July 1, 2025

What makes a voice assistant feel trustworthy—or unsettling? In this episode of Almost Human, we dive into the rapid rise of AI avatars and voice tools reshaping healthcare, education, and everyday life. From privacy fears to the uncanny valley, we explore the subtle psychology behind adoption, the surprising impact on clinical burnout, and why designing almost human might be better than going all the way.

June 26, 2025

The audio discusses the growing impact of AI in the workplace, emphasizing how it's transforming job roles and requiring new skill sets. It highlights the need for adaptability as AI becomes more integrated into daily workflows.

June 24, 2025

Large language models can exhibit sophisticated behaviors such as multi-step reasoning and forward planning, but may also demonstrate limitations in logical step execution and harbor hidden motivations. Understanding the internal mechanisms of these models is crucial for identifying both their capabilities and vulnerabilities.

June 20, 2025

Real users react to a new interface—what clicks, what confuses, and what it means for better design.

June 14, 2025

A strong problem statement should first clearly identify a gap or a pain point that exists. Second, it needs to explain the context—the when, where, what of that gap.

June 6, 2025

Storyboards help teams align around user needs, visualize workflows, and prioritize features. They make abstract ideas tangible and encourage collaboration by visualizing user context and intent.

May 30, 2025

A good wiki is like a well-organized library—intuitive, accessible, and evolving with the team. In this conversation, we explore why some team wikis thrive while others collect digital dust. From structure and ownership to culture and usability, we break down what makes a living knowledge hub actually work—and how your team can start small and build habits that last.

May 23, 2025

User interviews are a crucial tool for UX and product design teams as they reveal the human aspect of product usage. Unlike analytics or surveys, interviews provide rich qualitative insights into the stories, emotions, and context behind users’ actions.

May 16, 2025

Personas are vital to user-centered design, helping teams focus on user needs throughout the product lifecycle. Beginning with proto-personas allows for initial alignment and hypothesis creation about users, which can then be refined through research into validated personas. Personas ensure that design decisions are grounded in user insights rather than personal assumptions

May 9, 2025

Strategies for building and optimizing effective engineering teams, emphasizing the importance of fostering innovation through trust, collaboration, and continuous learning.

May 1, 2025

In this episode, we explore how generative AI startups in high-stakes industries—like healthcare, cybersecurity, and national security—are using human-centered design to build products that people actually trust and use. From shadowing doctors to co-designing with analysts and running 'Wizard of Oz' tests, we dive into the methods that help founders avoid building tech that misses the mark—and instead create AI that fits into real-world workflows and critical decisions.

April 25, 2025

Usability isn’t just about making things easy—it’s the gateway to trust, especially when lives or livelihoods are at stake. Whether it’s a doctor relying on AI for a diagnosis or a trader evaluating investment suggestions, trust hinges on more than just accuracy. It’s about transparency, thoughtful design, and giving users just enough control. And maybe the hardest part? Designing systems that not only show their strengths, but are honest about their weaknesses too.