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Artwork for The Optimal Path

The Optimal Path

Maze
User Research
Product Development
Marketing
Secondary Research
Product Design
Collaboration
User-Centered Design
Product Management
Product Decision Making
Workshops
UX Research
Customer Experiences
Maze
Diversity In Design
Digital Transformation
AI In Research
User Experience Research
Investigative Journalism
Organizational Learning
Figma

The Optimal Path is a podcast about user research and product decision-making, brought to you by Maze. Explore how today's leading organizations leverage user research to inform better product decisions. Each episode uncovers the ideas and approaches used to unlock continuous insights—and the optimal path for product success. Subscribe to The Optimal Path newsletter to be the first to know when ne... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes37Founded4 years ago
Categories
TechnologyBusiness

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Artwork for The Optimal Path

Latest Episodes

Dalia El-Shimy, Director of UX Research at Wise, presents a framework for navigating product decision-making with confidence—from daily product decisions to the most complex and high-risk scenarios. Dalia shares how to classify decisions based on the... more

Michael Margolis, UX Research Partner at Google Ventures, breaks down the Bullseye Customer Sprint methodology and how it helps startups quickly identify what to build and who to target. Learn how to use the “5 and 3 in 1 formula”—five bullseye custo... more

Devin Harold, former Head of Design Research for Financial Services at Capital One, joins host Ash Oliver to discuss the challenges of connecting user research to business outcomes, how to effectively track and communicate the value of research, and ... more

In this episode of The Optimal Path, Jehad Affoneh joins host Ash Oliver to discuss what it means to be customer-centric at Toast, the difference between being design-led and experience-led, and the role of UX research in shaping customer-centric cul... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
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Recent Guests

Dalia El-Shimy
An engineer turned academic turned user researcher, currently the Director of UX Research at WISE.
WISE
Episode: Mastering product decisions through risk and reversibility with Dalia El-Shimy | Wise
Michael Margolis
A UX researcher with over 30 years of experience and the creator of the bullseye customer sprint methodology.
Google Ventures
Episode: Accelerate learning and build the right products with Michael Margolis | Google Ventures
Devin Harold
Design research leader with over 12 years of experience in the UX industry.
Formerly Director of Design Research for Financial Services at Capital One
Episode: Connecting research impact to business outcomes with Devin Harold | Ex-Capital One
Jehad Affoneh
Chief Design Officer at Toast with a background leading design and product teams at VMware and Splunk.
Toast
Episode: Becoming a customer-centric, experience-led organization with Jehad Affoneh | Toast
Hannah Anokye
Product innovation practitioner at Intuit with a background in product marketing and UX research, focusing on user-centered experiences.
Intuit
Episode: The role of qualitative research in product innovation with Hannah Anokye | Intuit
Nick Stiles
User researcher at IBM with a background in academic psychology.
IBM
Episode: Maximizing the potential of secondary research with Nick Stiles | IBM
Ravi Mehta
CEO of Outpace, active angel investor and advisor in consumer tech
Outpace
Episode: A framework for product decision-making with Ravi Mehta | Outpace
Reggie Murphy
Seasoned strategic research and insights leader with over 20 years of experience in technology, media, finance and healthcare
Zendesk
Episode: Scaling research through democratization with Reggie Murphy | Zendesk
Dave Hora
Founder of Dave's Research Co. helping product leaders launch new product lines.
Dave's Research Co.
Episode: The evolution of user research with Dave Hora | Dave’s Research Co.

Host

Ash Oliver
Host of The Optimal Path and UX Research Advocate at Maze.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#152
Brazil/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Fostering a culture of organizational learning with Roy Opata Olende | Zapier
Q: What is the link between research and the importance of research on business impact?
Even if research is strong, if leadership is not engaged with it, they may not see its value, thus requiring constant communication of research's impact on decision-making.
Fostering a culture of organizational learning with Roy Opata Olende | Zapier
Q: What characteristics do you believe qualify an organization to be considered an organization that learns?
The characteristics depend on the growth stage of the company, with earlier stages showing more hunger for learning and adapting based on feedback compared to more established organizations.
Building research practices for community products with Amy Lima | Diversify Design
Q: What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?
I love city bus tours, those big red ones with all the tourists. They're actually lit!
Building research practices for community products with Amy Lima | Diversify Design
Q: What is the industry-related book that you've given or recommended the most?
Mismatched by Kat Holmes and Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O'Neill.
Building research practices for community products with Amy Lima | Diversify Design
Q: What is one thing you've done in your career that's helped you succeed that you think few others do?
Putting myself out there and sharing my story helped me build connections and opportunities.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Optimal Path

What is The Optimal Path about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Focusing on user research and its pivotal role in product decision-making, this podcast engages with industry experts to explore innovative approaches to understanding consumer needs. Each episode features discussions about decision-making frameworks, the integration of user feedback in product development, and real-world examples from leading organizations that successfully leverage research to inform their strategies. Notable themes include the balance between intuition and analytics, the importance of customer-centricity, and the democratization of research practices within organizations, offering listeners actionable insights to apply in their own work.

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Which podcasts are similar to The Optimal Path?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Optimal Path:

1. The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway

How many episodes of The Optimal Path are there?

The Optimal Path launched 4 years ago and published 37 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Optimal Path?

Recent guests on The Optimal Path include:

1. Dalia El-Shimy
2. Michael Margolis
3. Devin Harold
4. Jehad Affoneh
5. Hannah Anokye
6. Nick Stiles
7. Ravi Mehta
8. Reggie Murphy

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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