Table of Contents
- UX trends don't matter
- 3 skills that matter
- 1. Great mental models
- How to build this skill:
- 2. Ability to execute quickly
- How to build this skill:
- 3. Killer Problem-Solving Skills
- How to build this skill:
- How to build these skills systematically
- 1. Analyze industry veterans
- How to do it?
- Deep dive into case studies
- Follow influential designers
- 2. Experiment fearlessly
- The role of side projects
- Learning from failure
- 3. Practice, practice and practice
- Consistent practice
- Early feedback
- Overcoming common hurdles
- Your skill-building action plan
- Days 1-10: Mental models focus
- Days 11-20: Execution speed focus
- Days 21-30: Problem-solving focus
- Additional Resources and Tools
- Free UX resources
- UX Playbook
- Books
- Online courses and workshops
- Be the timeless designer
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Do not index
Read time: under 9 minutes
UX trends don't matter
Have you ever found yourself scrambling to keep up with the latest UX design trends, only to feel like you're running on a treadmill that never stops?
If you’re nodding your head, you’re not alone.
The world of UX Design spins at dizzying speeds. Every day brings flashy new trends, tools, and techniques that can make any designer feel like they're perpetually behind.
It's an emotional roller coaster. Trends create an illusion of progress but often lead to burnout.
But here’s a radical thought: Maybe UX trends don’t really matter.
Before you earmark the latest article about micro-interactions or dark mode, consider this:
𝙏𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙎𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧.
Yes, they may win you a design award today, but what about tomorrow?
So, mastering the fundamental design principles will always carry you further than the latest trend.
In this article, let’s explore why focusing on building strong foundational skills — mental models, quick execution, and problem-solving abilities — is far more valuable than trend-hopping, and I'll share exactly how to strengthen these skills with practical exercises.
3 skills that matter
So, what are these vital skills I keep talking about? Here’s a quick rundown:
1. Great mental models
A mental model represents how something works in the real world.
The more you understand user behavior and cognitive science, the better your designs will be. Think of mental models as the internal maps users have when interacting with a product.
When you can align your designs with these models, you’re halfway to success.
Example:
Consider how Airbnb revolutionized their booking system not by following UI trends, but by deeply understanding the mental model of travel planning.
They recognized that users think of trips in terms of experiences rather than just accommodations. This insight led to the creation of "Airbnb Experiences" — a feature born from understanding users' mental frameworks, not from following a UI trend.
How to build this skill:
- Choose a digital product you use regularly.
- Sketch out how you THINK it works behind the scenes.
- Then compare that with how it ACTUALLY works (research if needed).
The gaps between your perception and reality highlight areas where the product could better align with users' mental models.
2. Ability to execute quickly
Speed isn't about cutting corners; it's about efficiency and precision.
In the fast-paced world of design, having the skill to iterate quickly without sacrificing quality sets you apart from the rest.
Quick execution allows you to adapt on the fly, pivot when necessary, and meet tight deadlines.
Example:
The design team at Slack is known for their rapid prototyping capabilities.
When they wanted to redesign their mobile navigation, instead of debating options endlessly, they quickly prototyped different approaches and tested them with users within a single week.
This rapid execution allowed them to collect real feedback instead of theoretical debates and led to their successful navigation redesign in 2021.
How to build this skill:
- Set a timer for 90 minutes and challenge yourself to completely wireframe a solution to a small UX problem (e.g., a contact form or profile settings page).
- When the timer goes off, you must stop.
- Repeat this exercise weekly, gradually reducing the time while maintaining quality.
This "design sprint workout" builds your execution muscles.
3. Killer Problem-Solving Skills
At its core, design is about solving problems.
Whether it’s how to make an interface more intuitive or overcoming a technical limitation, great designers are master problem-solvers.
The ability to tackle challenges head-on and find creative solutions is invaluable.
Example:
When Netflix faced the challenge of helping users discover content in an increasingly large library, they didn't just follow the trend of advanced search filters (which was the industry standard).
Instead, they fundamentally reframed the problem by creating a sophisticated recommendation engine that predicts what users might want to watch. This problem-solving approach led to over 80% of Netflix viewing coming from recommendations rather than direct search.
How to build this skill:
Once a week, identify a frustrating user experience in your daily life (could be digital or physical). Write down:
- What exactly is frustrating about it?
- What is the core problem being solved poorly?
- Three different approaches to solving it better
- How would you measure if your solution is successful?
This real-world problem-solving practice sharpens your analytical thinking.
More actionable tips and fewer headaches:
Join designers from 40+ countries using UX Playbook. Get detailed step-by-step guides and templates to supercharge your UX process.
How to build these skills systematically
You might be thinking, "Okay, great, but how do I actually build these skills while handling my day job?" Here's a practical guide:
1. Analyze industry veterans
Look at the work of seasoned designers. Examine their portfolios, read their case studies, and follow them on platforms where they share their process.
↳ Study the work of experienced designers.
↳ Understand their process, their decisions, their output.
The goal is not to mimic their style but to internalize their thinking patterns and decision-making frameworks.
Discover the ‘why’ behind their designs and you’ll uncover a treasure trove of insights.
How to do it?
Create a "Reverse Engineering Journal" where you deconstruct one excellent design each week. For example, take Stripe's checkout flow and break down:
- What problem is each element solving?
- What design principles are being applied?
- How does the information architecture guide users?
- What would happen if you removed certain elements?
Deep dive into case studies
One of the best ways to analyze industry veterans is through detailed case studies.
Consider looking into famous design critiques and comprehensive breakdowns of popular products. Explore how designers handled user research, prototyping, and iteration.
Pay special attention to the design decisions made at various stages of the project.
Follow influential designers
Platforms like LinkedIn, X (ex-Twitter), and Medium are gold mines for learning from industry leaders.
Must-follow designers:
- Julie Zhuo (former VP Design at Facebook)
- Jared Spool (Founder of UIE)
- Debbie Millman (Design Matters podcast)
- Dan Mall (Design systems expert)
Follow their work and musings to gain access to years of experience and nuanced understanding of UX.
2. Experiment fearlessly
Don’t be afraid to try new things. Failure is not the opposite of success, it's part of it.
The more you experiment, the more you learn.
↳ Try different approaches.
↳ Learn to be comfortable with failure.
Example:
The team at Figma regularly holds "Figma Jam Days" where designers work on experimental features with no expectation of shipping.
This fearless experimentation led to the development of their highly successful FigJam product, which wasn't initially part of their product roadmap.
The role of side projects
Unlike corporate projects with rigid constraints and high stakes, side projects allow more creative freedom.
Whether it’s designing a personal website, developing an app, or collaborating on a small passion project, use this sandbox to test your ideas and go beyond your comfort zone.
Side project ideas to build core skills:
- Redesign a familiar app with a completely different user flow
- Create a design system from scratch for an imaginary product
- Design for an extreme user group you've never considered before
- Challenge yourself to solve a UX problem using only text—no visuals
Learning from failure
Embrace a mindset of "failing forward". Each mistake is a learning opportunity that sharpens your instincts and broadens your understanding.
Remember, even failures can be dissected for valuable lessons. Write post-mortems for your projects that didn’t go as planned and analyze what went wrong.
Failure analysis framework:
After each significant design failure, ask yourself:
- What was I trying to achieve?
- Where specifically did things go wrong?
- What assumption did I make that proved incorrect?
- How could I test that assumption earlier next time?
- What will I do differently in my next design?
3. Practice, practice and practice
There’s no substitute for putting in the hours. Design a lot, and I mean a lot.
↳ Sharpen your instincts by designing frequently.
↳ Show your work early to get quicker feedback.
Consistent practice
Consistent practice reinforces muscle memory and sharpens your instincts.
Set aside dedicated time every day to work on your design skills, whether it’s through sketching, wireframing, or prototyping.
Participate in design challenges and competitions to push your boundaries and get diverse feedback.
Early feedback
The more you practice, the more refined your skills become.
Early feedback accelerates your growth by pointing out gaps and opportunities for improvement.
Where to seek feedback?
- Online communities like Dribbble, Behance, and Reddit's r/UXDesign
- Local design meetups (virtual or in-person)
- Design Discord servers
- Mentorship platforms like ADPList
- "Design Swaps" with peers where you exchange projects for critique
Don't wait until your design is perfect—that time will never come. Instead, seek feedback early and often.
Overcoming common hurdles
Now, you might have some lingering doubts:
"I don't have the right tools."
↳ Solution: Start with paper and pencil. Some of the best UX solutions begin as simple sketches.
"I don't know who can help."
↳ Solution: Join online communities like the Interaction Design Foundation or UX Coffee Hours for peer feedback.
"I don't have time for all this practice."
↳ Solution: Start with just 15 minutes daily. Small, consistent practice beats occasional marathon sessions.
Your skill-building action plan
Here's a 30-day plan to start building your foundational skills:
Days 1-10: Mental models focus
- Day 1: Audit a product you use daily. Map out assumptions about how it works.
- Day 3: Read one chapter from "The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman
- Day 5: Interview someone from a different generation about how they interact with technology
- Day 7: Create a mental model diagram for a common process (e.g., online shopping)
- Day 10: Redesign a familiar interface based on user mental models, not on current trends
Days 11-20: Execution speed focus
- Day 11: Complete a design challenge with a strict 2-hour time limit
- Day 13: Practice rapid wireframing (10 screens in 60 minutes)
- Day 15: Set up design templates and component libraries to speed up your workflow
- Day 17: Learn keyboard shortcuts for your main design tools
- Day 20: Time-box a full design process from research to final mockups in one day
Days 21-30: Problem-solving focus
- Day 21: Identify three UX problems in your daily life and brainstorm solutions
- Day 23: Practice reframing design problems (e.g., "How might we make checkout faster?" becomes "How might we eliminate the need for checkout?")
- Day 25: Analyze a successful product and identify what problems it solves
- Day 27: Choose a bad user experience and redesign it
- Day 30: Document your problem-solving process so it becomes repeatable
Additional Resources and Tools
Free UX resources
UX Playbook
For those looking to strengthen their core skills with curated tools and frameworks, UX Playbook offers invaluable resources.
Understanding the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind design decisions provides a much more robust foundation than simply following what’s hot right now.
Books
- "Don't Make Me Think" by Steve Krug—A classic on user experience and usability.
- "The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman—Delve into the psychology behind effective design.
- "Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products" by Nir Eyal—Learn about creating products that capture and hold users' attention.
- "Thinking in Systems" by Donella Meadows—Develop your systems thinking for complex UX challenges.
- "Sprint" by Jake Knapp—Master the art of rapid execution and testing.
Online courses and workshops
Be the timeless designer
Bottom line, if you want to build up your design instincts and truly excel as a UX designer, concentrate on improving your core skills.
As the great Dieter Rams said:
Good design is long-lasting. It avoids being fashionable, and therefore never appears antiquated.
The same philosophy applies to design skills. While trends come and go, the ability to understand users, execute efficiently, and solve problems will never go out of style.
The journey may not be as glamorous as chasing trends, but it's infinitely more rewarding—both professionally and financially.
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