The hottest Design Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Design Topics

#147 Makers vs. machines

Design Lobster • 339 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🪑 Design Tech History Furniture Creativity Inspiration
  1. Designers are exploring the blend of machine-made and hand-crafted designs, questioning if designers should also code to bridge the gap between design and engineering.
  2. The concept of 'Design Engineers' is gaining popularity, where individuals contribute to design with wireframes, mockups, and front-end code, streamlining the development process.
  3. The 'Cesca' chair, inspired by a designer's bicycle ride home, embodies the merging of machine aspects with handcrafted elements, prompting a reflection on designs that combine both.

#145 Hidden colours

Design Lobster • 499 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
🪑 Design Color Theory Creativity Illustration Art
  1. The HSB color model provides an intuitive way to choose colors, focusing on hue, saturation, and brightness, which can help create cohesive color palettes.
  2. Disney uses colors like 'Go-Away Green' to de-emphasize necessary yet unsightly elements in their parks, demonstrating how color can direct attention and create specific atmospheres.
  3. Color in design is a powerful tool for communication, allowing designers to convey messages and emotions without using words.

Dialogical Design

the shimmering void • 93 implied HN points • 08 Dec 25
🪑 Design UX HCI Product Design Interaction Design Software Design Design tools AI
  1. Your computer should feel like a personal world built from people, places, and things, where structure emerges as you use it rather than being forced by pre-set apps or folders.
  2. Current software habits create silos and rigid schemas that ossify your life’s data, so designers must stop assuming they know what users need and enable iterative, user-driven structure instead.
  3. Large language models make fuzzy, dialogical interaction possible and can help shape meaning, but we also need new technical substrates that support flexible subdivision, derivation, and coherent sharing/privacy.

The Changing Role of Design

The Intersection • 732 implied HN points • 19 Nov 23
🪑 Design Industry Thinking Craft Creativity
  1. The design industry is evolving, with a shift from traditional design agencies to transformation consultancies.
  2. Design thinking has democratized design, making it more accessible but may have overemphasized thinking over the act of making.
  3. The role of designers in digital products like Threads may not always be obvious, as factors like timing and innovation can play a key role in success.
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Why chasing twitter's approval doesn't work

Load-bearing Tomato • 11 implied HN points • 12 Feb 26
🪑 Design Game design Product Design User Research UX Community Management Data Analysis Behavioral Science
  1. Social media opinions are skewed by algorithms and loud minorities, so what trends on platforms often isn't representative of your real player base.
  2. People misremember and tell stories about themselves, and many commenters lack the expertise to propose workable fixes. So direct suggestions are often wrong, and you should rely on behavior data and experiments instead.
  3. Media and creators amplify noisy or inflammatory takes into supposed truths, so treat player comments as data not gospel and always validate them with in-game metrics and careful testing.

UX Roundup: Year of the Horse | Creative Workflow | AI Coding | Usability Scaling | Was I Right or Wrong? | 30,000 Citations | Winning AI Video

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 13 implied HN points • 16 Feb 26
🪑 Design UX Interaction Usability Product Research AI
  1. AI is creating a new interaction paradigm where users express intentions and the system handles the rest, making interfaces faster and more transformative than old command-driven models.
  2. AI is reversing creative workflows and dominating coding: creators can start from polished final outputs and iterate, while AI now writes the bulk of code and massively amplifies developer productivity.
  3. AI’s usability skills are scaling quickly and already cover a growing portion of evaluation tasks, so UX work will shift to higher-level oversight and new roles as AI soon outperforms manual methods.

#141 Very superstitious

Design Lobster • 619 implied HN points • 13 Nov 23
🪑 Design Visual Design Product Design User Experience Industrial Design Graphic design
  1. Designers are superstitious about alignment because it signals care and attention to detail in the design process.
  2. Small design choices, like the shape of an iron fish, can have a big impact on user behavior and address practical issues, like iron deficiency.
  3. Designing for human beings is not a formula - the most effective designs often emerge from understanding human behavior, even if it seems irrational.

Sawdust and aluminum shavings

The Uncertainty Mindset (soon to become tbd) • 79 implied HN points • 26 Jun 24
🪑 Design Product Design Interior design Design Philosophy Creative Process
  1. Thinking about tradeoffs helps us deal with uncertainty better. It's like understanding that we have to choose between different options when faced with unknowns.
  2. Clarifying tradeoffs allows us to adapt more easily. When we know what we're giving up or gaining, we can make better choices in changing situations.
  3. Expressing tradeoffs can lead to better shared goals. It helps everyone understand what matters most, leading to more effective teamwork.

Why American needs fewer bus stops

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 29 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26
🪑 Design Urban Design Transport Infrastructure Public Transit Policy Service Design
  1. American buses stop too often, which makes them slow, unreliable, and less useful than driving. Increasing the distance between stops (stop balancing) speeds buses up and expands how far riders can get in the same time.
  2. Stop balancing is cheap and quick to do and lowers operating costs because faster routes need fewer drivers to maintain the same frequency. Agencies can use those savings to run more service or protect routes from cuts.
  3. Fewer, better-placed stops let agencies invest in higher-quality shelters, real-time info, and safer sidewalks, improving the rider experience and visibility of the network. Closing overlapping stops usually only slightly reduces coverage while making the remaining stops more useful and likely to attract riders.

One Tool to Rule Them All

Anant’s Newsletter • 4 implied HN points • 27 Feb 26
🪑 Design Design tools Collaboration Product Design Developer Tools Workflow
  1. Design and code tools are merging into one environment so designers, engineers, and PMs can work together in the same workspace and the traditional handoff disappears.
  2. A unified tool creates a single source of truth for the design system so components live in one place instead of being duplicated across mockups and code, reducing drift and bugs.
  3. Teams that embrace this convergence will move faster and ship higher-fidelity products because roles blur, context-switching drops, and designers and engineers can iterate together in real time.

Mini Exasperation #5

Exasperated Infrastructures • 14 implied HN points • 07 Feb 26
🪑 Design Urban Design Transport Data Visualization Software Tools
  1. Space Syntax is a science‑based, human‑focused method for linking spatial layout to social, economic, and environmental outcomes, and Depthmap is the open‑source software used to run those analyses.
  2. Its key metrics are "choice," which predicts which street segments travelers are likely to use for trips of set distances, and "integration," which measures how connected intersections are across the network.
  3. Space Syntax is not an agent‑based model and doesn’t simulate individual behavior or real‑world attributes, so it requires careful data cleaning and must be interpreted alongside GIS, observed data, and knowledge of network limitations.

Maturity and enthusiasm

Alberto Cairo's The Art of Insight • 239 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
🪑 Design Information Design Data Visualization Teaching Methods Creative Process Professional development
  1. Maturity in a profession can bring new insights and clarity. It's a journey that includes both personal growth and the evolution of skills and knowledge.
  2. Learning how to design information helps us communicate and think better. It's a valuable skill that can benefit anyone, not just designers.
  3. This newsletter will share personal experiences, analysis, and recommendations about data visualization. It's an exploration of the craft and the joy of learning together.

How to Create Your Own Stunning Ebook Effortlessly With Canva

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 539 implied HN points • 12 Aug 23
🪑 Design Graphic design Digital Media eBooks Creativity User Experience
  1. You can easily create an eBook without being a graphic design expert. Canva provides user-friendly tools to help you design stunning eBooks.
  2. There are many resources available that guide you through the eBook creation process. This makes it approachable for anyone, even beginners.
  3. Offering free eBooks can be a great way to share your knowledge and connect with others. It’s a good strategy to engage your audience.

Niche product design

Product Identity • 257 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
🪑 Design Product Design Graphic design UI/UX
  1. Niche product design is becoming more popular as people seek unique and authentic designs that stand out from the mainstream. Designers are finding inspiration in smaller, lesser-known projects rather than big tech companies.
  2. As companies grow and aim for larger audiences, they often lose their originality and creativity. Instead of focusing on growth, some businesses are exploring their identities and making products that connect with specific communities.
  3. The internet still offers a lot of space for new and exciting designs. By looking beyond the usual sources, designers can find innovative ideas and embrace a new wave of creativity.

The Myth of Low Engagement Carousels

UX Movement Newsletter • 491 implied HN points • 10 May 23
🪑 Design UI/UX
  1. There's a myth that carousels have poor user engagement, but it's based on incomplete research.
  2. Studies show low engagement in carousels with small arrow buttons that users often miss.
  3. Users are more likely to interact with elements that grab their interest and provide information.

UX Roundup: 2026 Predictions | AI Analyzing Usability | DeepMind Documentary | Amazon Agent | AI Prescriptions | Mechanical Turk

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 23 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26
🪑 Design User Experience UX Research Interaction Design Usability testing Product Design AI Integration Visual Design
  1. AI is starting to automate UX work by analyzing usability session recordings — models already detect emotions well and could scale to identify usability problems, so organizations should preserve raw test recordings now.
  2. AI agents are being widely adopted in products and healthcare and are showing measurable effects — shopping assistants are driving higher purchase activity and some systems are now authorized to handle prescription renewals, improving convenience and efficiency.
  3. Caution is still needed: generative models have practical limits (like poor character consistency) and remote research data is at risk — platforms such as MTurk show widespread low-quality or AI-generated responses, so use more reliable panels or direct observation and plan for stronger identity verification.

What we don't talk about when we talk about quality...

The faintest idea • 319 implied HN points • 24 Dec 23
🪑 Design User Experience Visual Design Product Design Software Quality Branding
  1. Quality really matters in software because it makes products more valuable and worth paying for. Just like with clothes or furniture, better quality provides a better experience.
  2. Software isn't always compared just by quality since functionality plays a big role too. It's important to fix the small details that make a big difference for users.
  3. People will feel the difference in quality when using software, even if it doesn't show up in simple success metrics. That feeling can influence their choices and how much they are willing to pay.

#134 Designed (not) to last

Design Lobster • 479 implied HN points • 12 Jun 23
🪑 Design Interfaces Art Sculpture Creativity
  1. Ephemeral user interfaces could enhance experiences by creating interactive elements within message threads.
  2. Designers can learn from Andy Goldsworthy's approach of transforming natural materials into symbolic compositions.
  3. Life is ephemeral, so make the most of your designs and creations to have a lasting impact.

#135 Think like a designer 🧠

Design Lobster • 459 implied HN points • 26 Jun 23
🪑 Design Creativity Innovation Art Technology
  1. Slow hunches are vague ideas that over time can lead to important insights or innovations
  2. Infospaces, like messy studios or book-strewn studies, can facilitate creativity by physically activating more of our brain
  3. Thinking about new tools and interfaces can lead to discovering easier ways to tackle difficult concepts

Doing less: a personal essay

Design Lobster • 818 implied HN points • 16 Jan 23
🪑 Design Architecture Product Design Digital Design Constraints Simplicity
  1. Designers should strive to 'do less' to avoid overwhelm and prioritize what truly matters in their work.
  2. Constraints in design are essential, as they lead to simplicity and help designers convey their message effectively.
  3. In a world of technological advancements, the concept of 'less' in design becomes more relevant, urging designers to deliver more with minimal elements.

Usability Testing Process Explained in Comic Strips

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 52 implied HN points • 04 Dec 25
🪑 Design User Experience Graphic design Product Design Digital Media Comics
  1. Usability testing has a 12-step process that applies to different types of products like apps, websites, and appliances. Following all the steps is usually best for teams new to user research.
  2. Using comic strips can make the usability testing process easier to understand. Different styles can be used to show various details and keep it fun.
  3. Incorporating character reference sheets helps maintain consistency in drawing characters when telling a story. This is crucial for clear storytelling in comics.

Designing for a single purpose

Product Identity • 118 implied HN points • 07 May 24
🪑 Design Product Design User Experience Branding Software Design Cultural critique
  1. Focusing on one clear purpose can make products stand out and be more appreciated. For example, stores or brands that specialize in a single item often attract loyal customers.
  2. In tech, many products have become complex and cluttered by trying to do too much. This often leads to products losing their original charm and purpose.
  3. Going back to basics and simplifying can bring more joy to experiences, like reading on a Kindle without distractions. It helps us focus on what truly matters.

#139 In the know 😉

Design Lobster • 379 implied HN points • 18 Sep 23
🪑 Design Visual Navigation Creativity Inspiration
  1. Designers can fall into the 'curse of knowledge' where they become so familiar with their designs that they can't see them objectively. Getting fresh perspectives and taking breaks can help overcome this.
  2. The Marshall Islands Stick Charts showcase how innovative visualizations were used for navigation. Finding creative ways to bring abstract information to life in design is crucial.
  3. Preconceived ideas can hinder learning and problem-solving. Staying self-aware and open-minded is key for designers to create original solutions.

#136 Design on fire 🔥

Design Lobster • 339 implied HN points • 10 Jul 23
🪑 Design Innovation Fashion Art History Quotes
  1. In the past, unique devices were created for fire escapes, like a helmet-worn parachute, but ultimately changing building designs was more effective for safety.
  2. During the 17th and 18th centuries, pole screens were used to prevent makeup melting near fires, showing that design can solve practical problems.
  3. Design should not only function but also consider how it makes users presentable to others, as seen in the evolution of pole screens for makeup protection.

Case Study: Sage House

Supernuclear • 359 implied HN points • 16 Oct 23
🪑 Design Governance Community
  1. Sage House offers a unique approach to communal living with custom Slack apps for decision-making and governance.
  2. The house operates with lazy consensus and a do-ocracy, utilizing a hybrid offline/online governance system.
  3. Lessons from Sage House highlight the demand for structured communal living for busy individuals and the benefits of established structures in facilitating community entry.

The Big Tough UX-AI Quiz

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 21 implied HN points • 05 Jan 26
🪑 Design UX Interaction Usability Product Design Service Design User Research Human-AI
  1. UX must change for AI: designers need patterns for long-running "Slow AI" work (resumption summaries, conceptual breadcrumbs, tiered notifications, salvage value) and must embrace generative, disposable UIs that are created on-the-fly for immediate user intent.
  2. Human roles and skills are shifting from pure craft to higher-level capacities: agency, judgment, and persuasion become key, with new hybrid roles like product engineers and forward-deployed engineers who integrate, oversee, and operationalize AI.
  3. Measurement and economics are in flux: AI introduces extra variance in A/B tests, creates a "measurement gap" for traditional metrics, and while AI is often cheaper and improving fast, teams must manage hallucinations, noisy evaluation, and calibrate human trust and vigilance.

2025 Year in Review: Themes, Trends, Status, Top 10 Articles

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 29 implied HN points • 18 Dec 25
🪑 Design UX Interaction User Research Design Strategy Visual Design Careers
  1. AI has become the interface. Design now focuses less on pixels and more on defining goals, constraints, guardrails, and when humans should intervene.
  2. Agency is the new professional currency. Careers shift from titles and craft to the ability to frame problems, set intent, and steer AI systems under uncertainty.
  3. Research, creativity, and distribution are refashioned by AI. User research runs at machine speed, visual creation is democratized, and UX must handle time, prompt literacy, and AI‑mediated discovery.