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📰 3 ARTICLES
The UX Job Crisis: The End or a New Beginning?
- UX Design consultant Christopher Nguyen examines the current state of the UX job market, providing clear information and advice on how UXers can remain both relevant and optimistic during times of career uncertainty.
- Leveraging AI is of course an important skill; but so is the willingness to adapt, making yourself more collaborative, and becoming a true advocate for UX at your organization.
- “Although the drop in UX job openings feels daunting, it reflects a market correction rather than a decline in the importance of UX. Look beyond the immediate setbacks and recognize the long-term growth trajectory. The expansion in fields like AI, AR, VR, and blockchain suggests a surge in UX demand.”
Tips for Building and Sustaining Your Creative Venture
- Katy Cowen, founder of the online art and design publication CreativeBoom, shares her advice for other creatives who are looking to start their own business, sharing insights from her 15-year tenure in the industry.
- Cowen gives examples from the tenets that have guided her business strategy, encouraging creatives to go all-in on their passions and promote their work while still maintaining a sense of humility and being willing to adapt or adjust.
- “From a humble beginning to a well-respected platform, our journey is a testament to the power of belief, adaptability, community connection, humility, and risk-taking. We hope our story inspires you to pursue your passion and build something extraordinary from the ground up.”
Clean the Sludge From Decision-Making Workflows
- UX designer Tanner Kohler breaks down the concept of "sludge" in decision-making workflows, comparing confusing or overly complex UX flows to the buildup in pipes that obstruct forward movement.
- Kohler argues that nudging users toward specific decisions doesn’t always work; instead, by simplifying choice architecture, organizations can enhance user satisfaction, increase retention, reduce customer support needs, and lower refund rates.
- “Perhaps we should focus less on convincing users to do what we want them to (Subscribe! Purchase! Donate!) and more on helping them do what they already want to: efficiently make choices that they’ll be satisfied with.”
💜 PORTFOLIO INSPIRATION
Cassidy Seo, a UX Academy graduate, makes a point to integrate her passions into her UX work. She creates an innovative new restaurant app in Peel, a platform for foodies to more easily discover new places to eat based on their preferences and more seamlessly leave reviews of their experience. She also brings her interest in tennis to a responsive design for Advantage Tennis, a shop that required a site to expand its growth and online presence to better serve its customer base.
Got a portfolio you love that you’d like to share with our audience? Email your suggestions to hello@designlab.com.
💡 INTERESTING STUFF...
- A Round-Up of Portfolio Inspo
- The Mark on the Wall
- Why Not All Voices Should Be Equal in the Design Process
- Meet Claude: A Codeless App Builder
You don't think your way to creative work. You work your way to creative thinking. — George Nelson, industrial designer
🧪 FROM THE LAB
🚀 UX Academy Foundations Launching Monday
Our upcoming cohort of UX Academy Foundations starts this coming Monday, August 5th.
Are you ready to see if a career in UX/UI is right for you – all while learning skills that will be with you for a lifetime? Our beginner-friendly and fully online UX Academy Foundations is a great way to do just that. With hands-on projects, comprehensive Figma tutorials, and guided 1:1 mentorship, you’ll learn the foundational skills needed to begin your UX journey.
Students who successfully complete UX Academy Foundations will then be fully prepared to jump into our award-winning career change program, UX Academy.
🎤 Upcoming Design Events
August 5th 4PM EST: How to Use Gemini for UX Writing Tasks
August 13th 1PM EST: Turn In-Depth Interviews Into Your UX Superpower
August 19th 1PM EST: The Future of UX is Embracing AI
📊 Learn More About Data-Driven Design
If you’re looking to gain confidence in your ability to use data in your design role, our Data-Driven Design course is for you.
We’ll be hosting a live informational webinar this coming Wednesday, August 7th, at 12PM EST, where you can learn more and get all your questions about Data-Driven Design answered. We’ll discuss the course format and curriculum, how you’ll be supported through mentorship and peer group, and help you determine if this course is right for your goals.
Can’t attend? No worries: simply sign up for the event, and you’ll be sent a recording afterward.
💵 Earn Cash for Every Enrollment
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From Advanced Courses to our UX Academy bootcamp, you’ll earn money for every enrollment you send our way. Sign up to receive a dedicated affiliate link to share, and make up to $725 per enrollment by spreading the word about Designlab.
