Customer Support is often a way to measure the value of design

Weekly curated resources for designers — thinkers and makers.

The news that Sidebar.io was taking a break felt a bit like a heartbreak. Sidebar has been one of my favorite sources to keep up with design, and with content that would make me a better, smarter, more informed designer.

No noise, no endless scrolling, just the good stuff.

5 links a day. That’s it.

Well…

Sidebar is back from its break →

Editor picks

• The fastest gun in UX →
  Why your team is telling the wrong story.
  By Pavel Samsonov
• Duolingo’s gamification strategy →
  The good, the bad, and the ugly.
  By Tiina Golub
• Why TikTok users are flocking to Xiaohongshu →
  Part UX, part politics.
  By Daley Wilhelm
• Meta and Spotify’s AI takeover →
  Is this the end of human-created content?
  By Angele Lenglemetz
• Human flourishing in the Age of AI →
  Challenges, strategies, and opportunities.
  By Josh LaMar

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

Subway Stories: an interactive visualization →

Make me think

• A journey of craft built on trust, confidence, and focus →
  “Experiencing imposter syndrome has taught me to accept feedback — both positive and constructive — with openness and to lean on my teammates for perspective and support. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s also a reminder that the work you’re doing matters.”
• Consistency means nothing →
  “Modern software is a paradox. On one hand it’s more conformist than ever. On the other hand, most are hilariously inconsistent in execution. The majority of software from large orgs leans towards disorder. This is often due to how large orgs operate.”
• Stop trying to schedule a call with me →
  “Chances are, I signed up to see if your tool can do one specific thing. If it doesn’t, I’ve already mentally moved on and forgotten about it. So, when you email me, I’m either actively evaluating whether to buy your product, or I have no idea why you’re reaching out.”

Little gems this week

How first impressions drive AI adoption →
By Tetiana Sydorenko

Designers: always read the comments →
By Euphrates Dahout

The future of design systems is decentralized →
By Oscar Gonzalez, WAS

Tools and resources

• Human-centered AI frameworks →
  Adopting a structured approach to AI initiatives.
  By Rob Chappell
• Design systems and accessibility →
  What was top of mind for the international community in 2024?
  By Matheus Cervo
• Accessible outcomes →
  To create more accessible outcomes, we need better design tools.
  By Nik Jeleniauskas

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Sidebar is back, Duolingo’s strategy, AIUX frameworks, accessible outcomes was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.