AI, Product and Design Podcast
The AI, Design, & Product Podcast is your front-row seat to how AI is reshaping the way we build products. Each episode dives into the real shifts happening across UX, product, and startups — from why the prompt box is already a broken interface, to how AI-native workflows are replacing traditional design toolchains, to what the next generation of hybrid designer/PM/engineer roles actually looks like. Mark sits down with sharp voices like Dan Saffer, Barry O'Reilly (Nobody Studios), Mindaugas Petrutis (Lovable), and Akshay Kore to cut through the hype and surface the playbooks, mindsets, and strategic shifts product people need to thrive in an AI-powered world. If you're a designer, researcher, PM, or founder trying to figure out what to build, what to unlearn, and where the real opportunities are over the next 3–5 years — this is the conversation you'll want in your feed.
AI, Product and Design Podcast
#9 Transforming Data into User Experience Gold with Serena Chan from Dovetail
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Unlock the secrets of transforming user research into powerful customer insights with Serena Chan from Dovetail.
"There's no better feeling than after you've shared out a research report and then, months later, a stakeholder comes back and references it and says, 'Oh, remember that cool research you did? Wow, this is really relevant now." – Serena Chan
The San Francisco-based research advocate has witnessed and shaped the evolution of Dovetail from its early days as a diary studies tool to an AI-enhanced hub for understanding and actioning customer experiences. Serena shares her passion for synthesizing scattered data and involving key decision-makers to catalyze impactful organizational change.
Stay ahead of the curve as we navigate the intricate relationship between artificial intelligence and user experience. Serena invites us to approach the future with both curiosity and humility, discussing how Dovetail's AI features simplify the journey from data collection to insight discovery.
· Discover how Dovetail's transition from a diary studies tool to an AI-enhanced platform is revolutionizing the way UX designers approach qualitative analysis and extract thematic insights from user interviews.
· Learn from Serena's expertise on how to involve various team members, including non-researchers, in the UX research process to foster a customer-centric culture within organizations.
· Hear how AI is being used to simplify the journey from data collection to insight generation, ensuring that customer experiences are thoroughly understood and enhanced.
· The tangible impact of user research on driving organizational change, with practical examples like creating highlight reels that bring customer voices directly to decision-makers.
· Understanding the importance of humility and curiosity in the face of constant technological and customer need changes, and how to turn these insights into actionable opportunities.
· Learn How tools like Dovetail can help UX designers create empathy and buy-in from stakeholders by providing a vivid picture of customer pain points and needs through direct feedback.
· Strategies for communicating and embedding UX research insights within your organization, ensuring that the UX voice is integral to product direction and decision-making.
Serena provides fascinating insights into how technology is shaping the way we gather and interpret user feedback, ensuring that user experiences are not only understood but significantly enhanced. By the end of our conversation, you'll walk away with a fresh perspective on the synergy between advanced tools, a shared commitment to customer understanding, and the transformative potential of AI in the UX landscape.
Connect with Serena Chan:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/serenaschan
Check Out Dovetail:
https://dovetail.com/
Connect with Mark and the UX Institute:
UX institute: https://uxinstitute.com/
Mark Swaine on Twitter: https://twitter.com/UX_UI_Guy
This podcast is produced in partnership with Podlad.com
UXI (UX Institute) Original Podcast 2025.
www.uxinstitute.com