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Human-Centered Design

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Explore how design researchers can earn the trust and buy-in that give studies impact, even as AI shifts how teams work.

Article by Sara Fortier
Earning the Right to Research: Stakeholder Buy-In and Influence in the AI x UX Era
  • The article emphasizes that synthetic data and AI tools promise speed, but not the alignment or shared purpose that makes design research effective in solving design problems.
  • It asserts that meaningful human-centred design begins with trust and the permission to conduct research properly (i.e., strategically).
  • The piece outlines how to build stakeholder buy-in for design research through practical strategies that build influence piece by piece within an organization.
  • Adapted from the book Design Research Mastery, it offers grounded ways to enable impactful user studies in today’s AI-driven landscape.
Share:Earning the Right to Research: Stakeholder Buy-In and Influence in the AI x UX Era
12 min read

When a traveler loses her bag, a simple UX flaw turns inconvenience into chaos. What if smart design and AI could turn that moment into a story of trust instead?

Article by Krystian M. Frahn
UX Promptly Needed: a Railway Digital Transformation Story
  • The article shows how poor UX design in railway lost and found systems creates frustration and inefficiency for passengers and staff.
  • It argues that applying human-centered design and AI-powered tools, such as QR-based tracking and digital reporting, could transform the process into a seamless, trust-building experience.
Share:UX Promptly Needed: a Railway Digital Transformation Story
3 min read

UX isn’t just about screens — it’s about feelings. This article explores why the future of UX depends on blending artificial and emotional intelligence to create truly human experiences.

Article by Krystian M. Frahn
UX is More Than Screens: The Art of Designing Emotions
  • The article shows how Steve Jobs’ shift from “form follows function” to “form follows emotion” transformed design into a deeply human practice centered on empathy.
  • It explains that emotions drive perception, usability, and loyalty — making emotional intelligence essential to meaningful user experiences.
  • The piece argues that the future of UX lies in uniting artificial and emotional intelligence to create technology that feels truly human.
Share:UX is More Than Screens: The Art of Designing Emotions
6 min read

As AI takes on more of the solution work, the real craft of design shifts to how we frame the problem. This piece explores why staying with uncertainty and resisting the urge to rush to answers may be a designer’s most powerful skill.

Article by Morteza Pourmohamadi
The Frame, the Illusion, and the Brief
  • The article highlights that as AI takes over more of the solution work, the designer’s true craft lies in framing the problem rather than rushing to solve it.
  • It shows how cognitive biases like the need for closure or action bias can distort our perception, making careful problem framing essential for clarity and creativity.
  • The piece argues that framing is itself a design act — a practice of staying with uncertainty long enough to cultivate shared understanding and more meaningful outcomes.
Share:The Frame, the Illusion, and the Brief
3 min read

What if your productivity app could keep you as focused as your favorite game? This article explores how game design psychology can transform everyday tools into experiences that spark flow, focus, and real engagement.

Article by Montgomery Singman
Flow State Design: Applying Game Psychology to Productivity Apps
  • The article shows how principles from game design can help productivity tools create and sustain a flow state.
  • It explains that games succeed by balancing challenge and skill, providing clear goals, and offering immediate feedback — elements most productivity apps lack.
  • The piece argues that applying these psychological insights could make work tools more engaging, adaptive, and motivating.
Share:Flow State Design: Applying Game Psychology to Productivity Apps
12 min read

Trusting AI isn’t the goal — relying on it is. This article explores why human trust and AI reliance are worlds apart, and what UX designers should focus on to make AI feel dependable, not human.

Article by Verena Seibert-Giller
The Psychology of Trust in AI: Why “Relying on AI” Matters More than “Trusting It”
  • The article argues that “reliance,” not “trust,” is the right way to think about users’ relationship with AI.
  • It explains that human trust and AI reliance are driven by different psychological mechanisms.
  • The piece highlights that predictability, transparency, and control make users more willing to rely on AI.
  • It concludes that users don’t need to trust AI as a partner — only rely on it as a dependable tool.
Share:The Psychology of Trust in AI: Why “Relying on AI” Matters More than “Trusting It”
4 min read

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