“Every new project I feel that shiver in the back of my spine, even though I have probably gone through the same thing so many times. I think that is what motivates me, the fact that I don’t feel comfortable just yet. On top of that, I am quite curious about how things are made, which explains my eternal struggle with programming.”

Interview with Fabio Sasso about leading vs managing, side projects, and setting goals for yourself →

The UX Collective is an independent ad-free design publication that elevates unheard design voices, reaching over 424,000 designers every week. Here are our editorial plans for 2021.

Editors’ picks

Design therapy →
Before design thinking, we need design therapy.

Every design is a system →
The mark of a great designer is their awareness of system thinking.

Everyone’s usability →
Usability is too important to be left to usability professionals.

A thorough look at the cultural impact of the Nike Air Force 1.

Food for thought

Beware the cut ‘n’ paste persona →
“Personas are popular because they make “dry” research data more relatable, more human. However, this method constrains the researcher’s data analysis in such a way that the investigated users are removed from their unique contexts.”

The key to understanding why things happen →
“Knowing causes helps produce better outcomes. You might not know causes precisely, but you can test hypotheses. Ultimately, a better understanding of the system’s structures and underlying mental models will lead to more skillful interventions.”

How big pharma finds sick users on Facebook →
“The Washington Post reported last year that health and pharmaceutical companies spent almost $1 billion on just Facebook mobile ads in 2019. The draw? Unlike a traditional TV or radio ad, Facebook’s ad categories help those companies target their drug ads at users who likely suffer from a specific illness the drug treats.”

Little gems this week

Tridimensionality: skeuomorphism, flat design, and neumorphism →

The designer’s burnout first-aid kit →

Classic UX books from the 1980s →

Tools and resources

DnD →
A modular toolkit for drag & drop interfaces.

Container queries →
A path forward, with single-axis containment.

CSS Hell →
Collection of common CSS mistakes, and how to fix them.

This is your brain on architecture.

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