If you’re working in UX design (or thinking about it), you’ll want to stay up to date on the latest design trends and technological innovations. After all, you can’t grow and evolve in your career if you don’t learn new things.
One of the best ways to keep learning about UX is through podcasts. They’ll give you fresh perspectives and insights into the field, and inspire you in new and exciting ways.
It used to be difficult to find UX-related podcasts, but luckily, that’s no longer the case. In fact, there are so many podcasts out there, you may be a little daunted by all the options.
But don’t worry. We’ve compiled the top 10 podcasts for UX designers you should add to your playlist. Each one provides smart, substantive content that will help you expand your knowledge—be it on specialized topics like UX writing or user research, or general tips and advice to improve your UX practice. Take a look at our summary of each one to find the shows that speak to you the most.
These are the top 10 UX podcasts we recommend:
- UX Podcast
- User Defenders
- Wireframe
- UI Breakfast
- The NN/g UX Podcast
- Honest UX Talks
- Awkward Silences
- Writers in Tech
- Revision Path
- 99% Invisible
1. UX Podcast
Launched in 2011 and with 300 episodes and counting, UX Podcast is one of the longest running shows dedicated to all things user experience design. But hosts Per Axbom and James Royal-Lawson aren’t just interested in delving into various UX topics; their desire is to break down silos within the industry by “balancing business, technology, people, and society within the realm of digital media” (per the UX Podcast website).
Episodes fall into one of four categories: event shows take place at events like conferences, meetups, and workshops where the hosts interview speakers and attendees; link shows in which the hosts discuss articles about specific design topics that have captured their interest; topic shows where the hosts dig into a specific topic, such as paper prototypes or imposter syndrome; and guest shows, which feature interviews with people who have specific expertise in the field. No matter what kind of episode you choose to listen to, though, each one includes plenty of insights and knowledge sprinkled with a healthy dose of humor, making UX Podcast a great entry point into the wide world of UX podcasts.
Duration of episodes: approximately 30-40 minutes
Releases new episodes: every other week
2. User Defenders Podcast
This fun podcast uses the metaphor of superheroes to explore the ins and outs of UX design. Through in-depth interviews with leaders in the field with expertise in everything from accessibility to psychology to productivity, host Jason Ogle, a long-time HCI practitioner, emphasizes the power of empathy and the need for a human touch in user experience.
In each episode, guests share fascinating stories, describe their design superpowers and kryptonite, and provide advice that will make you a better, more enlightened UX designer. Ogle hit pause on User Defenders in 2022, but says he will revisit the decision in 2023. In the meantime, there are 80 episodes in the archives to check out.
Duration of episodes: approximately 1 to 2 hours
Releases new episodes: production is currently paused
3. Wireframe
This entertaining podcast produced by Adobe covers a wide range of interesting and unexpected UX and UI design topics. Hosted by designer Khoi Vinh, the podcast releases a season of approximately seven episodes a year, and with episodes averaging a concise 25 minutes, it’s a great option if your time is limited. While that means episodes can’t dive too deeply, the podcast casts such a wide net—with topics as varied as designing elections and whether apps can really help users relax—that it’s sure to satisfy anyone itching to learn something new and unique about design.
In Wireframe’s most recent season, each episode pairs a small business owner who needs design help with a designer who offers advice to tackle their specific problem, leading to a series of compelling narratives full of actionable ideas you might find useful in your own UX practice.
Duration of episodes: approximately 20-30 minutes
Releases new episodes: several episodes are released each year
4. UI Breakfast
UI Breakfast, which was launched in 2013 and has released over 250 episodes, is an interview-style podcast that focuses on UI and UX industry experts. The show covers fascinating topics ranging from deep dives into specific tools and skills like Google analytics or content curation, to overviews of more general subjects like the laws of creativity and introducing fun into your work.
No matter the focus of each episode, host Jane Portman emphasizes practical advice that designers can put to use in their work right away, making each episode a source of great tips and advice.
Duration of Episodes: approximately 30-50 minutes
Releases new episodes: weekly
5. The NN/g UX Podcast
Nielsen Norman Group is a thought leader in the world of UX, so their podcast is a way to soak up the insights they put into action in their design projects every day. Hosted by senior UX specialist Therese Fessenden, every episode of The NN/g UX Podcast features a conversation with another UX professional, many from Nielsen Norman Group. Topics span all things UX, including cutting edge developments in the field, best practices, and advancing your UX career. Recent episodes of interest include “UX, Big Data, and Artificial Intelligence,” “What Makes a ‘Good’ UX Professional,” and “Presenting UX Work in a Compelling Way.”
Duration of episodes: approximately 30-50 minutes
Releases new episodes: once a month
6. Honest UX Talks
If you’re looking for a podcast about the challenges and triumphs of a career in UX, either because you’re a UX student, a new designer just starting in the field, or a seasoned pro looking for someone to relate to, check out Honest UX Talks. In this substantive but relaxed show, hosts Anfisa Bogomolova and Ioana Teleanu candidly discuss the day-to-day reality of working in UX, including topics such as horror design work experiences, why you’re not getting interviews for UX jobs, and freelancing as a UX designer. Basically, Honest UX Talks provides answers to all your burning questions about the UX profession that you may have felt too awkward to ask.
Duration of episodes: approximately 30-50 minutes
Releases new episodes: 1 to 4 times per month
7. Awkward Silences
This aptly named podcast is for user researchers or anyone with an interest in user research. Awkward Silences is a specialized interview show that examines various aspects of user research and qualitative data. Hosted by Erin May and John Henry Forster, two VPs at the user research company User Interviews, each episode features experts who’ve been there and dealt with that—speaking to the many concerns user researchers grapple with on a regular basis. For example, some of the most recent episodes explore gender, religion, and politics in UX research, managing user research incentives, and showing respect to users through ethical design and research.
Duration of episodes: approximately 20-50 minutes
Releases new episodes: 2 to 3 times per month
8. Writers in Tech
Writers in Tech is a fountain of information for anyone interested in UX writing, with episodes full of great tips and tricks of the trade. Hosted by Yuval Keshtcher, the founder of UX Writing Hub, this specialized podcast revolves around interviews with UX writers, content strategists, and content designers from companies like HelloFresh, Rocket Mortgage, and Intuit who tell revealing stories about their experiences in the field and discuss the UX writing trends they’re seeing. With almost 100 episodes on everything from building a UX writing career to improving your abilities as a UX writer, Writers in Tech is a great resource for anyone involved or interested in UX writing.
Duration of episodes: approximately 30-50 minutes
Releases new episodes: 1 to 4 times per month
9. Revision Path
The award-winning Revision Path is a showcase for Black designers, developers, and creatives from around the world. Each episode features an in-depth interview with a single individual, with host Maurice Cherry asking about their work and what inspires them. Launched in 2013, the podcast boasts almost 500 interviews with people in fields as varied as game design, animation, illustration, and software development.
While Revision Path includes plenty of interviews with UX designers — including Senior UX designer Tiffany Stewart in Episode 477 and Yao Adanto, a UX researcher at Bolt in Episode 459 — almost every episode includes some nuggets of inspiration regarding design and creativity while shining a light on the stories of designers and developers of color. In fact, Revision Path was the first podcast to be included in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Duration of episodes: approximately 60 minutes
Releases new episodes: weekly
10. 99% Invisible
Created and hosted by Roman Mars, who was named one of the 100 most creative people by Fast Company in 2013, 99% Invisible started about a decade ago in Mars’ bedroom and has since grown into an extremely popular podcast with dedicated listeners all over the world.
And it’s easy to understand why. Each slickly produced episode focuses on some aspect of design or architecture that normally goes unnoticed but actually plays a big role in shaping our world. Though the podcast isn’t specifically about UX design, UX designers are likely to find inspiration in its discussions of the detailed decisions designers and architects make no matter what they’re creating.
Duration of episodes: 30 to 50 minutes
Releases new episodes: weekly
No matter where you are in your UX design career or what you want to learn, there’s a UX podcast out there for you. The options above are a great place to start if you want to keep up with all the latest tools and trends in UX design and continue to develop as a UX professional.
Want more UX content? Check out these 8 must-read UX design books.
