Boosting the best-of-the-best design stories on Medium
You write it, we boost it.
As an official Medium publication partner, part of our role is to select and curate the best stories published in the Design vertical to make sure they receive a well-deserved Boost in the platform.
“Boosted” stories are recommended to interested readers across Medium’s homepage, apps, and emails (which go out to millions of people each day). According to Medium, here’s how the Boost Nomination Pilot works: “An important reason authors choose Medium is to give their stories a chance to be seen by more readers. Authors shouldn’t be required to build their own audience or mailing list to share their ideas and knowledge. Often, the best writing comes from people who don’t want to be audience builders. With the rise of the creator economy, these doers are often left out. Our goal is to find the best individual stories, regardless of who wrote them, and give those stories a wider audience.”
Below you’ll find a few of the stories we picked for further distribution recently. For us, these stories represent the best-of-the-best writing when it comes to Design:
- They focus on big picture thinking. The best stories and the ones we believe will have the most impact in building critical thinking amongst our readership are the ones that highlight relevant transformations happening across our industry. There are plenty of (awesome) stories out there already highlighting the tactical how-tos and the guided step-by-steps on how to design.
- They balance facts and feelings. A lot of these stories find the perfect balance between factual information (based on real research and data) and the writer’s own personal experience / anecdotes that make the story feel human and personal.
- They give credit even where credit isn’t due. We encourage writers to reference, give credit, and elevate the work of other authors who have previously written about the topics mentioned in the story. This is really about the “Collective” part of the UX Collective: leveraging the visibility that the article might get as an opportunity to elevate not only the writer’s work and thinking, but the work of others.
Enough said. Let’s dive into the stories:
01
Can company visions be harmful to junior designers?
Sanna Rau explores the potential drawbacks of company visions on junior designers in this thought-provoking piece. See how ambitious goals might affect career development and ways to foster a supportive environment for emerging UX talent.
02
Why are women encouraged to go into UX?
Daley Wilhelm dives into the reasons behind the growing encouragement for women to pursue careers in UX design. This article sheds light on the benefits of diversity in the field and the unique perspectives women can bring to the design process.
03
Your team needs a better balance between starters and finishers
Slava Polonski, PhD uncovers the importance of achieving a balance between these two types of team members in your team, and offers practical tips to enhance team synergy and productivity.
04
Discovering creativity: on your unique blob and the threat of normalcy
Anna Iurchenko inspires designers to embrace their individuality and pursue innovative approaches in their work, by understanding and accepting their unique ‘creative blob’ in the world of UX.
05
Should inclusive design be a UX concern?
Trina Moore Pervall explores the role of inclusive design in UX, and talks about how bringing that lens in your work can lead to better experiences for everyone. The data may surprise you.
06
“Make it easier” is not a product strategy
Pavel Samsonov discusses the need for a more comprehensive approach to product strategy; without understanding specifically how a product is hard to use, teams will always fail to provide real value to the customer.
07
Stress-testing AI-imagined art — or “your mother is a tracer”
Lauren Liss dives into the world of AI-generated art and the challenges of stress-testing these creations in a fascinating article — including potential ethical concerns surrounding AI-generated imagery.
08
A love letter to Figma (and all my exes)
Nicole Gallardo writes a heartfelt tribute to Figma, drawing comparisons between the beloved design tool and past relationships. Definitely one of the most unique stories we’ve published in recent times.
09
How loss is experienced by designers and 10 tips to find yourself again
Darren Yeo explores how the experiences of loss can inspire empathy and foster deeper connections, ultimately informing better and more compassionate UX.
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