Discover the unique user experience path that Branden Schossler, Co-Founder / Producer at World Crafters, followed in this twelfth episode of Season 3.In this episode of UX Pathways, Branden Schossler shares his journey from performing at kids’ birthday parties to co-founding World Crafters, a company that creates large-scale immersive events blending education and entertainment. Drawing from his background in customer experience at Hyland Software and KeyBank, Branden applies UX tools like journey mapping and persona development to design meaningful, multi-sensory guest experiences. He emphasizes the importance of balancing big-picture thinking with small, sensory details, avoiding “default” experiences, and truly understanding the end user’s perspective. Branden recommends resources such as The Power of Moments and organizations like the Customer Experience Professionals Association for those entering the field. His advice centers on combining a passion for the product with intentional experience design and ongoing professional engagement.

Discover the unique user experience path that Ana Sofia Gonzalez, Principal Product Designer at Microsoft, followed in this eleventh episode of Season 3.Ana Sofia Gonzalez, Principal Designer at Microsoft, leads design efforts for Copilot Studio, focusing on using AI to create intelligent agents. She shared her nontraditional journey from being a math Olympian to studying industrial and interaction design, eventually landing in UX. Starting in consulting gave her a broad skill set before moving into corporate roles, where she now focuses on enterprise design which is an area she enjoys for its complexity and measurable impact. Anna emphasized the importance of working strategically with business teams, using the tools you design, and advocating for user needs by mapping real-life scenarios. She encourages designers to embrace AI as a tool to enhance productivity and creativity, not as a threat. Her advice for those entering UX or AI is to empathize with users, experiment with tools, and dedicate time each week to continuous learning. She champions community engagement and sees UX as a way to make everyday systems better.

Discover the unique user experience path that Kate Moran, Vice President, Nielsen Norman Group, followed in this tenth episode of Season 3.In this episode of UX Pathways, host Marc Majers interviews Kate Moran, Vice President of Research and Content at Nielsen Norman Group (NN/g), about the evolving UX landscape, the role of AI, and building a career in the field. Kate shares insights on NN/g’s mission to provide accessible, research-backed resources and stresses a balanced approach to AI while valuing its usefulness but cautioning against over-reliance. Reflecting on her own career path from front-end development to UX leadership, Kate highlights the value of flexibility, persistence, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. She addresses the current challenges of entering the UX field, advising newcomers to stay patient, realistic, and open to non-linear paths. Kate also underscores the importance of empathy, business understanding, and breaking down silos between roles to create meaningful user experiences. She encourages listeners to explore NN/g’s free articles, training, and weekly newsletter to stay informed and inspired.