What happens when a cognitive psychologist turned UX researcher brings a critical eye to AI? Dr. Llewyn Paine shares her unique perspective at the intersection of emerging technology and user research. With experience spanning neuromarketing, 3D television, and mixed reality, Llewyn has seen the hype cycles come and go—and learned to spot the gap b…

Tough conversations can feel like real-life horror stories—but they don’t have to. In We Need to Talk: A Survival Guide for Tough Conversations, Joshua Graves offers a practical, psychologically grounded toolkit for navigating conflict with clarity and courage. Drawing on insights from neuroscience, psychology, and his own lived experience, Graves …

Jake Burghardt - Stop Wasting Research by The Rosenfeld Review Podcast (Rosenfeld Media)By The Rosenfeld Review Podcast (Rosenfeld Media)

In this episode we revisit a conversation with Julie Fast, author of Getting It Done When You’re Depressed: 50 Strategies to Help You Achieve Productivity Even with Depression, Anxiety, or ADHD. She shares her expertise on how to overcome productivity barriers caused by mental health struggles. Julie, who has lived with bipolar disorder, depression…

In this episode, Sara Sherman, author of Resonant Minds: The Transformative Power of Music, joins the show to discuss the powerful and often underestimated role of music in our lives. Sara, a classical musician and educator, explores how music can not only enhance our emotional well-being but also improve focus, productivity, and social connections…

In this episode, Anne-Laure Le Cunff, author of Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World, joins the show to discuss her experimental approach to goal-setting and personal growth. Anne-Laure, a neuroscience enthusiast and founder of Ness Labs, explores how shifting from traditional goal-setting to small, iterative experiments ca…

In this episode, Madelin Mann, author of Reverse the Search: How to Turn Job Seeking into Job Shopping, joins the show to share her expert advice on transforming the traditional job search process. With years of experience in HR and recruiting, Madelin provides valuable insights into how to stand out in today’s competitive job market by shifting fr…

In this episode, Ximena Vengeochea, author of The Life Audit: A Step-by-Step Guide to Discovering Your Goals and Building the Life You Want, shares her approach to re-evaluating life’s priorities and making intentional changes. Ximena, a former LinkedIn leader, uses her background in user research to help others take a fresh, introspective approach…

In this episode, Elizabeth Lotardo, author of Leading Yourself: Finding More Joy, Meaning, and Opportunities in the Job You Already Have, shares her insights on how to find purpose and fulfillment in your current job. Drawing on her background as an organizational psychologist, Elizabeth explores how shifting your mindset can help you thrive at wor…

In this episode, Andrew Brodsky, author of Ping: The Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication, explores how virtual communication can be improved for both productivity and relationship-building. Andrew, a professor at the University of Texas and expert on virtual communication, discusses his research and personal journey in understanding how we …

What happens when two brilliant minds from the world of information architecture team up to create a podcast that’s part leadership playbook, part intellectual high-wire act? That’s exactly what Harry Max and Jorge Arango set out to explore with their new podcast, Traction Heroes. Lou Rosenfeld chats with two and learns how they envision their proj…

In this episode, we welcome Jenny Wood, a former Google executive, founder of Own Your Career, and author of Wild Courage: Go After What You Want and Get It. Jenny shares powerful insights into overcoming fear, taking bold risks, and navigating personal and professional growth with courage. In this conversation, we explore: The Courage to Overcome …

I’m excited to welcome Oliver Burkeman back to the show to discuss his new book, Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts. You can find his previous conversation on the show here. Oliver is a journalist and author best known for 4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. His latest book offers a p…

I’m excited revisit this conversation with Ximena Vengoechea to the show to discuss her book, Listen Like You Mean It: Reclaiming the Lost Art of True Connection. Ximena is a user researcher, author, and expert in communication and active listening. Her book explores how we can deepen our conversations, overcome common listening mistakes, and foste…

I’m excited to welcome Michaela Alexis to the show to discuss her new book, No Fear Networking: A Guide to Building Connections for the Socially Anxious Professional. Michaela is a keynote speaker, LinkedIn expert, and networking coach who helps professionals overcome social anxiety and build meaningful connections in their careers. In this convers…

Why do so many organizations struggle to learn and evolve? Robin Beers, an organizational psychologist and founder of Ubuntu Culture Company, argues that businesses have been stuck in a transactional mindset—hoarding knowledge rather than embracing it as a dynamic, social process. In this conversation, she explains why researchers must shift from s…

I’m excited to welcome Mo Hamzian to the show to discuss the future of workspaces and how to optimize environments for focus, productivity, and well-being. Mo is an entrepreneur, real estate expert, and the co-founder of VEL, a company dedicated to redefining workspaces for the modern workforce. In this conversation, we cover: The Evolution of Work…

I’m excited to welcome Duncan Wardle to the show to discuss his new book, The Imagination Emporium: The Creative Tools to Change the Way You Think. Duncan is a former Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney, a global speaker, and an expert in unlocking human imagination. His book presents practical tools for breaking free from conventional thin…

What happens when an academic researcher trades a university lab for the fast-paced world of tech? Katie Hansen, Senior UX Research Manager at Thumbtack, shares her journey from studying unconscious bias at Princeton to leading research at companies like Etsy, Instagram, and Facebook. She breaks down the challenges of transitioning from academia—wh…

I’m excited to welcome Debra Eckerling to the show to discuss her new book, 52 Secrets for Goal Setting and Goal Getting: How to Stay Focused, Grow Your Network, and Get More Done in Less Time. Debra is a goal-setting expert, author, and the creator of the DEB Method, which helps individuals and organizations define, plan, and achieve their goals. …

This week, I’m excited to welcome Tyler Moore, also known as Tidy Dad, to the show to discuss his new book, Tidy Up Your Life: Rethinking How to Organize, Declutter, and Make Space for What Matters. Tyler is a teacher, writer, and advocate for creating intentional, organized spaces that support well-being. Through his Tidy Dad brand, he shares prac…

I’m excited to welcome Dr. Mithu Storoni to the show to discuss her new book, Hyperefficient: Optimize Your Brain to Transform the Way You Work. Dr. Storoni is a physician, researcher, and expert in neuroscience and performance optimization. Her latest book challenges conventional productivity methods and introduces a brain-based approach to workin…

This week, I’m excited to welcome Ben Orlin to the show to discuss his new book, Math for English Majors: A Human Take on the Universal Language. Ben is a math educator, writer, and the creator of Math with Bad Drawings, a blog and book series that makes math more accessible, humorous, and relatable. His latest book approaches mathematics as a lang…

Failure is often seen as something to avoid, but Dan Ward sees it as a gateway to innovation. Dan is a military technologist, author, USAF veteran, and innovation catalyst at MITRE Corporation, and he and Lou talk about the profound lessons failure can teach. Drawing from his book LIFT: Innovation Lessons From Flying Machines That ALMOST Worked and…

I’m excited to welcome back Ian Morgan Cron to the show to discuss his new book, The Fix: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the Well-Adjusted, the Down-and-Out, and Everyone In Between. Ian is a bestselling author, psychotherapist, Enneagram expert, and host of the Typology podcast. His latest book explores how the …

This week, I’m excited to welcome back Melissa Urban to the show to discuss her new book, The New Whole30: A Fresh Approach to Food and Life. Melissa Urban is the co-creator and CEO of the Whole30 program, a New York Times bestselling author, and a respected voice in the wellness community. Her new book reintroduces the Whole30 program with updates…

What keeps you up at night? For Brandon Schauer, it was climate change. In a stroke of genius, the former CEO of Adaptive Path decided to look for a role that would help him address his concerns about our planet. He ultimately transitioned to his current role as Senior Vice President of Climate Culture at Rare. Brandon has a big heart, and it can b…

This week, I’m thrilled to welcome back Dr. Michael Breus to the show to discuss his new book, Sleep, Drink, Breathe: Simple Daily Habits for Long-Term Health. Dr. Breus, also known as “The Sleep Doctor,” is a clinical psychologist, board-certified sleep specialist, and a bestselling author. Known for making complex health topics approachable, his …

Imagine transforming a forgotten, dark space beneath one of New York’s most iconic landmarks into a vibrant community hub—this is the ambitious vision behind Gotham Park. Facilitating the vision and creation of the space beneath the Brooklyn Bridge is Lou’s guest, Rosa Chang. She shares her dream of transforming the neglected nine-acre area into a …

In this final episode, I reflect on things I learned by producing the show. See full show notes at: https://theinformed.life/2024/12/29/episode-156-epilogue/ Photo by Diego Jimenez on Unsplash.By Jorge Arango

This week we are joined by productivity expert Mike Vardy for Parton of a two part series on the A to Z of Productivity. Mike's experience spans years and includes authoring books, creating courses, and hosting his own podcast, "A Productive Conversation." He's a seasoned productivity strategist known for his unique approach to time management and …

Peter Morville is a pioneer of information architecture. He co-authored Information Architecture for the World-Wide Web, the classic O’Reilly “polar bear” book on the subject. In our previous conversation, I interviewed Peter about a big change in his life. In this interview, we turn the tables: he interviews me about a big change to this show. See…

Just as a rock climber meticulously checks their gear and follows strict safety protocols to navigate treacherous heights, security UX professionals must also anticipate risks and design safeguards to ensure a smooth and safe journey for users in a digital landscape. In Lou’s interview with Heidi Trost, author of Human-Centered Security: How to Des…

This week I welcome back Kendra Adachi to the show to talk about her new book The PLAN: Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius. Kendra Adachi is one part systems expert, and one part permission giver. As The Lazy Genius, she aims to help you be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't. She is the host of The Lazy Geni…

Peter Morville is a pioneer of information architecture. He co-authored Information Architecture for the World-Wide Web, the classic O’Reilly “polar bear” book on the subject. This is Peter’s third appearance on the show. I asked him back because I wanted to learn about his decision to retire from IA consulting. This is the first of two conversatio…

Imagine being the service design lead of a healthcare network of 88,000 patients. Your team consists of five people. Sounds daunting, doesn’t it? This is the work that Carol Massa does every day at Northwell Health, New York's largest healthcare network. She brings her wisdom and experience not only to this episode of the Rosenfeld Review, but to t…

Joe Natoli is a renowned UX design consultant, advisor, and educator. Now, he’s collaborated with Leah Buley on a new edition of her classic book, The User Experience Team of One. That is the subject of our conversation. See full show notes at: https://theinformed.life/2024/11/17/episode-153-joe-natoli/…

“Systems are very good at being resilient,” and “Systems are very good at dehumanizing,” are sentiments that anyone who has worked in organizational transformation or systems change can appreciate. Luke Roberts is the COO and co-founder of HighFive and a speaker at the upcoming Advancing Service Design Conference. As a self-proclaimed "systems prov…

This week, I'm revisiting a conversation with Gillian Tietz. Given the topic and the time of year, I felt it was the perfect moment to bring this discussion back to light. Gillian is a biochemist, educator, and entrepreneur who, after struggling with alcohol moderation, found productivity and success in sobriety. She is the host of the Sober Powere…

Andy Budd co-founded pioneering UX design agency Clearleft. After leading and growing that company, he became an advisor, VC, and coach. He’s now written a book on how early stage startups can benefit from good design. That is the focus of our conversation. See full show notes: https://theinformed.life/2024/11/03/episode-152-andy-budd/…

“I’ve been asking myself the question, ‘Why are you doing that?’ since I was about four,” says Amanda Woolley. As an organizational development (OD) consultant and facilitator, she seems to have found the right profession. Amanda began her career with NHS England, eventually becoming the System Leadership Development Senior Manager before working a…

Karen McGrane describes herself as a “UX multi-hyphenate”: information architect, content strategist, technical communicator, accessibility advocate, and more. She’s co-founder of Autogram, a content management and design system consultancy, and author of two classic books on content strategy. In this conversation, we focus on how AI might affect c…

What do music and DesignOps have in common? So much that Rachel Posman and John Calhoun use music as a framework for their new book, The Design Conductors: Your Essential Guide to Design Operations—the first book written about the subject. Both of the authors come from creative backgrounds (John as a musician, Rachel as a ballet dancer), and they d…

This week I was encouraged to welcome Carlos Whittaker to the show for an honest and compassionate talk about his latest book, "Reconnected: How 7 Screen-Free Weeks with Monks and Amish Farmers Helped Me Recover the Lost Art of Being Human." Carlos shares his transformative journey through living with monks and the Amish to understand different wor…

Scott Berkun is the bestselling author of nine books on design, innovation, remote work, and more. His most recent book, Why Design Is Hard, is the second of a pair on why design makes a difference and how designers can best go about it. That is the focus of today’s conversation. See full show notes at: https://theinformed.life/2024/10/06/episode-1…

This week I was so happy to welcome Jon Acuff back to the show to discuss his newest book, 'How Teens Win: The Student's Guide to Accomplishing Big Goals' for an insightful conversation about goal-setting, parenting, and supporting teenagers. This powerful new book which Jon co-authored with his two teenage daughters is a must read for parents, edu…

Tamsen Webster describes herself as “part message designer, part English-to-English translator, and part magpie.” She is also a consultant and author who helps leaders enact large-scale change. Her latest book, Say What They Can’t Unhear, explains how to drive lasting change through effective communication. That is the focus of our conversation. Se…

The best operating models for design orgs are mission-driven, evolving, and team-developed. Those criteria might seem daunting, but Daniel Orbach, Lou’s guest and a speaker at September’s DesignOps Summit, explains how he facilitates a dynamic culture of co-creating with his team at JP Morgan Chase. Daniel outlines his framework, one where the whol…

This week, I'm excited to revisit this conversation with Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst discussing their book, Workstyle: A revolution for well being, productivity and society. They coined the term nearly a decade ago during an inspired conversation at a pub. Little did they know that that conversation would lead them to co-found the multi-million pou…

Dr. Luc Beaudoin is the co-founder and CEO of CogSci Apps, the developers of a brilliant Mac productivity tool called Hookmark. He is also an adjunct professor at Simon Fraser University and author of two books on using cognitive science to improve productivity. In this conversation, we discuss the origins and philosophy of Hookmark, the concept of…