The Biggest Lie that Designers Believe about Software Development

Design is creative, it's messy, there are lot's of dead ends and backtracking as you iterate towards solutions that work. Development is a more logical, linear flow of turning the design into working software. It sounds great - but it's wrong.

Development is design.

No matter how good a design phase you have, you are only reducing risk, not eliminating it. The real test is when customer's have the product in their hands. This means that we need to continue the iterative, quick feedback loop approach of design into development. In fact, we should think of the first releases and a continuum from low fidelity prototypes to ever increasingly complex prototypes.

Another benefit of this shift in thinking is that the boundaries between design and development start to fade away. In cross-functional teams everyone should be involved in all stages and we should continue to iterate right up until we have happy customers and we have achieved our business goals.

This Week’s Updates

Enabling the Team

Starting From Scratch: Rethinking Work, Hierarchy, And Purpose by Marc-Peter Pijper
Companies that prioritize autonomy, shared purpose, and decentralized decision-making often create more resilient and engaged teams.

Who Pays The Ego Toll? by John Cutler
Even simple improvements often fail due to ego and status concerns. Changing a team dynamic may require reframing the narrative, shifting roles, and aligning with a bigger goal.

Product Direction

How To Choose Your First AI/ML Project by Ben Dickson
Product Managers can start with low-risk, high-value AI/ML projects that integrate seamlessly into existing workflows. Get the key strategies to build foundational skills and scale AI initiatives effectively.

How To Help Your Company “Speak” Strategy by Noa Ganot
Strategy is a mindset. To help your company embrace it, start with everyday discussions. Bridge the gap between company leadership and teams by speaking strategy clearly, framing decisions, and guiding teams towards common goals.

Continuous Research

You Should Probably Be Doing More Research With Couples by Phil Morton
Researching with couples reveals hidden gaps and misunderstandings that one-on-one interviews miss. Use this approach to understand how products/services are jointly used and decided on.

How I Streamlined My Recruitment Process From Days To Hours by Queeny Nalyanya
Streamlining recruitment with the right UX tools can boosts efficiency, reduce errors, and save time. By using automation, you can scale research and improve team collaboration. [Sponsored Content]

Continuous Design

The Biggest Lie That Designers Believe About Software Development by Rory Madden
When designers and developers embrace their shared responsibility for exploration and iteration, they create the conditions for innovation. Teams become more resilient, solutions become more robust, and products become better aligned with user needs.

A Journey Of Craft Built On Trust, Confidence, And Focus by Yann-Edern Gillet
A focused environment fosters trust and precision, leading to high-quality work. Dive into the collaborative process with engineers, challenges of imposter syndrome, and significance of recharging through hobbies.

Continuous Development

The Deadline Doom Loop by James Hawkins
The "deadline doom loop," is a cycle where artificial deadlines lead to increased technical debt and project delays. Escape this loop by forming small product teams, empower engineers to make product decisions, and foster a culture of trust and feedback.

Vibe Coding And The Future Of Software Engineering by Alex P.
Vibe coding uses AI to assist with software creation. It explores how this can change coding, with a future where AI generates, tests, and even deploys code autonomously.

Heads up!
Prices increase as we are getting closer to May

The countdown to UXDX 2025 is on, and with just a few weeks left, we wanted to remind you that ticket prices for both our EMEA (Berlin) and USA (New York) events will be increasing soon. Don’t miss out on securing your tickets at the current rates – this is your chance to save before prices go up!

As we approach May, we’re excited to bring you an incredible lineup of speakers, hands-on workshops, and networking opportunities that will take your UX, design, dev and product knowledge to the next level. Secure your spot today to ensure you’re part of this yearly experience at a better price.

Grab your tickets now before the price increase on 23rd March 2025. See you in Berlin or New York!

FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS 

Check out more upcoming community events 

Video of the Week
Navigating Challenges and Technical Debt
in AI Engineering for Finance

Ahmed Menshawy, Vice President of AI Engineering at Mastercard, explores the delicate balance between model complexity and real-time processing in the financial sector. In this insightful talk, Ahmed shares the practical challenges of deploying advanced ML technologies within large enterprises, focusing on overcoming technical debt while meeting the operational demands of AI-driven financial services.

Get to understand the perplexity of AI engineering in a high-stakes industry like finance. Check out the full video here 👇

The Results of Last Week’s Poll

The question: How do you typically prioritise which assumptions to test first?

It’s clear from last week’s poll results that most teams focus on addressing the riskiest assumptions first, with 73% prioritizing high-importance, low-evidence assumptions. This approach aligns with the understanding that tackling the most uncertain areas early can significantly reduce risk in the development process.

14% of respondents take a simpler route by testing the easiest assumptions first, while 9% rely on gut feel without a systematic approach. Notably, 4% of teams don’t test assumptions at all, which could potentially limit their ability to make informed, data-backed decisions.

If you’re looking to refine your approach to prioritizing assumptions and enhance your testing process, explore practical strategies in our Continuous Research course!

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