📰 3 THINGS TO CHECK OUT
When the UX is Beautiful but the Psychology is Wrong
- UX leader Tushar Deshmukh explores the idea that your interface is only the second half of the experience—users arrive with years of habits, biases, and expectations that silently shape whether they flow or bounce.
- He argues that “Cortex-First” design means mapping (and respecting) users’ mental models—so that innovations don’t feel psychologically wrong, even when the UI is polished.
- “We don’t see things as they are. We see things as we expect them to be.”
How to Approach Prompting Like You Would Cooking a Meal
- Greg Huntoon, Manager of Designer Advocacy at Figma, notes that prompting is a design discipline, and AI tools don’t need politeness; they need clarity, structure, and intent to become reliable collaborators.
- Drawing parallels to cooking (mise en place, taste, refine), he introduces a framework to reduce ambiguity and generate more consistent, production-ready results in tools like Figma Make.
- The point: prompting isn’t about clever wording, it’s about system thinking. If you want to put this into practice, AI Prototyping Camp starts January 27th. Offering 4 weeks of hands-on work with Figma Make and Lovable, the program teaches designers, PMs, and builders how to turn prompts into polished, multi-screen prototypes.
Seven Predictions for Web Design in 2026
- UX/UI writer Louise North predicts that 2026 won’t be about louder tools or faster workflows, but about restoration, with designers reclaiming taste, calm, and intention in a web that’s been over-optimized and stripped of personality.
- From rejection of the “AI look” to the return of taste, microbrands, and the Quiet Web, she outlines a shift toward smaller, slower, more human experiences where authenticity and emotional resonance matter as much as usability.
- “The designers who will define 2026 aren’t chasing trends—they’re reclaiming intention.”
💜 PORTFOLIO INSPIRATION
Stephanie Pereira brings a rare blend of analytical rigor and human-centered design to her work as a Product Designer. With 10+ years of experience as a Tax Consultant on complex, multinational projects, Stephanie brings her background in problem-solving, systems thinking, and stakeholder consulting to design thoughtful, outcome-driven products. In her Just Park It case study, Stephanie tackled a real urban challenge: helping non-resident drivers navigate Madrid Central’s strict mobility rules. Through user interviews, usability testing, and iterative prototyping, she designed a mobile experience that delivers real-time parking availability, clearer navigation, and reduced driver stress, demonstrating how strong research and empathy can directly improve city life. Her Kraken portfolio project further showcases her ability to translate complex data into intuitive interfaces, adding clarity and control to crypto investing through customizable alerts and multi-currency views. Across her work, Stephanie consistently shows how strategic thinking, usability testing, and adaptability can turn complex systems into clear user experiences.
Got a portfolio you love that you’d like to share with our audience? Email your suggestions to hello@designlab.com.
💡 INTERESTING STUFF...
- Figma's Review of the Most Iconic Interactions Over 20 Years
- 2025 Word of the Year: Slop
- Creative Prompts to Motivate You Post-Holidays
- How to Create Interactive User Personas
"By all means break the rules, and break them beautifully, deliberately, and well." — Robert Bringhurst, poet and typographer
🧪 FROM THE LAB
The State of AI in UX & Product Design
Our 2026 AI in UX & Product Design survey report is releasing next week, and we’re hosting a panel discussion on Tuesday, January 13th at 12pm ET to walk through the findings. Join us (and a few special guests) as we dig into the data from 200+ UX/product designers and design leaders, exploring how AI is shaping their work now and where they see its future going. Register to attend the event.
🔔 Launching Next Week
Three of our most popular courses are launching next Friday, January 16. Get a jumpstart on boosting your design career this year—grab your spot now.
Advanced Figma: Learn the advanced workflows of the most skilled product designers, and become your team’s go-to Figma expert. Join our live info session on Wednesday, 1/14 at 12pm ET to learn more.
Data-Driven Design: Learn how to leverage data to make smarter design decisions, validate your ideas, and demonstrate the impact of your design work. Join our live webinar Tuesday, 1/13 at 1pm ET for more details.
AI for UX Design: Integrate AI tools confidently across your UX workflow, from research and ideation to wireframing, and become more efficient while building responsible, future-ready systems.
Did you know? Our course bundles allow you to mix-and-match multiple courses and save up to $600. Learn more about how it works.
