Why I launched UX.Reflection
An alternative to the superficiality of UX Instagram.
In the past two years I’ve created UX content on different platforms: Instagram, YouTube and more recently also TikTok. It’s been my biggest passion but lately, I’m not so sure anymore.
How it all started.
When I started sharing content as UX.collection in early 2020 my main motivation was to inspire and help beginners break into the field of UX design by sharing my experiences.
Personal branding was something I never heard of, I had no intention of growing a community and didn’t know a thing about creating engaging content. As I got better at storytelling through Instagram carousels, I saw my followerbase growing. I felt like my posts added value instead of noise and in my turn, I learned a lot from my followers and other UX content creators.
Today it’s different.
Two years later, a lot of things have changed. I feel a constant pressure to create engaging content that can be consumed in a matter of seconds, as our attention span won’t allow much more. Social media platforms are aware of this and prioritise content that’s fast and easy to engage with. Simply hit “like” and move on.
As a result people get exposed to a never ending stream of new information. To manage this overload, content creators are sharing content that is becoming more and more superficial in hopes to still inspire engagement.
Take a look at the UX landscape on Instagram and you’ll find that most of the content is focused on new design tools, cool websites, quick Figma tutorials or sharing basics like UX laws and methodologies. Even though there’s definitely a place for this kind of content, it’s not even close to what design is really about.
UX.Reflection is a safe haven from the superficiality of UX Instagram.
Yes, that’s a bold statement but it really shouldn’t be. An important part of our job as designers is to dig deeper, reflect and seek out knowledge exchange. I hope that this newsletter can create a space to dive deeper into design topics and inspire conversation. Something I enjoyed so much when I started sharing content and what I’ve been missing a lot lately.
Here’s what you can expect from UX.Reflection
A once-in-a-while newsletter. No one has time for another weekly newsletter to get buried in your already exploding inbox.
Personal reflections on design and career.
Long-form deep dives on a variety of design + design-related topics.
If anything of what I talked about sounds interesting to you, I’d be happy if you would subscribe to UX.Reflection
Looking forward to get the conversation started.
-Maureen