Boagworld: UX, Design Leadership, Marketing & Conversion Optimization

Boagworld: UX, Design Leadership, Marketing & Conversion Optimization

Boagworld: The podcast where digital best practices meets a terrible sense of humor! Join us for a relaxed chat about all things digital design. We dish out practical advice and industry insights, all wrapped up in friendly conversation. Whether you're looking to improve your user experience, boost your conversion or be a better design lead, we've got something for you. With over 400 episodes, we're like the cool grandads of web design podcasts – experienced, slightly inappropriate, but always entertaining. So grab a drink, get comfy, and join us for an entertaining journey through the life of a digital professional.

Episodes

December 23, 2025 63 mins

In this episode, we welcome back Andrew Millar from the University of Dundee to discuss the current state of higher education, vibe coding platforms for non-developers, and the importance of community-driven conferences like Scottish Web Folk.

App of the Week: Bolt.new

This week we're looking at Bolt.new, a vibe coding platform designed specifically for non-developers. Unlike tools like Cursor that are built for developers t...

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If you run an e-commerce site or work on digital products, this conversation is packed with research-backed insights that could transform your conversion rates.

Apps of the Week

Before we get into our main discussion, we want to highlight a couple of tools that caught our attention recently.

UX-Ray 2.0

We talked about this last week, but it deserves another mention. UX-Ray from Baymard Institute is an extraordinary to...

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Welcome to Episode 27 of the Boagworld Show, where we dive into a side of web work that doesn't get nearly enough attention. This month, we're exploring life as a freelancer working with small businesses. We're joined by Paul Edwards, a fellow member of the Agency Academy who has spent two decades serving clients that don't have massive budgets or sprawling marketing teams. If you've ever wondered how best practice advice translate...

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You know, those sneaky little tricks sites use to funnel you into doing things you never intended, like paying for insurance you didn’t want or scrolling until your thumb falls off.

We talked about why this stuff isn’t just bad manners, but also an accessibility issue, and how to push back when your boss is shouting about conversion rates. We also wandered off into personas, because what’s a Boagworld Show without a tangent or two?

<...

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August 19, 2025 58 mins

In this episode, we look at why trust is key to good UX, especially with scams, deepfakes, and AI blurring the line between helpful and deceptive. We also ask if emotion-reading apps are helpful or just unsettling, and explore the tricky process of turning services into products. Plus, we discuss a framework from Nielsen Norman Group, tackle a listener's question on productization, and end with Marcus's joke.

App of the Week

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In this episode, we chat with Sarah Zama from the University of Oxford about how she's helping to influence UX across one of the most complex and decentralized organizations in the world.

We explore how she built a UX center of excellence almost from scratch, how the team is transforming culture through coaching and community, and what it takes to push UX forward in a challenging environment. There's also a digression into Apple's q...

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June 16, 2025 55 mins

Joining me, Paul, are Marcus Lillington and Jared Spool, and together we explore how UX needs to reposition itself, what AI really means for designers, and how to navigate the current UX job landscape without losing hope. We also touch on some interesting new tools from Figma and an exciting AI-assisted prototyping app that could change how we work.

App of the Week

This episode highlights two key apps making waves in the des...

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Creating Personality-Driven Design Experiences

In this week’s episode of the Boagworld Show, we’re joined by none other than Andy “The Pioneer” Clarke. We dig deep into the role of aesthetics in UX, explore how AI can conduct user interviews, and debate how to approach pricing conversations with clients. Alongside our usual banter, you’ll find insights into why design needs personality and how creative direction can add rea...

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April 22, 2025 48 mins

This week, we catch up on Paul’s latest adventures—from a memorable dinner with Todd “the accessibility guru” where we talked WCAG 3, to a deep dive into the shifting landscape of design job titles. We’ll share an app that brings real form fields into your Figma prototypes, unpack why “product designer” is suddenly on everyone’s profile, and wrap up with a classic Marcus joke to send you on your way.

App of the Week

We’ve be...

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This week’s episode takes a deeper look at how we define good user experience—and argues it’s time we move beyond the narrow focus of usability. We explore how friction can sometimes enhance an experience, and why emotional design is essential if we want to create interfaces that stick in users’ minds.

We also review a new batch of AI-powered design tools and uncover where they currently fall short. Plus, we look at how AI can still...

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March 27, 2025 49 mins

On this week's Boagworld Show, we're exploring how UX design leaders can take control of their roles within organizations, why UX agencies might feel doomed (but probably aren't), and how AI is reshaping the way we code and collaborate. We'll dig into practical strategies for UX leaders, share insights on the changing landscape for UX agencies, and provide guidance for navigating AI in your workflows.

App of the Week

This we...

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March 13, 2025 40 mins

On this week's Boagworld Show, we delve into the powerful concept of invisible user research - tackling how to conduct essential UX work even when stakeholders resist investing in formal research. We explore the often-overlooked impact of UX debt, crown a new champion among user-testing apps, and surprisingly, find ourselves nodding along with McKinsey on the strategic role of design leaders.

App of the Week

This week, we're...

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    This week, we’re tackling a biggie—how to avoid the pitfalls of metrics. We’ll explore why tracking the wrong numbers can send your entire organization in the wrong direction and what you should be focusing on instead.

    We also have a fantastic Figma plugin to make your mockups more realistic, a thought-provoking read on AI’s impact on UX, and a listener question on handling the ever-growing number of software subscriptions. Oh, and ...

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    Welcome to another packed episode! This week, we're diving into three topics we think you'll find fascinating. First up, we're exploring why face-to-face meetings still matter in our digital world. Then, we'll share our favorite A/B testing tools (since Google Optimize is no longer with us), and finally, we'll look at how AI is reshaping UX with some eye-opening insights from Nielsen Norman Group.

    A/B Testing Tools You Can Trust...

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    January 30, 2025 57 mins

    In today's episode, we dive deep into how UX professionals can effectively demonstrate their value within organizations, especially during challenging times when the shine has come off UX and attention has shifted to AI.

    Form Analysis Tools: A Game-Changer for UX

    We kick off by exploring some exciting form analysis tools that can revolutionize how we optimize web forms. Tools like MouseFlow, Zuko, and EXATOM offer powerful i...

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    January 23, 2025 10 mins

    I've watched with fascination how AI is reshaping the design landscape. While we've made incredible strides in using AI to enhance our design processes, I believe we're overlooking something crucial: the human experience of interacting with AI itself.

    You might wonder why this matters. Well, as AI becomes more deeply woven into our daily lives, the way we interact with these systems shapes their value. It's not enough that AI can pe...

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    Introduction: Embracing AI for UX Productivity

    In this episode of the Boagworld Podcast, we delve into the transformative role of AI in UX and web design. From cutting-edge Figma plugins to tools that revolutionize SEO, Paul Boag and Marcus Lillington share insights, tools, and strategies that can elevate your workflow. Whether you're a seasoned designer or new to the field, there's something here to enhance your productivi...

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    December 19, 2024 53 mins

    What Does 2025 Hold for UX?

    As we approach the new year, it's time to reflect on the state of user experience design and look ahead to what 2025 might bring. In this episode of the Boagworld Podcast, Marcus and I dive into the trends, challenges, and opportunities that lie ahead. Here are the key takeaways from our discussion.

    The Rise of Seamless AI Integration

    2024 marked a pivotal year for artificial intelligence,...

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    In this episode, we dive into the frustrating world of Invitations to Tender (ITTs), explore why Notion might be the only app you need, and discuss treating AI like your newest intern. We also share our thoughts on Adobe's latest AI innovations and why UX seems to have lost its shine.

    The Problem with Traditional Tenders

    Our main topic for this show is Invitations to Tenders (ITTs). We've spent years dealing with ITTs, and f...

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    Hello and welcome to the Boagworld Show, the longest-running web design podcast where we look at user experience design, conversion optimization, and working in the web. This week, we've got quite the lineup for you.

    WP Engine vs WordPress: A Cautionary Tale

    We kick things off with a look at the recent controversy between WP Engine and WordPress. It's a bit of a mess, to be honest. WordPress.org has banned WP Engine from acc...

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