10:15

Ep. 60 Apr 13, 2025

Tent Talks Featuring: Tyler Quackenbush

From UX to PM—How the Transition Happened: Transitioned into project management organically when the former PM left—Tyler was already exploring Agile and had strong team relationships.Leaned into a design mindset to lead—asking questions, listening, finding patterns, and breaking down complexity.Learned the value of not needing all the answers—collaboration beats solo problem-solving.Project management, to him, is about creating conditions for great work, not controlling outcomes.Making Agile Work for Designers:Tyler’s team was already working in a design-forward agile way from the start, often encouraging devs to adopt more iterative practices, not the other way around.Practice of “sharing before we’re ready” allows for earlier feedback and keeps iteration alive.Involve design early—in sprint planning and backlog refinement—to avoid isolation.Work slightly ahead of development to maintain flow without sacrificing quality.Breaking Away from Waterfall:Made iteration non-negotiable by building habits like early sharing.Celebrated small wins instead of waiting for one big reveal.Iteration encourages shared ownership and cross-functional collaboration.Shifting from Waterfall isn’t a one-time change—it’s about consistent small practices that reinforce flexibility.Keeping Creativity Alive in Fast Iterations:Creativity isn’t the job of one person—it thrives when shared across the team.Feedback and spontaneous working sessions fuel idea generation.Non-designers bring fresh perspectives that enhance creative problem-solving.A culture of openness and collaboration keeps creativity from getting lost in speed.Design Mindset in PM Work:Leading like a designer means simplifying, listening, and focusing on clarity.Project management is about creating space for good work, not just managing timelines.Recognizing when complexity is self-imposed—and stepping back to clarify the real problem.Two core leadership principles: “share before we’re ready” and “everyone contributes to the solution.”Notable Quotes“I still think like a designer because I still am a designer.”“Project management is about creating the conditions for collaboration and momentum.”“Share before we’re ready—that vulnerability is a strength.”“Iteration isn’t a process change, it’s a mindset shift.”“Creativity doesn’t live in isolation—it thrives in transparency and collaboration.”“Everyone on the team, regardless of title, has a role in getting us to the right solution.”Reference MaterialsAgile methodologies (Scrum, sprint planning, backlog refinement)Design thinking principlesUX research and collaboration practices  About Tent TalksChicago Camps hosts irregularly scheduled Tent Talks with people from all across the User Experience Design community, and beyond. Who really likes limits, anyway--If it's a cool idea, we'd love to hear about it and share it!What is a Tent Talk? That's a great question, we'd love to tell you.Tent Talks are short-form in nature, generally lasting from 10-20 minutes (ish) in a recorded format--we like to think of them as "S'mores-sized content" because that's pretty on-brand. Tent Talks can be a presentation on a topic, a live Q&A session about the work we do, or the work around the work we do, or really just about anything--we don't want to limit ourselves, or you.You should send along an idea or topic of your own so we can learn from you, as well! You don't have to be a published author or a professional speaker on a circuit to be good at your job, so please, put yourself forward, and let's have some fun, talk, and share your experience with others! About The Feed & The ThreadThe Feed & The Thread is a daily summary of UX articles found in the industry and some light-touch updates from the UX Community found in online forums. It's brief, and meant as a light-touch overview of what's happening across UX. 

22:39

Ep. 59 Apr 5, 2025

Tent Talks Featuring: Heidi Trost

Session OverviewIn this Tent Talks session, Heidi Trost dives deep into the evolving relationship between AI, privacy, and the future of UX. She introduces a helpful mental model involving three key players in the cybersecurity ecosystem: Alice (the user), the threat actor (the adversary), and Charlie (the design of the system). Through this lens, Heidi explores how invisible interfaces and AI agents are shifting the landscape of privacy and security, often creating tension and confusion for users like Alice.Heidi emphasizes that while AI can enhance usability and offer powerful new capabilities, it also opens up major risks—especially when users are unaware of how their data is being used or what rights they have. She calls for UX designers to become advocates for Alice, learning enough about the underlying technology to design responsibly and communicate clearly. Throughout, she stresses the importance of trust, transparency, and cross-functional collaboration to build safer, more user-friendly systems.How do less visible interfaces change perceptions of privacy and security?Introduced a model with three roles: Alice (user), threat actor, and Charlie (system design).AI-powered tools like transcription at a doctor’s visit or smart glasses can provide value but also raise privacy concerns.Users often don’t know what rights they have or how their data is being used.Trust is key—users behave differently based on how much they trust the system, even when that trust is misplaced.Invisible interfaces make it harder to know when data is being collected, creating new security and ethical concerns.What are the biggest risks with AI agents acting on users’ behalf?AI agents can access email, financial accounts, and more—making life easier for users but also for threat actors.The broader the access, the bigger the attack surface.Onboarding and setup must balance ease of use with friction that promotes awareness.Advocates for “secure by default” settings—like Firefox’s built-in safe browsing—as best practice.Good UX needs to clearly explain choices and risks specific to users’ context, which security often fails to do.Can AI help users understand privacy, or does it create false security?Answer is both—it depends on how Charlie (system design) shows up.Currently, Charlie is like an annoying coworker who interrupts Alice with jargon and unclear warnings.AI has potential to become a helpful sidekick, like Daniel Miessler’s concept of a digital perimeter protector.Danger lies in over-reliance; users might trust AI too much and stop questioning or verifying.Advice for UX designers building AI-driven experiences:Learn the dynamics of Alice, Charlie, and threat actors—security is a constant game of reaction and adjustment.Understand enough about the tech to ask the right questions and push back on bad decisions.Don’t gather or store more data than needed—reduce risk at the source.Prepare for multimodal experiences: voice, gestures, facial expressions, and text.Communicate clearly what the system is doing and why, without overwhelming users.Make system limitations visible—users need to know what AI can and can’t do.Allow for reversibility: let users undo mistakes the AI makes.Embrace cross-functional collaboration—design alone can’t solve this, but it must lead the way.Notable Quotes“You can’t lose data that you don’t gather—or don’t keep.”“Charlie is the security UX—and UX people, you are in charge of Charlie.”“Trust changes how Alice behaves—even if the trust is misplaced.”“The holy grail is building in security and privacy so Alice doesn’t have to think about it.”“Help Charlie help Alice.”“The Venn diagram of engineering, design, security, law, and product—that’s where the magic happens.”Reference MaterialsHuman-Centered Security by Heidi TrostDaniel Miessler – Security researcher and writer (danielmiessler.com)Firefox – Example of secure defaults in UX design About Tent TalksChicago Camps hosts irregularly scheduled Tent Talks with people from all across the User Experience Design community, and beyond. Who really likes limits, anyway--If it's a cool idea, we'd love to hear about it and share it!What is a Tent Talk? That's a great question, we'd love to tell you.Tent Talks are short-form in nature, generally lasting from 10-20 minutes (ish) in a recorded format--we like to think of them as "S'mores-sized content" because that's pretty on-brand. Tent Talks can be a presentation on a topic, a live Q&A session about the work we do, or the work around the work we do, or really just about anything--we don't want to limit ourselves, or you.You should send along an idea or topic of your own so we can learn from you, as well! You don't have to be a published author or a professional speaker on a circuit to be good at your job, so please, put yourself forward, and let's have some fun, talk, and share your experience with others! About The Feed & The ThreadThe Feed & The Thread is a daily summary of UX articles found in the industry and some light-touch updates from the UX Community found in online forums. It's brief, and meant as a light-touch overview of what's happening across UX. 

31:52

Ep. 58 Mar 24, 2025

Tent Talks Featuring: Sabina Leybold

In this Tent Talks session, Sabina Leybold dives deep into the world of content modeling, illuminating its critical role in UX design and content strategy. Sabina, a hybrid UX designer and content strategist, unpacks the complexity behind structuring content within digital systems and why this often-overlooked discipline matters so much to user experience and operational scalability. She offers real-world examples, particularly from her agency work with web content and CMS implementation, to show how thoughtful content modeling supports better design, consistency, and reuse.Throughout the session, Sabina balances technical insights with thoughtful critiques—particularly around AI in content creation. She offers practical advice for UX professionals looking to bridge the gap between design and content strategy, advocating for better collaboration, more exposure to CMS environments, and a healthy respect for the behind-the-scenes work of structuring information for both users and editors.What is content modeling and why it matters to UX:• Content modeling defines and documents content structure, from high-level types and relationships to detailed CMS fields and attributes.• UX designers benefit from understanding content structures because design and content are tightly linked—good layout depends on knowing what will populate it.• A key driver of content modeling is enabling content reuse across platforms, saving time and creating more scalable, consistent systems.• Sabina argues that while visuals matter, content is the core of user experience—people return to sites for meaningful, quality content.Designing authoring experiences and structuring content in a CMS:• Sabina’s approach starts with discovery workshops—goals, tech stacks, IA reviews, and current vs. ideal states.• She uses concept models (e.g., Scott Kubie-style ecosystem maps) to define relationships in content systems.• Workshops refine CMS field structures—granular questions like character limits, required fields, free text vs. taxonomy.• Key considerations include source of content, structured reuse, hidden data (metadata, status, SEO), and translation needs.• Good content models account for technical constraints and editorial realities—designers benefit from understanding both.AI in content creation and authoring:• Sabina is skeptical of AI’s current role, especially in chatbots—often seen as a shortcut rather than part of a strong content strategy.• She argues that better content upfront might eliminate the need for AI-powered customer service.• AI tools are only as good as the content they’re trained on—bad inputs yield bad results.• There are some promising but nuanced uses, like AI-generated alt text or teaser copy, but risks of inaccuracy, bias, or generic outputs remain high.• Sabina supports AI for note-taking and low-stakes productivity tasks but warns against AI replacing the essential thinking that writing fosters.Common misconceptions about content reuse and scaling in design systems:• Reuse takes serious effort—granular breakdowns and political alignment, especially in large orgs like hospitals.• Not all content should be reusable; trying to force reuse can lead to unnecessary complexity.• Content reuse systems evolve—don’t try to build everything at once.• Effective reuse depends on clarity, consistency, and knowing what content works across contexts.• UX writers often attempt smart reuse through content strings tied to behavior, but this requires robust testing to get right.Advice for UX designers working with content strategists and CMS developers:• Always ask: “How will the author enter or control this content?” and “How can we make this easier to edit?”• Limit free text where possible; controlled vocabularies improve design and consistency.• Get hands-on with CMS platforms—test environments, screen shares, trainings help build empathy and understanding.• Ask to review content models and taxonomy work—showing interest in this often-invisible work builds stronger collaboration.• Partner closely with designers and strategists—connect CMS fields to visual components for better developer implementation.• Lastly, embrace a beginner’s mindset—UXers aren’t expected to know it all. Ask questions and learn as you go.Notable Quotes• “The content is everything.”• “Trying to do AI without structured content is like wanting to be a bodybuilder without lifting weights.”• “Designers should ask: how might the author have to enter this content?”• “Good systems allow for consistency, not just in the front end, but in how they’re managed on the back end.”• “So much of my work is spreadsheets and whiteboards—it’s invisible, but essential.”Reference Materials• Scott Kubie – Ecosystem Mapping and Concept Modeling approaches• Jobs to Be Done – Workshop framework• axe-con Talk on AI for Alt Text – Conference session on accessibility implications of AI• Contentful and Drupal – CMS platforms mentioned for content modeling• WordPress – CMS experience referenced• Miro – Tool used for collaborative modeling• JSON, APIs – Technologies referenced for content sourcing About Tent TalksChicago Camps hosts irregularly scheduled Tent Talks with people from all across the User Experience Design community, and beyond. Who really likes limits, anyway--If it's a cool idea, we'd love to hear about it and share it!What is a Tent Talk? That's a great question, we'd love to tell you.Tent Talks are short-form in nature, generally lasting from 10-20 minutes (ish) in a recorded format--we like to think of them as "S'mores-sized content" because that's pretty on-brand. Tent Talks can be a presentation on a topic, a live Q&A session about the work we do, or the work around the work we do, or really just about anything--we don't want to limit ourselves, or you.You should send along an idea or topic of your own so we can learn from you, as well! You don't have to be a published author or a professional speaker on a circuit to be good at your job, so please, put yourself forward, and let's have some fun, talk, and share your experience with others! About The Feed & The ThreadThe Feed & The Thread is a daily summary of UX articles found in the industry and some light-touch updates from the UX Community found in online forums. It's brief, and meant as a light-touch overview of what's happening across UX. 

16:29

Ep. 57 Mar 6, 2025

Tent Talks Featuring: Brett Harned

Where Should Leaders Focus to Improve Team Dynamics?• More with less: Teams are under pressure with fewer resources, leading many leaders to default to process changes.• Removing friction: Instead of adding more processes, reducing inefficiencies that slow teams down is key.• Clarity and autonomy: Alignment on practices and priorities, along with clear roles and expectations, improves efficiency.• Empowerment over micromanagement: Giving teams autonomy to make decisions enhances team effectiveness. How Do Teams Undermine Communication, Collaboration, and Culture? Communication Pitfalls:• Assuming clarity: Just because something was said doesn’t mean everyone understood it the same way.• Over-reliance on tools: Slack, email, and PM platforms don’t replace direct human conversation.• Avoiding feedback: Lack of check-ins and retrospectives leads to misalignment and bigger problems. Collaboration Pitfalls:• Unclear roles: If no one knows who owns what, collaboration becomes chaotic.• Department silos: Teams optimize for their department rather than shared goals, creating inefficiencies. Culture Pitfalls:• Avoiding hard conversations: Letting misalignment fester erodes trust.• Inconsistent leadership: Shifting leadership priorities lead to confusion and distrust.• Misaligned values: Culture isn’t what a company says it values, but what happens when no one is watching. What is Teamangle and How Does It Help Teams?• A flexible approach, not a rigid framework: Teamangle helps teams align on their own terms.• Focus areas: Communication, collaboration, and culture as key to team success.• Diagnostic tool: Identifies alignment and misalignment through team surveys.• Conversation Cards: Structured discussions to uncover gaps in teamwork.• Workshops & Playbooks: Practical resources to help teams implement long-term change.• Action-driven: Less about abstract insights, more about tangible improvements. How Can Leaders Boost Engagement in Tough Times?• Reinforce purpose: Teams stay engaged when they see the impact of their work.• Give teams more control: Micromanagement and shifting priorities lead to disengagement.• Create the right conditions: Engagement can’t be forced, but leaders can build an environment where it happens naturally. A Myth About Teamwork That Needs to Go• “A great team is like a family”: Brett strongly rejects this notion.• Work should be about respect, trust, and accountability—not forced intimacy.• Better analogy? A high-performing sports team: Clear roles, investment in success, and a shared commitment to growth.• “Your team doesn’t need a work family; they need clarity, trust, and space to do great work.” About Tent TalksChicago Camps hosts irregularly scheduled Tent Talks with people from all across the User Experience Design community, and beyond. Who really likes limits, anyway--If it's a cool idea, we'd love to hear about it and share it!What is a Tent Talk? That's a great question, we'd love to tell you.Tent Talks are short-form in nature, generally lasting from 10-20 minutes (ish) in a recorded format--we like to think of them as "S'mores-sized content" because that's pretty on-brand. Tent Talks can be a presentation on a topic, a live Q&A session about the work we do, or the work around the work we do, or really just about anything--we don't want to limit ourselves, or you.You should send along an idea or topic of your own so we can learn from you, as well! You don't have to be a published author or a professional speaker on a circuit to be good at your job, so please, put yourself forward, and let's have some fun, talk, and share your experience with others! About The Feed & The ThreadThe Feed & The Thread is a daily summary of UX articles found in the industry and some light-touch updates from the UX Community found in online forums. It's brief, and meant as a light-touch overview of what's happening across UX. 

14:54

Ep. 56 Feb 26, 2025

Tent Talks Featuring: Kara Fitzpatrick

In this Tent Talks session, Kara Fitzpatrick, former Director of Experience Design in the Obama White House, breaks down the essentials of mentorship—structured versus unstructured, common pitfalls, and the tools that make mentorship impactful. She shares personal experiences from government, corporate, and community-based mentorship, offering practical ways to create meaningful mentor-mentee relationships. Through thoughtful guidance, adaptable strategies, and an emphasis on trust, Kara provides a roadmap for professionals at any stage to engage in mentorship effectively. Structured vs. Unstructured Mentorship: Key Differences & Impact• Mentorship generally falls into three types: casual “coffee chat” mentorship, semi-structured engagements, and fully structured mentorships with defined goals.• A structured mentorship starts with a clear understanding of objectives, expectations, and a mutual agreement on what success looks like.• Setting clear goals from the beginning ensures both mentor and mentee gain value from the experience. Common Pitfalls in Mentorship & How to Avoid Them• Many mentorship relationships fail due to unspoken expectations and misunderstandings.• Setting expectations early—writing down goals, success measures, and ground rules—prevents miscommunication.• Open and flexible communication is key; mentors should create a space where mentees feel comfortable voicing concerns.• A midpoint check-in allows for adjustments, ensuring both parties stay aligned. Effective Tools & Practices for Mentorship• There’s no single correct mentorship framework; different approaches work for different people.• Simple tools like a shared Google Doc or Word Doc help track progress and keep both parties accountable.• Small, confidence-building assignments between meetings can help mentees grow without overwhelming them.• A mentorship should end with reflection—one mentee even created a six-slide PowerPoint highlighting growth, reinforcing the value of structured tracking.• Mentors should serve as professional hype people—pushing mentees forward without making them feel inadequate. Applying Mentorship Principles in Community & Social Impact Work• The most important principles in community mentorship: adaptability and meeting people where they are.• Mentors must respect different cultural and logistical realities—what works in corporate environments may not work for microentrepreneurs or under-resourced communities.• A humbling lesson from working with Indian microentrepreneurs: technology-based solutions don’t always fit the reality of power outages and paper-based record-keeping.• The key to effective mentorship in diverse environments is listening, understanding, and adapting mentorship methods to fit the mentee’s world. Mentorship’s Role in Career Growth & Navigating Pivots• Career paths aren’t always linear—mentorship helps individuals navigate unexpected opportunities and changes.• One of Kara’s mentors encouraged her to remain open to new paths, shaping her eclectic career spanning government, tech, and entertainment.• Flexibility is crucial; sometimes, the best opportunities are the ones you didn’t plan for.• Another mentor emphasized work-life balance: “Vacation time is all made up—take what you need.”• A key leadership lesson from Obama and Biden: “You can be kind and still get shit done.”• A mentor’s impact extends beyond one-on-one guidance—it includes advocating for mentees, ensuring they use resources like training budgets, and supporting their broader professional development. Notable Quotes• “If I’m going to invest my time in you and you’re going to invest your time in learning, we should both get something great out of it.”• “The number one reason mentorships fail? Unspoken expectations.”• “Your most important tools as a mentor are adaptability and empathy.”• “You can be kind and still get shit done.”• “Your life can be so much more spectacular than you ever imagined—if you stay open to opportunities.” Reference Materials• Brene Brown’s concept of “The story I’m telling myself” (for addressing unspoken assumptions in relationships).• The Three C’s, Five C’s, and Four A’s of mentorship (various informal mentorship frameworks).• Open Source & Feelings (OS Feels) Conference – a space for discussing humanity in technology. About Tent TalksChicago Camps hosts irregularly scheduled Tent Talks with people from all across the User Experience Design community, and beyond. Who really likes limits, anyway--If it's a cool idea, we'd love to hear about it and share it!What is a Tent Talk? That's a great question, we'd love to tell you.Tent Talks are short-form in nature, generally lasting from 10-20 minutes (ish) in a recorded format--we like to think of them as "S'mores-sized content" because that's pretty on-brand. Tent Talks can be a presentation on a topic, a live Q&A session about the work we do, or the work around the work we do, or really just about anything--we don't want to limit ourselves, or you.You should send along an idea or topic of your own so we can learn from you, as well! You don't have to be a published author or a professional speaker on a circuit to be good at your job, so please, put yourself forward, and let's have some fun, talk, and share your experience with others! About The Feed & The ThreadThe Feed & The Thread is a daily summary of UX articles found in the industry and some light-touch updates from the UX Community found in online forums. It's brief, and meant as a light-touch overview of what's happening across UX.