Member-only story
Digital products should be non-harmful. It’s time we embraced that.
Deceptive patterns don’t have to rule our lives forever
I’m just three days into my workweek in 2022, and working from home on a laptop — not because it’s unique to me, but because it’s the new reality for myself and 16% of Americans.
Industry players both in tech and beyond have designed change into their systems, but we’re finding out that they haven’t designed their systems with change in mind.
In 2009, that number was over 150% lower. But due to the pandemic and the rising costs of fossil fuels, companies have been forced to abandon their old models of work. The classic _-minute commute the average worker takes is now down to… well, zero. This has wreaked havoc on our way of working, and job-searching; tech companies have seen the cascading effects on their talent pool as those with the highest valued skills move elsewhere for better benefits and flexible work hours.
We’re even seeing the rise of political disarray and a collective mental health crisis due to our fixation on social media. These systems have unintentionally made our lives more fragmented and distracted than before.
Industry players both in tech and beyond have designed change into their systems, but we’re finding out that they haven’t designed their systems with change in mind. With UX becoming a trend most companies have adopted, what does that mean for us as designers in this changing world?
Ethics: the modern design dilemma we all face
When tasked with the design of a new feature, we designers are often faced with a choice: do we question the status quo and stick to our intuition or cater to the whims of our stakeholders? This internal battle can really wear us thin — and often we act in the best interests of the collective because the payoff is immediate; stakeholders are happy and the job is done. However, stifling your expertise does not serve…
