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Insights Unlocked — Technology
Insights Unlocked

What does it take to create experiences customers love, craft campaigns that captivate, and drive measurable results?
Insights Unlocked features candid conversations with the builders, creators, and innovators driving some of the world’s most impactful digital transformations. Tailored for marketing, product, UX and CX leaders, each episode delivers actionable insights to help you create customer-first strategies and stay ahead in today’s competitive landscape. Each episode is about 30 minutes long.
From optimizing product launches to leveraging AI for smarter workflows, Insights Unlocked is your go-to resource for designing experiences that resonate, drive loyalty, and achieve business results. Guests include influential leaders like Brian Solis, April Dunford, Kate Towsey, Jacob Nielsen, Teresa Torres, and Judd Antin among others, offering their expertise in CX, UX, and innovation. The podcast also highlights strategies and success stories from leading brands such as Verizon, Signet Jewelers, Figma, Microsoft, Tesco Bank, and more.
UserTesting leaders and industry experts join as guest hosts, alongside show producer Nathan Isaacs, award-winning journalist and Senior Manager of Content Production at UserTesting.
Brought to you by UserTesting, the leader in human insights and proactive customer experience strategies, Insights Unlocked empowers CMOs and marketing teams to craft experiences that drive growth, loyalty, and impact.
Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Show notes, curated clips and more at usertesting.com/podcast.

Copyright: © Copyright 2022 - 2023 UserTesting. All Rights Reserved.

Latest Episodes:

Actionable tips on empowering women in tech Jan 20, 2025

Show notes

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/40y13N5

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If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review.

Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.

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In this special episode, recorded live from THiS 2024, we explore the biggest challenges women face in today’s workplace and the actionable steps needed to drive change. Our panel of inspiring women leaders dives into the persistent gender pay gap, the lack of leadership representation, the importance of mentorship and sponsorship, and achieving a sustainable work-family balance.

From tips on negotiating salaries to navigating career growth with intentionality, this conversation offers practical advice and powerful insights for women looking to thrive in tech—and for organizations striving to create more equitable workplaces.

Whether you're a leader, mentor, or someone starting your career, this episode provides valuable takeaways to help you advocate for yourself, build meaningful connections, and craft the career you want.

Panelists included:

Stacy Sherman, author and advisor, Doing CX Right
Alita Joyce, UX Researcher at Google Cloud
Monique Lalonde, Director, Product Design at REI
Lija Hogan, Principal, Experience Research Strategy at UserTesting

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

How to address the gender pay gap with practical negotiation strategies and pay equity policies.
Why leadership representation matters and how to position yourself for growth.
The critical role of mentorship and how to build relationships that empower your career.
How to balance career and family with the right support systems and mindset.
The power of asking for opportunities, setting goals, and creating your own communities for support.

Key Topics Discussed

Gender Pay Gap

Women earn 84% of what men earn—how can we close this gap?
Negotiation tips and strategies for pay equity.

Leadership Representation

How to find companies that prioritize women in leadership roles.
Practical advice for setting and communicating leadership goals.

Mentorship and Sponsorship

The difference between mentors and sponsors—and why both matter.
Proactive steps to find mentors and build supportive professional networks.

Work-Family Balance

Why it’s not about choosing “either-or”—you can thrive in both work and family life.
Insights into planning and creating a sustainable support system.

Unlocking your UX superpowers to lead and build influence Jan 13, 2025

Show notes

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4gFlEVz

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Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review

If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review.

Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.

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Episode Summary:

In this episode of Insights Unlocked, host Nathan Isaacs chats with Kuldeep Kelkar, partner at UXReactor, seasoned UX researcher, and author of Strengthen Your User Research Superpowers. Kuldeep shares his journey through 25+ years in user research, his experiences shaping the industry, and how his new book is designed to empower researchers to amplify their influence within organizations.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

The evolution of user research from a niche function to a critical part of product development.
Key challenges faced by UX researchers, including gaining influence, communicating value, and driving business impact.
How Kuldeep’s book provides practical, actionable skills in the form of "superpowers" to help researchers navigate these challenges.
Why addressing sample size questions can be an opportunity to educate and build credibility.

Highlights:

Kuldeep’s Career Journey: From being one of the first researchers at PayPal in 2004 to his leadership role at UX Reactor.
About the Book: Kuldeep’s book is structured like a deck of 52 cards, each focused on strengthening specific "superpowers" researchers need to succeed.
Favorite Superpower: Learn why "sample size" is a topic Kuldeep now approaches with confidence and excitement.
AI in UX Research: Insights into how AI tools like ChatGPT are being integrated into research and design processes, and the current limitations of AI-driven efficiencies.
Industry Trends: Discover how budget constraints and resource cuts are influencing organizations’ approaches to UX and the growing demand for outsourced expertise.
Customer Feedback in Action: A surprising story of how Kuldeep’s advice helped a client rethink usability testing timelines.

Rapid-Fire Fun:

Kuldeep shares his favorite word ("research"), a dream career (astrophysicist), and what role he’d take in a restaurant (chef—despite not cooking!).

Memorable Quote:

"The biggest challenge for researchers isn’t conducting research—it’s gaining influence and driving outcomes within their organizations." – Kuldeep Kelkar

Unlocking AI’s potential: why training drives productivity Jan 06, 2025

Show notes

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4gFlEVz

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Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review

If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review.

Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.

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In this episode, Michael Dominic, Head of AI at UserTesting, and Mike Mace, a seasoned tech industry veteran, delve into the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on the workplace. From the evolution of AI to strategies for effective implementation, they explore how organizations can harness this powerful technology to drive productivity, innovation, and competitive advantage.

Key Takeaways:

The Two Waves of AI Hype:

Explore the rise and fall of conversational AI tools during the first hype cycle (2015–2019).
Learn how OpenAI's ChatGPT launched the second wave of rapid adoption in 2022.

AI Adoption at a Glance:

66% of knowledge workers globally use generative AI tools like ChatGPT, making this the fastest adoption of a major tech product in history.
Despite high adoption rates, only 20% of users maximize AI's potential as a daily productivity tool.

Challenges in AI Integration:

A significant gap in training leaves most users underutilizing AI.
Companies must implement deliberate training and governance to reap the full benefits.

Humanizing AI Interactions:

Discover how users judge AI chatbots like they would human interactions—emphasizing tone, phrasing, and emotional resonance.
Understand the importance of aligning AI interactions with brand voice and values.

Strategies for Success:

Choose the right AI model for your business needs.
Set clear data governance policies to ensure security and compliance.
Establish training programs to help employees integrate AI into their workflows effectively.
Treat AI as a partner in strategy, not just a task-oriented tool.

Actionable Insights:

For Leaders: Empower your teams with AI training and clear guidelines to unlock its full productivity potential.
For Product Teams: Test AI features for usability and emotional resonance to ensure they align with user expectations and your brand identity.
For Organizations: View AI as an opportunity for competitive differentiation, not just a security challenge.

Demotainment: how to create engaging product demos Dec 30, 2024

Show notes

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/408ltw2

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Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review

If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review.

Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.

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In this episode of Insights Unlocked, host Nathan Isaacs talks with Mike McDowell, Senior Solutions Consultant at UserTesting, about his role, his new book Demotainment: The Art of Delivering Demos That Engage, Inspire, and Drive Results, and his approach to crafting compelling product demonstrations.

Key Highlights:

Role at UserTesting:

Mike describes his role as a platform expert, guiding clients on effectively utilizing UserTesting’s tools. He supports sales processes and helps teams maximize value by aligning the platform with their business goals.

The Concept of Demotainment:

Mike explains how his background in theater inspired him to transform product demonstrations into performances that captivate audiences. His philosophy emphasizes bringing energy, personalizing demos, and engaging customers.

Writing the Book:

The book stemmed from a popular presentation Mike gave at Demo Fest. Encouraged by the reception, he expanded his ideas into a LinkedIn article and eventually a book. He shares the iterative writing process, from drafting chapters based on his presentation to weaving in anecdotes and pop culture references to make the book lively and relatable.

Impact on Sales Teams:

The book aims to help sales professionals make their demonstrations more personalized and engaging, ultimately boosting success rates. Mike offers strategies for tailoring demos even with limited preparation.

Behind-the-Scenes of Writing:

Mike talks about the discipline and creativity required to write a book while managing a busy schedule. He reveals how revisiting his material and getting reader feedback improved both his writing and professional approach to demos.

Creative UX research solutions in fintech: insights from Tide Dec 19, 2024

Show notes

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/3VNnj2G

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Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review

If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review.

Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.

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In this episode of Insights Unlocked, host Kerry Johnstone welcomes Veronica Bogdacenco, Channel and Optimization Manager at Tide, a leading UK-based fintech company. Veronica shares her expertise in blending marketing insights with UX strategies to create seamless and effective user experiences. She delves into the challenges of maintaining agility in a fast-growing company, creative approaches to user testing, and how AI is reshaping UX research.

From her innovative weekend testing methods to leveraging in-app notifications for user feedback, Veronica provides actionable tips for product teams navigating growth and tight deadlines. She also highlights the importance of quick, iterative research to de-risk decisions and ensure clarity in regulated industries like finance. Whether you're a UX researcher, product manager, or designer, this episode is packed with practical advice for building user-centric products efficiently.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Blending Marketing and UX: How to use qualitative and quantitative data for deeper customer insights.
Maintaining Agility in a Growing Organization: Veronica’s methods for decentralizing UX research and streamlining processes.
Innovative Testing Techniques: The power of weekend tests, external testers, and in-app notifications to gather feedback without disrupting workflows.
AI in UX Research: How AI can enhance UX processes by automating tasks like feedback summaries and detecting emotional responses.
Working in Regulated Industries: Key considerations for ensuring clarity and transparency in customer-facing designs.
Scaling UX Practices: Strategies to embed UX testing into workflows as teams and product portfolios expand.

Rethinking UX with the many “Many Wizards of Oz” approach with Sam Howard Dec 16, 2024

Show notes

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/3OQ2f80

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Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review

If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review.

Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.

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Show Notes

In this episode of Insights Unlocked, host Blair Fraser sits down with Dr. Sam Howard, Head of UX at Curio, to explore how AI is transforming the way people consume news. From Sam’s unique career journey—from academia to consulting to leading UX at a forward-thinking company—to Curio's mission of fixing fragmented and overwhelming news experiences, this conversation dives into the heart of user-centric design and AI innovation.

Discover how Curio balances cutting-edge AI with trusted sources to deliver meaningful solutions, the challenges of creating archetypes in a rapidly evolving tech landscape, and why robust discovery research is more critical than ever. If you’re a UX researcher, designer, or product leader navigating the intersection of user experience and AI, this episode is packed with actionable insights and forward-thinking strategies.

Key Themes & Highlights:

The Power of User-Centered Design:
Why embedding user insights at the start of product design leads to better outcomes.
Sam’s approach to understanding and addressing user frustrations with traditional news platforms.
AI in UX Research:
How Curio blends AI personalization with reliable sources to maintain trust.
The "Many Wizards of Oz" method: A groundbreaking approach to simulating AI experiences in user research.
Tackling Behavioral Archetypes:
Why Curio focuses on early adopters and behavioral archetypes instead of rigid personas.
Addressing news avoidance and user anxiety through design thinking.
Driving Impact in Organizations:
How to align qualitative user research with quantitative data to influence stakeholders.
Using video storytelling as a tool for fostering empathy and buy-in from business leaders.
Future of UX and AI:
The need to evolve UX methodologies for non-linear, AI-driven user journeys.
Balancing transparency and value when communicating AI’s role to end users.

Why central repositories are key to scaling research with Kate Towsey Dec 09, 2024

Show notes

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/3Vlc2q8

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Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review

If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review.

Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.

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Episode show notes

In this episode of Insights Unlocked, host Lija Hogan speaks with Kate Towsey, a leading voice in research operations, author of Research That Scales, and founder of the Cha-Cha Club for research ops professionals. Kate takes us through her fascinating journey to becoming a trailblazer in research operations. Along the way, she highlights the transformative power of systems thinking and strategic scaling in the evolving field of research.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

The Evolution of Research Ops:

How research operations has grown from an overlooked role to a critical component of organizational strategy.
Why nuanced job descriptions and specialized roles are becoming the norm in research ops.

Scaling Research with Systems Thinking:

The importance of scalable systems that create value efficiently rather than simply expanding headcount.
How strategic thinking can prioritize impactful research aligned with organizational goals.

Building Trust and Embedding Culture:

Why trust is foundational for research outcomes to be accepted and acted upon.
The cultural impact of well-integrated research tools and practices on organizational learning.

Knowledge Management in Research:

The contrast between collaborative "campfires" of learning and structured libraries for long-term access and utility.
Practical advice for implementing effective research knowledge management strategies.

The Role of AI in Research:

How AI can enhance research operations, provided organizations foster trust in these technologies.

How Mozilla balances familiarity and innovation in UX design Dec 02, 2024

Show notes

Episode web page

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Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review

If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review.

Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.

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Show Notes

Join host Mike McDowell as he welcomes Ludwig Fichte, Staff User Researcher, and AarjavPandya, Senior Product Designer, both from Mozilla, to explore the fascinating world of UX research and its impact on product design. In this episode, they break down Mozilla’s approach to user research and benchmarking studies, revealing how insights drive innovation for Firefox Mobile and beyond.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

How UX Research Shapes Product Design: Discover the critical role research plays in creating intuitive, user-friendly designs and how Mozilla translates insights into action.
Benchmarking in Action: Learn how Mozilla compares Firefox to competitors like Chrome, Safari, and Brave, and how task-based benchmarking reveals areas for improvement.
Designing for Familiarity and Innovation: Hear how Mozilla balances maintaining familiar design patterns with pushing the boundaries of usability.
The Iterative Nature of UX: Explore why UX research is never "finished" and how continuous testing helps adapt to evolving user needs.

Episode Links:

Download Firefox – Experience the latest in browser innovation.
Mozilla Blog – Stay updated on Mozilla’s projects and initiatives.
Acorn Design System – Dive into Firefox's design approach.
Research at Mozilla – Explore Mozilla’s research-focused initiatives.
Ludwig Fichte on LinkedIn
Aarjav Pandya on LinkedIn
Mike McDowell on LinkedIn

How Givelify’s loyalty program inspires consistent giving Nov 25, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of Insights Unlocked,UserTesting’s Sean Treiser sits down with Neeraj Ramesh, Executive Producer of Giving Experiences at Givelify, a mobile and online platform for charitable donations that has empowered over 1.5 million people to give more than $5 billion to causes they care about. Neeraj shares the story of Givelify’s journey from a simple idea sparked in church to a powerful tool reshaping the future of giving.

Together, they explore the strategies and philosophies that make Givelify stand out, from leveraging user feedback to creating features that genuinely connect with the emotional and practical needs of donors. Neeraj discusses how Givelify listens to its users to develop features that foster trust and encourage consistent giving, all while balancing the needs of donors and charitable organizations.

Key Themes:

The Birth of Givelify: Givelify’s origin story is rooted in a moment of missed opportunity and inspiration, sparking the idea of a platform that would make charitable giving easy and accessible for anyone with a mobile device.
User-Centered Design and Trust: Givelify puts donor trust at the forefront, emphasizing data security, transparent processes, and visual cues like familiar faces to help donors feel safe and assured in their giving.
Emotional Connection in UX: Givelify’s approach goes beyond technical ease; they aim to create an experience that captures the “warm glow” of giving, ensuring donors feel positive and connected with each gift.
Innovation in loyalty programs: Neeraj introduces Champions of Good, the first loyalty program in the giving sector, which rewards donors for consistent giving. The feature encourages engagement based on frequency rather than amount, supporting people’s desire to give at their own pace.
Iterative development with user feedback: Givelify uses insights from UserTesting to understand both new and familiar users, continuously refining features to serve donors better. Testing has revealed valuable insights, such as the potential pitfalls of certain features like “Giving Streaks,” which needed careful adjustment to avoid discouraging users.

Balancing stakeholder needs: Neeraj emphasizes the importance of prioritizing donors, even as Givelify works with a wide range of stakeholders, from religious organizations to nonprofits. Features are designed to empower donors while keeping the act of giving meaningful and fulfilling.

Creating new campfire moments: how the BBC designs for inclusivity Nov 18, 2024

Show notes

Episode web page

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📢📣 NEW REPORT 📣📢

Are you wondering how people really feel about generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT? How are they being used in business? How are they changing productivity? What makes AI chat attractive or unattractive to users? And what does it all mean for a company building AI features? Check out our new global AI benchmark study, including a survey, a user shootout between the four top AI chatbots, and video of AI users sharing how they feel. The study included Australia and Singapore, so you’ll get results that are specific to our part of the world.

Get your copy now >>> Generative AI chatbots: overhyped but still underestimated

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Rate Insights Unlocked and write a review

If you appreciate Insights Unlocked, please give it a rating and a review.

Visit Apple Podcasts, pull up the Insights Unlocked show page and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Below the trailers, you'll find Ratings and Reviews. Click on a star rating. Scroll down past the highlighted review and click on "Write a Review." You'll make my day.

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Show Notes

In this episode of Insights Unlocked, UserTesting’s Blair Fraser dives into a fascinating discussion with Emma Whitby and Aleks Gojkovic from the BBC's User Experience and Design (UX&D) team. Emma and Aleks share insights from their work on a project designed to help one of the BBC’s most valued audiences—retirees—transition from traditional broadcast services to digital platforms. They reveal how combining empathy-driven UX research with big data insights has led to a deeper understanding of this generation's unique challenges and needs, and discuss the innovative storytelling and design approaches that help build inclusive, accessible digital experiences.

Key Themes Discussed:

Designing with empathy for retirees in a digital world
Emma and Aleks share how they approached researching a user group that has long relied on broadcast services. Through community interactions and storytelling, they uncovered the daily reliance this audience places on TV and radio for structure, connection, and companionship. Emma and Aleks reveal how this research influenced their approach to human-centered design for a traditionally underserved audience.
The power of storytelling in UX research
UX research at the BBC goes beyond data points—Emma and Aleks highlight the importance of empathy and storytelling to convey user needs. They explain how using narrative alongside data helped them capture the attention of stakeholders and build emotional connections, transforming research findings into actionable insights.
Using big data to drive strategic decisions
Aleks discusses the role of big data in understanding and validating the significance of retirees as a core BBC audience. By blending quantitative data with qualitative insights, the UX&D team was able to highlight business opportunities and challenge common biases, underscoring how inclusive design can drive both user satisfaction and business success.
Innovative collaboration with the BBC’s Blue Room
Learn how the UX&D team partnered with the BBC’s Blue Room, a tech demo lab, to bring their insights to life through 3D digital recreations of retirees' living spaces. These interactive exhibits provide stakeholders with a firsthand look at the accessibility challenges retirees face, sparking innovation in designing user-friendly digital services.
Shaping the future of inclusive design at scale
Emma and Aleks discuss the ongoing impact of their project across the BBC, which has inspired collaboration and changes in product strategies. They share how, by focusing on retirees’ needs, they are challenging assumptions and advancing inclusive design practices that resonate with diverse audiences.

Episode Links:

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