UX design podcasts

We asked the Lyssna community which UX design podcasts they like. We received so many great recommendations that we’ll be adding to our regular listening rotation.

Whether you're seeking in-depth discussions on design, career insights from UX professionals, or just want to be exposed to new ideas or opinions, there are lots of great UX design podcasts out there. 

Here are the best ten UX design podcasts, as recommended by the Lyssna community, to check out that will get you motivated and inspired.

1. Design Better

“They have a great backlog of episodes with big hitters in design. They’re also doing cool things in expanding conversations beyond UX and product design into larger capital ‘D’ design things.”
– Erica Boyle, UX Strategist

There are many reasons why Design Better stands out as one of the best UX design podcasts. They feature guests from various professions, not limiting themselves to UX, and cover a diverse range of topics. 

They’ve spoken to Katrina Alcorn, General Manager of Design at IBM, about improving collaboration and communication, and also explored writer David Sedaris’ hilarious perspective on his own creative process. These insightful discussions offer valuable lessons that can be applied to UX design.

2. The NN/g UX Podcast

The Nielsen Norman Group has been helping companies build better digital apps based on research and strategy since 1998. The NN/g podcast, hosted by Senior User Experience Specialist Therese Fessenden, feels very much like an extension of their organization, covering areas of their expertise, including UX design, usability, interface design, and accessibility. 

Therese is a skilled host, sharing her own knowledge and experiences, as well as bringing in experts to further expound on an episode’s topic. If you’re looking for a UX podcast that covers current developments and goes deep with their discussions, you’ll want to check ‌this one out.

3. Design Thinking 101

The name Design Thinking 101 is a bit of a misnomer. While it certainly touches on the basics, it goes so much further in discussing its practical applications. Host Dawan Stanford interviews guests from a variety of industries like healthcare, tech, and academia, who all share what they’ve learned and how design thinking comes into play in their respective fields.

Listening to UX design podcasts like Design Thinking 101, which feature experts from different backgrounds and roles, will help you broaden your own understanding and knowledge about the practical applications of UX design.

4. Brave UX

Brave UX, hosted by Brendan Jarvis, hits all the right marks in covering design trends, talking to design experts, and having meaningful conversations about all that's interesting about UX.

Brendan is a lively and engaged host, with a natural curiosity and love of UX that shows in all of his interviews. Spending time with UX design podcasts like Brave UX exposes you to different viewpoints, which is so important in helping you grow as a designer.

5. Product Thinking

While Product Thinking sets its sights more on product management and development, Melissa Perri often covers topics and gets into discussions with guests that focus on UX design. 

Melissa is a fantastic host, who not only demonstrates her proficiency and expertise in product development but isn’t afraid to have some fun and crack jokes with her guests. Plus, listening to product-focused podcasts along with UX design podcasts can give you a more well-rounded understanding of the development process.

6. UI Breakfast

Jane Portman has all the characteristics that it takes to be a great interviewer. She’s not only a UI/UX expert but knows how to ask great follow-up questions. Her interviews always have a nice flow, and offer up plenty of practical advice, as well as insights about UI, UX, product development, and strategy.

7. Design Details

Design Details, hosted by Marshall Bock and Brian Lovin, is distinguished by its wide variety of guests and topics. With career-focused episodes like “Should I be a project manager?”, “Changing roles in a growing company”, and “Career progression for product designers”, to those that discuss the intricacies of the design process like “Building design systems”, “Follow the gifs”, and “Helvetica, Helvetica, Helvetica.” While new episodes aren't being released, there's a huge backlog to listen to. 

8. Beyond UX Design

Jeremy Miller, the host of Beyond UX Design, has a strong passion for design that’s evident in his ability to establish a rapport with his guests. This results in thought-provoking discussions that are sure to captivate anyone working in a creative industry. 

There are quite a few stories here about people coming from different backgrounds finding their way into UX design, which are so helpful for anyone thinking about switching careers. We’re fans of UX design podcasts that not only delve into the technical aspects of design but also give guests the opportunity to share personal stories about how they got to where they are.

9. The CSS Podcast

The CSS Podcast is exactly what it sounds like – a deep dive into everything related to cascading style sheets. Hosts Una Kravets and Adam Argyle both hold roles at Google, with Una being a Developer Relations Engineer and Adam a Chrome CSS Developer Advocate. They've had a lot of success in their careers and have an expert level of understanding about design. We’re fans of UX design podcasts that take a very specific focus, and the CSS Podcast is a must-listen for anyone who works with CSS. 

The episodes cover a range of topics, including selectors, inheritance, gradients, and other specialized aspects of CSS. This podcast is ideal for those new to CSS or anyone looking to stay current with new developments. Una and Adam are design nerds of the best kind, and their podcast is a celebration of all that is CSS.

10. 99% Invisible

“The main design podcast I listen to is 99% Invisible. I recommend this podcast because it analyzes design from a very practical, real-world point of view, as well as having interesting stories and anecdotes about the daily application of design.”
– David Hutchinson, UX Designer 

Understanding design beyond the digital realm can enhance your work. The podcast 99% Invisible covers various narratives on product design, exploring their background, purpose, and creation process. There’s so much here that connects with what UX designers do to create user-centered designs. If you’re looking for something outside the regular UX design podcasts you listen to, we highly recommend checking out 99% Invisible.

11. UX Podcast

Hosted by James Royal-Lawson and Per Axbom, UX Podcast is one of the oldest and most popular podcasts in its genre, running since 2011. The twice-monthly show shares insights about business, technology, and people, aiming to move the conversation beyond the traditional realm of user experience.

The podcast features a mix of guest interviews, link shows discussing cutting-edge articles, and deep dives into topics like accessibility, design systems, and the intersection of AI and design. With over 300 episodes, there's a rich archive for anyone passionate about balancing business, technology, and society within digital design.

12. Design Matters

Hosted by Debbie Millman, Design Matters is considered "the first and longest running podcast about design," broadcasting independently for over 20 years. The show explores how incredibly creative people design the arc of their lives through deeply personal, long-form interviews.

Debbie has interviewed hundreds of guests including Malcolm Gladwell, Stefan Sagmeister, and Milton Glaser, covering everything from design and creativity to the personal stories behind creative success. While broader than UX, the podcast offers valuable insights into the creative process that will inspire anyone working in design.

Jeff Cardello is a freelance writer who loves all things tech and design. Outside of being a word nerd, he enjoys playing bass guitar, riding his bike long distances, and recently started learning about data science and how to code with Python.