Top 20 UX Design and Research Podcasts You Should Be Following
Few fields are changing faster than UX—so if you want to stay at the top of your game as a UX researcher, it’s essential to keep up with what’s happening in the industry.
There’s no better way to stay on top of the ever-changing world of UX than by listening to industry podcasts. With so many top experts offering advice and insights—for free, we might add—you can’t afford to miss out on everything happening in the UX podcast space.
Wondering where to begin? To help you get started, we’ve pulled together our top 20 favorite UX design and research podcasts to explore.
Top 20 UX Research Podcasts of 2022 (in random order)
Now that you have the list, let’s take a closer look at each of these podcasts.
NN/g UX Podcast
Frequency: Ongoing, monthly
Episode length: 45 minutes
Topics: Research-based UX
NN/g has recently made its first foray into the podcast space with this monthly interview show. Hosted by User Experience Specialist Therese Fessenden, the podcast typically consists of an interview with an NN/g leader and coverage of trending UX topics.
Awkward Silences
Frequency: Ongoing, biweekly
Episode length: 30 - 45 minutes
Topics: Interviews with UX researchers
Hosted by User Interviews’ John Henry Forster and Erin May, Awkward Silences is the ultimate interview show for UX researchers. The hosts are self-professed “UX geeks,” and their enthusiasm for the craft is evident in their dynamic interviews with top user researchers and thought leaders at companies like Adobe, Atlassian, Google, NN/g, and Shopify.
Design Details
Frequency: Ongoing, weekly
Episode length: 30 minutes
Topics: General UX topics
Design Details feels less like a podcast and more like a great chat with your favourite design friends. Each week, hosts Marshall Bock (of GitHub) and Brian Lovin (of YouTube) offer in-depth, practical advice for UX researchers and designers, along with their thoughts on the hot design topics of the day.
Mixed Methods
Frequency: Seasonal, irregular intervals
Episode length: 45 minutes
Topics: UX research methods and advice
Known for practical advice, the Mixed Methods podcast is must-listen for UX researchers interested in staying at the top of their game. The podcast—which is hosted by Aryel Cianflone, founder of the Mixed Methods Slack community and blog—focuses on offering ideas and best practices from top industry experts.
Dollars to Donuts
Frequency: Seasonal, irregular intervals
Episode length: 1 hour
Topics: Interviews with UX research leaders
Seasoned UX researcher Steve Portigal hosts this interview show focusing on leadership in UX. Although this pod doesn’t follow a consistent release schedule, it’s worth listening through the archives for gems of wisdom from some of the top minds in the industry.
Where to listen: Apple
UX Podcast
Frequency: Ongoing, biweekly
Episode length: 30 – 45 minutes
Topic: General UX topics
The name says it all—this long-running favourite is the quintessential podcast for UX researchers and practitioners. The twice-monthly show tackles a range of digital design topics, including research, business, people, and design.
This is HCD
Frequency: Ongoing, irregular intervals
Episode length: 45 minutes
Topics: Human-Centric Design
From the founders of the HCD Slack community comes This is HCD, a podcast dedicated to all things human-centred design. Each episode spotlights a different leader in the space and explores what it means to work within a human-centric method.
UI Breakfast
Frequency: Ongoing, biweekly
Episode length: 45 minutes
Topics: General UX topics
This wildly popular podcast covers UI/UX design, SaaS products, marketing, and much more. Host Jane Portman conducts engaging interviews with trailblazers in the industry, digging deep into trending topics, high level questions, and tactical matters.
99% Invisible
Frequency: Ongoing, weekly
Episode length: 45 minutes
Topics: General design topics
99% Invisible is a sound-rich, narrative podcast hosted by Roman Mars about all the thought that goes into the things we don’t think about — the unnoticed architecture and design that shape our world.
Design Matters
Frequency: Ongoing, weekly
Episode length: 60 minutes
Topics: General design topics
The world's first podcast about design and an inquiry into the broader world of creative culture through wide-ranging conversations with designers, writers, artists, curators, musicians, and other luminaries of contemporary thought.
Where to listen: Apple, SoundCloud
The UXR Podcast
Frequency: Seasonal, irregular intervals
Episode length: 30 minutes
Topics: UX research leadership and career advice
UXR Collective has also entered the podcast game recently with The UXR Podcast hosted by CEO Alec Levin. Through interviews with fellow industry leaders, Levin explores what it’s really like to work in the world of UX research, tackling topics such as typical salaries, the value of graduate degrees, and UX research in academia.
Saving UX
Frequency: Ongoing, irregular intervals
Episode length: 30 minutes
Topics: General UX topics
In Saving UX, host Jeremy Kriegel speaks with industry veterans to answer a simple, but loaded question: why is UX struggling to have the impact that it could? Each episode includes an in-depth interview with a different UX leader, with each interview divided into two half-hour episodes.
The World of UX
Frequency: Seasonal, irregular intervals
Episode length: 30 minutes
Topics: General UX topics
In The World of UX, veteran designer and UX professor Darren Hood offers everything you need to know to stay informed about the world of UX. In addition to discussions of timely design topics, expect lessons on UX history, career and education advice, in-depth examinations of design tools, and much more.
UI Narrative
Frequency: Ongoing, biweekly
Episode length: 1 hour
Topics: General UX topics
Hosted by Tolu Garcia, UI Narrative covers a range of topics, from design trends to product management to career advice. The show centres the stories and expertise of marginalized researchers and designers by featuring people of color in the industry.
User Defenders
Frequency: Irregular intervals
Episode length: 1 hour
Topic: UX design and personal development
The thesis behind User Defenders is that “being a great UX designer begins and ends with being a great human.” Offering a pleasing mixture of life advice and design tips, the show is a great pick for anyone searching for a blend of personal and professional development.
UX Radio
Frequency: Irregular intervals
Episode length: 30 minutes
Topic: General UX topics
Focusing on the tough problems that all UX leaders face, this slightly more obscure podcast is a worthwhile listen for anyone in the field. Each episode includes an interview with a UX leader and plenty of fascinating tips and resources.
Where to listen: Apple
What is Wrong with UX?
Frequency: Biweekly (Ended in March 2022)
Episode length: 30 minutes
Topic: UX design
This fun and irreverent podcast tackles the biggest questions in UX, with an emphasis on the power of design. Hosted by Laura Klein and Kate Rutter, the show offers down-to-earth takes on design principles, industry trends, and the future of the industry. Unfortunately, the show has recently ended, but the archives are worth mining for insights and advice.
Wireframe
Frequency: Ongoing, biweekly
Episode length: 30 minutes
Topic: UX design
Hosted by Adobe’s Khoi Vinh, one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business, this podcast explores how design affects the world around us, digging into topics from fonts and data visualization to why your dad can’t unmute himself on Zoom.
UX Cake
Frequency: Irregular intervals
Episode length: 30 – 40 minutes
Topic: General UX topics
UX Cake is focused on helping UX professionals succeed. Listen for career advice, practical tips from experts in the field, and ideas for becoming more effective in your role and more knowledgeable about UX topics and trends.
Where to listen: Apple
Writers in Tech
Frequency: Ongoing, biweekly
Episode length: 30 minutes
Topic: UX writing, content strategy, content design
Content strategists, UX writers, and content designers share their industry secrets in this delightfully approachable podcast. With enlightening conversations and expert advice, Writers in Tech is a must-subscribe for anyone who cares about writing and content strategy.
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Evidently, with so many top-quality UX research and design podcasts available, keeping up with the world of UX has never been easier. Wherever you listen—in the car, at the gym, or over lunch—it only takes a small amount of time each week to stay up to date on the latest ideas, trends, and technologies in the industry.
And if you listen carefully, you might just learn something new that can help you thrive in your role and fast track your career.
Which podcasts are on your must-listen list? Give us a shout on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to share your favorites.
