For this week's podcast, we had a great conversation with Javier Andrés Bargas-Avila, Google's UX Director. Ever wonder how Google ensures its products cater to user needs while balancing business and engineering demands? Javier shares his journey from psychology student to UX research leader, revealing the intricate process of integrating user insights into product development. From prioritization challenges to the concept of Critical User Journeys (CUJs).

Featured Links: Follow Javier on LinkedIn | Javier's website | 'Five things we learned at the Pendomonium and #mtpcon roadshow - Berlin 2024' feature by Louron Pratt | About Google

Our Hosts Lily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She’s currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She’s worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath. Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury’s. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group’s Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He’s the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager’s Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon’s music stores in the US & UK.