Question:
If users can't find features, will prettier buttons help?
3 Proofs:
1. User Onboarding study: 86% of churn due to unclear flows, not ugly UI
2. Craigslist looks terrible. Still dominates because IA is perfect for its job.
3. Most redesigns fail because they change visuals without fixing structure
You don't need a designer. You need a decision filter for 'what belongs here.'
Do This Today:
1. List 3 things users have to manually configure or remember in your app
2. Ask: can the app infer this from context or past behavior?
3. Implement one smart default this week
But users want: forms that remember their input, buttons that don't let them make mistakes, defaults that guess correctly 90% of the time.
This infrastructure is invisible. It doesn't look like 'design.' But it's the difference between apps users tolerate and apps they recommend.
The best UX decisions don't screenshot well. Smart defaults, error prevention, forgiving flows. They just work silently.
Founders want features that demo impressively. Investors want 'wow' moments.
Good thing I’m going to bed anyways
DM me if this sounds familiar.
The Fix:
Start opinionated. One default flow. Add 'Customize' option for motivated users. Most will stick with defaults if they're good.
Result Pattern:
Completion rates improve significantly. Users who need control will find it. Everyone else gets frictionless experience.
What I See:
'Choose your preferences' screens with 8 toggles. Users don't know what to pick (no context yet). Pick randomly or skip. App doesn't work well because defaults are missing.
Many MVPs have signup/onboarding flows with 5+ optional customization steps. Founders think this shows flexibility. Users experience decision fatigue.
Your saves = intent data they're ignoring.
Imagine Meta built this instead:
Pulls from your saved posts. Suggests a weekly recipe schedule based on what you actually saved. Orders groceries. Shows instructions in a clean reader (like Apple News).
Same for outfit inspo, travel plans, interior design.
Meta shipped AI chatbots into Instagram DMs that nobody asked for.
But they won't build an AI that pulls recipes from your 1000+ saved posts and actually schedules them.
They optimize for features that demo well at keynotes, not features people would pay for.
Okay now that everyone has their Apple Studio Display, what wallpapers are you running?
Need some fresh ideas
Got myself a lil something something
Users don't want to 'engage' with tools. They want to finish and leave
Question: Would you celebrate if users spent 20 minutes buying something that should take 2?
If users spend a lot of time in your app, your UX probably sucks.
Google HEART framework: task success rate predicts retention 3x better than session length
Amazon optimizes for *less* time on site (faster checkout = higher revenue)
The gf when she sees my @AnthropicAI bill
Do This Today:
1) Record yourself using your app. Count milliseconds between tap and response.
2) If any interaction takes longer than 100ms, add loading states, optimistic UI, or skeleton screens.
3) Test perceived speed: does it *feel* instant, even if the backend is slow?
Technical founders focus on API speed but ignore interaction latency. That lag between tap and visual feedback? That’s where the “non-native” feeling comes from.
When users tap a button and it responds in 50ms, they perceive quality. When it takes 200ms, they perceive jank. Even if the visual design is perfect.
Your app uses SF Symbols and standard nav bars. Users still say it feels “slow” or “off.”
The problem? It’s temporal, not visual.
Native feel is 80% response time, 20% visual design.
Result Pattern:
App feels 'easier to use' without feature changes. Consistency = users spend less energy on interface, more on task.
DM me if this sounds familiar.
The Fix:
Define 5 interaction patterns (primary action placement, destructive action style, back navigation, etc). Use them everywhere. Break consistency only for critical alerts.
Many MVPs 'break the rules' on every screen to feel unique. Users experience this as lack of polish, not creativity.
What I See:
Save button top-right on screen A, bottom-left on screen B, floating action button on screen C. Users tap wrong spot, feel dumb, lose trust.
Here's the test: delete all your instructional text. Is your UI still usable?
If not, your patterns are broken.
TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat: near-zero instructions. Billions of users just know how they work. Because the patterns are borrowed from apps that came before.
More text = more to ignore. Visual patterns beat verbal explanation.
Every word you write in your app reduces comprehension.
Sounds backwards. It's not.
Nielsen Norman tracked eye movements: users read 20-28% of the words on screen. The rest? Skipped entirely.
Try this:
1. Map the first 3 tasks users attempt post-onboarding (analytics or session recordings)
2. Identify where they get stuck or abandon (empty states? unclear next steps?)
3. Add contextual help *at the point of friction*, not in onboarding
