The Feed & The Thread - Sunday, January 25, 2026

Today we're diving into Joe Smiley's predictions for experience design trends in 2026, where designing for user intent and integrating Machine Experience will take center stage.

And we'll hear what the community is saying about their frustrating job hunts and how they're using subreddit branding to express these experiences.

Welcome to The Feed and The Thread, brought to you by Chicago Camps.

Our next UX Camp event is coming up on February twenty first.

We're still accepting presentations for the event - submit your talk today!

We've caught a few things worth your attention today.

Let's dive in!

In a new piece titled "The most popular experience design trends of 2026," Joe Smiley at UX Design.cc predicts that by 2026, designing for user intent and integrating Machine Experience, or MX, will dominate the field.

He highlights how better prompt design can enhance AI interactions and notes that AI-generated designs are becoming more prevalent in creating personalized experiences.

Robert Tanislav's latest "The Rise of the Model Designer" over at Web Designer News explores how designers now need to collaborate with AI models rather than traditional software, adapting new skill sets and approaches to stay relevant as tools evolve daily.

Also worth noting – Robert Tanislav has another piece titled "Designing with AI-readable design systems in Cursor," which argues that integrating AI into design systems can enhance precision and consistency by following established logic.

This approach not only speeds up the process but ensures adherence to design principles, offering practical implications for design workflows.

Also publishing recently: Nielsen Norman Group, UXPin Studio, and CSS-Tricks.

Be sure to check them out in your feeds!

Let's check in for the hot topics with the practitioners today.

Over in the UX Design subreddit, someone’s been on the job hunt trail for an entire year.

It’s tough when you’re putting your all into something and not seeing results.

u/CheckImpressive5923 put it best: "Man it's just so demotivating for me!".

Can't blame them for feeling that way.

And speaking of frustrating experiences, the Design Critiques subreddit is dealing with its own set of issues.

They’re trying to brand a subreddit and seem to be hitting roadblocks – it’s all about expressing those user frustrations, but it's easier said than done.

Meanwhile, in the UX Research subreddit, folks are struggling to find real users through paid interview platforms.

I mean, that's fair - when you're trying to conduct meaningful research, finding genuine participants can be a challenge.

But wait till you hear this – there’s some light-hearted stuff too!

Over at the Design subreddit, someone shared a bird table concept that got 202 upvotes.

People love their quirky designs.

And another post about a tote bag concept has 98 upvotes.

It seems like folks are enjoying these fun and creative ideas.

That's what folks are buzzing about today!

Lots to chew on, from job hunts and design frustrations to some lighter moments with fun projects.

Chicago Camps is hosting UX Camp Winter on Saturday, February 21st.

There will be plenty of great presentations, all online, so you can join from anywhere in the world!

Tickets are only thirteen dollars and fifty cents and there are plenty of complimentary passes available thanks to the generosity of the community.

Get tickets now at Chicago Camps dot org.

And there's still room for additional speakers!

Submit your idea today!

Today, we explored Joe Smiley's prediction that by 2026, experience design will focus on user intent and Machine Experience integration.

And a senior product designer shared their one-year journey of job hunting, highlighting the challenges in finding remote roles.

It’s clear that navigating these trends requires both adaptability and persistence.

Thanks for tuning in — we'll catch you next time.

That's The Feed and The Thread for today.

Keep designing with intention!