https://simplecast.com The Optimal Path The Optimal Path is a podcast about user research and product decision-making, brought to you by Maze. Explore how today's leading organizations leverage user research to inform better product decisions. Each episode uncovers the ideas and approaches used to unlock continuous insights—and the optimal path for product success. Subscribe to The Optimal Path newsletter to be the first to know when new episodes launch: https://maze.co/podcast/. 2022 Maze en Tue, 22 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000 Fri, 8 Nov 2024 10:50:46 +0000 https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com The Optimal Path https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/76ea46d2-b3e0-4f61-b996-0d820772e4c0/e03729b6-1051-4f10-8a12-883e83bd5101/3000x3000/top-cover.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com episodic The Optimal Path is a podcast about user research and product decision-making, brought to you by Maze. Explore how today's leading organizations leverage user research to inform better product decisions. Each episode uncovers the ideas and approaches used to unlock continuous insights—and the optimal path for product success. Subscribe to The Optimal Path newsletter to be the first to know when new episodes launch: https://maze.co/podcast/. Maze false https://feeds.simplecast.com/VJDvRyzK maze, product management, product building, user experience, ux design, ux research, ux, the optimal path, user research Maze social@maze.design 25c599d1-40f8-4388-ba6e-c43b0dd14110 Mastering product decisions through risk and reversibility with Dalia El-Shimy | Wise Dalia El-Shimy, Director of UX Research at Wise, presents a framework for navigating product decision-making with confidence—from daily product decisions to the most complex and high-risk scenarios. Dalia shares how to classify decisions based on their level of risk and reversibility, along with questions and tactics to help determine the type of research or insights needed to better inform those decisions.

About Dalia:

Dalia is an engineer-turned-academic-turned-user-researcher. She is the Director of UX Research at Wise and the former Head of UX Research at Miro, where she helped build the team and discipline from the ground up. She started her career as a human-computer interaction researcher, then joined Shopify, where she helped scale the UX Research practice from a few researchers to a team of 60+ strong and co-led the craft across the entire organization. When she’s not busy asking too many questions, she enjoys baking, eating, reading, and obsessing over all things David Bowie.


Connect with Dalia:

You can follow Dalia on LinkedIn or check out her website.

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]]> Tue, 22 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/dalia-el-shimy-dBBmr0XM Dalia El-Shimy, Director of UX Research at Wise, presents a framework for navigating product decision-making with confidence—from daily product decisions to the most complex and high-risk scenarios. Dalia shares how to classify decisions based on their level of risk and reversibility, along with questions and tactics to help determine the type of research or insights needed to better inform those decisions.

About Dalia:

Dalia is an engineer-turned-academic-turned-user-researcher. She is the Director of UX Research at Wise and the former Head of UX Research at Miro, where she helped build the team and discipline from the ground up. She started her career as a human-computer interaction researcher, then joined Shopify, where she helped scale the UX Research practice from a few researchers to a team of 60+ strong and co-led the craft across the entire organization. When she’s not busy asking too many questions, she enjoys baking, eating, reading, and obsessing over all things David Bowie.


Connect with Dalia:

You can follow Dalia on LinkedIn or check out her website.

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]]> Mastering product decisions through risk and reversibility with Dalia El-Shimy | Wise Maze 00:46:30 Dalia El-Shimy, Director of UX Research at Wise, presents a framework for navigating product decision-making with confidence—from daily product decisions to the most complex and high-risk scenarios. Dalia shares how to classify decisions based on their level of risk and reversibility, along with questions and tactics to help determine the type of research or insights needed to better inform those decisions. Dalia El-Shimy, Director of UX Research at Wise, presents a framework for navigating product decision-making with confidence—from daily product decisions to the most complex and high-risk scenarios. Dalia shares how to classify decisions based on their level of risk and reversibility, along with questions and tactics to help determine the type of research or insights needed to better inform those decisions. product decisions, wise, user research, the optimal path podcast, product development, maze, the optimal path, dalia el shimy, decision making framework false full 35 ca43b23a-5d0d-4afe-ad15-7d65532c5fb0 Accelerate learning and build the right products with Michael Margolis | Google Ventures Michael Margolis, UX Research Partner at Google Ventures, breaks down the Bullseye Customer Sprint methodology and how it helps startups quickly identify what to build and who to target. Learn how to use the “5 and 3 in 1 formula”—five bullseye customers, three prototypes, in one day—to accelerate learning and de-risk product decision-making.

Gain practical strategies for streamlining customer discovery so you can build the right products, faster. Michael shares how to define your bullseye customers, prioritize the key questions to focus on, and avoid common pitfalls in early product development.

About Michael: 

Michael Margolis joined Google Ventures in 2010 as the venture industry’s first UX research partner. With over 30 years of experience, he's conducted 300 research sprints with GV portfolio companies across diverse sectors. His work has helped hundreds of companies boost conversions, test new concepts, streamline workflows, and define bullseye customers. 

Michael joined Google as a staff user experience researcher, where he conducted research for Gmail, led the UX research team for Google Apps, and managed Google’s UX team in Seattle. Before Google, he spearheaded user research at Walmart.com and produced educational software at Electronic Arts. Michael earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in anthropology from Stanford University and is the author of Learn More Faster.

Connect with Michael:

You can follow Michael on LinkedIn or check out his articles on Medium.

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]]> Tue, 8 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/michael-margolis-Sga130Mg Michael Margolis, UX Research Partner at Google Ventures, breaks down the Bullseye Customer Sprint methodology and how it helps startups quickly identify what to build and who to target. Learn how to use the “5 and 3 in 1 formula”—five bullseye customers, three prototypes, in one day—to accelerate learning and de-risk product decision-making.

Gain practical strategies for streamlining customer discovery so you can build the right products, faster. Michael shares how to define your bullseye customers, prioritize the key questions to focus on, and avoid common pitfalls in early product development.

About Michael: 

Michael Margolis joined Google Ventures in 2010 as the venture industry’s first UX research partner. With over 30 years of experience, he's conducted 300 research sprints with GV portfolio companies across diverse sectors. His work has helped hundreds of companies boost conversions, test new concepts, streamline workflows, and define bullseye customers. 

Michael joined Google as a staff user experience researcher, where he conducted research for Gmail, led the UX research team for Google Apps, and managed Google’s UX team in Seattle. Before Google, he spearheaded user research at Walmart.com and produced educational software at Electronic Arts. Michael earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in anthropology from Stanford University and is the author of Learn More Faster.

Connect with Michael:

You can follow Michael on LinkedIn or check out his articles on Medium.

Resources: 

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See you next time!

]]> Accelerate learning and build the right products with Michael Margolis | Google Ventures Maze 00:43:20 Michael Margolis, UX Research Partner at Google Ventures, breaks down the Bullseye Customer Sprint methodology and how it helps startups quickly identify what to build and who to target. Learn how to use the “5 and 3 in 1 formula”—five bullseye customers, three prototypes, in one day—to accelerate learning and de-risk product decision-making. Michael Margolis, UX Research Partner at Google Ventures, breaks down the Bullseye Customer Sprint methodology and how it helps startups quickly identify what to build and who to target. Learn how to use the “5 and 3 in 1 formula”—five bullseye customers, three prototypes, in one day—to accelerate learning and de-risk product decision-making. michael margolis, user research, the optimal path podcast, google ventures, product development, startups, maze, the optimal path false full 34 e86fa354-7335-458f-9705-fa344412edf1 Connecting research impact to business outcomes with Devin Harold | Ex-Capital One Devin Harold, former Head of Design Research for Financial Services at Capital One, joins host Ash Oliver to discuss the challenges of connecting user research to business outcomes, how to effectively track and communicate the value of research, and why the future of the industry lies in driving customer-centricity across the entire business.

Discover practical frameworks for prioritizing and presenting research, such as the “two-by-two prioritization” and "what, so what, now what" frameworks. Learn how to involve cross-functional teams and tailor communications to stakeholders to enhance the visibility and influence of your work, and transform UX research into a strategic asset for the business.

About Devin:

Devin Harold is a Design Research Leader with over twelve years of experience in the UX space, starting his career journey first as an interaction designer before shifting into research. He recently worked as Director - Head of Design Research for Financial Services at Capital One, where he led the talented team and research practice to drive business decisions within the $1.4 trillion auto lending industry. Outside of work, Devin is a hobby egyptologist and photographer, and loves to travel the world with his husband, Montgomery.

Connect with Devin:

You can connect with Devin on LinkedIn, or check out his personal site.

Resources:

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See you next time!

]]> Tue, 24 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/devin-harold-C1UrHLVs Devin Harold, former Head of Design Research for Financial Services at Capital One, joins host Ash Oliver to discuss the challenges of connecting user research to business outcomes, how to effectively track and communicate the value of research, and why the future of the industry lies in driving customer-centricity across the entire business.

Discover practical frameworks for prioritizing and presenting research, such as the “two-by-two prioritization” and "what, so what, now what" frameworks. Learn how to involve cross-functional teams and tailor communications to stakeholders to enhance the visibility and influence of your work, and transform UX research into a strategic asset for the business.

About Devin:

Devin Harold is a Design Research Leader with over twelve years of experience in the UX space, starting his career journey first as an interaction designer before shifting into research. He recently worked as Director - Head of Design Research for Financial Services at Capital One, where he led the talented team and research practice to drive business decisions within the $1.4 trillion auto lending industry. Outside of work, Devin is a hobby egyptologist and photographer, and loves to travel the world with his husband, Montgomery.

Connect with Devin:

You can connect with Devin on LinkedIn, or check out his personal site.

Resources:

Follow Maze on Social Media:

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See you next time!

]]> Connecting research impact to business outcomes with Devin Harold | Ex-Capital One Maze 00:47:48 Devin Harold, former Head of Design Research for Financial Services at Capital One, joins host Ash Oliver to discuss the challenges of connecting user research to business outcomes, how to effectively track and communicate the value of research, and why the future of the industry lies in driving customer-centricity across the entire business. Devin Harold, former Head of Design Research for Financial Services at Capital One, joins host Ash Oliver to discuss the challenges of connecting user research to business outcomes, how to effectively track and communicate the value of research, and why the future of the industry lies in driving customer-centricity across the entire business. business outcomes, user research, the optimal path podcast, maze, devin harold, user research impact, the optimal path, ux research false full 33 3a134934-fa75-45e0-b13f-46446b826893 Becoming a customer-centric, experience-led organization with Jehad Affoneh | Toast In this episode of The Optimal Path, Jehad Affoneh joins host Ash Oliver to discuss what it means to be customer-centric at Toast, the difference between being design-led and experience-led, and the role of UX research in shaping customer-centric cultures and experiences.

The conversation covers cultural shifts towards empathy and curiosity, mechanisms to foster a customer-centric culture, and how Toast integrates research into everyday operations. Discover how Toast encourages everyone across the company to consistently engage with customers and empowers them with easy-to-use methods to make these interactions more effective—ultimately driving better outcomes for customers, the business, and the team.

About Jehad:

Jehad is a design and product leader who's led design, product, and engineering teams most recently at VMware and Splunk. He is currently Chief Design Officer at Toast where he leads the product, customer, and end-to-end experience that empowers tens of thousands of restaurants to delight their guests, do what they love, and thrive. He lives with his wife and one year old son in Redwood City, California.

Connect with Jehad:

You can connect with Jehad on LinkedIn, Twitter, or check out his articles here.

Resources:

Follow Maze on Social Media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> Thu, 27 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/jehad-affoneh-s1vltGSt In this episode of The Optimal Path, Jehad Affoneh joins host Ash Oliver to discuss what it means to be customer-centric at Toast, the difference between being design-led and experience-led, and the role of UX research in shaping customer-centric cultures and experiences.

The conversation covers cultural shifts towards empathy and curiosity, mechanisms to foster a customer-centric culture, and how Toast integrates research into everyday operations. Discover how Toast encourages everyone across the company to consistently engage with customers and empowers them with easy-to-use methods to make these interactions more effective—ultimately driving better outcomes for customers, the business, and the team.

About Jehad:

Jehad is a design and product leader who's led design, product, and engineering teams most recently at VMware and Splunk. He is currently Chief Design Officer at Toast where he leads the product, customer, and end-to-end experience that empowers tens of thousands of restaurants to delight their guests, do what they love, and thrive. He lives with his wife and one year old son in Redwood City, California.

Connect with Jehad:

You can connect with Jehad on LinkedIn, Twitter, or check out his articles here.

Resources:

Follow Maze on Social Media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> Becoming a customer-centric, experience-led organization with Jehad Affoneh | Toast Maze 00:42:52 In this episode of The Optimal Path, Jehad Affoneh joins host Ash Oliver to discuss what it means to be customer-centric at Toast, the difference between being design-led and experience-led, and the role of UX research in shaping customer-centric cultures and experiences. In this episode of The Optimal Path, Jehad Affoneh joins host Ash Oliver to discuss what it means to be customer-centric at Toast, the difference between being design-led and experience-led, and the role of UX research in shaping customer-centric cultures and experiences. user research, customer-centricity, optimal path podcast, toast, jehad affoneh, experience-led organizations, maze false full 32 9d9b5df8-9c7c-4f07-99d4-9b82a20676f0 The role of qualitative research in product innovation with Hannah Anokye | Intuit In this episode of The Optimal Path, Hannah Anokye joins host Ash Oliver to discuss her work on the Intuit Futures Team and the role of qualitative research in exploring emerging technologies, understanding users' needs, and identifying opportunities for new product developments.

Hannah shares best practices for conducting moderated user interviews and how to generate insights that spark ideas and drive growth. Discover how integrating user-centric approaches in qualitative research nurtures innovation and redefines mental models, leading to more resonant and effective product solutions

About Hannah:

Hannah is a product innovation practitioner with a unique background. Through a career with titles in product marketing, user research, and now product management, her through line has been user-centered experiences that drive meaningful impact.

Most recently as a Senior User Experience Researcher on Intuit's Futures team, Hannah explored how Generative AI technology could be responsibly and meaningfully integrated across the Intuit product ecosystem.

She recently transitioned into a product management role, focused on building the next generation of AI-driven products for Intuit’s future customers.

Connect with Hannah:

You can connect with Hannah on LinkedIn.

Resources:

Follow Maze on Social Media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> Thu, 13 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/hannah-anokye-NZl96THc In this episode of The Optimal Path, Hannah Anokye joins host Ash Oliver to discuss her work on the Intuit Futures Team and the role of qualitative research in exploring emerging technologies, understanding users' needs, and identifying opportunities for new product developments.

Hannah shares best practices for conducting moderated user interviews and how to generate insights that spark ideas and drive growth. Discover how integrating user-centric approaches in qualitative research nurtures innovation and redefines mental models, leading to more resonant and effective product solutions

About Hannah:

Hannah is a product innovation practitioner with a unique background. Through a career with titles in product marketing, user research, and now product management, her through line has been user-centered experiences that drive meaningful impact.

Most recently as a Senior User Experience Researcher on Intuit's Futures team, Hannah explored how Generative AI technology could be responsibly and meaningfully integrated across the Intuit product ecosystem.

She recently transitioned into a product management role, focused on building the next generation of AI-driven products for Intuit’s future customers.

Connect with Hannah:

You can connect with Hannah on LinkedIn.

Resources:

Follow Maze on Social Media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> The role of qualitative research in product innovation with Hannah Anokye | Intuit Maze 00:30:46 In this episode of The Optimal Path, Hannah Anokye joins host Ash Oliver to discuss her work on the Intuit Futures Team and the role of qualitative research in exploring emerging technologies, understanding users' needs, and identifying opportunities for new product developments. In this episode of The Optimal Path, Hannah Anokye joins host Ash Oliver to discuss her work on the Intuit Futures Team and the role of qualitative research in exploring emerging technologies, understanding users' needs, and identifying opportunities for new product developments. the optimal path podcast, generative research, product innovation, maze podcast, intuit, user reresearch, hannah anokye, qualitative research false full 31 11360987-b263-4fb6-9af0-ced2efe8bdfe Maximizing the potential of secondary research with Nick Stiles | IBM Nick Stiles, User Researcher at IBM, discusses the power of secondary research, also known as desk research, in making informed decisions, and why it is the “unsung hero” of research.

Nick shares strategies for synthesizing secondary research findings into actionable insights for product teams and emphasizes the importance of storytelling and journalistic techniques in driving research impact.

About Nick:

First trained as an academic psychologist, Nick Stiles is now a passionate user researcher at IBM. With a BA in Psychology and experience in both academic psych labs and the software industry, Nick uses human behavior research to make interactions between people and tools more harmonious. He is driven by a love of learning, collaboration, and making a real-world impact through research.

Connect with Nick:

You can connect with Nick on Linkedin.

Resources:

Follow Maze on Social Media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> Fri, 31 May 2024 05:00:00 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/nick-stiles1-TqiqyLZE Nick Stiles, User Researcher at IBM, discusses the power of secondary research, also known as desk research, in making informed decisions, and why it is the “unsung hero” of research.

Nick shares strategies for synthesizing secondary research findings into actionable insights for product teams and emphasizes the importance of storytelling and journalistic techniques in driving research impact.

About Nick:

First trained as an academic psychologist, Nick Stiles is now a passionate user researcher at IBM. With a BA in Psychology and experience in both academic psych labs and the software industry, Nick uses human behavior research to make interactions between people and tools more harmonious. He is driven by a love of learning, collaboration, and making a real-world impact through research.

Connect with Nick:

You can connect with Nick on Linkedin.

Resources:

Follow Maze on Social Media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> Maximizing the potential of secondary research with Nick Stiles | IBM Maze 00:29:23 Nick Stiles, User Researcher at IBM, discusses the power of secondary research, also known as desk research, in making informed decisions, and why it is the “unsung hero” of research. Nick shares strategies for synthesizing secondary research findings into actionable insights for product teams and emphasizes the importance of storytelling and journalistic techniques in driving research impact. Nick Stiles, User Researcher at IBM, discusses the power of secondary research, also known as desk research, in making informed decisions, and why it is the “unsung hero” of research. Nick shares strategies for synthesizing secondary research findings into actionable insights for product teams and emphasizes the importance of storytelling and journalistic techniques in driving research impact. secondary research, nick stiles, user research, the optimal path podcast, desk research, maze podcast, maze, ibm false full 30 3feea544-af3c-4b52-9e97-5d264aa23e8d A framework for product decision-making with Ravi Mehta | Outpace In this episode of The Optimal Path, Ravi Mehta talks to Maze about connecting user research to product strategy and integrating effective product decision-making frameworks.

Ravi outlines the importance of visualizing product strategy—from the company's mission to defining specific product goals—and how to balance intuition, analytics, and user feedback to make confident product decisions.

Discover how these methodologies can refine your strategy and product development approach, setting a clear path for product success.

About Ravi:

Ravi Mehta is a visionary product strategist known for crafting innovative strategies that transform industries. He has held several prominent roles, including Chief Executive Officer of Outpace, and is an active angel investor and advisor in consumer tech companies. His past positions include Executive in Residence at Reforge, Chief Product Officer at Tinder, and product leadership roles at Meta, TripAdvisor, and Xbox. Ravi champions a human-centered approach to building products that has notably influenced the tech sector. He continues to help shape the industry by sharing his experience and frameworks aimed at improving product strategy and execution.

Connect with Ravi

You can connect with Ravi on Linkedin, follow him on X, or visit his website.

Resources:

Follow Maze on Social Media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> Thu, 16 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/ravi-mehta-Rn9aV_QN In this episode of The Optimal Path, Ravi Mehta talks to Maze about connecting user research to product strategy and integrating effective product decision-making frameworks.

Ravi outlines the importance of visualizing product strategy—from the company's mission to defining specific product goals—and how to balance intuition, analytics, and user feedback to make confident product decisions.

Discover how these methodologies can refine your strategy and product development approach, setting a clear path for product success.

About Ravi:

Ravi Mehta is a visionary product strategist known for crafting innovative strategies that transform industries. He has held several prominent roles, including Chief Executive Officer of Outpace, and is an active angel investor and advisor in consumer tech companies. His past positions include Executive in Residence at Reforge, Chief Product Officer at Tinder, and product leadership roles at Meta, TripAdvisor, and Xbox. Ravi champions a human-centered approach to building products that has notably influenced the tech sector. He continues to help shape the industry by sharing his experience and frameworks aimed at improving product strategy and execution.

Connect with Ravi

You can connect with Ravi on Linkedin, follow him on X, or visit his website.

Resources:

Follow Maze on Social Media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> A framework for product decision-making with Ravi Mehta | Outpace Maze 00:43:23 In this episode of The Optimal Path, Ravi Mehta talks to Maze about connecting user research to product strategy and integrating effective product decision-making frameworks. In this episode of The Optimal Path, Ravi Mehta talks to Maze about connecting user research to product strategy and integrating effective product decision-making frameworks. outpace, user research, the optimal path podcast, maze podcast, product decision-making, product teams, product building, ravi mehta false full 29 0cabc54f-34c5-423d-8266-bf991d798a35 Scaling research through democratization with Reggie Murphy | Zendesk In this episode of The Optimal Path, Reggie Murphy joins host Ash Oliver to discuss how Zendesk scaled UX research, elevating the practice from a supporting function to a strategic partner to the business.

Reggie shares how he led the development of training programs, automated processes, and ResearchOps to enable cross-functional teams to conduct research independently. Discover how democratizing research creates a more customer-centric culture and how these changes have shifted UX research from a gatekeeping role to a more collaborative, strategic position.

About Reggie:

Reggie Murphy is a seasoned strategic research and insights leader with over 20 years of experience leading teams to understand human behavior and create innovative products and solutions that meet the needs of their users. He has a proven track record of success across various industries, including technology, media, finance, and healthcare. He's currently a Senior Director and Head of UX Research at Zendesk. Prior to his current role, Reggie has built and led research teams at USA TODAY, Facebook, Vanguard, and Twitter.

Connect with Reggie:

You can connect with Reggie on LinkedIn or get mentored by him on ADPList

Resources:

Follow Maze on Social Media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> Thu, 2 May 2024 09:07:52 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/reggie-murphy-zhpbx2vg In this episode of The Optimal Path, Reggie Murphy joins host Ash Oliver to discuss how Zendesk scaled UX research, elevating the practice from a supporting function to a strategic partner to the business.

Reggie shares how he led the development of training programs, automated processes, and ResearchOps to enable cross-functional teams to conduct research independently. Discover how democratizing research creates a more customer-centric culture and how these changes have shifted UX research from a gatekeeping role to a more collaborative, strategic position.

About Reggie:

Reggie Murphy is a seasoned strategic research and insights leader with over 20 years of experience leading teams to understand human behavior and create innovative products and solutions that meet the needs of their users. He has a proven track record of success across various industries, including technology, media, finance, and healthcare. He's currently a Senior Director and Head of UX Research at Zendesk. Prior to his current role, Reggie has built and led research teams at USA TODAY, Facebook, Vanguard, and Twitter.

Connect with Reggie:

You can connect with Reggie on LinkedIn or get mentored by him on ADPList

Resources:

Follow Maze on Social Media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> Scaling research through democratization with Reggie Murphy | Zendesk Maze 00:40:23 In this episode of The Optimal Path, Reggie Murphy joins host Ash Oliver to discuss how Zendesk scaled UX research, elevating the practice from a supporting function to a strategic partner to the business. In this episode of The Optimal Path, Reggie Murphy joins host Ash Oliver to discuss how Zendesk scaled UX research, elevating the practice from a supporting function to a strategic partner to the business. maze podcast, research democratization, the optimal path, zendesk, scaling ux research, ux research false full 28 3088ff98-5172-4b50-ae9c-abf65f1ea7fa The evolution of user research with Dave Hora | Dave’s Research Co. In this episode of The Optimal Path, Ash Oliver discusses the future of user research with expert Dave Hora. From his beginnings in research back in 2011 to his key roles at companies like Plangrid and Instacart, Dave has been at the forefront of driving innovation through research. Now, he's here to share his thoughts on what’s next for user research—discussing the growing demand for user insights, how to integrate research practices throughout the product lifecycle, and the opportunities of AI tools.

Tune in to uncover how we can seize the moment and define what’s next.

 

About Dave:

Dave Hora is the founder of Dave's Research Co., where he helps product leaders launch new product lines with the right mix of data, insight, and common sense. He began professional research work in 2011, eventually starting the practice as the first research hire at six companies, including PlanGrid and Instacart. He now works with companies across the globe and writes extensively on the topic of research and its co-evolution with the product practice.

 

Connect with Dave:

You can connect with Dave on LinkedIn

 

Resources:

 

Follow Maze on Social Media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> Thu, 18 Apr 2024 05:00:00 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/dave-hora-jtuWoqmI In this episode of The Optimal Path, Ash Oliver discusses the future of user research with expert Dave Hora. From his beginnings in research back in 2011 to his key roles at companies like Plangrid and Instacart, Dave has been at the forefront of driving innovation through research. Now, he's here to share his thoughts on what’s next for user research—discussing the growing demand for user insights, how to integrate research practices throughout the product lifecycle, and the opportunities of AI tools.

Tune in to uncover how we can seize the moment and define what’s next.

 

About Dave:

Dave Hora is the founder of Dave's Research Co., where he helps product leaders launch new product lines with the right mix of data, insight, and common sense. He began professional research work in 2011, eventually starting the practice as the first research hire at six companies, including PlanGrid and Instacart. He now works with companies across the globe and writes extensively on the topic of research and its co-evolution with the product practice.

 

Connect with Dave:

You can connect with Dave on LinkedIn

 

Resources:

 

Follow Maze on Social Media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> The evolution of user research with Dave Hora | Dave’s Research Co. Maze 00:37:45 In this episode of The Optimal Path, Ash Oliver discusses the future of user research with expert Dave Hora. From his beginnings in research back in 2011 to his key roles at companies like Plangrid and Instacart, Dave has been at the forefront of driving innovation through research. Now, he's here to share his thoughts on what’s next for user research—discussing the growing demand for user insights, how to integrate research practices throughout the product lifecycle, and the opportunities of AI tools. In this episode of The Optimal Path, Ash Oliver discusses the future of user research with expert Dave Hora. From his beginnings in research back in 2011 to his key roles at companies like Plangrid and Instacart, Dave has been at the forefront of driving innovation through research. Now, he's here to share his thoughts on what’s next for user research—discussing the growing demand for user insights, how to integrate research practices throughout the product lifecycle, and the opportunities of AI tools. optimal path podcast, maze podcast, dave's research company, dave hora, future user research, the optimal path, user research trends, ux research false full 27 5003f546-2161-46c5-bf14-da2a92e76824 The power of workshops in product development with Paige Bennett | Affirm In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver and Senior User Research Manager Paige Bennett explore the vital role of workshops in product development. Paige shares her experience facilitating workshops in the fintech industry, plus best practices for measuring success and co-creating with cross-functional partners and customers.

Join us to learn how you can leverage this collaboration tool to drive stronger decision-making, build more impactful products, and grow your career as a product professional.

 

About Paige:

Paige Bennett is a Senior User Research Manager at Affirm. Prior to Affirm, Paige managed the Growth and Ecosystems research teams at Dropbox and has previous experience creating strategic research projects at Medium. She is well-versed in the world of workshop facilitation and user research, harnessing the two for big business impact.

 

Connect with Paige:

You can connect with Paige on X or Linkedin

 

Resources:

 

Follow Maze on Social Media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> Thu, 4 Apr 2024 08:27:57 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/paige-bennett-Co0Y89ZY In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver and Senior User Research Manager Paige Bennett explore the vital role of workshops in product development. Paige shares her experience facilitating workshops in the fintech industry, plus best practices for measuring success and co-creating with cross-functional partners and customers.

Join us to learn how you can leverage this collaboration tool to drive stronger decision-making, build more impactful products, and grow your career as a product professional.

 

About Paige:

Paige Bennett is a Senior User Research Manager at Affirm. Prior to Affirm, Paige managed the Growth and Ecosystems research teams at Dropbox and has previous experience creating strategic research projects at Medium. She is well-versed in the world of workshop facilitation and user research, harnessing the two for big business impact.

 

Connect with Paige:

You can connect with Paige on X or Linkedin

 

Resources:

 

Follow Maze on Social Media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> The power of workshops in product development with Paige Bennett | Affirm Maze 00:36:12 In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver and Senior User Research Manager Paige Bennett explore the vital role of workshops in product development. Paige shares her experience facilitating workshops in the fintech industry, plus best practices for measuring success and co-creating with cross-functional partners and customers. In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver and Senior User Research Manager Paige Bennett explore the vital role of workshops in product development. Paige shares her experience facilitating workshops in the fintech industry, plus best practices for measuring success and co-creating with cross-functional partners and customers. user research, paige bennett, affirm, product development, maze podcast, facilitation, the optimal path, workshops false full 26 3fbb773c-a765-4338-873a-f26250be7077 How customer insights power digital transformation with Sander Viegers | Rabobank In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver welcomes Sander Viegers, VP of Design at Rabobank, to discuss the pivotal role of research and design in the digital transformation journey at Rabobank. Sander shares the principles that guide Rabobank's cooperative approach to a customer-centric design process, as well as practical examples of how research powers more innovative solutions for the customer and the business.

About Sander:

As the VP of Design at Rabobank, Sander leads the design organization in creating comprehensive customer and employee experiences on a global scale. With prior experience leading design teams at Microsoft, Amazon, and Catawiki, Sander has a proven track record of successful design leadership. He holds a Master's degree in Industrial Design Engineering from Delft University of Technology and has been named inventor on multiple patents.

Connect with Sander:

You can connect with Sander on Linkedin

Resources:

 

Follow Maze on Social Media: 

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> Thu, 14 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/sander-viegers-CZoFlXsQ In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver welcomes Sander Viegers, VP of Design at Rabobank, to discuss the pivotal role of research and design in the digital transformation journey at Rabobank. Sander shares the principles that guide Rabobank's cooperative approach to a customer-centric design process, as well as practical examples of how research powers more innovative solutions for the customer and the business.

About Sander:

As the VP of Design at Rabobank, Sander leads the design organization in creating comprehensive customer and employee experiences on a global scale. With prior experience leading design teams at Microsoft, Amazon, and Catawiki, Sander has a proven track record of successful design leadership. He holds a Master's degree in Industrial Design Engineering from Delft University of Technology and has been named inventor on multiple patents.

Connect with Sander:

You can connect with Sander on Linkedin

Resources:

 

Follow Maze on Social Media: 

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> How customer insights power digital transformation with Sander Viegers | Rabobank Maze 00:33:52 In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver welcomes Sander Viegers, VP of Design at Rabobank, to discuss the pivotal role of research and design in the digital transformation journey at Rabobank. Sander shares the principles that guide Rabobank's cooperative approach to a customer-centric design process, as well as practical examples of how research powers more innovative solutions for the customer and the business. In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver welcomes Sander Viegers, VP of Design at Rabobank, to discuss the pivotal role of research and design in the digital transformation journey at Rabobank. Sander shares the principles that guide Rabobank's cooperative approach to a customer-centric design process, as well as practical examples of how research powers more innovative solutions for the customer and the business. rabobank, design leadership, maze podcast, the optimal path, digital transformation, sander viegers, ux research false full 25 bc490098-feec-40ea-b7bf-e9145f7618ff Building research practices for community products with Amy Lima | Diversify Design In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver is joined by Amy Lima, formerly product designer at AMP @ Amazon Music and currently founder of Diversify Design. Together, they discuss the role of user research in building community products and how to start and scale a research practice inside design teams.

About Amy:

Amy Lima is a first-generation Brazilian-American product designer, and founder of Diversify Design.

Her global footprint growing up between cultures and across continents brings an innate appreciation for diverse perspectives and a fascination for the human experience. To honor these values, her design philosophy is deeply rooted in ethical and inclusive design practices, with her work focusing on fostering community and social expression in a 0-to-1 design process.

Beyond her 9 to 5, she’s an active member of the design community and is often found hosting panels, giving conference talks, and writing articles on her experience pivoting into design from the music industry as a minority in tech.

Connect with Amy:

You can connect with Amy on LinkedIn.

Resources:

Follow Maze on Social Media: 

• X: @mazedesignHQ 

• Instagram: @mazedesignHQ 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mazedesign

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> Thu, 29 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/amy-lima-J77SQ_FU In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver is joined by Amy Lima, formerly product designer at AMP @ Amazon Music and currently founder of Diversify Design. Together, they discuss the role of user research in building community products and how to start and scale a research practice inside design teams.

About Amy:

Amy Lima is a first-generation Brazilian-American product designer, and founder of Diversify Design.

Her global footprint growing up between cultures and across continents brings an innate appreciation for diverse perspectives and a fascination for the human experience. To honor these values, her design philosophy is deeply rooted in ethical and inclusive design practices, with her work focusing on fostering community and social expression in a 0-to-1 design process.

Beyond her 9 to 5, she’s an active member of the design community and is often found hosting panels, giving conference talks, and writing articles on her experience pivoting into design from the music industry as a minority in tech.

Connect with Amy:

You can connect with Amy on LinkedIn.

Resources:

Follow Maze on Social Media: 

• X: @mazedesignHQ 

• Instagram: @mazedesignHQ 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mazedesign

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> Building research practices for community products with Amy Lima | Diversify Design Maze 00:37:48 In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver is joined by Amy Lima, formerly product designer at AMP @ Amazon Music and currently founder of Diversify Design. Together, they discuss the role of user research in building community products and how to start and scale a research practice inside design teams. In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver is joined by Amy Lima, formerly product designer at AMP @ Amazon Music and currently founder of Diversify Design. Together, they discuss the role of user research in building community products and how to start and scale a research practice inside design teams. user research, inclusive design, diversify design, community products, maze, product design, the optimal path, amy lima false full 24 f1d0dff3-2db8-4a95-bd66-cfbe6b3547bb Integrating research into marketing teams with Marcus Brandford | Figma In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver welcomes Marcus Brandford to discuss the transformative power of research in marketing and product development. Delving into how research can inform creative campaigns and marketing decisions, Marcus shares how Figma harnesses customer insights to understand its audience and build impactful brand connections that drive better business outcomes.

About Marcus:

Marcus Brandford uses research to power marketing decisions. His career began on the agency side at Known, a marketing strategy firm where he ran custom studies for many Google teams as well as Microsoft, Intel, Viacom and others. After leaving the field to pursue his MBA from UC Berkeley, he joined Figma in 2022 as a dedicated researcher for the Marketing function. Marcus works with the Brand, Growth, Editorial, and PMM teams to introduce the market perspective into the creative process, helping teams build with their audience in mind.

Connect with Marcus:

You can connect with Marcus on LinkedIn.

Resources:

• The Dream Machine by M. Mitchell Waldrop

Follow Maze on Social Media: 

• X: @mazedesignHQ  

•  Instagram: @mazedesignHQ  

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mazedesign

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> Thu, 15 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/marcus-brandford-b5qm9C2e In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver welcomes Marcus Brandford to discuss the transformative power of research in marketing and product development. Delving into how research can inform creative campaigns and marketing decisions, Marcus shares how Figma harnesses customer insights to understand its audience and build impactful brand connections that drive better business outcomes.

About Marcus:

Marcus Brandford uses research to power marketing decisions. His career began on the agency side at Known, a marketing strategy firm where he ran custom studies for many Google teams as well as Microsoft, Intel, Viacom and others. After leaving the field to pursue his MBA from UC Berkeley, he joined Figma in 2022 as a dedicated researcher for the Marketing function. Marcus works with the Brand, Growth, Editorial, and PMM teams to introduce the market perspective into the creative process, helping teams build with their audience in mind.

Connect with Marcus:

You can connect with Marcus on LinkedIn.

Resources:

• The Dream Machine by M. Mitchell Waldrop

Follow Maze on Social Media: 

• X: @mazedesignHQ  

•  Instagram: @mazedesignHQ  

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mazedesign

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> Integrating research into marketing teams with Marcus Brandford | Figma Maze 00:42:38 In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver welcomes Marcus Brandford to discuss the transformative power of research in marketing and product development. In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver welcomes Marcus Brandford to discuss the transformative power of research in marketing and product development. the optimal path podcast, product marketing, marcus brandford, maze, figma, research false full 23 95fe6af8-d53d-4095-8977-f6d02a7cb872 Fostering a culture of organizational learning with Roy Opata Olende | Zapier In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver sits down with Roy Opata Olende to delve into the complexities of UX research across organizational altitudes. They explore the different modalities of learning that take place inside organizations, the critical need for leadership buy-in, and the challenges of communicating research impact. Roy introduces the concept of a "menu of learning" along with his best practices for fostering a culture of curiosity within your own organization.

About Roy:

Roy Opata Olende has been involved in user research and service design since 2012. He currently leads the UX Research practice at Zapier, a SaaS automation company. Prior to this role, he led Research Operations at Zapier and UX Research at Buffer.

When not working or hanging out with his wife and three young boys, he can be found obsessing over football (soccer). Roy hails from Kenya and currently resides just outside of Toronto, Canada.

Connect with Roy:

You can connect with Roy on X or LinkedIn.

Resources:

• Research Maturity Model Report by Maze 

• How Zapier's Head of UX Research Organizes Projects 

• How to Build a High-Impact Learning Culture by Josh Bersin 

• Just Enough Research by Erika Hall 

• Research Practice by Gregg Bernstein

Follow Maze on social media:

• X: @mazedesignHQ 

• Instagram: @mazedesignHQ 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mazedesign

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> Thu, 1 Feb 2024 11:00:14 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/roy-opata-olende-_LTuCsgr In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver sits down with Roy Opata Olende to delve into the complexities of UX research across organizational altitudes. They explore the different modalities of learning that take place inside organizations, the critical need for leadership buy-in, and the challenges of communicating research impact. Roy introduces the concept of a "menu of learning" along with his best practices for fostering a culture of curiosity within your own organization.

About Roy:

Roy Opata Olende has been involved in user research and service design since 2012. He currently leads the UX Research practice at Zapier, a SaaS automation company. Prior to this role, he led Research Operations at Zapier and UX Research at Buffer.

When not working or hanging out with his wife and three young boys, he can be found obsessing over football (soccer). Roy hails from Kenya and currently resides just outside of Toronto, Canada.

Connect with Roy:

You can connect with Roy on X or LinkedIn.

Resources:

• Research Maturity Model Report by Maze 

• How Zapier's Head of UX Research Organizes Projects 

• How to Build a High-Impact Learning Culture by Josh Bersin 

• Just Enough Research by Erika Hall 

• Research Practice by Gregg Bernstein

Follow Maze on social media:

• X: @mazedesignHQ 

• Instagram: @mazedesignHQ 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mazedesign

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast.

See you next time!

]]> Fostering a culture of organizational learning with Roy Opata Olende | Zapier Maze 00:45:05 In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver sits down with Roy Opata Olende to delve into the complexities of UX research across organizational altitudes. In this episode of The Optimal Path, host Ash Oliver sits down with Roy Opata Olende to delve into the complexities of UX research across organizational altitudes. user research, modalities of learning, the optimal path podcast, maze podcast, maze, zapier, ux research, roy opata olende false full 22 e96126b2-5660-43e0-b962-c83a8440cf44 Welcome To The Optimal Path The Optimal Path is a podcast about user research and product decision-making, brought to you by Maze.

The voices featured in this trailer are Ash Oliver, UX Research Advocate at Maze; Marcus Brandford, Figma; Roy Opata Olende, Zapier; Amy Lima, (formerly) Amp @ Amazon Music; and Benjamin Humphrey, Dovetail

New episodes drop every other week. Follow Maze and Ash Oliver on LinkedIn for updates, or visit maze.co/podcast and subscribe to be the first to know when we launch new episodes. See you soon!

]]> Mon, 22 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/podcast-trailer-1TqpPtfI The Optimal Path is a podcast about user research and product decision-making, brought to you by Maze.

The voices featured in this trailer are Ash Oliver, UX Research Advocate at Maze; Marcus Brandford, Figma; Roy Opata Olende, Zapier; Amy Lima, (formerly) Amp @ Amazon Music; and Benjamin Humphrey, Dovetail

New episodes drop every other week. Follow Maze and Ash Oliver on LinkedIn for updates, or visit maze.co/podcast and subscribe to be the first to know when we launch new episodes. See you soon!

]]> Welcome To The Optimal Path Maze 00:02:22 The Optimal Path is a podcast about user research and product decision-making, brought to you by Maze. The Optimal Path is a podcast about user research and product decision-making, brought to you by Maze. product decision making, maze podcast, maze, product building, ux research false trailer e2a75bbb-029d-46d3-b6e8-9fb576123025 Envisioning the future of the research industry with Jonathan Widawski | Maze The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Jo on Twitter or LinkedIn. 

Resources mentioned:

Follow Maze on social media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast. See you next time!

]]> Wed, 7 Dec 2022 09:36:07 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/jonathan-widawski-MEm74tTU The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Jo on Twitter or LinkedIn. 

Resources mentioned:

Follow Maze on social media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast. See you next time!

]]> Envisioning the future of the research industry with Jonathan Widawski | Maze Maze 00:26:33 In this episode, Jonathan Widawski, Co-founder & CEO at Maze, discusses the findings of our latest Continuous Research Trends Report. Topics include the state of the research industry, his vision for the future, and how to turn research into a learning muscle for the entire organization. In this episode, Jonathan Widawski, Co-founder & CEO at Maze, discusses the findings of our latest Continuous Research Trends Report. Topics include the state of the research industry, his vision for the future, and how to turn research into a learning muscle for the entire organization. the optimal path podcast, research trends, jonathan widawski, maze podcast, maze, continuous product discovery, continuous research trends report, ux research trends, continuous research false full 21 0989e55d-02e2-4989-a360-537b9b5fe529 Starting and growing a design research practice with Gabriel Valdivia | Patreon The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Gabriel on Twitter (@gabrielvaldivia) or check out his website.

Resources mentioned:

Follow Maze on social media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast. See you next time!

]]> Thu, 24 Nov 2022 10:43:53 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/gabriel-valdivia-MYSFyNhN The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Gabriel on Twitter (@gabrielvaldivia) or check out his website.

Resources mentioned:

Follow Maze on social media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast. See you next time!

]]> Starting and growing a design research practice with Gabriel Valdivia | Patreon Maze 00:38:24 Gabriel Valdivia, Principal Product Designer at Patreon, talks to Maze about starting and growing a research practice within design teams, learning through prototyping, and why product design is about exploration and cross-functional collaboration. Gabriel Valdivia, Principal Product Designer at Patreon, talks to Maze about starting and growing a research practice within design teams, learning through prototyping, and why product design is about exploration and cross-functional collaboration. patreon, the optimal path podcast, maze podcast, zerotoone, design teams, gabriel valdivia, ux research, prototyping false full 20 f75e5fd3-842d-4477-8f20-ccc1ddde7326 How to collaborate effectively as an async product team with Aiswarya Kolisetty | Alan The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Aiswarya on LinkedIn or check out her newsletter. 

Resources mentioned:

Follow Maze on social media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast. See you next time!

]]> Thu, 10 Nov 2022 10:00:31 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/aiswarya-kolisetty-sVqqQOqG The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Aiswarya on LinkedIn or check out her newsletter. 

Resources mentioned:

Follow Maze on social media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast. See you next time!

]]> How to collaborate effectively as an async product team with Aiswarya Kolisetty | Alan Maze 00:38:52 Aiswarya Kolisetty, Senior Product Designer at Alan, talks to Maze about how to achieve effective collaboration between design, research, and product teams in a remote, async environment and how having a fully asyn culture supports decision-making at Alan. Aiswarya Kolisetty, Senior Product Designer at Alan, talks to Maze about how to achieve effective collaboration between design, research, and product teams in a remote, async environment and how having a fully asyn culture supports decision-making at Alan. the optimal path podcast, aiswarya kolisetty, maze podcast, design teams, asynchronous culture, remote culture, product teams, alan false full 19 7ca3cbab-20d9-464f-8543-493cf5a0d409 Building teams and cultures for products to thrive with Jasmine Friedl | Dropbox The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Jasmine on Twitter (@jazzy33ca) or check out her website.

Resources mentioned:

Follow Maze on social media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast. See you next time!

]]> Thu, 27 Oct 2022 09:02:06 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/jasmine-friedl-t_eHWfvh The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Jasmine on Twitter (@jazzy33ca) or check out her website.

Resources mentioned:

Follow Maze on social media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast. See you next time!

]]> Building teams and cultures for products to thrive with Jasmine Friedl | Dropbox Maze 00:24:53 Jasmine Friedl, Senior Design Director at Dropbox, talks to Maze about how to build high-performing teams and cultures where people can succeed and achieve the best results for themselves, the business, and the customers. Jasmine Friedl, Senior Design Director at Dropbox, talks to Maze about how to build high-performing teams and cultures where people can succeed and achieve the best results for themselves, the business, and the customers. dropbox, the optimal path podcast, jasmine friedl, design leadership, maze podcast, building teams and culture, design teams, product teams false full 18 65a76de9-ed02-404b-9415-6785932f17bb Unlocking the power of facilitation with Julian Della Mattia | Kiwi.com The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Julian on LinkedIn. And if you'd like to discuss the episode with other listeners, socialize with guests, and find extended host notes with further resources—check out the Host Posts space inside the Maze Community.

Resources mentioned:

Follow Maze on social media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast. See you next time!

]]> Thu, 13 Oct 2022 09:35:50 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/julian-della-mattia-QkjiU1MO The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Julian on LinkedIn. And if you'd like to discuss the episode with other listeners, socialize with guests, and find extended host notes with further resources—check out the Host Posts space inside the Maze Community.

Resources mentioned:

Follow Maze on social media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast. See you next time!

]]> Unlocking the power of facilitation with Julian Della Mattia | Kiwi.com Maze 00:24:58 Julian Della Mattia, UX Research Lead at Kiwi.com and Founder of The180 Agency, talks to Maze about how facilitation is a game-changing skill that enables product teams to solve more problems, innovate faster, and make stronger decisions. Julian Della Mattia, UX Research Lead at Kiwi.com and Founder of The180 Agency, talks to Maze about how facilitation is a game-changing skill that enables product teams to solve more problems, innovate faster, and make stronger decisions. the optimal path podcast, facilitation skills, decision-making, maze, facilitation, the optimal path, product teams, workshops, julian della mattia false full 17 4b4fa69a-3a34-4b74-b8f5-ca6332d0ee76 Creating a playbook for continuous research with Josh Morales | Miro The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Josh on LinkedIn or check out his Instagram account (@joshdixit). And if you'd like to discuss the episode with other listeners, socialize with guests, and find extended host notes with further resources—check out the Host Posts space inside the Maze Community.

Resources mentioned:

Follow Maze on social media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast. See you next time!

]]> Thu, 29 Sep 2022 08:42:27 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/josh-morales-2WRjTHf7 The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Josh on LinkedIn or check out his Instagram account (@joshdixit). And if you'd like to discuss the episode with other listeners, socialize with guests, and find extended host notes with further resources—check out the Host Posts space inside the Maze Community.

Resources mentioned:

Follow Maze on social media:

To get notified when new episodes come out, subscribe at maze.co/podcast. See you next time!

]]> Creating a playbook for continuous research with Josh Morales | Miro Maze 00:34:32 Josh Morales, Staff UX Researcher at Miro, describes the steps for creating and implementing a research playbook and how to use it to build a continuous research practice within the organization. Josh Morales, Staff UX Researcher at Miro, describes the steps for creating and implementing a research playbook and how to use it to build a continuous research practice within the organization. optimal path podcast, maze, optimal path, miro, continuous research, ux research false full 16 529ebb91-31e6-4c4d-be59-dc5f37d8c240 Software as a medium of human expression with Bob Baxley | ThoughtSpot The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Bob on LinkedIn and Twitter. And if you'd like to discuss the episode with other listeners, socialize with guests, and find extended host notes with going further resources—check out the Host Posts space inside the Maze Community.

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]]> Thu, 28 Jul 2022 10:09:44 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/software-as-a-medium-of-human-expression-with-bob-baxley-V6w1r5gg The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Bob on LinkedIn and Twitter. And if you'd like to discuss the episode with other listeners, socialize with guests, and find extended host notes with going further resources—check out the Host Posts space inside the Maze Community.

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]]> Software as a medium of human expression with Bob Baxley | ThoughtSpot Maze 00:26:50 Bob Baxley, SVP of Design at ThoughtSpot and former design leader at Apple, Pinterest, and Yahoo!, talks to Maze about the history of Silicon Valley, the importance of creating products that resonate with people, and the qualities that define great designers. Bob Baxley, SVP of Design at ThoughtSpot and former design leader at Apple, Pinterest, and Yahoo!, talks to Maze about the history of Silicon Valley, the importance of creating products that resonate with people, and the qualities that define great designers. digital products, software design, maze podcast, software, the optimal path, silicon valley, thoughtspot, bob baxley false full 15 1f659f7c-d26f-4a80-8259-c05896d6bb8b How to design onboarding experiences that drive product-led growth with Pulkit Agrawal | Chameleon The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Pulkit on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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]]> Thu, 14 Jul 2022 08:35:26 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/how-to-design-onboarding-experiences-that-drive-product-led-growth-with-pulkit-agrawal-b36xgY_q The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Pulkit on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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]]> How to design onboarding experiences that drive product-led growth with Pulkit Agrawal | Chameleon Maze 00:36:32 Pulkit Agrawal, Co-founder & CEO at Chameleon, talks to Maze about the relationship between user onboarding and product-led growth and how to design successful onboarding experiences that delight and guide users. Pulkit Agrawal, Co-founder & CEO at Chameleon, talks to Maze about the relationship between user onboarding and product-led growth and how to design successful onboarding experiences that delight and guide users. maze podcast, chameleon, product-led growth, the optimal path, product decision-making, plg, pulkit agrawal, user onboarding false full 14 0843fbae-80dd-4d5f-9015-468aaadc9bf1 The rise of customer-centricity with Benjamin Humphrey | Dovetail The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Benjamin on LinkedIn.

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]]> Thu, 30 Jun 2022 09:37:06 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/the-rise-of-customer-centricity-with-benjamin-humphrey-7Dez8NJZ The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Benjamin on LinkedIn.

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]]> The rise of customer-centricity with Benjamin Humphrey | Dovetail Maze 00:42:23 Benjamin Humphrey, Co-founder & CEO at Dovetail, talks to Maze about the comparison between design software and research software maturity levels, why customer-centricity is the key business differentiator, and how research repositories can help you build more customer-centric organizations. Benjamin Humphrey, Co-founder & CEO at Dovetail, talks to Maze about the comparison between design software and research software maturity levels, why customer-centricity is the key business differentiator, and how research repositories can help you build more customer-centric organizations. customer-centricity, maze podcast, dovetail, research repositories, design software, the optimal path, research software, ux research false full 13 dd24c931-08c2-44c9-b969-67ddc92f5c3a The relationship between business and design with Erika Hall | Mule Design Studio The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can follow Erika on Twitter (@mulegirl) or check out her articles on Medium.

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]]> Thu, 16 Jun 2022 09:46:42 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/relationship-business-design-with-erika-hall-RD_F1AHD The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can follow Erika on Twitter (@mulegirl) or check out her articles on Medium.

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]]> The relationship between business and design with Erika Hall | Mule Design Studio Maze 00:33:45 Erika Hall, Design consultant & Co-founder of Mule Design Studio, talks to Maze about the complicated relationship between design and business, the importance of asking questions, and how research plays a critical role in influencing decision-making. Erika Hall, Design consultant & Co-founder of Mule Design Studio, talks to Maze about the complicated relationship between design and business, the importance of asking questions, and how research plays a critical role in influencing decision-making. interactive digital system design, erika hall, maze podcast, decision-making, business model, the optimal path, research, design, mule design studio false full 12 608d9ac1-c5bd-42c6-b79f-c2236775ddef Designing for communication interfaces with Renato Valdés Olmos | Pitch The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can follow Renato on Twitter (@renn) or check out his website.

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]]> Thu, 2 Jun 2022 08:18:58 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/designing-communication-interfaces-with-renato-valdes-olmos-a5k7_6hO The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can follow Renato on Twitter (@renn) or check out his website.

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]]> Designing for communication interfaces with Renato Valdés Olmos | Pitch Maze 00:32:30 Renato Valdés Olmos, VP of Product and Design at Pitch & former Head of Design at Grammarly, talks to Maze about building Pitch, designing for communication interfaces, and how to create successful teams and products. Renato Valdés Olmos, VP of Product and Design at Pitch & former Head of Design at Grammarly, talks to Maze about building Pitch, designing for communication interfaces, and how to create successful teams and products. grammarly, communication interfaces, maze podcast, the optimal path, renato valdés olmos, product teams, interaction design, design, pitch false full 11 efff4f18-df50-4612-aeb5-beab770625de The why and how of accessible design with Samuel Proulx | Fable The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can follow Samuel on Twitter (@fastfinge).

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]]> Wed, 18 May 2022 08:18:21 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/the-why-and-how-of-accessible-design-with-samuel-proulx-U8UfDcAt The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can follow Samuel on Twitter (@fastfinge).

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]]> The why and how of accessible design with Samuel Proulx | Fable Maze 00:31:05 Samuel Proulx, Accessibility Evangelist at Fable, talks to Maze about the importance of accessible design and how to incorporate accessibility into the development process to create better digital experiences. Samuel Proulx, Accessibility Evangelist at Fable, talks to Maze about the importance of accessible design and how to incorporate accessibility into the development process to create better digital experiences. the optimal path podcast, digital products, inclusive design, maze podcast, accessibility, accessible design, fable, samuel proulx false full 10 cb2a367e-34db-49d3-9a5e-cd39372c9ff0 Building ethical research practices with Melanie Buset | Spotify The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Melanie on LinkedIn or check out her articles on our blog, In The Loop.

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]]> Thu, 5 May 2022 08:36:57 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/building-ethical-research-practices-with-melanie-buset-S57u2t34 The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can connect with Melanie on LinkedIn or check out her articles on our blog, In The Loop.

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]]> Building ethical research practices with Melanie Buset | Spotify Maze 00:39:50 Melanie Buset, Senior UX Researcher at Spotify, talks to Maze about the principles behind ethical research and how to scale them across the organization to guide research and decision-making. Melanie Buset, Senior UX Researcher at Spotify, talks to Maze about the principles behind ethical research and how to scale them across the organization to guide research and decision-making. user research, the optimal path podcast, maze podcast, ethical research, spotify, melanie buset, ethical decision-making false full 9 c9bdc6e2-629d-4f86-adb8-d2786f9964b9 A framework for decision-driven research with Roberta Dombrowski | Maze The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can follow Roberta on Twitter (@robertalearns) or check out her website.

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]]> Thu, 21 Apr 2022 08:34:48 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/a-framework-for-decision-driven-research-with-roberta-dombrowski-giaT_hiS The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can follow Roberta on Twitter (@robertalearns) or check out her website.

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]]> A framework for decision-driven research with Roberta Dombrowski | Maze Maze 00:30:50 Roberta Dombrowski, Research Partner at Maze and former VP of User Research at User Interviews, talks about her framework for decision-driven research and how to enable the organization to make confident, informed decisions. Roberta Dombrowski, Research Partner at Maze and former VP of User Research at User Interviews, talks about her framework for decision-driven research and how to enable the organization to make confident, informed decisions. user research, the optimal path podcast, roberta dombrowski, maze podcast, decision-making, research framework, decision-driven research, user interviews false full 8 998f06ec-a8ab-4c0b-8a6c-7c5c35652ff6 Building organizations that learn with Behzod Sirjani | Yet Another Studio The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can follow Behzod on Twitter (@beh_zod) or check out his website.

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]]> Thu, 7 Apr 2022 08:49:22 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/building-organizations-that-learn-with-behzod-sirjani-BY2rmN53 The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can follow Behzod on Twitter (@beh_zod) or check out his website.

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]]> Building organizations that learn with Behzod Sirjani | Yet Another Studio Maze 00:35:55 Behzod Sirjani, founder of Yet Another Studio and former research lead at Slack and Facebook, talks to Maze about how to democratize research effectively and responsibly and how to build organizations that learn and make better decisions. Behzod Sirjani, founder of Yet Another Studio and former research lead at Slack and Facebook, talks to Maze about how to democratize research effectively and responsibly and how to build organizations that learn and make better decisions. the optimal path podcast, product research, behzod sirjani, maze podcast, research democratization, decision-making false full 7 fe66f36a-7528-4962-bd28-16245282db7c The dimensions of product decision-making with Andy Budd | Design leader & Coach The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

Liked what you heard in this episode? Read Andy's full article over on our blog, In The Loop.

You can follow Andy on Twitter (@andybudd) or check out his website.

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]]> Thu, 24 Mar 2022 08:41:50 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/the-dimensions-of-product-decision-making-with-andy-budd-FxyYzt80 The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

Liked what you heard in this episode? Read Andy's full article over on our blog, In The Loop.

You can follow Andy on Twitter (@andybudd) or check out his website.

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]]> The dimensions of product decision-making with Andy Budd | Design leader & Coach Maze 00:37:27 Andy Budd, design leader, start-up advisor & coach, talks to Maze about the dimensions of product decision-making—the power dynamics at play, how to prioritize features in a democratic way, and how to grow the influence of design in the organization. Andy Budd, design leader, start-up advisor & coach, talks to Maze about the dimensions of product decision-making—the power dynamics at play, how to prioritize features in a democratic way, and how to grow the influence of design in the organization. andy budd, growth design, the optimal path podcast, prioritization frameworks, product research, design leaders, maze podcast, produc decision-making false full 6 991fde1d-f2f4-419c-ab92-e1d57a248fcc IC vs. Manager: Choosing your design career path with Anton Sten | UX Lead & Author The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can follow Anton on Twitter (@antonsten) or check out his website.

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]]> Thu, 17 Feb 2022 09:59:09 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/ic-vs-manager-choosing-your-design-career-path-with-anton-sten-ZA0Kf5O3 The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

You can follow Anton on Twitter (@antonsten) or check out his website.

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]]> IC vs. Manager: Choosing your design career path with Anton Sten | UX Lead & Author Maze 00:33:49 Anton Sten, internationally recognized UX leader and author, talks to Maze about his experience as an individual contributor and manager, the things to consider when determining which path is best for you, and how to grow in your design career. Anton Sten, internationally recognized UX leader and author, talks to Maze about his experience as an individual contributor and manager, the things to consider when determining which path is best for you, and how to grow in your design career. maze podcast, anton sten, decision-making, the optimal path, ux career path, individual contributor designer, design leader, design manager false full 5 b36c862b-a7e1-46e2-aec1-137d6af81a6b The principles of continuous discovery with Teresa Torres | Product Discovery coach The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

Liked what you heard in this episode? Read Teresa’s full article over on our blog, In The Loop.

You can follow Teresa on Twitter (@ttorres) or check out her website.

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]]> Thu, 3 Feb 2022 10:26:56 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/the-principles-of-continuous-discovery-with-teresa-torres-lnfyCIUw The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

Liked what you heard in this episode? Read Teresa’s full article over on our blog, In The Loop.

You can follow Teresa on Twitter (@ttorres) or check out her website.

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]]> The principles of continuous discovery with Teresa Torres | Product Discovery coach Maze 00:29:26 Teresa Torres, product discovery coach and author of the book 'Continuous Discovery Habits,' talks to Maze about the principles of continuous discovery, tactics to implement it, and how to make better product decisions with customer feedback. Teresa Torres, product discovery coach and author of the book 'Continuous Discovery Habits,' talks to Maze about the principles of continuous discovery, tactics to implement it, and how to make better product decisions with customer feedback. teresa torres, product development, maze podcast, decision-making, product discovery, the optimal path, continuous product discovery, ux research false full 4 ed291196-e32a-45f2-ab6c-e82fc1240f45 The spectrum of design with Brian Lovin | Spectrum & Github The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.


You can follow Brian on Twitter (@brian_lovin) or check out his website.

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]]> Wed, 19 Jan 2022 06:28:07 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/the-spectrum-of-design-with-brian-lovin-spectrum-github-aNpxo7eh The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.


You can follow Brian on Twitter (@brian_lovin) or check out his website.

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]]> The spectrum of design with Brian Lovin | Spectrum & Github Maze 00:41:23 Brian Lovin, product designer at Github and previous co-founder of Spectrum, talks to Maze about his design journey, starting with the early days at Buffer to then co-founding Spectrum and his current role at Github. Topics include the decision to fundraise or go the bootstrap way, the ability to say 'no' to customers, and the importance of being surrounded by great people for making smart product decisions. Brian Lovin, product designer at Github and previous co-founder of Spectrum, talks to Maze about his design journey, starting with the early days at Buffer to then co-founding Spectrum and his current role at Github. Topics include the decision to fundraise or go the bootstrap way, the ability to say 'no' to customers, and the importance of being surrounded by great people for making smart product decisions. user experience, maze, ux, product design, the optimal path, brian lovin, github, design, spectrum false full 3 1f02905b-68d5-4308-8645-038a8bf7f241 From design employee to designer founder with Jeremy Le Van | Sunrise Calendar & Microsoft The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

Liked what you heard in this episode? Read Jeremy’s full article over on our blog, In The Loop.

You can follow Jeremy on Twitter (@jeremylv).

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]]> Wed, 19 Jan 2022 06:16:01 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/from-design-employee-to-designer-founder-with-jeremy-le-van-sunrise-calendar-microsoft-pSqQbS3Q The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

Liked what you heard in this episode? Read Jeremy’s full article over on our blog, In The Loop.

You can follow Jeremy on Twitter (@jeremylv).

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]]> From design employee to designer founder with Jeremy Le Van | Sunrise Calendar & Microsoft Maze 00:34:23 Jeremy Le Van, co-founder of Sunrise Calendar & former Director of Design at Microsoft, talks to Maze about the journey from designer to founder, building businesses through design, and the lessons made along the way. Jeremy Le Van, co-founder of Sunrise Calendar & former Director of Design at Microsoft, talks to Maze about the journey from designer to founder, building businesses through design, and the lessons made along the way. jeremy le van, maze, ux, the optimal path, design false full 2 a132257b-993e-42f2-ade5-5433a2b5a597 Designing your way forward with David Hoang | Webflow The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

Liked what you heard in this episode? Read David’s full article over on our blog, In The Loop.

You can follow David on Twitter (@davidhoang), and check out Webflow too (@webflow).

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]]> Wed, 19 Jan 2022 05:53:20 +0000 social@maze.design (Maze) https://the-optimal-path.simplecast.com/episodes/designing-your-way-forward-with-david-hoang-webflow-KEaQbcrM The Optimal Path is a podcast about product decision-making from the team at Maze. Each episode brings in a product expert and looks at the stories, ideas, and frameworks they use to achieve better product decision-making—and how you can do the same.

Liked what you heard in this episode? Read David’s full article over on our blog, In The Loop.

You can follow David on Twitter (@davidhoang), and check out Webflow too (@webflow).

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]]> Designing your way forward with David Hoang | Webflow Maze 00:37:14 David Hoang, Director of Product Design at Webflow, talks to Maze about Webflow’s design process, why perfection is overrated, and why design is not ‘magic.’ David Hoang, Director of Product Design at Webflow, talks to Maze about Webflow’s design process, why perfection is overrated, and why design is not ‘magic.’ user experience, webflow, david hoang, maze podcast, ux, the optimal path, design false full 1