Why print-first brand systems break online, and how to push back without demanding a full rebrand.

I've been grumbling about this one for years, because although almost everyone now meets a brand through a screen, we're still handed identities designed for brochures, business cards, and the occasional exhibition stand, and then told to make the website behave itself. So this month I have a proper rant about it and Marcus does his b...

AI is changing far more than the speed at which designers produce work. In this episode, we talk with Josh Clark and Veronika Kindred about their book Sentient Design, how intelligent interfaces can respond to people in the moment, and why designers need to understand the character of AI before they can use it well.

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Use the code SENTIENT-BOAG to get 20% off the book through Aug 31 at rosenfeldmedia.com.

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Designing With A...

This month we dig into whether Claude Design is any good, why so many people feel like AI is costing them time rather than saving it, and what it really means to stop being a doer and start being a director. Along the way we wander into the loss of craft, the ethics of AI, and a joke so niche it needs its own history lesson.

App of the Month

Claude Design is the tool that grabbed our attention this month. It builds out des...

This week, Paul and Marcus dig into why traditional user research repositories fail almost everyone in an organization, and how AI is quietly changing the game. There's also an App of the Month pick that's a little too on-the-nose, some pointed Google bashing, and a sheep-based punchline.

AI-Powered User Research Repositories

The pattern in most organizations is depressingly familiar: user research gets done, a PowerPoint ...

So this month Marcus and I get into a slightly uncomfortable question. If AI can knock out decent interfaces from a text prompt, where does that leave the people whose day job is opening Figma and making screens look nice?

We start with Google Stitch, which has been getting a lot of attention lately. Then we zoom out into something I have become mildly obsessed with, which is building AI skills. Not prompt snippets, but reusable, d...

This month, Paul and Marcus get into a tool that has made Paul cancel his Figma subscription, walk through how Paul has completely changed the way he approaches website rebuilds thanks to AI, and round things off with the latest thinking from Nielsen Norman Group on where UX is heading in 2026.

App of the Week: figr.design

Paul has been road-testing AI design tools as part of a workshop he ran on AI and UI, and after going...

This episode we're joined by Stu Green, a product designer, agency founder, and serial app builder who's sold not one but two successful SaaS products.

We dig into the realities of building your own product versus running an agency, the role AI plays in modern product development, and whether the flood of AI-built apps is a threat or an opportunity for professionals.

Plus, we check out Bleet, an app that turns your meeting transcript...

In this episode, we kick off 2026 with a candid look at where the UX industry stands and where it's heading. We dig into a thought-provoking article from Nielsen Norman Group, share our hopes (and fears) for the year ahead, and explore a fantastic design pattern catalog focused on building user trust. Plus, we discuss why generalists might just be the unicorns the industry needs right now.

Topic of the Week: Preparing for 2026 a...

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...

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...

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...

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 ...

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

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...

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...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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...