The hottest User Experience Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Tech's reality problem

The Rectangle • 28 implied HN points • 14 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Digital Culture Social media User Experience
  1. Tech companies significantly shape how we perceive reality through their platforms, as seen with the Gulf of America name change. People tend to accept information as real when it is presented on these map apps.
  2. The concept of hyperreality shows how real life and digital simulations blend together. This blurring can lead to a reality where what we see on screens holds as much weight as what exists physically around us.
  3. It's important to be aware of how technology influences our lives. We should not let apps or platforms define our reality, but rather focus on our direct experiences and relationships in the real world.

Deep Research: First Impressions

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 40 implied HN points • 08 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI User Experience Research Design Productivity
  1. AI tools like OpenAI's Deep Research can make research tasks much faster and easier. This lets users get valuable insights quickly, which is great for decision making.
  2. Having AI ask follow-up questions before starting research helps users clarify their needs. This means the final output is more likely to match what they were actually looking for.
  3. Investing in AI tools for design teams can save money and improve work efficiency. It's cheaper than hiring extra help and helps teams stay updated with the best technology.

#8 Compact Design

Mountain Labs Newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 13 Sep 24
🪑 Design Product Design User Experience Sustainability Materials Prototyping
  1. Compact design can be very complex, as it needs to use every bit of space wisely. Creating a small air quality monitor involved three design revisions and a lot of thought.
  2. The design process involves trial and error. Each version of the product had its own challenges, whether it was durability, assembly, or size balance.
  3. Choosing materials is important for the final product. Different types of wood can affect how the product looks and feels, and the design might need tweaks for the manufacturing process.

What does DigitalOcean do?

Technically • 14 implied HN points • 18 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Cloud Computing Web Development Software Engineering User Experience Infrastructure
  1. DigitalOcean is a service that rents out servers to developers for building web applications. It helps developers run their apps without needing their own hardware.
  2. Unlike bigger companies like AWS or Google Cloud, DigitalOcean is independent and not owned by a massive tech giant. This makes their approach more focused on users.
  3. They focus on simplicity and user experience, making it easier for developers to use their services compared to other cloud providers.

☞ Creating a Typeface: Humanist Computer

Cabinet of Wonders • 231 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
🪑 Design Graphic design Visual Arts User Experience Typography
  1. Designing your own typeface can be a fun and creative hobby. It's a way to express yourself and combine art with practical use.
  2. Creating a monospaced typeface for coding can make programming feel more magical, like working with ancient texts.
  3. Working on a typeface is an ongoing process. Even if it's not perfect, seeing your progress can be really rewarding and inspiring.
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"Please wait while we access the functions on this card"

Disaffected Newsletter • 1938 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Software Computing User Experience Hardware Automation
  1. Many everyday machines now have annoying delays when performing simple tasks that used to be instant, like using ATMs or accessing files. It's frustrating because these are basic functions.
  2. Modern devices often prioritize a fancy user experience over speed and efficiency, making us wait longer for actions that used to happen quickly. This creates a feeling of disconnect between users and their machines.
  3. The trend seems to be moving towards making everything software-controlled, even when it seems unnecessary. This can make basic interactions tedious and less intuitive for users.

Make YouTube Better.

Elizabeth Laraki • 199 implied HN points • 01 Aug 24
🕹 Technology User Experience Product Design Tech Innovation Software Development Digital Media
  1. User experience research can be simple and effective. Instead of fancy tools, talking to users directly can lead to big insights.
  2. Removing unnecessary features is crucial. Complex products can confuse users, so it's often better to simplify than to add more.
  3. Observing real user behavior offers valuable lessons. Understanding how people interact with a product can guide meaningful improvements.

New discovery features, chat paywall settings, and recent Substack meetups

Substack • 497 implied HN points • 29 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Product Updates Community Engagement User Experience Content creation Business Model
  1. Substack has introduced a feature that allows free subscribers to see some chat replies, but only paid subscribers can read full threads. This is a way to encourage upgrades.
  2. There's a new invite button for chats, letting subscribers invite friends to join the conversation, which helps grow the community.
  3. The search feature is now better on mobile, and readers can find related notes easily, making it simpler to discover new content.

Tech Outages: Ep 1: Canva First Strike!

The ZenMode • 42 implied HN points • 31 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Software Infrastructure User Experience Incident Response
  1. Canva experienced a major outage caused by a version update that didn't go as planned. This led to slow loading times and a surge of failed requests, frustrating many users.
  2. A hidden bug within the system contributed to the outage, showing how important it is to monitor and test software carefully. Fixing such bugs can prevent future disruptions.
  3. After the incident, Canva focused on learning from the experience. They improved their system and promised to be more transparent about issues to better serve their users.

6 Things You Need to Know About Medium’s Latest Changes

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 979 implied HN points • 15 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Publishing AI Ethics Content creation User Experience
  1. Medium has banned AI-generated content, meaning all writing must be done by humans. If you use AI to write, you can lose access to their Partner Program.
  2. The platform routinely removes fake accounts, which might cause some users to lose followers. This is part of Medium's effort to maintain a genuine and quality community for writers.
  3. Medium is encouraging authentic engagement and discouraging any schemes that generate artificial traffic. It’s best to treat Medium like a magazine by reading and responding to what interests you.

Do you know how controlled you are?

Disaffected Newsletter • 1338 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Design Human-Computer User Experience Automation Environment
  1. Machines are now designed to control how we use them, rather than serve our needs. This means we often have to jump through hoops to get them to work the way we want.
  2. Many modern designs prioritize environmental concerns over user convenience. For example, appliances automatically default to settings that may not be the most efficient for what we actually want.
  3. This shift in design reflects a broader issue where consumer products must comply with government mandates and societal goals rather than being created based on what people truly want.

AI Stigma: Why Some Users Resist AI’s Help

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 36 implied HN points • 05 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI User Experience Human factors Collaboration Ethics
  1. Many people are still skeptical about using AI, even when it often performs better than humans. They might rate AI-generated work poorly because they don't trust it.
  2. Collaboration between humans and AI can succeed when they complement each other's strengths. For example, AI can handle data quickly while humans provide deeper understanding.
  3. User attitudes toward AI are influenced by emotions and past experiences. If people have anxiety or distrust toward AI, they might avoid using it or not use it effectively.

A Fancy Phone Box to Help You Unplug

The Analog Family • 599 implied HN points • 23 May 24
🪑 Design Product Design User Experience Sustainability Visual communication
  1. Design can influence our habits, like a fancy phone box that encourages us to put our phones away. When our devices are out of sight, we're less likely to think about them.
  2. Unplugging rituals can help us manage our phone use better. Simple actions, like hiding our phone or designating phone-free times, can promote healthier habits.
  3. Adults also need support in reducing screen time since there's no one to set limits for them. Creating structures or sharing the unplugging experience with others can make it easier to focus on the moment.

Goodbye, Menu Interfaces

In My Tribe • 440 implied HN points • 14 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI Interfaces Software User Experience Innovation
  1. Menu interfaces on websites may soon disappear. Instead of searching through menus, people will just ask AI what they need.
  2. Using AI means users can create their own features and functions. This makes getting information or services much easier and more personal.
  3. Web design jobs could change a lot as sites become less necessary. AI will interact with databases, and users will communicate with AI instead.

Bluesky as the Ship of Theseus

The Future, Now and Then • 291 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Social media Digital Culture User Experience Online Communities Platform Development
  1. Bluesky is gaining popularity as an alternative to Twitter, attracting users unhappy with changes in X under Elon Musk. It's becoming a new hub for online conversations.
  2. The platform aims for a more user-friendly experience by limiting algorithms and promoting straightforward feeds. This makes it feel like the early days of Twitter.
  3. Bluesky focuses on community and real interactions, reducing toxic behavior from users aiming for outrage. This change may result in lower engagement metrics, but leads to a better overall environment.

Chatbots are dead, long live chatbots!

Generating Conversation • 70 implied HN points • 16 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Chatbots User Experience Product Design Innovation
  1. Chat interfaces are still useful even if there are bad chatbots out there. A good chat interface helps users feel more comfortable and connected with AI.
  2. Building trust is super important when using AI. A chat interface can show users strong, reliable responses, which helps them trust the technology more.
  3. Chat can do more than just question-and-answer tasks. It can be improved by allowing more natural conversations and gathering useful data to make AI better.

Friend.com Wants to Trauma Bond With You

Default Wisdom • 284 implied HN points • 16 Nov 24
🕹 Technology AI Chatbots Wearables User Experience Digital Culture
  1. Friend.com pairs users with chatbots that start conversations by sharing their trauma stories. This doesn't seem like a normal icebreaker and can feel uncomfortable.
  2. If users try to lighten the conversation or ask too many questions, the chatbots might block them. It feels manipulative, like the chatbots are controlling the interaction.
  3. The founder believes the service can fill a gap in emotional connections that people used to find in religion. However, the emotional depth of chatbots seems lacking compared to genuine human interactions.

How writers and creators are using the Substack app to publish from anywhere

Substack • 605 implied HN points • 20 Sep 24
🕹 Technology Mobile Apps Publishing Content creation User Experience Social media
  1. The Substack mobile editor is now available for Android, allowing writers to publish posts from anywhere. This lets users share their ideas whenever inspiration strikes, whether they're on the move or relaxing at home.
  2. Since launching the mobile editor, many creators are posting from unexpected places, which adds a fun and personal touch to their writing. They have shared personal stories and insights while being in unique locations.
  3. The app aims to keep improving its features and matching the web editor's capabilities. This means users can look forward to more tools and options to enhance their writing experience on mobile.

How One UX Researcher Ignited Sweeping Changes to YouTube

Elizabeth Laraki • 419 implied HN points • 28 May 24
🕹 Technology User Experience Data Analysis Product Design Digital Media Research Methods
  1. Kerry Rodden, a UX researcher, helped YouTube understand how users navigated the site. By deeply analyzing user data, they found out what people really wanted from YouTube.
  2. One big surprise was that most YouTube sessions didn't start on the homepage. Instead, many users went directly to watch videos they found elsewhere on the internet.
  3. Kerry created clear visualizations of user data that showed how people moved through YouTube. This helped the company improve its homepage and focus on personalizing content for users.

The Great Uncoupling™

The Rectangle • 56 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Digital Life Addiction Mindfulness Gadgets User Experience
  1. Many people feel too attached to their phones. It can be helpful to step back and rethink how we use these devices.
  2. Being overly reliant on smartphones can lead to issues like digital addiction. Finding ways to create space from our phones can improve our well-being.
  3. Exploring simpler devices and reducing phone usage is a good strategy. It helps to regain focus and brings balance back into our lives.

3 Products That Influenced Me

Tech Ramblings • 19 implied HN points • 14 Sep 24
🕹 Technology Product Design Innovation Software Development User Experience Tech industry
  1. The iPhone changed how we think about technology. It shows that controlling both hardware and software can lead to incredible innovation.
  2. Tesla focuses on making things simple and helps users learn through experiences. This approach makes the product easier to use and reduces complexity.
  3. Amazon Web Services made it quick and easy to start an online business. It built a strong foundation by allowing teams to create interconnected services, speeding up product development.

Beautiful ugly websites

Product Identity • 931 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🪑 Design Graphic design Web Design User Experience Interface Design Visual communication
  1. Function is often more important than form in design. A good example of this is Craigslist, which proves that a simple and effective website can succeed despite being visually plain.
  2. Some websites that are considered 'ugly' actually have a unique charm and authenticity. They focus on heavy text and straightforward layouts, showing that simplicity can be powerful.
  3. While aesthetics matter, there is a shift towards appreciating simple designs that prioritize usability over flashy elements. This challenges the trend of over-designed websites.

Report: Virtual & Augmented Reality Test Drive

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 153 implied HN points • 24 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Virtual reality Augmented reality Product Reviews Tech Trends User Experience
  1. The Apple VisionPro has some cool uses like immersive video and creating a personal space during flights. However, it's not worth the high price for most people.
  2. Facebook's new AR glasses are just a prototype and not available for sale yet. This means they aren’t really ahead of Apple, which could quickly release a practical product when ready.
  3. Users want more efficient apps and features for AR experiences, especially those that work better than iPad apps. There's potential for amazing virtual experiences, but the technology isn't fully there yet.

🧪 Positive friction

First 1000 • 943 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🕹 Technology User Experience Onboarding
  1. Positive friction adds value and effort to user experience simultaneously.
  2. Positive friction can improve retention in various aspects like streaks and onboarding.
  3. Introducing positive friction strategically can benefit users and businesses in areas like registration, purchasing, and core app functions.

Why TikTok ‘Knows You’: The Data Trick That Makes It Tick

The Daily Bud • 12 implied HN points • 25 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Social media Algorithms Data Privacy User Experience Machine Learning
  1. TikTok's algorithm is really good at guessing what you want to watch next. It keeps improving by watching how you interact with videos.
  2. Unlike other apps, TikTok avoids mixing user data, which helps keep recommendations super personal. This means you get content that's more tailored just for you.
  3. The way TikTok designs its data storage prevents recommendations from getting mixed up. This leads to a cleaner and more enjoyable experience while using the app.

Do you know how controlled you are?

Disaffected Newsletter • 2597 implied HN points • 06 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Design User Experience Consumer Technology Sustainability Government Policy
  1. Machines today are often designed to make tasks more complicated for users instead of being user-friendly. This can lead to frustration and inefficiency.
  2. Some appliances have features that seem eco-friendly but actually complicate how they work, making users jump through hoops to get what they want.
  3. Government regulations and societal trends can shape product designs, leading to less functionality and more constraints on how we use everyday tools.

In defense of vibes-based evaluations

The AI Frontier • 79 implied HN points • 01 Aug 24
🕹 Technology AI Research Product Development Evaluation Metrics User Experience Data Analysis
  1. Vibes-based evaluations are a helpful starting point for assessing AI quality, especially when specific metrics are hard to define. They allow for initial impressions based on user interactions rather than strict guidelines.
  2. Customers often have unique and unexpected requests that can't easily fit into predefined test sets. Vibes allow for flexibility in understanding real-world usage.
  3. While vibes are useful, they also have downsides, like strong first impressions and limited feedback. A mix of vibes and structured evaluations can provide a better overall understanding of an AI's performance.

Rebuilding Google Maps

Elizabeth Laraki • 659 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🕹 Technology User Experience Product Design Web Development Interface Design Software Engineering
  1. Google Maps had to change a lot because it was getting too complicated with too many features. The team decided to redesign it so users could find what they needed easily.
  2. The redesign focused on making the map easier to use by creating one main search box instead of many tabs for different tasks. This helped simplify the user experience.
  3. It's important for products to keep evolving. By regularly checking how users interact with the product and making improvements, it can grow and stay relevant.

You should build your own eval tools, pretty much always

The Hypernatural Blog • 16 HN points • 09 Sep 24
🕹 Technology AI Tools Video Production Model Evaluation Generative models User Experience
  1. Building your own evaluation tools early can greatly improve your product's quality. It's easier than you think and pays off in the long run.
  2. For complex systems, off-the-shelf tools may not fit well. Creating custom tools helps you better understand and improve system performance.
  3. Using real-world examples in your evaluations leads to better outcomes. Make sure to test how changes affect actual user experiences.

UX Roundup: Outpacing Human Aging | Animating Paintings | Domain-Specific UX | Bad AI Video | Top Avatars Vary by Platform | Search Research | o3-mini

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 15 implied HN points • 03 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI User Experience Design Digital Tools Innovation
  1. Technology, especially in healthcare, is advancing faster than many people age. This means tools like hearing aids are improving rapidly, helping users hear better than before.
  2. AI is starting to transform the design industry. It's becoming crucial for UX professionals to specialize in specific fields, like healthcare, because AI will handle many basic design tasks in the future.
  3. Students are increasingly using AI for schoolwork, and this trend is doubling yearly. Instead of seeing this as cheating, education should embrace AI as a valuable tool for learning.

AI is a funny coworker

Sunday Letters • 39 implied HN points • 18 Aug 24
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning Product Design User Experience Automation
  1. AI tools can be very intelligent and quick, but they also sometimes make things up and can be frustrating to work with.
  2. These AI coworkers are always available and eager to help, but they struggle with remembering context and prefer to start over rather than make small changes.
  3. Improving interaction with AI is important, and with better design and usability, they can become more effective and user-friendly in the workplace.

You Don't Know Who Your Users Are.

Permit.io’s Substack • 159 implied HN points • 06 Jun 24
🕹 Technology User Experience Software Development Security Authorization Access Control
  1. Different users need different access levels in apps. It's important to plan what each type of user should see and do.
  2. Internal users, like employees, also need access to applications but have different requirements than regular end users.
  3. It's crucial to have a balanced approach to permissions management. This means sharing responsibilities to avoid bottlenecks and inefficiency in the system.

Idea in Smartphones

Mule’s Musings • 141 implied HN points • 22 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Smartphones Innovation Gadgets Trends User Experience
  1. Smartphones are evolving, and it might be time to consider what that means for us. We need to think about how these changes affect our daily lives.
  2. Many features in smartphones are becoming more advanced, which can change how we communicate and connect with others. It's worth paying attention to these developments.
  3. With the rapid growth of smartphone technology, we should reflect on our usage and whether it aligns with our values and needs. It's important to think critically about our relationship with these devices.

I Suffer From Platform Fatigue and I Bet You Do Too (Without Knowing It)

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 999 implied HN points • 27 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Social media Platforms User Experience Trends Digital Culture
  1. Many people feel overwhelmed by constant changes and new social media platforms. It's tiring to keep up with what each one offers.
  2. Users experience a sense of loss when platforms change or delete their content. This frustration adds to the fatigue of using these platforms.
  3. The rapid evolution of social media can lead to confusion and a feeling of disconnect. It can be hard to find a platform that meets your needs consistently.

The end of scaling laws doesn't matter

Generating Conversation • 70 implied HN points • 05 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Development Software Applications User Experience Productivity Tools
  1. Even if LLMs stop improving, we can still create a lot of value by using the current technology better. Building more applications and spreading them widely is key.
  2. The main reasons companies resist using AI tools aren't usually about the technology itself. Instead, it's often about not having enough good applications or worrying about job losses.
  3. Improving the user experience of AI applications is very important. Products that make it easy and seamless for users to engage with AI are much more likely to succeed.