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
"I’m dreaming of a world where women-centricity is so ingrained that frameworks like this don’t need to exist anymore."
Mansi GuptaDrawing from Feminist Practice to Make Inclusive Design Operational
September 9, 2022
"Nobody wants to be told to do your thing unless it’s clear that it helps their thing. It’s just human nature."
Maria GiudiceBecoming a Changemaker by Leading with Design
March 29, 2023
"The team lead is the most important role in a scaling design organization because they uphold quality and culture daily."
Peter MerholzDesign at Scale is People!
June 11, 2021
"As a young Black man with long hair entering traditional civic spaces, I had to prove my authority through support from leaders like the mayor."
Justin Entzminger Terrance Smith Tracy M. Colunga Mai-Ling GarciaRisk and Reward: How to Diversify the Field of Civic Innovators and Designers
November 17, 2022
"Invite support people to scrums or monthly engineering reviews so design can get visibility into common customer issues."
Toby HaugDiscussion
June 9, 2017
"Physical remotes have a lower power draw and are often more purpose-driven than phones, which are sources of stress."
Cheryl PlatzDemystifying Multimodal Design: The Design Practice You Didn't Know You're Doing
April 4, 2024
"Welcome to the AI party, we've got 10 years of research to share."
Dan SafferWhy AI projects fail (and what we can do about it)
May 14, 2025
"I woke up one day and just chose myself. I changed my name in Apple’s directory and it was the best moment ever."
B. Pagels-MinorBreaking the Tension: The Power of Enabling Your Employees to Show Up Authentically
June 10, 2022
"Inclusion and accessibility are really core and important to what we do in design ops."
Saara Kamppari-MillerTheme Three Intro
October 4, 2023
