Design By Committee

This week, we chat about a new annotations feature we're working on, and kick around a few ways it could work. We also discuss comparing assets, taxonomy, product roadmapping methods, and just how critical the product/market fit line is. Finally, we dig into some thoughts on marketing, ideas about how we'll organize a proper launch, and what we might be able to do with local events to promote the product.

We're back, and we're changing things up. Moving forward, Design By Committee will feature weekly updates and behind-the-scenes looks as we build out a new SaaS product called ReviewCycle, designed to help creatives get better and more productive feedback from the clients and colleagues on creative assets they're working on. We've been working on this product for a few months now. Weekly, we have meetings to discuss what we're working on, set goals, discuss features, design, content and marketing ideas, and we're letting you in on the action. We're recording each one of these weekly meetings, and releasing them here. No editing, no censoring, the full raw account of what it's like to start a SaaS company from scratch.

In this week’s pod, we continue our accessibility series as we sit down with expert Derek Featherstone. Derek discusses the distinction between inclusive design and accessibility and why inclusive design is necessary to make any digital experience accessible. Derek teases out his latest venture that may or may not include writing a book. Matt and Justin also take a look at LinkedIn tactical marketing plan and you’ll be surprised by their feedback.

This week, we chat with Eileen Webb, director of strategy at Webmeadow, a consultancy that helps companies develop content and technology strategies that fulfill their missions to make the world a better place. We cover everything from the importance of plain language, to how to sell accessibility, the importance of internal accessibility and how to make your projects more accessible for your team members.

We kick off a month of Design By Committee episodes all about accessibility with an episode about language and how it affects your audience's ability to understand and interact with you. Abby Bajuniemi has a Ph.D. in Hispanic linguistics and joins us to talk about all things language. If you're struggling with your words, don't miss this show.

User research, public speaking tips, how to test content, ADA compliance and more with Kyle Soucy.

A discussion about the new rules of golf, the role of data in design, retail experiences and the trouble with surveys. Plus, a throwdown on a popular golf website! Joined by Ryan Wilson of Axe and Tiller.

Talking content, trust and branding with Margot Bloomstein! Including, thoughts on the content production process, the important of multimedia in content production, how to build trust, what role content plays in trust, and much more.

A jam-packed episode about content, how to design more effective meetings, authenticity in writing and much more with content strategist Meghan Casey.

Chatting about content and writing with Ahava Liebtag, plus, a call from Hilary Marsh to chat about how to get stakeholders to buy into content strategy.

Should recruiters be allowed at tech meetups? Plus, a great conversation with UX architect and content strategist Corey Vilhauer. Also, introducing a new segment, the Homepage Throwdown, where we tear apart listener websites in hopes to make them better.

Cristina has been doing some usability testing, and wants to get better at it. Her company has decided to talk to users more regularly, and we offer some tips on making the most of those sessions. Jennifer has a fantastic question about design ethics. As a designer, how do you ensure that your designs aren't used for unethical or nefarious purposes? There's no easy answer here, but we try to give a few thoughts on some ways to think through this incredibly tricky situation. Email your questions to ask@dbcshow.com and we'll chat about them!

In this week's episode, we dive deep with one caller, tackling a parcularly difficult situation: how do you explain what you do, if you're not allowed to actually say it? Because of FDA restrictions, Adam can't use specific language on his site, making it very difficult to tell a story that resonates with users and clearly explains the product benefits to his audience. The clock is ticking as they try to navigate this difficult situation, and we try to offer a few ideas about how to make the best of this tricky situation. Email your questions to ask@dbcshow.com and we'll chat about them!

How do you design an app for the military that's used in battle, in life-or-death situations? Do you make it a mobile app? Something else? We dig into what it means to design for radical situations like this and come up with some interesting ideas for how to solve it. Plus, questions about how to engage junior user researchers and enable them to find their voice in the research project, when they haven't had much experience. Also, how can you talk about projects publicly without your clients assuming you're complaining? Is it hush-hush all the time, or are there ways to speak out without being misinterpreted? All this and more in this week's episode! Email your questions to ask@dbcshow.com and we'll chat about them!

This week we talk about mental illness and how difficult it is for non profits to drive awareness and receive vital funding. What's the best way to engage people and rally them to support the cause? Learn more about Free In Dreams at www.freeindreams.org. Also, a strange discrepancy in some ecommerce analytics. Most of the traffic is coming from mobile, but all the conversions are on desktop. What gives? Finally, reactions to a blog post about what makes for great UX writing. Link to that blog post from NomNom: https://blog.nomnom.it/the-3-elements-of-great-ux-writing-7639e7ad22f4 Email your questions to ask@dbcshow.com and we'll answer them!

A whole episode of your email questions, including: - What UX mentorship looks like - How do I make sure an agency I hired is doing their best work? - What UX books should I read if I want to get into the field? - How do you make sure user research findings make it into the product, even when the research was done a long time ago? - Tips for solving a stalemate between stakeholders when it comes to dialing in messaging Email your questions to ask@dbcshow.com and we'll answer them!

Where does UX fit in the process, and what if you need to make product adjustments mid-stream? Plus, how to get a wayward project back on track, when stakeholders suddenly feel like things might not be progressing how they expect. Also, tips on recruiting for usability testing.

On this week's episode, we introduce the show, and take a couple caller questions. If you were going to launch a new social network, what would it be? Can you beat Facebook? Also, onboarding tips for SaaS, to help move engagement up and get users successful quickly. Plus, some tips and thoughts on social media strategies for local businesses.

Introducing the Design By Committee podcast! This show is all about you, taking your questions about user experience design, product design, strategy, research, content and anything else around tech. Hosted by two 20-year veterans of the tech industry, this is your chance to get 15 minutes of free consulting from two leading experts in UX and strategy.