UX Stories Podcast

What happens when vibe coders skip user research? You build the wrong thing — fast. Dave Powell, Director of UX at QGenda, shares how his team does real usability work inside one of the most complex, HIPAA-restricted industries in the world. From Figma prototypes shown to hospital staff before a single line of code is written, to the moment a "warm" customer meeting turned ice cold — this is what serious enterprise UX actually looks like. šŸŽ™ļø Guest: Dave Powell, Director of User Experience @ QGenda šŸ„ Industry: Healthcare SaaS | Enterprise UX | B2B Product Design ā±ļø Timestamps 0:00 - Intro: Why AI made user research more urgent, not less 1:14 - Dave's background: 8 years fixing healthcare's broken software 1:53 - "Every piece of software they touch doesn't work for them" 2:01 - Why healthcare usability testing is uniquely hard (HIPAA, secure networks, union rules) 4:42 - How Dave navigates access: CX teams as research liaisons 6:22 - The prototype-before-code workflow that makes customers feel heard 7:04 - Piggybacking on CX calls to run usability sessions 8:18 - When listening turns into hard business commitments (not flowery promises) 9:00 - Dave's hiring philosophy: designers who understand humans first 9:36 - "We have a captive audience" — why tolerability matters in enterprise 10:17 - How AI and vibe coding are reshaping UX & product roles 12:56 - Two-phase prototyping: solutioning vs. high-fidelity component work 13:30 - Why enterprise complexity is hard to vibe code your way through 14:54 - "Prototyping with live ammunition" — the danger of skipping validation 16:39 - Customer story: when a warm reception turned into a cold landing 18:16 - Dave's usability toolkit: Maze, Pendo, Google Forms & in-house polling 19:01 - Magic wand question: the one human data point Dave wishes he could measure 20:00 - Closing thoughts: why understanding users is the skill AI can't replace šŸ“Œ If you enjoyed this episode: → Like & subscribe for weekly conversations with UX and product leaders → Share with a product designer or researcher on your team UXResearch #HealthcareUX #ProductDesign #VibeCoding #UserTesting #QGenda #EnterpriseUX #AIProduct #UXUI #SaaSDesign

What is UX Stories Podcast?

If you want to understand your customers more deeply and unlock growth that doesn't rely on guesswork, this series is for you. Founders, operators, and product leaders tune in to learn how real conversations shape better products, better decisions, and better outcomes.

In each episode of UX Stories Podcast, you'll explore how fast-growing teams uncover meaningful insights using smarter feedback loops and authentic user conversations. Inspired by the approach behind TheySaid, this show digs into why traditional surveys fall short and how modern teams gather richer, more actionable signals that drive real business impact.