Weeds, Tool Selection, Hurry, and Solitude
Somethings Novel — April 25, 2025
What I’m writing…
Weeding the UX Garden
What Dandelions teach us about dealing with UX problems
We’ve all seen the UX iceberg diagram. But lately, I’ve been thinking we need a different metaphor. Icebergs can only be avoided. But as designers, we’re here to solve problems—not steer around them. So what if UX problems were more like… dandelions?
Dandelions? Yeah, it sounds odd, but hang with me. They spread fast, they look innocent, and even when you think you’ve handled them, they come right back. Sound familiar?
I wanted to spend some time exploring how surface-level fixes can mask deeper issues, why some UX weeds keep returning, and how to shift the conversation from plucking the yellow head to root-level clarity, without burning the whole yard down.
Come pull some weeds with me!
What I’m thinking about…
Every designer tends to have their favorite problem-solving methods. Way too many designers go straight to UI layout to solve every UX problem. But if you were a carpenter and the only tool you had in your belt was a hammer, I wouldn’t hire you to work on my house. You might get a lot done with a hammer, but it’s useless for a ton of other construction and carpentry needs.
That’s how I’m thinking about the world of digital experience design. If designers want to be highly effective and efficient, we need to know which tools to grab to conquer the challenges we face. UI design can’t solve every experience problem…in fact, it might make it worse.
What I’m reading…
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
By John Mark Comer
Our world is full of hurry. We are constantly inundated with news, information, text messages, emails, notifications, alerts, and on and on and on… We are kept on high alert and we’re always on edge. Not to mention there’s always a long list of things to get done. In this book, pastor John Mark Comer takes a look at the damaging effects that a life of hurry has on us and our relationships. It is a much-needed reminder to find rest and solitude in a world full of hurried activity.
What I’m enjoying…
The past few weeks I’ve been highlighting some sort of product or physical object. This week I wanted to take a page out of Comer’s book and share a favorite practice of mine. Most mornings I roll out of bed at 6 a.m. to a freshly made pot of coffee (using the auto-brew feature). I sit and read in the still and quiet of the morning. I (usually) resist the urge to pick up my phone and spend time reading analog, paper, and ink books. Most mornings, my wife joins me in the still, quiet morning. This is one of the most refreshing times for me. Not only because I’m typically reading Scripture, but also because it’s a quiet moment of rest before the hectic activity of the day starts.
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