UX Leadership By Design

• Behind the Scenes: Client Wrangling & Design Doing at Fuzzy Math

  Send us a textWhat’s it really like inside a UX consultancy? In this special in-house episode of UX Leadership by Design, Mark Baldino sits down with two incredible Fuzzy Math teammates — Senior Designer Madeleine Byrne and Senior Project Manager Jaléssa Savage — to talk about what UX leadership looks like from the inside out.They unpack how projects are structured, how cross-functional teams communicate, and how empathy, clarity, and constraints shape successful outcomes. From wrangling stakeholders to making smart design trade-offs, it’s a behind-the-scenes look at how Fuzzy Math keeps projects human, impactful, and on track — with a few hot takes and laughs along the way.Whether you’re growing into leadership or just curious how collaborative teams actually work, this one’s packed with insights and energy.Key Takeaways:Balancing Empathy Across Users and Clients – True design leadership means understanding not just end-users but also the internal and external stakeholders shaping the work.Why Design Needs Guardrails – PMs aren’t just managing scope — they’re helping passionate designers stay focused and productive within real-world constraints.Visuals Are Alignment Tools, Not Just Outputs – Design artifacts aren’t just deliverables; they’re powerful tools for clarifying thinking and aligning teams.Stakeholder Trust Starts Early – Trust-building begins with structured project kickoffs and intentional communication — not just when the work hits Figma.Client Assumptions Need Evidence – Teams often bring mental models of what they want; our job is to validate, challenge, and guide them with research and strategy.Chapters:00:00 – Introducing the Fuzzy Math Team00:51 – Madeleine’s Journey from Theater to UX03:19 – Jaléssa’s Journey from Events to Project Management05:57 – Listening and Building Trust with Clients12:47 – How Fuzzy Math Project Teams Work Together25:10 – Common Design Challenges and How We Handle Them31:31 – Working with Clients Who Have a Mental Model43:06 – Hot Takes and Advice for Aspiring LeadersLinks:Connect with Madeleine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madeleine-byrne-150a959a/Connect with Jaléssa on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jalessasavage/ Connect with Mark on LinkedIn Fuzzy Math - B2B & Enterprise UX Design Consultancy

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• Empathy Engineering: AI, Customer Insight, and Conversion Alchemy

  Send us a textIn this episode of UX Leadership by Design, Mark Baldino talks with Chris Silvestri, founder and chief conversion copywriter at Conversion Alchemy. Chris brings a rare blend of backgrounds—software engineer, UX designer, and conversion copywriter—to tackle one of the toughest challenges in B2B: turning complex decision-making into clear, effective messaging. We dig into his AI-powered empathy framework, PATH, and explore how he uses customer research, simulated personas, and real language to help teams write content that connects. For anyone working in UX, product, or content, this is a masterclass in aligning messaging with how humans actually think, feel, and decide.Key TakeawaysEmpathy can be “engineered” – Chris shares his AI-powered PATH framework (Prepare, Articulate, Test, Harmonize) to simulate customer personas and deepen user empathy.Conversion is a series of micro-decisions – It’s not just about a final click—every piece of copy should guide users through their decision-making process one step at a time.Vague messaging creates drop-off – If users can’t understand what you do, who it’s for, or why it’s different in a few seconds, they’ll bounce.Expectation-setting is everything – From homepage copy to “Book a Demo” CTAs, clear expectations can dramatically reduce friction and build trust.AI won’t replace writers—it augments them – Used correctly, LLMs can simulate customers, test ideas, and accelerate iteration—if humans remain in the loop.UX, sales, and copy need a shared foundation – Chris’s work helps unify these functions by anchoring messaging in customer research and decision psychology.Chapters00:00 – From Engineering to Empathy03:47 – Lessons from Dangerous Machines06:02 – The Pyramid of Conversion10:56 – Jobs to Be Done in B2B13:47 – Selling to the Whole Buying Team17:45 – Common Copy Mistakes25:45 – AI and Empathy: The PATH Framework31:00 – How Chris Uses AI Personas for Better Copy33:51 – AI as an Accelerator, Not a Replacement34:00 – From Copywriter to Conversion ArchitectResources & LinksConversion Alchemy Website, Newsletter, & PodcastConnect with Christopher Silvestri Connect with Mark on LinkedIn Fuzzy Math - B2B & Enterprise UX Design Consultancy

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• Beyond Faster Horses: Uncovering Customer Needs at Scale

  Send us a textIn this episode of UX Leadership by Design, Mark Baldino talks with Mauricio Steffen, Senior Director of Product Management at Ericsson, about the crucial role customer research and empathy play in successful product management. Mauricio shares his unique career path, transitioning from corrections officer to frontline support, then into product management, highlighting how deep, empathetic listening skills have been essential across all roles. The conversation explores how to scale customer feedback processes, synthesize insights effectively, and navigate stakeholder management. Mark and Mauricio challenge the common misinterpretation of Henry Ford’s quote about customer research, emphasizing the importance of genuinely understanding underlying customer needs. Practical advice is offered for breaking through organizational blinders, advocating for meaningful change, and maintaining balance when strategic initiatives seem misaligned with immediate customer requests.Key TakeawaysEmpathy and Active Listening: Genuine empathy and active listening are key skills that transcend industry and job function, essential for product management success.Scaling Customer Feedback: Utilize scalable methods like AI (LLMs) to analyze and summarize customer feedback at scale, uncovering patterns and root causes effectively.Root Cause Analysis: Go beyond surface-level customer requests by digging deeper to uncover true underlying problems and needs, rather than just stated wants.Stakeholder Engagement: Engage stakeholders early, make them feel heard, and clearly communicate decisions to achieve alignment and minimize resistance.Embracing Customer Feedback: Treat customer feedback as a valuable gift; show appreciation and continuously demonstrate that input shapes your product decisions.Admitting Mistakes: Develop the courage to pivot or stop projects when customer and market feedback indicates potential failure; maintaining an honest, reflective process is key to sustainable success.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Mauricio Steffen02:09 Career Journey: From Corrections Officer to Product Management06:57 The Role and Philosophy of Product Management09:59 Influencing Stakeholders: Education, Listening, and Empathy12:42 Scaling Customer Feedback and Leveraging AI15:34 Why “Faster Horse” Is a Cop-Out: Understanding Customer Needs22:49 Breaking Organizational Blinders with Customer Insights26:07 The Challenge of Admitting Mistakes and Changing Course29:37 Root Cause Analysis: From Wants to True Customer Needs35:33 Empathy as the Key Skill for All Stakeholder ManagementResources & LinksConnect with Mauricio Steffen on LinkedIn Connect with Mark on LinkedIn Fuzzy Math - B2B & Enterprise UX Design Consultancy

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• Sell Before You Build for Faster Product-Market Fit

  Send us a textIn this episode of UX Leadership by Design, Mark Baldino sits down with David Hirschfeld, founder and CEO of Tekyz, about the Launch First methodology—a metrics-driven approach to de-risking product development and achieving product-market fit before building software. David shares insights from working with over 90 startups, highlighting the common pitfalls that lead to failure, particularly the mistake of waiting too long to validate revenue. He breaks down how to identify the right niche, perform root cause analysis, and use high-fidelity prototypes to pre-sell software before investing in an MVP. Whether you're a startup founder, a product leader, or iterating on a new SaaS offering, this episode offers actionable strategies to validate demand, avoid wasted development, and accelerate success.Key TakeawaysThe Biggest Mistake Startups Make - Most startups fail due to lack of product-market fit, not running out of money. Waiting too long to validate revenue leads to wasted resources and increased risk.Flipping the MVP Approach - Instead of using an MVP to test product-market fit, use it to validate product-solution fit—ensuring real customers will use it, not just buy it.Pre-Selling Before Building - High-fidelity prototypes that feel like real software can be used to sell the vision and secure early customers before writing a single line of code.The Power of Niche Analysis - Startups should identify a niche where pain points have both a high cost and a high perceived impact, ensuring customers are both willing and able to pay.The Scientist vs. The Believer - Founders often wear the "black robe" of belief in their vision, but success comes from adopting the "white coat" of data-driven decision-making.Speed Matters: Fail Fast, Fail Cheap - Instead of spending years and millions developing a product that may not sell, Launch First helps founders validate demand in 3-5 months.Lifetime Licenses Aren’t Crazy - For some SaaS models, offering lifetime licenses in pre-sales can be a smarter way to fund development than raising capital and losing equity.Chapters00:00 Introduction to David Hirschfeld's Journey03:01 Why Most Startups Fail: The Real Reason09:31 Understanding Product-Market Fit vs. Product-Solution Fit14:46 Sell Before You Build: The Power of Pre-Sales19:31 Finding the Right Niche with Data-Driven Decisions24:31 From Founder to Scientist: The Mindset Shift28:46 Building a Sales Funnel for Early Traction34:11 When to Start Building Your MVPResources & LinksConnect with David Hirschfeld on LinkedInTekyz Connect with Mark on LinkedIn Fuzzy Math - B2B & Enterprise UX Design Consultancy

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• Philosophy Meets Product: Pragmatism, Internal Politics, and Product Ops

  Send us a textIn this episode of UX Leadership by Design, Mark Baldino sits down with Mike Nowak, Principal Product Manager at Deloitte Digital, to explore the philosophy and pragmatism behind product management. Mike shares his unconventional journey from theology and philosophy to product leadership, emphasizing the importance of humility, adaptability, and cross-functional collaboration in the product space. The conversation dives into the interplay between UX, engineering, and product management, the challenge of defining “what to build and why”, and how organizations can create a culture where mistakes lead to learning, not failure. The discussion also covers why product decisions are often political, the evolving role of product ops, and how businesses can better align incentives to build truly user-centered products.Key TakeawaysProduct as the Interstitial Role - Product management isn’t just about writing requirements—it’s about bridging the gaps between UX, engineering, and business stakeholders, ensuring alignment on desirability, feasibility, and viability.Pragmatism in Product Development - The best teams focus on what works in the real world, not just what sounds good in theory. Product teams must fail fast, test ideas quickly, and iterate based on real user feedback.Why Product Decisions Are Political - Prioritization isn’t just about logic—it’s about navigating internal politics, aligning incentives, and helping stakeholders understand why some initiatives move forward while others don’t.The Rise of Product Operations - Many organizations struggle with operationalizing best practices. Product Ops can bring structure to decision-making, create data-driven prioritization frameworks, and help teams scale effective processes.Psychological Safety Drives Innovation - The most effective teams aren’t afraid to say, “We don’t know yet.” Creating an environment where mistakes are learning opportunities is critical for long-term product success.Resources & LinksConnect with Mike Nowak on LinkedInBook: Getting Naked by PatrickBook: Product Operations: How successful companies build better products at scale Connect with Mark on LinkedIn Fuzzy Math - B2B & Enterprise UX Design Consultancy

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