Shows
NN/G UX Podcast57. The Next Decade of UX: Why Psychology Matters More Than Ever (Feat. Thomas Watkins, Founder & Principal UX Architect at 3Leaf)Therese Fessenden talks with design psychologist and product strategist Thomas Watkins (host of The Design Psychologist and Product-Led Growth Leaders) about why understanding the human mind is still a true superpower for designers, researchers, and product teams. They explore how products subtly shape our behavior and identity, why over-relying on templates and patterns can flatten experiences instead of differentiating them, the risks of personifying AI tools, and the practical ways practitioners can use psychology and AI together to automate the tedious parts of work while staying human-centered and creating products that truly fit into people’s lives.🎙️ About Thomas Watkins...
2026-01-2849 minNN/G UX Podcast56. AI for UX Analysis: How Accurate Is It? (feat. Christian Holst & Jamie Holst, Baymard Institute)As AI-powered tools flood the market promising quick evaluations and audits, the conversation zeroes in on a critical issue: the reliability of these tools. In this episode, co-hosts Therese Fessenden and NN/G VP Kate Moran sit down with Jamie Holst and Christian Holst, the co-founders of Baymard Institute, to examine the growing role of AI in UX analysis. The group discusses the risks of over-relying on AI—particularly for junior UX practitioners—and the deeper implications for professionalism in the field.About the speakers:Christian Holst (Co-founder & Research Director, Baymard Institute)Jamie Holst (Co-founder & CTO, Baym...
2025-12-191h 05
Product Led Growth Leaders158 - Beyond the Screen: The Essential Role of UX in Product Development and Customer Loyalty with Nielsen Norman Group's Therese FessendenYour host, Thomas Watkins, talks with the Senior Experience Specialist at Nielsen Norman Group, Therese Fessenden. Therese discusses the critical role of user experience in product-led growth, the limitations of AI-generated design, and the enduring value of real user research. Therese highlights practical UX education, the importance of authentic user insights, and opportunities for podcast collaboration. She emphasizes that while AI tools can assist, foundational UX work and direct user engagement remain essential for building successful products.Learn more about Therese's work HERE.Connect with Therese on LinkedIn HERE. Think you'd...
2025-11-0425 min
Fear ChatS03EP06 We Chat About 2015's "Southbound"We chat about the anthologyhorror flick from 2015 "Southbound" 5 stories all tied in together with an interesting plot twist! SPOILER ALERTStarringChad Villella as MitchMatt Bettinelli-Olpin as JackFabianne Therese as SadieHannah Marks as AvaNathalie Love as KimKate Beahan as CaitDavey Johnson as DaleSusan Burke as BettyTyler Tuione as WarrenGerald Downey as DarylLarry Fessenden as The D.J (voice)Dana Gould as Raymond KensingtonAnessa Ramsey as Betty Kensington/Phone OperatorHassie Harrison as JemDavey Johnson as DaleTipper Newton as JesseMaria Olsen as SandyKristina Pesic as SutterMatt Peters as AlDavid Yow as DannyMather Zickel as LucasJustin Welborn as Surgeon (voice...
2025-09-3025 minNN/G UX Podcast52. Rethinking Users as Ecosystems (feat. authors Mike Youngblood and Ben Chesluk)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:Mike Youngblood (LinkedIn)Ben Chesluk (LinkedIn)About Rethinking Users, including some helpful resources and a link to purchase the book:https://www.rethinkingusers.comArtic...
2025-07-1846 minNN/G UX Podcast50. Responsible AI Use for Research Analysis (feat. Alexander Knoll, Co-Founder of Condens.io)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.ioResearch Repository Guide: https://condens.io/guides/research-repository-guide/On-Demand Recording of Condens Event...
2025-05-2341 minNN/G UX Podcast44. AI & UX Research (feat. Savina Hawkins & Caleb Sponheim)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...
2024-11-2639 min
Coach Mikki and FriendsNavigating Love, Health, and Dual Kidney Transplants - Blake Fessenden - S4E9When love and medicine intertwine, the result is nothing short of a miraculous tapestry woven by the hands of a devoted family. Today, we welcome back Blake, alongside his heroic parents Scott and Karen, and his supportive wife Terese, as we traverse their incredible journey through not one but two kidney transplants. As a child, Blake's health challenges were met with an immeasurable gift from his mother—a gift that years later his father would match. Their tale is a profound chronicle of sacrifice, hope, and the advancements in medical technology that have turned the tide in organ transplantation.
2024-03-0552 min
Awkward Silences#87 - User Interviews 201: Leveling Up Your Interviews with Therese Fessenden of NN/gYou’ve mastered the basics, but now it’s time to take your interviews to the next level. This week, we chatted with Therese Fessenden, Senior User Experience Specialist at NN/g about how to get even better at interviewing. She talked about how to master the basics, hone your skills, and become an A+ interviewer.Highlights[3:40] You can get more out of your interviews by going in with a solid plan.[9:44] Mastering probing questions.[20:36] Common mistakes people make when they get comfortable doing research, like oversharing.[29:19] Staying objective as you get further into the rese...
2022-02-1541 min
NN/G UX Podcast13. Special Edition: What's the "UX hill" you would die on?To kick off Season 2, we're releasing a special edition episode, inspired by a tweet posted by @AllisonGrayce in Feb 2021, where she asks followers, "what's a #ux hill you regularly die on?" Host Therese Fessenden asks both NN/g team members and members of the UXC and UXMC community what issues, topics, and principles they fiercely stand by, and shares their answers.
Guests and submissions featured in the episode (in order):
Chris Callaghan (UXMC) - UX and Optimisation Director (Manchester, UK)
Twitter: @CallaghanDesign
Kara Pernice - Sr. VP at Nielsen Norman Group
...
2021-10-0816 minNN/G UX Podcast10. On Delight, Emotion, and UX - Flipping the Script with UX Specialists Therese Fessenden & Rachel KrauseTo celebrate our first podcast milestone, we flipped the script. NN/g UX Specialist Rachel Krause guest-hosts this episode, and interviews host Therese Fessenden about the concept of "delight" in user experience: what it is, why the pursuit of delight can often be a short-sighted and misunderstood endeavor, and how a more holistic approach to interpreting and anticipating user needs can more reliably lead to an experience that delights beyond a single interaction.
Read more about the hosts:Â
Therese Fessenden's Articles & Videos (NN/g bio)
Rachel Krause's Articles & Videos (NN/g bio)
Free resources cited in...
2021-05-0729 minNN/G UX Podcast9. You Are Not the User: How the the False Consensus Effect Can Lead Good Design Astray (feat. Alita Joyce, UX Specialist at NN/g)Does having more experience in the UX industry enable you to make better design decisions by intuition? Does user research ever become a waste of time if some research already exists in academic papers? The answer, it seems, is not that simple. In this episode, UX Specialists Alita Joyce and Therese Fessenden discuss why, after all these years doing independent user research, you should still test your interfaces and research with your own customers.
Read more: Alita Joyce's Articles & Videos (NN/g bio)
Free resources cited in this episode:
Viral video (by @tired_actor) "...
2021-04-0229 min
NN/G UX Podcast2. Empathy, Adaptability, and Design (feat. Sarah Gibbons, Chief Designer at NN/g)Sarah Gibbons & Therese Fessenden discuss empathy and adaptability as critical design skills (perhaps now more than ever) and share thoughts on how design plays a bigger role than meets the eye.Â
Resources cited in this episode:
NN/g Instagram: @nnguxÂ
Service Blueprinting (full-day course)
Design Thinking is Like Cooking (2 min video)
UX Roadmaps (full-day course)
UX Roadmaps: Definition and Components (free article)
Sarah's NN/g Articles and Videos (bio page)
Also related: Brené on Comparative Suffering, the 50/50 Myth, and Settling the Ball (Unlocking Us with Brené Brown podcast episode)
2020-09-0430 min
NN/G UX Podcast1. What is UX, anyway? (feat. Dr. Jakob Nielsen, the usability guru)Nielsen Norman Group is celebrating its 22nd anniversary by launching our very own NN/g UX Podcast. Join host Therese Fessenden as she interviews NN/g co-founder Dr. Jakob Nielsen on the most important questions about our industry: What really is "user experience," anyway? And what is the state of UX now, compared to when NN/g started 22 years ago?Â
Resources Cited in this Episode:
The Definition of User Experience (article)
WAP Mobile Phones Field Study Findings (article)
Describing UX to Family and Friends (3-min video)
Usability 101: Introduction to Usability (article)
User Experience vs. Customer Experience (a...
2020-08-1016 min