Finding Our Way

Jesse James Garrett and Peter Merholz
  • 5.0 (10)
  • DESIGN
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

UX design pioneers and Adaptive Path co-founders Peter Merholz and Jesse James Garrett discuss the evolving challenges and opportunities for design leaders.

  1. 28 FEB

    LIMINAL—2: Liminal Mindset, Skillset, and Leadership

    When the ground is shifting and the destination isn't clear, how do you lead? Peter and Jesse explore the mindset and skills required to navigate the liminal moment—when old ways have dissolved but new ones haven't taken shape. From core mindsets of maintaining situational awareness and striving for balance, to core skills around communication, persuasion and connection to build lifelines, this is a conversation about what it actually takes to lead through uncertainty.

    46 min

  2. 22 FEB

    LIMINAL—1: The Liminal Moment

    When the old ways no longer hold and the new hasn't taken shape, you're in a liminal moment. Peter and Jesse explore what it means to lead through that in-between space—navigating uncertainty without retreating to the past, letting go of what defined you, and finding opportunity in the chaos rather than being consumed by it.

    48 min

  3. 3 FEB

    65: Design—Stuck in the Middle with AI (ft. Christina Wodtke)

    Stanford professor Christina Wodtke joins Peter and Jesse in exploring the real contradictions of AI in design and product work: revolutionary prototyping speed versus the need for critical thinking, efficiency gains versus cognitive loss, and loving the technology while hating the exploitative companies building it. She shares exactly what designers and PMs must vigilantly protect.

    54 min

  4. 24 JAN

    64: The State of Design Orgs—Growth Paths, Quality Standards, and Empowerment Gaps

    Peter and Jesse discuss findings from Peter's survey of 750 UX pracitioners on organizational health. Designers feel good about their work but struggle with quality standards, staffing, and career growth. Senior practitioners are the unhealthiest group. Reporting structure predicts team health. Consulting teams outperform in-house teams, where visionary design capabilities have atrophied and empowerment remains elusive.

    48 min

  5. 01/11/2025

    63: AI Means Product Needs UX More than Ever (ft. Christian Crumlish)

    Product leader, author, and civic tech veteran Christian Crumlish joins Peter and Jesse to discuss his transition from UX to product management and his experimental AI product manager, Piper Morgan. The conversation explores how product and design roles can be natural allies rather than adversaries, where AI truly adds value versus hype, and how practitioners can thoughtfully adopt new tools while staying grounded in fundamental UX principles and maintaining agency over their practice.

    1 hr

  6. 14/09/2025

    62: Design as Differentiator in a World of AI (ft. Andrew Hogan)

    Figma's Head of Insights Andrew Hogan joins Peter and Jesse to explore emerging trends in design practice as AI transforms creative workflows. The conversation examines how role boundaries are blurring across product teams, where AI delivers real value versus hype, and design's growing opportunity to lead strategic orchestration in increasingly complex digital experiences.

    48 min

  7. 09/08/2025

    61: The Paradoxes of Product Discovery (ft. Teresa Torres)

    Product Discovery coach, teacher, and author Teresa Torres joins Peter and Jesse to explore the messy reality of organizational change and cross-functional collaboration. She discusses why external coaching has limits, how individual contributors can drive change within resistant systems, and what the rise of AI means for blurring roles between product, design, and engineering teams.

    48 min

  8. 29/06/2025

    60: Making the World– Design Education and Social Change (ft. Lesley-Ann Noel, PhD)

    Dr. Lesley-Ann Noel, Dean of Design at OCAD, joins Jesse and Peter to discuss her global journey from Trinidad to Toronto, leading design education through relationships over craft, preparing students for social change, and her vision for decolonizing design while navigating the tension between academic values and industry demands.

    54 min
See All (67)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

UX design pioneers and Adaptive Path co-founders Peter Merholz and Jesse James Garrett discuss the evolving challenges and opportunities for design leaders.

Information

  • Creator
    Jesse James Garrett and Peter Merholz
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    67
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2020-2026 Peter Merholz and Jesse James Garrett
  • Show Website
    Finding Our Way

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