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Why design (still) matters, Taste is not a methodology, Borrowed slopes

UX Collective discusses why design matters and its impact on business, according to UX Collective. Design plays a crucial role in coherence and usability.

Original reporting · uxdesign.cc

Read “Why design (still) matters, Taste is not a methodology, Borrowed slopes” at UX Collective →
Why design (still) matters, Taste is not a methodology, Borrowed slopes
Image: UX Collective

How this was written. GDS wrote this article with a language model from UX Collective’s reporting (model: @cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast); it describes that reporting rather than adding to it. The original, linked above, is the full story.

Key points from UX Collective’s report

  • UX Collective emphasizes the importance of design in the digital landscape, highlighting its impact on business and technology.
  • The publication features various articles on design, including the impact of design outcomes and designing for ideas that do not yet exist.
  • The role of forward-deployed engineers has grown significantly, with a 1,165% increase in a single year, as AI companies focus on addressing customer problems directly.

UX Collective, an independent design publication, emphasizes the significance of design in the digital landscape. The publication highlights the importance of listening and response in design, noting that listening should be slow and response should be fast.

Recently, AI companies have been hiring forward-deployed engineers to work closely with customers and address their problems directly. This approach has led to a significant increase in the role of engineers, with one count showing a 1,165% growth in a single year.

The UX Collective features various articles on design, including the impact of design outcomes and designing for ideas that do not yet exist. These articles provide insights into the design process and its applications.

The publication also explores the concept of 'vibecoding' and the shift in the industry's valuation of programmers and designers. This shift has led to a focus on designing architecture and a change in the way designers and programmers perceive their roles.

Furthermore, the UX Collective discusses the importance of coherence in design, noting that established functions are defined by their activities and decision rights. The publication argues that design typically owns aspects such as consistency, usability, and accessibility, which are essential for business value at scale.

The UX Collective's articles and discussions demonstrate the significance of design in various aspects of business and technology, highlighting its impact on usability, coherence, and overall business value.

Questions and answers

What is the significance of design in the digital landscape?

Design plays a crucial role in coherence and usability, and its impact is essential for business value at scale.

How has the role of engineers changed in recent years?

The role of forward-deployed engineers has grown significantly, with a 1,165% increase in a single year, as AI companies focus on addressing customer problems directly.

What is 'vibecoding' and how has it affected the industry?

The concept of 'vibecoding' refers to the shift in the industry's valuation of programmers and designers, leading to a focus on designing architecture and a change in the way designers and programmers perceive their roles.

Read the full story at UX Collective More from Tuesday, October 20, 2026’s edition