Robert Hoekman Jr has authored several books and dozens of articles for a range of publications, including Fast Company magazine's "Co.Design" blog. He is a columnist for the revered motorcycle culture and lifestyle magazine Iron & Air (www.ironandair.com), where he is also a contributing editor. He has spoken to packed rooms at dozens of events all over the world.

Robert is also the author of "The 13 Tenets of User Experience" for the Fall 2015 issue of QRCA VIEWS magazine. This article originally appeared in Smashing Magazine and it is republished in QRCA Views with their permission.

Robert's talents for questioning and challenging conventional wisdom have earned him success in a myriad of professional interests, including design, product strategy consulting, freelance writing, editing, and public speaking. As a veteran of the web industry, he was among the few who preached and practiced the fledgling profession of User Experience before it became a household term, and is considered by many to have written several of the profession's defining guidebooks. He has an undying drive to chase what he loves, a knack for asking the questions that will get him in the door, and a relentless devotion to understanding, accuracy, and quality.

He is a lifelong drummer, and has a passion for psychology, metalwork, and—as his Dutch lineage would require—building furniture. He lives in downtown Phoenix, Arizona with his partner Jodi and their two large dogs, Max and Daisy.

In this podcast Robert offers an overview of the UX field and how qualitative research is used. He also gives us a preview of his latest book whose working title is "Experience Required" where he explores the soft skills UX folks need to get their ideas implemented in an organization.