Hope, optimism and design thinking. — This article is in response to many conversations I have held this year. 2023 has been hard on many individuals, especially junior designers, immigrants and the unemployed. Hang on! TLDR: Keep on going; there is much ahead. Learned hopefulness and helplessness In popular Western culture, our shared imagination of Hell did not come from…

We are changing history by enlighting the dark corners of technology. — Technology shines bright lights and casts long shadows. When this spotlight is used correctly, it augments our senses, expands our minds and connects us in pulsating collectives of endless possibilities of what we can achieve. It is easy to be blinded by the flickering lights of the next innovation. A…

What leading a design team really needs to be about. — Design leadership has always been fascinating to me. What kind of magnetic power can a designer create to keep a team together and endure the worst of the circumstances? …

How you ask influences how others give. — As UX Designers, an essential part of our professional development is based on the capacity to ask for help. Design is a team sport, and no one is an island entirely of itself. We all need help, and how you ask influences how you receive it. Learning effective ways to…

It is hard to tell, but I am an introvert. Some days, I feel so shy that I find ordering food at a drive-through hard. …

How to prepare your mental game to tackle UX for complexity. — Dear Jr. Designer, the way your mind reacts has a huge impact when you are designing for complex applications. The mindset you bring to a team is one factor in your professional success that nobody can immediately see. …

An invitation to tackle complex problems and take the profession to the next level — Dear Jr. Designer, one of the most complex decisions of your UX career will be consciously choosing what kind of problems you naturally gravitate toward, what makes you feel relevant, and the skills you want to master. It is paradoxical that when UX Design has never been so popular, we…

Talking to the top designers in the world has never been easier, and still, many people do not take advantage of the opportunity. — I hate to admit it: Networking is vital for your professional development. For a long time, I used to live under Steve Martin’s mantra, “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” …

Put all your chips on timeless human needs. — The way we imagine the future is a social contract. Every generation has a way to describe it and agreed on what is about to come. Our grandparents imagined going to work in their flying cars, using personal jetpacks instead of bicycles, and widespread commercial supersonic travel (RIP the Concord)…