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Three robots with evil eyes stare- AI AGI is a fantasy

The State of AI: Actual vs Imagined

Two women engaging in a one-on-one counseling session in a cozy, well-lit room, one expressing herself while the other listens attentively. The listener demonstrates UX research empathy

Untangling the empathy backlash in UX

By Frank Spillers, a leading expert in UX, Service Design and Inclusive Design

The State of AI: Actual vs Imagined

Summary: AI is in a state of growth and transition. But its destination is uncertain. Certain interested and uninformed parties, including CEOs of GenAI firms and past tech CEOs, are peddling an endgame that probably won’t arrive, at least in our lifetimes. Instead, it’s important to focus on what really matters: user experience goals like...

Most Recent Posts

The State of AI: Actual vs Imagined

Frank SpillersApril 21, 2025

Summary: AI is in a state of growth and transition. But its destination...

Untangling the empathy backlash in UX

Frank SpillersApril 16, 2025

Summary: What topic draws condemnation and sparks eye-rolls in UX? Empathy. Empathy, the...

The problem with Inclusive Design and Temporary Disabilities

Frank SpillersApril 10, 2025

Summary: By elevating temporary disabilities, you may quickly lose the plot of the...

Design Manager vs. Design Leader

Frank SpillersFebruary 28, 2025

Summary: Leadership from designers is not just about managing projects—it’s about driving business...

Blind Asian woman navigates their phone in a library

No Accessibility Without This

Frank SpillersJanuary 31, 2025

Summary: Designing for accessibility and inclusivity has become central to design conversations. However,...

Why you need Backwards Journey mapping

Frank SpillersDecember 6, 2024

Summary: Break out of your time frame in journey mapping! Most people map...

Storytelling: UX Soft Skill You Can’t Ignore

Summary: Assumptions of users plague corporate dev & design teams. Instead, stories of user’s lived experience help dispel assumptions about users. Furthermore, internal teams are filled with unconscious biases— the biggest of which…

Defining Efficiency in DOGE: A Human-Centered Approach

Summary: Efficiency in government is often measured in cost savings, speed, and automation. But if efficiency doesn’t improve outcomes for people, is it truly efficient? The US Department of Government Efficiency…

New read in the UX Inner Circle Book Club

March – May 2025 Join us for group discussions of Closing the Loop by Sheryl Cababa… Moderated by John Alberts, Learning Advocate UXIC Cost: FREE- Open to anyone, register for Open…

UX Maturity + Stakeholder Management

Summary: The more you involve and manage stakeholders in UX and Service Design projects and programmes, the more growth you can get from UX ROI. If your stakeholders are absent, you’ll…

The value of engaged stakeholders

Summary: Stakeholders provide essential insights about business goals, user needs, and organizational constraints. By involving them early, you align project objectives, ensuring the team designs solutions that address real problems and…

Why Problem Framing is Essential for UX

Why Problem Framing is essential in UX? In UX and service design, the first step to crafting effective, user-centered solutions is understanding the problem at hand. Yet, it’s common for…

Bye Slack, hello social community for UXIC

Member Update: We recently opened up the UX Inner Circle to a free membership type: Open Circle. No excuse for your continued learning now 😉 >> Open Circle membership includes…

What comes before ease of use?

Summary: Ease of use is the easy part. What comes before ease of use is context, which is the environment, circumstances, and conditions under which a product will be used. Understanding…

Feeling Local: a Cross-cultural design guide

Summary: Cross-cultural design means creating products that resonate with diverse cultures. By understanding and respecting cultural differences, designers can create culturally adoptable products, services, and experiences. If something ‘feels local,’…