In this episode of 'Elevate Your UX Career,' Brittany Cates addresses the common frustration of UX research being ignored. Inspired by insights from the Utah Front Conference, Brittany shares actionable strategies to make your research more impactful. Key takeaways include embracing discomfort, valuing ambiguous insights, talking to unsatisfied users, presenting findings engagingly, and driving actionable outcomes. Tune in to learn how a mindset shift can elevate your UX career and ensure your work drives real change.

00:00 Introduction: Why Your UX Research Gets Ignored

00:14 Mindset Shift from Utah Front Conference

01:07 Connecting Beyond the Podcast

01:34 The Importance of Uncomfortable Insights

05:52 Engaging Stakeholders with Your Research

07:32 Driving Impact with Your Research

08:14 Recap and Final Thoughts

09:25 Conclusion and Call to Action

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Want to future-proof your UX career and grow into a confident, strategic leader?

In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, host Brittany Cates welcomes Cori Jones, a seasoned UX designer and team leader with nearly 30 years of experience in the design industry.

Cori shares timeless wisdom and fresh insight on what it really takes to build a meaningful and sustainable career in UX. From his early career to leading teams and mentoring designers, Cori emphasizes the importance of empathy, curiosity, and understanding business goals...the skills that truly set great designers apart.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to:

• Navigate your UX career with intention and adaptability

• Build trust through user research and team collaboration

• Develop authentic workplace relationships

• Stay grounded while embracing AI and evolving design tools

• Lead with empathy while aligning with business impact

Whether you’re feeling stuck or striving for the next level, Cori’s perspective will help you reconnect with the human side of UX, while also thinking strategically about where the field is headed.

💡 Subscribe to Brittany’s newsletter for more career guidance, personal stories, and expert advice to help you grow and thrive in UX: brittanycatesco.systeme.io/ux-email-list

Deadlines are tight, processes are messy, and your role as a UX designer feels overlooked. Sound familiar?

In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, I share what it’s like to navigate a new team, deal with frustration, and keep your confidence when UX isn’t prioritized. Real stories, honest struggles, and a few things I’m learning along the way.

Tune in and hear how to keep going without losing yourself.

💌 Sign up for my newsletter here: https://brittanycatesco.systeme.io/ux-email-list

Ever feel like your product manager just doesn’t “get” UX?

You’re advocating for users, pushing for research, and trying to make thoughtful design decisions… but your PM seems laser-focused on deadlines, features, and shipping fast. Frustrating, right?

In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, we’re diving into one of the biggest challenges mid-career UX designers face: working with PMs who don’t fully understand UX. I’ll share how to strengthen collaboration, increase your influence, and navigate tricky dynamics without drama or burnout.

We’ll also cover a real listener question in our Ask the Designer segment: What do you do if you keep getting passed over for promotions or leadership opportunities, even when your manager says you’re doing great work?

If you’ve ever felt dismissed, misunderstood, or like your UX voice isn’t being heard on your team, or if you’re ready to step into more leadership and influence in your career, this episode is packed with strategies and insights to help you level up.

What does it really take to lead in UX and stay creative in the process?

In this episode of Elevate Your UX Career, host Brittany Cates sits down with JJ Riggs, a seasoned UX leader with an impressive background in design and brand management at companies like Purple Mattress, Divvy, and Bluehost.

JJ shares her journey from graphic designer to UX leader, offering real-world insight into the challenges and opportunities of navigating corporate environments as a creative professional. From building strong team cultures to communicating with stakeholders, JJ doesn’t hold back when it comes to what it really takes to lead with vision, strategy, and heart.

This episode is packed with value for mid-career UX designers looking to:

• Grow into leadership while staying true to their creative roots

• Foster strong design cultures and team collaboration

• Advocate for UX in business conversations

• Navigate job transitions and market changes

• Prepare for the future of UX in the age of AI

If you're feeling the tension between creativity and corporate demands or wondering what’s next in your UX career, this conversation is a must-listen.

✨ Subscribe to Brittany’s newsletter for more empowering content, practical tips, and career growth strategies tailored to UX professionals: brittanycatesco.systeme.io/ux-email-list

Ever get asked, “What’s the ROI of UX?” Or feel like your work is seen as a “nice to have” instead of a strategic driver of business value?

In this episode, I’m sharing a real moment from my product team that led to a tough but honest conversation about how companies evaluate the value of UX. We’ll talk about how to reframe UX work in business terms, how to advocate for improvements that don’t directly tie to revenue (but still matter), and how to position yourself as a strategic voice...no leadership title required.

You’ll learn:

• What to say when leadership questions the ROI of UX

• How to tie design work to business outcomes that matter

• Why internal pain points are worth solving too

• Practical ways to shift from “pixel pusher” to strategic partner

Whether you're tired of being looped in too late, or ready to step into more influence, this episode will give you tools to speak up and back it up.

💌 Subscribe to my weekly newsletter and get "The UX Influence Accelerator" freebie.

Sign up here

Have you been wondering what it really takes to get promoted to Senior UX Designer?

In this episode, I’m sharing the behind-the-scenes story of my own promotion, from the mindset shifts to the messy projects and cross-functional influence that made the biggest difference.

If you’re craving more ownership, impact, and recognition in your UX career, this is for you.

We’ll talk about what separates senior UX designers from mid-level roles, how to build trust across product teams, and why leadership in UX is about more than just design skills. No generic checklists here! Just honest insight from the real-world journey.

Have a question about your UX Career growth? Send me an email to brittanycatesco@gmail.com and maybe I'll answer it on the podcast!

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If you’re a UX designer trying to grow your influence, stand out in a competitive job market, or lead through change, then this one’s for you.

In this episode, I’m joined by Ben Peck, a design leader with nearly 20 years of experience. We dive into his career evolution from generalist to design leader, how he’s navigated change across startups and scaling companies, and what it takes to make an impact beyond your job title.

We also get into:

• Building design teams and leading through acquisitions
• How storytelling and research can help UX influence business strategy
• Practical tips for job seekers in a crowded UX market
• The importance of emotional design and user advocacy in B2B products
• Ben’s journey co-founding Product Hive and the Front Conference

Ben also shares an exclusive 30% discount for the upcoming Front Conference happening September 4-5, 2025. Stick around until the end to grab the code!

🔗 Connect with Ben on LinkedIn

💻 Register for the Front Conference here: https://www.frontutah.com/conference/registration

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