The Design Psychologist | Psychology for UX, Product, Service, Instructional, Interior, and Game Designers
Welcome to The Design Psychologist, a podcast where we explore the intersection of psychology and design. The show is hosted by Thomas Watkins, a design psychologist who has spent years applying behavioral science principles to the creation of digital products. We sit down with a variety of experts who apply psychology in different ways to the design of the world around us. Thomas uses his expertise to guide conversations that provide practical advice while illuminating the theory behind why designs succeed. Tune in if you are a design practitioner who seeks to understand your work on a deeper level and craft experiences that are intuitive, effective, and delightful.
Episodes
In this episode, Thomas interviews Dr. Chris Wickens, a pioneer in cognitive engineering and human factors, and they discuss how designers can reduce errors and enhance decision-making when lives are on the line. They delve into the high-stakes world of design psychology for critical environments—think operating rooms, airplane cockpits, and military control systems.
Together, they explore the real science of attention, what causes...
How do you figure out what features to build into your design?
How do you get those magical insights that actually improve your product—versus just shifting things around?
In this episode, we unpack one key distinction that helps design psychologists and UX researchers choose the right method at the right time: inductive vs. deductive research.
Imagine you have two different ideas for how to design an app for restaurant waitstaf...
Imagine dragging a jammed suitcase through a crowded airport—frustrating, right? Now imagine that same experience happening in your app, your website, or your product design. That’s performance load: the hidden mental and physical effort users endure when your design isn’t working for them.
In this episode, we take our first step into the world of design psychology by exploring the concept of performance load. You’ll learn how clutt...
Today on The Design Psychologist, we're diving deep into the intersection of psychology and design with none other than Susan Weinschenk, PhD—the person you’ll literally find next to the term “design psychologist” in the dictionary. Susan is a pioneer in applying behavioral science to UX and product design, and the author of essential books like How to Get People to Do Stuff and 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About P...
What does the color of your brand really say about your business? Is there truth behind the popular color psychology charts? In this episode, we cut through the noise and explore the actual science behind color psychology—what it tells us, what it doesn't, and what that means for your branding decisions.
We’ll explore:
- Why some color associations (like “blue = trust”) persist—and whether they hold up under scrutiny
- The surpri...
This episode is an absolute masterclass in human-centered design, featuring Dr. John Whalen—cognitive scientist, seasoned UX expert, and author of Design for How People Think.
John introduces us to his powerful framework, The Six Minds of UX, which breaks down the complexity of user experience into six distinct cognitive lenses. Whether you’re designing a website, app, service, or physical product, these six minds offer a foolproof ...
In this teaser episode, host Thomas Watkins introduces The Design Psychologist—a podcast where human behavior meets design. Thomas shares what inspired him to bridge the gap between psychology and design, outlines what listeners can expect in future episodes, and invites you to explore how design shapes our thoughts, emotions, and actions. Whether you're a designer, psychologist, or curious thinker, this show is your gateway i...
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