Designers have a Maslow's hammer issue where every problem we tackle has a Figma solution. We have allowed this profession to become Figma-centered instead of user-centered.
I don't mean to pick on Figma; it is a lovely tool. It is arguably the best high-fidelity design tool out there. However, it has the perverse effect of encouraging the lazy behavior of designers. Figma makes it comically easy to accommodate teams that already discount the value of design.
Software UI design, especially internal tooling, has become highly commoditized over the last ten years. Some users may require a bespoke UI for an arcane internal process, but those will have increasingly diminished returns. While we may not be able to discard UI completely, UX must become prepared for a multimodal future.
We must separate the parts of our process that explore a problem from the artifacts that describe its solution. AI is coming sooner than most would like. What does design look like when designers no longer produce the design used to create the end result?
Part of the issue is many designers are employed by teams that exclusively produce software as an output. Thus, it is already constraining the possibilities.
One of the designer's primary responsibilities is to develop options. Finding and embracing constraints will always be a part of the design process. However, a significant source of frustration for designers is having constraints forced upon them.
At its core, UX's most significant value is being a liaison between customers, business users, and technology. We help research, refine, and articulate their needs so a product team can translate them into useful, usable products and services.
We can identify opportunities that produce value for businesses and customers alike.
We can influence the direction of the company and product.
We can't do any of that effectively if we are laden with constraints and reduced to Figma output machines.
This change will take time to happen. It's not a question of design maturity, which is mostly a farce. This reimagines what is possible when empowered designers are let loose to do their best work.
The repositioning and evolving of UX Design is an important focus for me in 2024.