Today, our special guest is Abby Covert, Chief Sensemaker at the Sensemaker Club. Join Brendan as he interviews Abby, an information architect, author, and community leader in UX design. Abby shares insights into her work in UX design, the importance of customer feedback, and her journey as an author. They discuss topics such as misdiagnosis, neurodivergent experiences, the evolution of information architecture, ethical responsibility in tech, and effective communication through diagrams. Take advantage of this insightful and thought-provoking conversation.

Highlights include:

• 0:00 - Introduction and Abby's Accomplishments
• 3:17 - Abby's Experience of Buying a House
• 6:45 - Abby's Book "How to Make Sense of Any Mess"
• 13:01 - Friendship with Christina Wodtke
• 16:56 - Abby’s Work and Life OKRs
• 20:45 - Decision to Become a "Digital Recluse"
• 26:10 - Experience of Being Diagnosed with ADHD
• 37:56 - Abby's Journey in Information Architecture (IA)
• 44:28 - Challenges in Promoting Ethical Responsibility in UX Design

Who is Abby Covert

Abby Covert is an information architect, writer, and community organizer with two decades of experience helping people make sense of messes. In addition to being an active mentor to those new to sensemaking, she has also served the design community as President of the Information Architecture Institute, co-chair of the Information Architecture Summit, and Executive Producer of the I.D.E.A Conference.

Abby is a founding faculty member of the School of Visual Arts’ Products of Design graduate program. She also managed the team that helped Rosenfeld Media start the Design Operations Summit and Advancing Research Conference. Her most proud achievement is coming up with the idea for World Information Architecture Day, which brings accessibly priced education to thousands in their local communities annually.

Abby has written two books for her students. In 2014, she published How to Make Sense of Any Mess, a book to teach IA to everybody. In 2022, she released her much-anticipated follow-up, Stuck? Diagrams Help. She currently spends her time making things that help you make the unclear clear, many of which she makes available for free on her website, abbycovert.com or at accessible price points in her popular Etsy shop, AbbytheIA.

Find Abby Here

• Abby Covert on LinkedIn
• Sensemaker Club on LinkedIn
• Sensemaker Club Website
• Abby Covert’s Book How to Make Sense of Any Mess

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Brendan Jarvis hosts the Show, and you can find him here:

• Brendan Jarvis on LinkedIn
• The Space InBetween Website

Today, our special guest is Whitney Hess, Founder and Executive Coach of Vicarious Partners Inc. We discuss the power of bravery, vulnerability, and personal growth. Discover how to overcome fear, cultivate self-awareness, and embrace failure as a stepping stone toward success. With practical tips and inspiring stories, this podcast is a must-listen for anyone looking to live a more courageous and purposeful life.

Highlights include:

• 0:00-4:25 - Whitney discusses her perspective on failure
• 04:26-8:17 - Whitney shares her backstory, including living on a sailboat
• 08:18-14:03 - The importance of being present and fully engaged with clients
• 14:04-19:48 - A closer look at the power dynamics in coaching relationships
• 19:49-24:12 - Whitney shares a personal anecdote
• 24:13-29:45 - More on coaching, UX, and the challenges facing the field
• 29:46-33:58 - Whitney’s perspective on the risks of pursuing the management track
• 33:59-38:20 - Coaching dynamics and the importance of an opt-in relationship
• 43:03-46:26 - Brendan and Whitney highlight the importance of self-reflection

Who is Whitney Hess

Whitney Hess is a coach, writer, and designer on a mission to put humanity back into business. She believes empathy builds empires, and she helps progressive, creative leaders design their careers and accelerate their missions. Her techniques help people gain self-awareness, identify blind spots, navigate obstacles, and bring their whole selves to their work.

Whitney has been a user experience (UX) consultant for over a decade, hired to make technology easier and more pleasurable. She has been recognized for her work with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Foundation Center, Seamless, Boxee, and WNYC. She is named as a co-inventor on a U.S. patent with American Express.

Whitney is a two-time Carnegie Mellon University graduate with a Master’s in Human-Computer Interaction and a Bachelor’s in Professional Writing and HCI. She is a Certified Integral Coach through New Ventures West and a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation. She writes on her blog Pleasure & Pain, co-hosts the podcast Designing Yourself, and speaks at conferences and corporations worldwide.

Find Whitney Here:

• Whitney Hess on LinkedIn
• Whitney Hess Website
• Whitney Hess Blog
• Vicarious Partners Inc. on LinkedIn
• Whitney Hess Email

Subscribe to Brave UX

Like what you heard and want to hear more? Subscribe and support the show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen).

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Follow us on our other social channels for more great Brave UX content!

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Brendan Jarvis hosts the Show, and you can find him here:

• Brendan Jarvis on LinkedIn
• The Space InBetween Website

Today, our special guest is Doreen Lorenzo, Assistant Dean at the University of Texas School of Design and Creative Technology. Doreen discusses the challenges and opportunities in the design industry and shares her insights as a design leader while emphasizing the importance of training and skill development. They also explore her journey from Frog Design to the University of Texas and her passion for education and diversity in design.

Highlights include:

• 03:15 - Introduction and Doreen's background
• 10:52 - Doreen’s decision to pursue a career in design
• 15:50 - Challenges of managing a large design firm
• 24:59 - Benefits of promoting diversity in the design industry
• 26:39 - Importance of confidence in design
• 31:29 - Doreen's Journey from Frog to the University of Texas
• 44:04 - Doreen’s leadership philosophy and balancing profitability with risk-taking

Who is Doreen Lorenzo

Doreen Lorenzo is a successful leader of global creative firms who advises and consults with companies from Fortune 100 to startups on design and innovation issues. The former president of the global design firms Frog and Quirky, she is now the Assistant Dean in the School of Design and Creative Technology at the University of Texas, a co-founder of the mobile video insights firm Vidlet, a board member and advisor of several startups, and a columnist for Fast Company Co.Design.

A recognized thought leader on business and design issues, she speaks publicly about her signature leadership style and the power of empathy to drive business results. Most recently, Texas Monthly named Doreen one of the 15 innovators reshaping Texas, a testament to her innovative leadership approach.

Doreen is an ardent believer in the advantages of “soft skills” like empathy and humor in business. She speaks at industry conferences, at private events, and to the media about her experience using these often overlooked skills to understand and motivate creative people. A driven and successful woman in a male-dominated industry, Doreen also speaks about women in leadership and coaches aspiring women leaders to help them find their own paths to success.

Find Doreen Here

• Doreen Lorenzo on LinkedIn
• University of Texas School of Design and Creative Technology Website
• Quirky Website
• Doreen’s personal Website

Subscribe to Brave UX

Like what you heard and want to hear more? Subscribe and support the show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen).

• Apple Podcast
• Spotify
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Follow us on our other social channels for more great Brave UX content!

• LinkedIn
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The Show is hosted by Brendan Jarvis, and you can find him here:

• Brendan Jarvis on LinkedIn
• The Space InBetween Website