The downward spiral affecting our digital products

Weekly curated resources for designers — thinkers and makers.

Jan 29, 2024

The term “Enshittification” has been around for some time, but its meaning and usage have changed as consumers’ relationships with online platforms have become more strained in recent years.

We are feeling the squeeze. Many economic factors have dramatically affected the acquisitive power of the average consumer. In Canada, the annual inflation rate in 2019 was 1.8%, and then three years later, we switched the numbers, reaching a peak of 8.1% in June 2022. Despite inflation showing a significant downward trend in recent months, the fear of a recession keeps the prices up, or so they say.

The downward spiral affecting our digital products →

Fast-track product decisions with data-driven insights →
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Editor picks

Is humanizing crypto even possible? →
A designer’s honest perspective on web3.
What is our design intention? →
Let’s design a brighter tomorrow.
What can we learn from the practice of finding joy? →
Focusing on pain points isn’t always the best idea.

The UX Collective is an independent design publication that elevates unheard design voices and helps designers think more critically about their work.

The menu trends that define dining right now →

Make me think

Five future roles for designers →
“I believe that in the future, digital systems, not people, will do much of the craft of (screen-level) interaction design. To provide value, designers will need different skills and mental models (…) in a world where our object of focus isn’t stuff happening on screens.”
The quiet death of Ello’s big dreams →
“From its launch, Ello defined itself as an alternative to ad-driven social networks like Twitter and Facebook. You are not a product. (The ‘I Disagree’ button linked to Facebook’s privacy page)”
Knowledge management for the win →
“Most institutions, companies, and groups suffer from at least a partial lack of solid knowledge management. Fortunately, this is fixable by acknowledging the problem, understanding its sources, and addressing them in planned phases.”

Little gems this week

How schools and education could be more student-centric →

Why the new AI Pin will be a usability nightmare →

We need to talk about AI and mental health →

Tools and resources

Presenting work with confidence and clarity →
Intentional structure and process.
The structure of UX →
The critical forces that drive product development.
Indicators, validations, and notifications →
Pick the correct communication option.