User Defenders - UX Design & Personal Growth

Jason Ogle started User Defenders in June 2015 with a superhero theme that could easily have felt gimmicky, but he's made it work for years now. Every guest gets a custom superhero avatar created by artists Cesar Lemus and Eli Jorgensen, and the whole framing of "fighting for users" gives the show a distinct identity in a crowded UX podcast space. The format is interview-based, with Ogle talking to UX designers, product designers, researchers, and design leaders about both their professional craft and their personal growth. That second part is key. Most UX podcasts focus purely on methodology and tools, but Ogle regularly steers conversations toward habits, mindset, resilience, and the human side of doing creative work. He's interested in why-to's as much as how-to's, and that distinction makes the show feel more substantial than a typical tips-and-tricks format. Ogle's interviewing style is earnest and well-prepared. He clearly does his homework on guests, and his questions tend to go deeper than the standard "tell me about your career path" opener. The production quality is notably high, with clean audio and thoughtful editing that respects the listener's experience. The superhero theme extends to the episode art and branding, creating a cohesive visual identity that's actually fun. Guests have included prominent names in UX along with lesser-known practitioners whose stories are equally compelling. If you're looking for a UX show that cares as much about who you are as a person as it does about your wireframing process, User Defenders fills that niche genuinely well.