UX Pathways – Season 2 Episode 1: Ryan Leffel

Discover the unique user experience path that Ryan Leffel, Head Of Design at Priceline, followed in this first episode of Season 2.

Ryan Leffel, Head of Design at Priceline, shares his journey into user experience (UX) design, insights on the evolution of the field, and perspectives on its future trajectory. The conversation highlights key developments in UX as a profession, the growing complexity of design challenges, and the increasing specialization within the discipline.

Professional Background and Career Path

Ryan Leffel has been Head of Design at Priceline since September 2019, overseeing both product design and user research teams for desktop, mobile web, iOS, and Android platforms.
His initial interest was in web development and programming, particularly in HTML and interactive media like CD-ROMs in the late 1990s.
His passion shifted from coding to understanding user needs and business goals, leading him to pursue a degree in the Interactive Telecommunications Program at NYU Tisch, focusing on user experience, research, and design.
His thesis was an e-learning platform focused on UX and research.
Early mentorship from Bob Greenberg (founder of RGA) helped him start his career at RGA, where he worked for over five years.
Ryan progressed through roles in agencies, brands, and entrepreneurship before arriving at his current leadership role.

Evolution of User Experience as a Career

Initially, UX design was centered around single-screen wireframes, primarily desktop-focused.
Over time, with the proliferation of multiple devices and touchpoints (desktop, mobile, apps), UX has expanded to managing entire multi-channel experiences.
Ryan highlights the rapid progression of technology from VHS, CDs, DVDs to cloud streaming, emphasizing how customer expectations have evolved alongside this tech evolution.
There is now a greater corporate investment in UX, making it a priority and a highly sought-after career.
Growth in UX education through universities, boot camps, and certificate programs has fueled the expanding talent pool.
The UX field offers exciting, well-paid job opportunities with strong prospects for ongoing demand due to constant customer and business needs.

Future of UX Design

Ryan expects the field to move from generalist designers to more specialized roles, including:
- Content strategy and copywriting
- User research
- Data analytics
- Product design
- Motion and micro-interaction design
- Design systems
This trend signals the rise of disciplines within UX, with deep expertise becoming more valuable.
Another key future focus is a deeper understanding of business problems and how design can solve those efficiently for customers.
While emerging technologies like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), AI, and gesture controls are anticipated, Ryan believes the immediate changes will be within specialization and business alignment.
Despite advances in machine learning and automation, Ryan strongly believes that human-centered problem solving will remain essential, as machines cannot fully replace the human element in designing for people.

Key Insights

UX has grown from a niche technical role to a critical business function that impacts customer satisfaction across multiple platforms.
The complexity of modern digital experiences demands specialization within UX design.
Understanding both user needs and business goals is crucial for effective design.
The human factor remains central to UX despite AI and automation trends.
Career growth in UX involves becoming a lifelong learner and finding a niche or specialty that aligns with personal passion and market need.

Transcript

[Music]

Marc: Welcome to another episode of UX Pathways. I’m excited to kick off Season Two with today’s guest, Ryan Leffel. Ryan, how are you?

Ryan: I’m great. How are you?

Marc: Excellent. I’m glad we could finally connect. We tried in Season One, but now we get a fresh start and new questions. To begin, what is your current role?

Ryan: I’m the Head of Design at Priceline. I’ve been with Priceline for about three years—I started in September 2019, so I had a few months in the office before the pandemic. I oversee our Product Design and User Research teams. We’re responsible for the design and research behind Priceline’s desktop site, mobile site, and our iOS and Android apps.

How Ryan Got Into UX

Marc: You’ve been at Priceline for a while, but how did you get started in this thing called user experience?

Ryan: The story goes back to the late ’90s. I originally thought I’d be a developer. I was interested in HTML and building things—believe it or not, even CD-ROMs at the time. But I quickly realized I wasn’t great at coding websites or building things technically. What I was fascinated by was:

Why are we building something this way?
What do people actually need?
How do we make it easier to use?
What does the business really need to deliver?

That curiosity led me to the Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) at NYU Tisch. During my two years there, I focused on programming—but more importantly, user experience, research, and design. I learned enough programming to understand how things work so I could design them better.

My thesis was an e-learning project centered on research and design. My advisor was Bob Greenberg, founder of R/GA. After my thesis he pulled me aside and said, “I want you to meet some people at R/GA. I’ll open the door, and you take it from there.” That led to my first job in the early 2000s.

I spent over five years at R/GA, working with incredibly talented people who remain mentors today. From there, my career progressed through agencies, brand-side roles, and even an entrepreneurial attempt before ultimately leading me to where I am now.

Why UX Has Become a Sought-After Career

Marc: One topic that keeps coming up: Why has UX become such a sought-after career?

Ryan: A few reasons.

When I started, design meant wireframes for a single screen. Yes, there were challenges, but the scope was much smaller. Over time, that expanded into multiple screens, devices, and eventually entire end-to-end experiences across channels. Designers today must think about:

multiple devices
multiple touchpoints
entire customer journeys

Technology has moved incredibly fast. Think about it: We had VHS and cassette tapes as kids, then CDs and DVDs, which felt revolutionary. Now everything streams instantly from the cloud. As technology accelerates, customer expectations accelerate too.

Because of that, companies now invest heavily in UX in ways they didn’t in the early 2000s. Back then, “UX designer” held nowhere near the weight it does today.

Now:

UX is critical to business success
Companies understand that customer experience differentiates them
There are more UX jobs than ever
Schools and bootcamps offer UX programs and certificates

The demand, the visibility, and the earning potential all contribute to UX becoming a hot career—and I don’t see that cooling off. Customers will always have problems that need solving.

Marc: With all that in mind—where do you see this field going?

Ryan: People immediately jump to AR, VR, AI, gestures, and the “cool stuff”—and yes, we will absolutely get there. But before that, I think the biggest shift we’ll see is:

1. Designers Becoming Specialists

The generalist UX designer has been the norm for a long time. But now designers are increasingly specializing in areas such as:

Content & Copy
User Research
Data & Analytics
Product Design
Motion & Micro-interactions
Design Systems

These specializations will continue to mature and eventually feel like disciplines within the discipline.

2. Deeper Business Understanding

Designers must understand:

how businesses operate
what problems the business is trying to solve
how to create efficient, effective solutions

Business literacy is becoming just as important as design literacy.

3. Technology Evolution (But Humans Still Matter)

Yes, we’ll see:

augmented interfaces
voice and gesture interfaces
metaverse-style experiences
more sophisticated AI

But no matter how advanced machines become, people solve people problems. I don’t believe we’ll ever reach a point where machines replace designers entirely.

Advice on Specialization

Marc: I love how you emphasized specialization. It reminds me of UX maturity models—organizations evolve, and so do roles. What advice do you have for those entering UX?

Ryan: Think about what truly interests you. Early in your career is the ideal time to explore, study, and learn. You don’t need to commit to something forever, but you should:

Research the many paths available
Identify the aspects of UX that energize you
Find a niche that excites you

It doesn’t mean you won’t develop broad skills, but specializing helps you stand out and creates long-term career impact.

Marc: Ryan, it’s been a pleasure having you on the podcast. Thanks for your insights and wisdom.

Ryan: Thanks! Great to be here.