Don’t Make Me Think 3.0: What Endures and What Evolves in UX
Summary
Two of the most influential figures in UX, Steve Krug and Lou Rosenfeld, sit down to reflect on the thinking that built the field and what must change as we move forward. In a world shaped by AI, wider access to tools, and growing expectations of UX research beyond design delivery, they will explore how core principles are being stretched, challenged, and reinterpreted. The conversation will also focus on what does not evolve—the values, practices, and instincts that remain essential and universal. Grounded in experience across multiple cycles of growth and contraction, this conversation will provide you with perspective, continuity, and reassurance for a field in motion.
Key Insights
-
•
Steve Krug has been secretly working on Don't Make Me Think 4.0 for 5-6 years, planning release soon.
-
•
AI will serve as power steering in UX work, speeding tasks but not fully replacing human judgment.
-
•
Simulated users and AI-generated personas are ineffective substitutes for watching real user interactions.
-
•
UX professionals must maintain ethical standards and advocate for users amid economic and technological pressure.
-
•
There is uncertainty about the future job market and roles in UX and research due to AI and automation.
-
•
Deep understanding of AI—its strengths and limitations—is crucial for future-proofing UX careers.
-
•
Ethical tension exists between AI’s economic drivers and the need for responsible, user-centered design.
-
•
The UX minor at University of Michigan shows rapid growth, indicating domain knowledge blending with UX is emerging.
-
•
Current AI hype overestimates AGI capabilities; AGI is not expected in the foreseeable future.
-
•
UX work will shift more toward education and coaching as AI democratizes some labor but can't replace empathy.
Notable Quotes
"The first rule of book update club is you never talk about book update club."
"Unlike social media, which I think should not exist, AI should exist but with caution."
"I feel like we are the user advocates. Our job is to be on the side of the angels and the users."
"It’s not self-driving cars, it’s power steering."
"Simulated users is pure enshittification. It’s not worth the paper it’s printed on."
"There’s no reasonable prediction that AGI will exist in our lifetimes."
"You can do stuff faster, but that doesn’t mean it’s gonna do the job as well."
"Most of our job is education — teaching people what AI is good for and what it’s not."
"Things are gonna get a lot worse before they get worse."
"Empathy is key to wanting to do this job — wanting users to do well."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"The more participatory the practices, the deeper and more intentional the engagement needs to be."
Alexia Cohen Adriane AckermanIncreasing Health Equity and Improving the Service Experience for Under-Served Latine Communities in Arizona
December 4, 2024
"If you begin to add interruption, you’ll see a big difference in what comes out of that study."
Marc Majers Tony TurnerInterrupted UX - Add A Dose of Reality To Usability Testing
March 11, 2022
"Language itself can be a powerful design object, shaping social roles and organizational interactions."
Jorge ArangoDesign as an Antidote to VUCA
May 9, 2019
"Growth and learning is your long term change management plan—does it take letting go of a clear outcome? Yes, but it’s worth the leap."
Brenna FallonLearning Over Outcomes
October 24, 2019
"Belonging means understanding the shape, size, and cause of your community and your unique purpose in it."
Daniel GloydWarming the User Experience: Lessons from America's first and most radical human-centered designers
May 9, 2024
"Involving people with disabilities from the start reveals impact and usability issues that automated testing simply cannot catch."
Sam ProulxOnline Shopping: Designing an Accessible Experience
October 3, 2023
"Technology can revolutionize how we think about education."
Kristin SkinnerFive Years of DesignOps
September 29, 2021
"I appreciate your allyship when I'm in the room, but I appreciate it more when I'm not in the room."
Denise Jacobs Nancy Douyon Renee Reid Lisa WelchmanInteractive Keynote: Social Change by Design
January 8, 2024
"Not having direct contact with participants means you can't quickly reschedule or handle last-minute issues effectively."
Roberta Dombrowski Lianna Aduana5 Reasons to Bring your Recruiting in House
September 30, 2021
