The Optimal Path Maze

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 cultures and experiences.

In this episode of The Optimal Path, Hannah Anokye joins host Ash Oliver to discuss her work on the Intuit Futures Team and the role of qualitative research in exploring emerging technologies, understanding users' needs, and identifying opportunities for new product developments.

Nick Stiles, User Researcher at IBM, discusses the power of secondary research, also known as desk research, in making informed decisions, and why it is the “unsung hero” of research.

Nick shares strategies for synthesizing secondary research findings into actionable insights for product teams and emphasizes the importance of storytelling and journalistic techniques in driving research impact.

In this episode of The Optimal Path, Ravi Mehta talks to Maze about connecting user research to product strategy and integrating effective product decision-making frameworks.

In this episode of The Optimal Path, Reggie Murphy joins host Ash Oliver to discuss how Zendesk scaled UX research, elevating the practice from a supporting function to a strategic partner to the business.

In this episode of The Optimal Path, Ash Oliver discusses the future of user research with expert Dave Hora. From his beginnings in research back in 2011 to his key roles at companies like Plangrid and Instacart, Dave has been at the forefront of driving innovation through research. Now, he's here to share his thoughts on what’s next for user research—discussing the growing demand for user insights, how to integrate research practices throughout the product lifecycle, and the opportunities of AI tools.