept of a designer’s "posture," which describes the essential behaviors and values they bring to their work that go beyond simple career goals.
In this conversation, Michael McWatters discusses the evolving landscape of design with the advent of AI. He emphasizes the importance of problem-solving in maintaining motivation and the challenges of competing in the attention economy. He also provides valuable advice for aspiring UX designers, highlighting the need for unique portfolios and the significance of demonstrating design thinking.