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Recent Episodes
#191 - Throwback: UX Lessons from a Decade Researching AI with Jess Holbrook of Microsoft
This week we're revisiting one of Awkward Silences' most memorable episodes.Much of the conversation around AI in UX involves how it will shape and change researchers' work. This episodes's guest,…
#190 - How to Navigate the Constant Change in UX Research with Learners CEO Alec Levin
Erin May sits down with Alec Levin, CEO and Co-Founder of Learners, to explore how researchers can navigate the rapid changes reshaping their field. Alec shares his vision for how AI and automation…
#189 - Throwback: Quantifying Research Impact with Ruby Pryor of Rex
This week we're revisiting one of Awkward Silences' most memorable episodes.This episode welcomed Ruby Pryor, founder of Rex, a consulting firm specializing in UX research and strategic design.This…
#188 - Why AI Can't Replace Qualitative Research with Sam Ladner of Workday
Erin May sits down with Sam Ladner, Senior Principal Researcher of Strategy at Workday, to explore the evolving role of AI in qualitative research. Sam brings a refreshingly balanced perspective on…
#187 - Throwback: Harnessing AI For Better Insights with George Whitfield of MIT and Google
This week we're revisiting one of Awkward Silences' most memorable episodes. This episode welcomed George Whitfield, an expert in applying AI to the analysis of qualitative data. George discussed the…
#186 - Positioning Your Portfolio for AI Skills with Aneta Kmiecik of Be Your Own Design Team
Erin May sits down with Aneta Kmiecik, founder of Be Your Own Design Team, to tackle one of the biggest questions facing designers today: how to position AI skills in portfolios and resumes. With 15…
#185 - How to Use AI Without Losing Your Research Soul with Nikki Anderson of Drop in Research
Ben Wiedmaier sits down with user research consultant Nikki Anderson to explore how researchers can stay relevant when budgets are tight and stakeholders are stressed. Nikki runs Drop in Research…
#184 - Use Context For More Influence with Kristen DeLap of Econify
Ben talks with Kristen DeLap, fractional COO at Econify, to explore how UX'ers can build influence without formal authority. Kristen brings a unique perspective, having evolved from interior design…
#183 - The Best Ways to Use AI in UX Research with Laura Klein of NN/g
Erin and Ben chat with Laura Klein, Principal Experience Specialist at Nielsen Norman Group, about the practical realities of AI in user research. Laura teaches a class on AI for researchers and…
#182 - The Future of Research (In a Moment of Change)
Ben sits down with Basel Fakhoury, CEO and Co-founder of User Interviews, and Baran Erkel, Chief Strategy Officer at UserTesting, for a conversation about the research industry's evolution. With AI…
#181 - Why We Need Design Now More Than Ever with Karl Randay of 383
Ben Wiedmaier sits with Karl Randay, Experience Director at 383, to explore how designers can stay relevant in an increasingly automated world. Karl shares insights from working with major brands…
#180 - What to Fix in '26 with Maria Rosala of NN/g & John Whalen of Brilliant Experience
Ben is joined by Maria Rosala from Nielsen Norman Group and John Whalen from Brilliant Experience to wrap up 2025 and make some predictions for 2026. Maria and John share practical insights on…
#179 - The Future of Research Operations with Kate Towsey LIVE
Erin May sits down with Kate Towsey, founder of Cha Cha Club and author of Research That Scales, for Research Ops Appreciation Week. Kate shares insights from producing an audio documentary series on…
#178 - How to Measure What Matters with Lyndsi Lee of Turnitin
Ben talks with Lyndsi Lee, UX Manager at Turnitin, about moving beyond traditional metrics like NPS and CSAT to measure user experiences more effectively. The conversation centers on outcome-based…
#177 - From Informing to Influencing with Shalin Pei & Natalie Golub of Coinbase
Ben is joined by Shalin Pei, Head of Design and Research and Natalie Golub, Head of UXR , both from Coinbase's Base product. Base is part of the crypto space, functioning as a network that offers…
#176 - Building a Research Program from the Ground Up ft. Microsoft Azure Data
Erin is joined by Samira Jain, Serena Hillman, and Jackie Ianni from Microsoft Azure Data to discuss how they built the Swift Research Lab over the past two years. The team shares their systematic…
#175 - The Scourge of Wasted Research with Jake Burghardt of Integrating Research
Ben sits down with Jake Burghardt from Integrating Research to discuss his new book Stop Wasting Research and how organizations can maximize the product impact of their customer insights. Jake breaks…
# 174 - Qualitative Research's Enduring Impact with Nancy Baum of C+R Research LIVE
The popularity of AI moderation tools, increased attention on "big" data sets (and streams), and the ongoing uncertainty in the research job market have (understandably) led some to wonder about the…
Research Ops 2.0, Episode 5: The People of ResearchOps
In just ten years, ResearchOps has transformed from an obscure Silicon Valley speciality into a vibrant global profession. Despite economic headwinds, ResearchOps roles are emerging across industries…
Research Ops 2.0, Episode 4: Building Enduring Systems Amidst Constant Change
In just ten years, ResearchOps has transformed from an obscure Silicon Valley speciality into a vibrant global profession. Despite economic headwinds, ResearchOps roles are emerging across industries…
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Awkward Silences has published 197 episodes since November 2018, covering topics in Business, Technology.
Awkward Silences is currently highly active with new episodes every 2 weeks. Average episode length is 40m.
