The 10th (and final?) edition of The State of UX report by the UX Collective is here: a critical look at our industry based on more than 1k articles published and shared with our 500k+ subscribers in2024.Things have been feeling differently for a while. That UX buzz, that peak we hit in the late 2010s, has faded. Historically, designers have always aimed to exert vast influence within their organizations, guiding the creative vision and making critical decisions that shape the product. That reality simply doesnt feel palpable anymore when you look at the state of UX more broadly. UX is increasingly a byproduct of business objectives, not the drivingforce.This is what were calling The Great Design Handoffa fundamental shift in responsibilities and a transfer of design control from designers to a complex network of algorithms, automated tools, and business stakeholders.Were handing our designs to Figma while it trains itsAI.Were handing our design systems to growth teams so they can squeeze every last penny out of customers.Were shipping new products before theyre evenready.Were shifting our focus from good design to organizational politics.Were choosing not to hire a photographer / voice actor / illustrator artist rand to use generative AIinstead.Just this one time because the budget isshort.Just to try itout.Just because our competitor is doingit.You get thepoint.For this years report, weve had the privilege to work with Manoel do Amarala designer living in Los Angeles who explores ways of connecting the dots between branding and productdesign.Read thereport:The State of UX in 2025Written by: Fabricio Teixeira, CaioBragaIllustrations by: Manoel doAmaralNarrated by: LauraVandiverPublished by: The UX Collective (ISSN: 27665267) is an independent publication built to help designers think more critically about their work. You can follow our content via our Newsletter. For more in-depth pieces, check our publication DOC.The State of UX in 2025: a love letter about change was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
