The problems of over-relying on A/B testing
Weekly curated resources for designers — thinkers and makers.
Over relying on A/B testing means you’re optimizing for change in KPIs. However, not everything that is good for a user will be reflected in a change in KPIs.
Designing with the goal of moving the needle in metrics often leads to prioritizing features that are already proven to work elsewhere over innovative features or interactions. The result of this is that you may end up with a “mishmash of features that your audience has already seen elsewhere, and done better too… it’s a recipe for mediocrity”.
The problems of over-relying on A/B testing →
The UX Collective is an independent ad-free design publication that elevates unheard design voices, reaching over 413,600 designers every week. Curated by Fabricio Teixeira and Caio Braga.
Editors’ picks
Dispo App’s sudden popularity →
A case study in the power of nostalgia and authenticity.An ode to No-Code →
From an old-school coder and design snob.Good design is science, not art →
Although it doesn’t hurt to be a little artistic.
Tom Olin has been documenting the disability rights movement through photos since 1984.
Food for thought
How to get a dysfunctional team back on track →
“Maybe you’ve been part of a team that you’ve seen slowly slide into a rut. You didn’t notice it happen, but you’re now not shipping anything, no one’s talking to each other, and the management’s Eye of Sauron has cast its gaze upon you.”
Models before screens →
“When designing complex systems, the goal isn’t to make the system ‘intuitive’ (a word often misused in interaction design) but to make it learnable. The user will likely encounter unfamiliar concepts or familiar concepts used in unexpected ways; as designers, our job is to help users leverage concepts they already know to come up to speed in the new domain.”
When Mies designed a drive-in →
“20 years later the Montreal gas station was perhaps less heroic but still a far cry from anything we have seen. First, it was black. Of all the brand colors oil companies claimed, not surprisingly black was not among them. Black must have been thought to be a reminder of soot, or the blackness of oil.”
Portugal by Sebastião Rodrigues’ pencil — how the work of a designer merges with a country’s history.
Little gems this week
UX inspiration from history: Sony Walkman
Can we make Pantone’s color of the year more accessible?
How to avoid using gradients like a lunatic
Tools and resources
Figma playground →
A sample file with tons of shareable interactive components.An accessible current page state →
Considerations behind that icon that indicates what page you're currently on.Creating a design system in Figma →
A practical guide for you to get started building your own system.