Being Designerly

WELCOME

The Future of Design is Here. Change is happening fast. Being Designerly 116 has curated content to help you be designerly:

1.AI Is Not Replacing Designers - Design in Tech 2025
↳ AI is transforming how design is done.
↳ Embrace new tools and methods to enhance your creativity.

2.UX Is Evolving
↳ UX is shifting to AX, focusing on direct AI execution.
↳ This change improves efficiency and user experience.

3.Curiosity Fuels Innovation
↳ The future favors those who explore the unknown.
↳ Wikenigma - Curious much?

4.Critical Thinking Is Key
↳ Being Human in 2035
↳ AI negatively impacting students' critical thinking skills.

5.Data Privacy Matters (Visualization)
↳ Know which AI chatbots collect your data.
↳ Protect your privacy while using new technologies.

6.Embrace Vibe Coding
↳ Vibe coding helps shape products and companies.
↳ Use frameworks to create genuinely helpful software.

7.Learn from LukeW ↳ Read insights from leaders in AI design.
↳ Learn from those who have built successful AI products.

Enjoy the process of creating and learning. Each step is a chance to grow and innovate.

Which insight will you apply today?

FEATURE

2025 Design in Tech Report at SXSW

John Maeda's annual report is now available - read the summary or watch the entire presentation * AI is not replacing designers but transforming how design is done. * UX is evolving into AX, reducing UI in favor of direct AI execution. * AI UX best practices are emerging to improve trust and usability.

CURIOSITY

Wikenigma - Wikipedia of the Unknown

In researching the unusual and seemingly inconsequential in science, Gardiner noticed a lack of resources dedicated to what is not known. So he decided to create his own, working with a small handful of contributors - enter Wikenigma

The Future Favors the Curious

These periods of technological turnover are the most exciting times to be a designer. They are when we get to flap around chaotically and create the interaction patterns for the next couple of decades. The future favors the curious.

CRITICAL THINKING

Being Human in 2035

Experts predict significant change in the ways humans think, feel, act and relate to one another in the Age of AI. 301 experts predicted that change is likely to be mostly negative in nine of the twelve areas.

Teachers warn AI is impacting students' critical thinking

Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly dominant role in how students navigate school, and some teachers are warning the technology could be hurting their critical thinking skills. Gina Parnaby, a 12th grade English teacher at Atlanta's Marist School, told Axios that she has seen students using AI "as a way to outsource their thinking" and "flat-out cheat."

VISUAL

Visualization: Which AI Chatbots Collect the Most Data About You?

Data from Surfshark visualized, identifying the most popular AI chatbots and their privacy details on the Apple App Store, as of February 18th, 2025. Did you expect this ranking?

EXPERIMENT

Cracking the code of vibe coding

The author explains vibe coding - how we imagine, build, and grow products and companies going forward. He also makes the case for embracing vibe coding without losing your soul, including four frameworks to optimize your success with the good vibes from creating genuinely helpful, well-crafted software and apps.

UX

LukeW's articles about designing AI products

LukeW has written 38 articles about designing AI products as he's built multiple AI-first companies from the ground up over the past 2+ years. Enjoy

TOPICAL

AI in Action: An Interactive Learning Journey

McKinsey's multimedia learning experience and the report are inspired by Silicon Valley pioneer Reid Hoffman’s book Superagency: What Could Possibly Go Right with Our AI Future. It found that the biggest barrier to scaling is not employees—who are ready to incorporate AI into their jobs—but leaders, who are not steering fast enough.