Lee Cesafsky

Design Systems folks — when was the last time you shipped something that really felt impactful? Design Systems is in a quandary right now: somehow both a necessary part of building UI, and recognized as "not delivering value." DS teams were heavily impacted by layoffs, and as Noelle Lansford said in her great article recently (link in thread): > The teams I spoke with emphasized that there was a significant deficit between what the design system team advertised and what was delivered. However, perhaps the more concerning point they made was: Even if all of the success criteria was met, when it came to downsizing, the design system appeared redundant at best. Yikes. How can we know design systems are a powerful tool for delivering consistency, velocity, and efficiency, and also know that we’re not delivering on that promise? And forget "impact as business value" for a second — doesn’t it just feel good when someone uses your work and turns to you and says, wow, that made my work so much easier, thank you. The reality for a lot of DS practitioners is more like grinding for weeks on a component that maybe one team half-heartedly used – incorrectly? Or writing thousands of words of documentation that nobody looks at. I don't think we're "not shipping impactful work" because we're collectively bad at our jobs, or because design systems don't actually help teams move faster. I think we're focused on the wrong things.

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Accessibility and design systems tend to go hand-in-hand. Why? Well, they're both horizontal in nature. They both are rooted in the development of standards and guidelines. They both delve deep into the details others don't have time to focus on. And more, but I'll stop there. In our latest episode, Davy Fung and I discuss the topic of accessibility within design systems both from a responsibility standpoint as well as an operational standpoint. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/g_gabFX9 #designsystems #accessibility #podcast

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Among the things I appreciate in this piece on accessibility (#a11y) testing and research… * De-risking projects by frontloading research instead of pushing for testing at the end. * Addressing limitations of Figma-based approaches. * Advocating for co-design and other research methods which go beyond mere testing (or survey-based analysis). * Acknowledging issues with some prototyping methods. * Embedding accessibility in a broader frame for inclusion. The first and last points have been on my mind for years (and I was mentioning them in a public conversation on aging at Concordia University’s University of the Streets Café). At some point, we need to find ways to “frontload all the things”. From Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+, which includes aging and indigenous status) to usability, from accessibility to cybersecurity, from copyright to feasibility, from Environmental Impact Assessment to language support and localization (#l10n). Sounds like a tall order… so many of us propose approaches which take all sorts of things into account through #SystemsThinking and, in the case of #UXresearch … co-creation and #ethnography. What this requires most is to avoid “converging too quickly”. It’s still important not to “diverge too long”. The tipping point is easier to find when diverse stakeholders are involved at key steps, early in the process. Not just users, specialists, customers, and “decision-makers”. People who have a stake in the project, even if their influence is low. In the context of many #LivingLabs, such approaches are standard procedure. And it helps push for a solid embedding in community-driven innovation. So, yes, let’s do actual research on accessibility through every step of the process behind any project where humans will access the things we create. We can also establish research (protocols and all) as a core function which integrates other aspects of the service or product we create together. And while scale does make a huge difference on the way this is done, there are ways to undertake very small projects which hit all those notes, with commensurate effort. https://lnkd.in/eT56yN5D

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🎙️ New Episode Alert: The Future of UX Research: AI, Advanced Methods & Jobs 🚀 Today, I’m chatting with Lawton Pybus and Thomas Stokes, UX Research veterans and founders of Drill Bit Labs, a research strategy consultancy. They have also researched and authored several UX industry meta-reports and educational articles that can help UX researchers, designers, and UCD leaders stand out from the crowd. In this riveting episode, we explore: 💼 The evolving UX industry job market: insights into the skills, roles, and opportunities defining the next generation of UX researchers. 🤖 AI's growing role in UX Research: how artificial intelligence is reshaping our methodologies and deliverables. 🔬 Essential and more advanced research methods: tried and tested, and innovative techniques that are pushing the boundaries of marrying user needs with tech advancements. And much more. You can find this conversation on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, any other major podcasting platform (search “experience designed”) and of course via this link on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gbcxwTKh If you’ve enjoyed this conversation, don't forget to share this episode with your friends and colleagues—it's a conversation worth spreading! #ux #uxresearch #userresearch #podcast #uxstrategy #designresearch #productdesign

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Design systems practitioners are being presented two choices for the future. One: design the mechanisms and rules for automated systems only concerned with greater and greater scale and efficiency. The other: be erased by those systems. I believe queer theory can help broaden our perspective and imagine alternative futures. I explore in this essay based on my #clarity2024 talk. Clarity: A design systems community conference

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I'd argue that design system adoption is going through the typical cycle of novel thought to accepted practice to braindead, box-checking obligation. And this is coming from someone who considers adoption measurement invaluable... There's a lot of detail and qualifications to adoption measurement. Ignoring them turns a valuable health marker into a quota. In our latest episode, Davy Fung and I talk all about adoption, our relationship with it and how use the measure in our work. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gGy2FSSf #designsystems #podcast #adoption

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I talk to senior designers and design leaders every day and there is one thing that became evident to me: In the current market there is no clarity about the career paths and what would be the right step for them. Choosing your future role requires a clear understanding of your aspirations, motivations, and chances for success. For this reason, Dilara Cumhur Neutze, Kate Syuma, and I will be hosting a session to discuss the nonlinear design careers and how these two incredibly successful design leaders have found their path. Join us for this discussion on November 26th. We will cover: - Embracing Non-Traditional Design Careers - Creating Space for Reflection and Vision - Choosing What's Right for You: IC vs. Manager - The Power of Execution in Achieving Success Sign up and share your questions in the comments! We will cover some of them in the session!

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Ever wondered about the power design has to align teams? I just published a note I've shared with cross-functional teams in the past that highlights the importance of getting to a concrete discussion quickly, and the role design can play. Concrete Elephants: How to turn the lights on for your team

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Wow, it is nice to see some of the impact the course I authored with Designlab is having on teams both big and small. Emilyann Gachko thank you for sharing this case study and how it was received by the team at The Home Depot :) If you are interested in increasing your design skills through #usability and #accessibility check out the course. #ux #design #hcd https://lnkd.in/gEdC3NBV

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Great writeup on the value design can bring to product organisations irrespective of technoöogical shifts such as AI.

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This article captures much about my experience in UXR at Google over the last 7 years and what it means to be a successful part of product development. As one of the greats, Asif Baki has said it, our work is to develop a gut instinct, but it has to be not just for ourselves, but through and with the entire team if we are going to empower product impact. "The answer does not lie in adding more researchers who focus on learning on behalf of the many. It’s in expanding the role of researchers to focus on empowering everyone to learn."

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In the churn of our complex, often fractious world, lists like this one—a gathering of voices in strategic design who identify as female, non-binary, or otherwise outside the mainstream—offer a quiet form of rebellion. It isn’t an honor in the traditional sense, nor a ceremonial nod to diversity; it’s a call to presence. This list, though simple, invites us to ask questions that stretch beyond mere representation. It nudges us to consider how varied perspectives serve as fertile ground for empathy, creativity, and systemic change to take root. In a time when progress can feel like it’s inching backward, this initiative reminds us that the future of design—if it is to be humane, inclusive, and impactful—must be cultivated through the stories and sensibilities of those who have long been silenced or sidelined. To design strategically in today’s world is to recognize that diversity is not an afterthought but an imperative; it is the bridge between understanding and innovation, between the familiar and the transformative. Yet, with celebration comes a sobering responsibility. What does it mean to create spaces that truly invite in, even when we feel shut out ourselves? How do we nurture a practice that is both resilient to obstacles and adaptive to change, especially in a system that resists? How do we design not only for solutions but for sustenance—for outcomes that nourish rather than extract? These questions are not easy, nor are they quick fixes. They are calls to slow down, to reflect, and to build practices of care and durability in the face of disconnection. In a world too often driven by division, deprivation, and depletion, they ask us to exhale collectively and make room for a more generative way forward. And in doing so, they remind us that the journey to a truly inclusive future in design will be as complex and textured as the many voices that shape it.

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✨ It's not about the artifact, it's about the insight. ✨ Heidi Trost shares her experience with personas that made an impact. 📝 Instead of complex deliverables, she focused on capturing core insights in a few simple phrases in an infographic. These insights tied behaviors to business goals – and that’s what resonated. 📊 It wasn’t about how it looked, but how well it communicated across the team. 🌟 #UXResearch #BusinessGoals #EffectiveCommunication

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A snippet that stuck out to me from a recent piece by Noelle Lansford: "As you reflect on your own journey, pause and celebrate the fact that you are still here reading this article and caring about how design systems operate. As a design system practitioner, you know the work is still important. It solves critical problems the world faces. If you are job searching currently, let me affirm your suspicions, and offer encouragement: The hiring process is broken. I’m sorry for what you are going through. Keep finding ways to be kind to yourself. It’s not your fault, you’ve got this." Give the article a read! The snippet above was a nice breather, but it hits on a lot of the common mental spirals we practitioners find ourselves in AND, more often, are up against with some reminders on ways to untangle them (by challenging our own perception/charters). Link in comment.

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Hick's Law The more options people have, the longer it takes for them to make a decision, leading to frustration and overwhelm. Too many choices increase cognitive load and cause decision paralysis, making users less satisfied with their choices, often second-guessing their decisions Possible Solutions : 1. Minimize choices 2. Break down complex tasks 3. Highlight essential items #UX #Hicklaw

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Check out my latest article on the Digital Discernment Lab's research, titled "What’s in a toolkit? Designers reveal their best practices." Ever wondered how designers know who’s using the toolkits they created to address pressing technical-social problems? How do they know if users are getting any benefit? I delve into this topic and more in my overview of our CHI 2024 paper. Don't miss out on the insights! https://lnkd.in/gBjmFciB

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What do we stand for as a professional practice, particularly our leadership community? I appreciate Peter Merholz for raising the topic of advocacy and design. We need more spaces to grapple with this question actively and openly. Vague assertions of our fundamental humanism will no longer cut it given the active role we play in shaping so many tech products and platforms.   Designers did not have the same prominence in the industry during the rise of social media and were left with many many regrets. We won’t have that excuse this time around. The tech platforms are building their GenAI moats and rolling up their drawbridges. How might we use our collective voice to advocate more effectively?   From recent conversations it seems like there are two different (but interrelated) needs related to advocacy that continue to surface. I am hopeful that some signals will emerge out of the current design diaspora (which I have been writing about for Fast Company) and the new forums and networks that I profiled in my recent piece.   1. Professional Association: There seems to be growing interest in formalizing elements of our profession in a set of standards, norms and ethics. Mike Monteiro, have been beating this drum for a long time. But there now seem to be increased concerns around the “democratization” of various design disciplines within business (particularly product-first companies) that is creating additional unease with the elimination of so many specialized design and research-specific roles. This concern dominated the recent Advancing Research Conference. I fear that we could chase our tails for quite a while given the qualitative nature of our work and the heightened emotions on all sides of this debate.   2. Advocacy Agenda: I am more concerned with the broader question of advocacy as it relates to the techno-humanist ethos taking hold across the industry, super-charged by the rise of GenAI capabilities that have the potential to cut “users” completely out of the equation in terms of any meaningful participation in the design process. There are a number organizations that we could partner with that are grappling actively with these issues. Some, like Omidyar Network have the interest and capacity to fund fundamental research into the human experience, risks and hazards related to AI. But research reports will only get you so far. And legal / compliance risks are generally seen as afterthoughts, with the exception of the strong commitment to inclusive design from Microsoft and product equity from Adobe.   I believe there is a role for designer leaders like Timothy “TB” Bardlavens Albert Shum to step into this gap and be an active part of a design advocacy movement. In past eras giants like Victor Papeneck, Buckminster Fuller and John Thackara gave voice to our values and vision for more sustainable, equitable and imaginative futures. In this era, it may not be singular voice but rather a network or community that will serve as our beacon.

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Really looking forward to Product Design Week this year. I'm doing a talk - Why Talent & Culture Are Still Your Greatest Asset - on Day 1 of Design Leaders + (12:30-1:00 on November 11th). https://lnkd.in/gH_YVJR8 Anyone working in customer experience, design, product or strategy right now will know that we are living in - ahem - interesting times. The challenges facing leaders within brands, agencies and consultancies are more complex and fast-evolving than ever before. The experience design road has never been a smooth one, but it feels particularly rocky, potholed and full of hidden hairpins at the moment! Watching the conversations play out on LinkedIn you might safely assume that many are currently feeling pretty doom and gloom. But look at any disruptive cycle of technology-led adjustment in history and you will always see growth and positive progress right in there with the painful stuff. Personally I think that real opportunity can be found in the intersection between innovative, enabling technologies and the design of human-centred experiences - and after 30 years in the digital experience business I'm still convinced that's right where it's always lived. Teams who can combine the ability to deliver compelling customer experiences with the competencies to harness data, AI and genuine insight are going to be the real unlockers of value. And organisations that are able to access and attract those people - and provide the right environment and culture to empower and retain them - will achieve true competitive advantage and return on investment. My talk on the 11th is going to focus on those factors. Ultimately, technology comes and goes. It arrives all shiny and shouty, then it gets all habitual and legacy on you. What doesn't change is the importance of the skilled talent that can build magic from base metals - and making sure that that talent is supported by an environment in which it can create and deliver that magic. Hope to see you there! #PDW24 #Talent #Culture #Experience #Design #Leadership #Technology

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In my latest podcast, Dr. Jodi Forlizzi and I discuss a subject key to designers working today: the impact of AI on the discipline. Check it out! 👂👇 https://lnkd.in/gEKbvFQ6 #Design #UxDesign #InteractionDesign #AI #ArtificialIntelligence

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