For episode 22 of the podcast, I was joined by my Adobe colleague Laura Herman, a user researcher for some of our mobile and emerging products in the creative space. As Laura and I are big fans of her work, we were excited to speak to Payal Arora, researcher, author, professor, and speaker. Her well-known book 'The Next Billion Users - Digital Life Beyond the West' has been described as, "A ‘must-read’ for anyone interested in digital uses around the world.”  We were interested in asking her thoughts on how western companies like our own can more effectively research and design products that truly benefit 'Global South' (i.e. developing countries like India, Brazil, and African to name a few.) Payal's thoughts on how we can co-design with local influencers, how western designers need to be passionate about creating inclusive products, and how truly radical products aren't always the most novel, were truly inspiring.

Forbes named Payal the “next billion champion” and “the right kind of person to reform tech.” She has given more than 200 talks in 109 cities in 59 countries and a TEDx talk on the future of the internet. She is the co-founder of FemLab.Co, a global future of work initiative Payal is a professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

More about Payal Arora:
https://payalarora.com
TedX talk: "Who is in charge of the future of the internet?"

I had a great time speaking with the author, university professor, and UX strategist Jaime Levy.  Her best-selling book UX Strategy: How to Devise Innovative Digital Products that People Want gets top results for UX on Amazon and has just come out in its second edition. I was excited to hear about her career and how she approached the second edition of her book. We had a fun walk down memory lane hearing about her upbringing in LA where she was exposed to the entertainment industry. While she initially wanted to become a filmmaker, like many creatives in the 90s she turned to digital media and eventually the all-new internet and launched a career in interface design, animation, information architecture, and eventually UX strategy. Working as a UX strategist while teaching courses at USC, she used her 30 years of consulting and academic experiences to write UX Strategy. She currently lives in Berlin, conducts workshops worldwide, consults, and is discovering the joy of hanging out in the middle of the day instead of constantly working.

Learn more:
https://jaimelevy.com/

In this 20th episode, I talk with Phillip Golub, VP, Digital Product Experience and Innovation at Symphony Talent, based in Washington, DC. He shares about his 25-year journey as an information architect, designer, and design leader at a number of companies including his own agency he started in college, Isobar, Amex, Sapient, and now Symphony Talent where he heads up UX. Phil also shares about his creative podcast What Bubbles Up, which he started up during the pandemic with his friend Barry Fiske. I also have to ask my son to stop singing during the podcast.

Phil Golub is an experienced creative leader, design thinker, and transformation strategy expert, with over 25 years in Experience Design, Digital Product Innovation, Service Design, and Cognitive Experiences. Phil is currently the VP, Digital Product Experience and Innovation at Symphony Talent. Previously, he was the Head of Experience for the South Region at Publicis Sapient, leading both teams and clients in the creation of transformational digital experiences for the world’s foremost brands. Most importantly, he is a devoted husband and father to his wife, two kids, and a Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier.

Musical credit: Poddington Bear