In this episode of Unsolicited UX, I sit down with Thomas Stokes, co-founder of Drill Bit Labs, a boutique research and digital strategy consulting firm. We discussed the founding story of Drill Bit Labs and their approach to UX research. The conversation delves into the impact of AI on user research roles, the changing expectations in job descriptions, and the balance between business efficiency and research integrity. We explored the potential of AI interviewers and synthetic users and Thomas makes his prediction for the future. Finally, I give the TL;DR from my deeper dive into the concept of synthetic users in 2025.
You can find Thomas Stokes on Linkedin and at drillbitlabs.com
Reach me on LinkedIn, at unsolicitedux.com, or email me at jay@unsolicitedux.com
Book a free 30-minute discovery call: https://tally.so/r/wkgNRM
Access the Investor Objection Preemption Guide: https://tally.so/r/w5rNEv
Synthetic Users Deep dive: Click here to view on youtube
Referenced:
How AI is changing user research jobs, Thomas Stokes | Depth by Drill Bit Labs Substack
The Problem With AI Generated Personas, Dr. Maria Panagiotidi | UX Psychology Substack
Special Thanks to:
Capelle Gabriel, graphic design support
Kelley Van Pelt, sound mixing support
Seb Taylor, vocal training support
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