“Here are two extremes. There’s always the exact same predictable path to solving a problem. For example, I can tell you exactly what steps and in what order I’ll take those steps so I can solve a simple math problem. The same process has worked for many years and will work for hundreds more.
Or,
There’s never the same predictable path to solving a problem. In soccer, you cannot predict the plays that are going to score a goal because you don’t have control of the opposing team’s defense. To score a goal, you’re reacting and working through to the unpredictable situations and challenges in front of you.
What makes the path to solving a problem predictable or unpredictable? It has to do with how much control you have over influencing factors.”
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Editor picks
UX/AI thinking for a new design world →
Steven Spielberg’s movie reminded us of how far AI will bring us.How bad UX led to a partial nuclear meltdown →
The Three Mile Island story.How a killer email strategy made me spend £733 on flowers →
A deep dive into Bloom & Wild’s CRM strategy.Uber Ads: accelerating the path to profitability →
A 100% margin product that can subsidize a low margin business.
The UX Collective is an independent design publication that elevates unheard design voices and illuminates the path to design mastery and critical thinking. Here’s how we’re boosting stories through our partnership with Medium.
Movie maths: mix and match your favorite movies →
Make me think
Women are superstars on stage, but rarely get to write songs →
“In 2022, hit songs had 6 songwriters on average: 5 men and 1 woman. But the average conceals a remarkable fact about the 42 songs that cracked the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100. While half of the songs had a songwriting team of all men, only one had a songwriting team of all women.”Some tactics for writing in public →
“I’ve often heard the advice ‘don’t read the comments’, but actually I’ve learned a huge amount from reading internet comments on my posts from strangers over the years, even if sometimes people are jerks. So I want to explain some tactics I use to try to make the comments on my posts more informative and useful to me, and to try to minimize the number of annoying comments I get.”Who has the credentials to deliver design feedback? →
“I once heard someone say that to create you need an ego—the ego to believe that what you are making can somehow improve the world. Our ego can be a tool. It is empowering. It allows us to take risks and make something out of nothing. But sometimes, it can prevent us from achieving more.”
Little gems this week
How UX outcomes make a team’s daily work truly human-centered →
What makes Japanese food packaging user-centric? →
Tools and resources
How much does a Senior Product Designer make? →
Layoffs edition.Accessibility & subtitles →
When accessibility becomes standard, everyone benefits.Designing AI agents →
A designer’s guide to the next big thing.
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