Continuum Design Lab
@continuumdl.bsky.social
We decode user needs and transform them into breakthrough digital products. Design | Research | Strategy | Innovation. https://continuumdesignlab.com/
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Tired of confusing apps? That's where we come in.
We fix bad design. We help big companies and startups create digital products that people actually love to use.
We'll use this space to share:
- The top trends you need to know about.
- The most important news in digital strategy.
Follow us now!
We fix bad design. We help big companies and startups create digital products that people actually love to use.
We'll use this space to share:
- The top trends you need to know about.
- The most important news in digital strategy.
Follow us now!
Navigation is the skeleton of your product.
When it works, no one notices.
When it fails, everything feels broken.
Sidebar Nav (left)
Works for: dashboards, admin tools
Strengths: always visible, scannable
Fails: when you cram 20+ items into it
Examples: Linear, Stripe
(01/04)
When it works, no one notices.
When it fails, everything feels broken.
Sidebar Nav (left)
Works for: dashboards, admin tools
Strengths: always visible, scannable
Fails: when you cram 20+ items into it
Examples: Linear, Stripe
(01/04)
December 10, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Navigation is the skeleton of your product.
When it works, no one notices.
When it fails, everything feels broken.
Sidebar Nav (left)
Works for: dashboards, admin tools
Strengths: always visible, scannable
Fails: when you cram 20+ items into it
Examples: Linear, Stripe
(01/04)
When it works, no one notices.
When it fails, everything feels broken.
Sidebar Nav (left)
Works for: dashboards, admin tools
Strengths: always visible, scannable
Fails: when you cram 20+ items into it
Examples: Linear, Stripe
(01/04)
A founder showed us their “intuitive” dashboard.
8 charts. 12 metrics. 4 filters. 3 tabs.
We asked, “What should a new user do first?”
They said, “Well… it depends…”
If you need an explanation, it’s not intuitive.
Intuitive = obvious without context.
8 charts. 12 metrics. 4 filters. 3 tabs.
We asked, “What should a new user do first?”
They said, “Well… it depends…”
If you need an explanation, it’s not intuitive.
Intuitive = obvious without context.
December 10, 2025 at 6:58 PM
A founder showed us their “intuitive” dashboard.
8 charts. 12 metrics. 4 filters. 3 tabs.
We asked, “What should a new user do first?”
They said, “Well… it depends…”
If you need an explanation, it’s not intuitive.
Intuitive = obvious without context.
8 charts. 12 metrics. 4 filters. 3 tabs.
We asked, “What should a new user do first?”
They said, “Well… it depends…”
If you need an explanation, it’s not intuitive.
Intuitive = obvious without context.
Simple IA audit you can do today:
list your top 10 features
ask 5 users to find them (time each one)
anything over 30 seconds = IA problem
If users can't find your best features in 30 seconds those features don't exist to them
findability = usability
list your top 10 features
ask 5 users to find them (time each one)
anything over 30 seconds = IA problem
If users can't find your best features in 30 seconds those features don't exist to them
findability = usability
December 9, 2025 at 4:37 AM
Simple IA audit you can do today:
list your top 10 features
ask 5 users to find them (time each one)
anything over 30 seconds = IA problem
If users can't find your best features in 30 seconds those features don't exist to them
findability = usability
list your top 10 features
ask 5 users to find them (time each one)
anything over 30 seconds = IA problem
If users can't find your best features in 30 seconds those features don't exist to them
findability = usability
You raised Series A funding? That's great. Now hear us out
'Design is expensive' is what you say. 'Design debt is bankrupting us' is what your metrics say.
Let's do the math on what bad UX actually costs
'Design is expensive' is what you say. 'Design debt is bankrupting us' is what your metrics say.
Let's do the math on what bad UX actually costs
December 3, 2025 at 9:00 AM
You raised Series A funding? That's great. Now hear us out
'Design is expensive' is what you say. 'Design debt is bankrupting us' is what your metrics say.
Let's do the math on what bad UX actually costs
'Design is expensive' is what you say. 'Design debt is bankrupting us' is what your metrics say.
Let's do the math on what bad UX actually costs
The Taxonomy vs Folksonomy decision:
Taxonomy = you define categories (Apple's app store)
Folksonomy = users define tags (Pinterest)
B2B products need taxonomy; users want predictable structure
let users TAG for themselves but organize with clear CATEGORIES
both/and. not either/or.
Taxonomy = you define categories (Apple's app store)
Folksonomy = users define tags (Pinterest)
B2B products need taxonomy; users want predictable structure
let users TAG for themselves but organize with clear CATEGORIES
both/and. not either/or.
December 2, 2025 at 7:54 PM
The Taxonomy vs Folksonomy decision:
Taxonomy = you define categories (Apple's app store)
Folksonomy = users define tags (Pinterest)
B2B products need taxonomy; users want predictable structure
let users TAG for themselves but organize with clear CATEGORIES
both/and. not either/or.
Taxonomy = you define categories (Apple's app store)
Folksonomy = users define tags (Pinterest)
B2B products need taxonomy; users want predictable structure
let users TAG for themselves but organize with clear CATEGORIES
both/and. not either/or.
Everything is one click away' is not good IA
yes one click is good but 50 options on one screen is overwhelming
good IA is about:
showing the RIGHT thing
at the RIGHT time
in the RIGHT context
not showing EVERYTHING all the time
yes one click is good but 50 options on one screen is overwhelming
good IA is about:
showing the RIGHT thing
at the RIGHT time
in the RIGHT context
not showing EVERYTHING all the time
December 2, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Everything is one click away' is not good IA
yes one click is good but 50 options on one screen is overwhelming
good IA is about:
showing the RIGHT thing
at the RIGHT time
in the RIGHT context
not showing EVERYTHING all the time
yes one click is good but 50 options on one screen is overwhelming
good IA is about:
showing the RIGHT thing
at the RIGHT time
in the RIGHT context
not showing EVERYTHING all the time
1/ YOUR DESIGN DEBT COSTS MORE THAN YOUR TECH DEBT:
Tech debt = engineers slow down Design debt = users leave One affects velocity. One affects revenue. You can ship slower. You can't afford 40% churn.
Here's how to audit design debt in 48 hours: [A Thread]
Tech debt = engineers slow down Design debt = users leave One affects velocity. One affects revenue. You can ship slower. You can't afford 40% churn.
Here's how to audit design debt in 48 hours: [A Thread]
November 25, 2025 at 6:08 PM
1/ YOUR DESIGN DEBT COSTS MORE THAN YOUR TECH DEBT:
Tech debt = engineers slow down Design debt = users leave One affects velocity. One affects revenue. You can ship slower. You can't afford 40% churn.
Here's how to audit design debt in 48 hours: [A Thread]
Tech debt = engineers slow down Design debt = users leave One affects velocity. One affects revenue. You can ship slower. You can't afford 40% churn.
Here's how to audit design debt in 48 hours: [A Thread]
Founders, take notes: Real transformation happens when constraints force innovation, not comfort.
The energy transition happens often in unlikely places at unprecedented rates.
Take Nepal: Over the past year, electric vehicles accounted for 76 percent of all passenger vehicles and half of the light commercial vehicles sold in Nepal.
Five years ago, that number was essentially zero.
Take Nepal: Over the past year, electric vehicles accounted for 76 percent of all passenger vehicles and half of the light commercial vehicles sold in Nepal.
Five years ago, that number was essentially zero.
November 25, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Founders, take notes: Real transformation happens when constraints force innovation, not comfort.
Everything is one click away' is not good IA
yes one click is good but 50 options on one screen is overwhelming
good IA is about:
showing the RIGHT thing
at the RIGHT time
in the RIGHT context
not showing EVERYTHING all the time
yes one click is good but 50 options on one screen is overwhelming
good IA is about:
showing the RIGHT thing
at the RIGHT time
in the RIGHT context
not showing EVERYTHING all the time
November 25, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Everything is one click away' is not good IA
yes one click is good but 50 options on one screen is overwhelming
good IA is about:
showing the RIGHT thing
at the RIGHT time
in the RIGHT context
not showing EVERYTHING all the time
yes one click is good but 50 options on one screen is overwhelming
good IA is about:
showing the RIGHT thing
at the RIGHT time
in the RIGHT context
not showing EVERYTHING all the time
Mega menus work for e-commerce but they're death for B2B SaaS
You might ask Why?
E-commerce = browsing behavior (show me options)
Whereas
B2B SaaS = task-completion behavior (let me do my job)
Different user intent = different IA patterns
Please stop copying Amazon's navigation
You might ask Why?
E-commerce = browsing behavior (show me options)
Whereas
B2B SaaS = task-completion behavior (let me do my job)
Different user intent = different IA patterns
Please stop copying Amazon's navigation
November 19, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Mega menus work for e-commerce but they're death for B2B SaaS
You might ask Why?
E-commerce = browsing behavior (show me options)
Whereas
B2B SaaS = task-completion behavior (let me do my job)
Different user intent = different IA patterns
Please stop copying Amazon's navigation
You might ask Why?
E-commerce = browsing behavior (show me options)
Whereas
B2B SaaS = task-completion behavior (let me do my job)
Different user intent = different IA patterns
Please stop copying Amazon's navigation
1/ THE FIRST 90 DAYS AFTER SERIES A:
You have $10M+ in the bank.
First instinct: hire 5 engineers 3 sales reps.
Reality check: your product looks like it was designed in 2015.
Prospects ghost after demos. Users churn after onboarding. Here's what actually works:
You have $10M+ in the bank.
First instinct: hire 5 engineers 3 sales reps.
Reality check: your product looks like it was designed in 2015.
Prospects ghost after demos. Users churn after onboarding. Here's what actually works:
November 18, 2025 at 8:25 PM
1/ THE FIRST 90 DAYS AFTER SERIES A:
You have $10M+ in the bank.
First instinct: hire 5 engineers 3 sales reps.
Reality check: your product looks like it was designed in 2015.
Prospects ghost after demos. Users churn after onboarding. Here's what actually works:
You have $10M+ in the bank.
First instinct: hire 5 engineers 3 sales reps.
Reality check: your product looks like it was designed in 2015.
Prospects ghost after demos. Users churn after onboarding. Here's what actually works:
The Taxonomy vs Folksonomy decision:
Taxonomy = you define categories (Apple's app store)
Folksonomy = users define tags (Pinterest)
B2B products need taxonomy; users want predictable structure
let users TAG for themselves but organize with clear CATEGORIES
both/and. not either/or.
Taxonomy = you define categories (Apple's app store)
Folksonomy = users define tags (Pinterest)
B2B products need taxonomy; users want predictable structure
let users TAG for themselves but organize with clear CATEGORIES
both/and. not either/or.
November 17, 2025 at 9:18 PM
The Taxonomy vs Folksonomy decision:
Taxonomy = you define categories (Apple's app store)
Folksonomy = users define tags (Pinterest)
B2B products need taxonomy; users want predictable structure
let users TAG for themselves but organize with clear CATEGORIES
both/and. not either/or.
Taxonomy = you define categories (Apple's app store)
Folksonomy = users define tags (Pinterest)
B2B products need taxonomy; users want predictable structure
let users TAG for themselves but organize with clear CATEGORIES
both/and. not either/or.
People say “Surround yourself with people doing better than you' is the fastest route to success.”
But how do you actually prepare for the discomfort when you are the least intelligent or experienced person in the room?
But how do you actually prepare for the discomfort when you are the least intelligent or experienced person in the room?
November 13, 2025 at 1:44 PM
People say “Surround yourself with people doing better than you' is the fastest route to success.”
But how do you actually prepare for the discomfort when you are the least intelligent or experienced person in the room?
But how do you actually prepare for the discomfort when you are the least intelligent or experienced person in the room?
Nobody cares about your redesign of Spotify or reimagined Instagram interface.
Every bootcamp grad has those.
Now you might wonder what gets attention? Real products people actually use.
[A thread]
Every bootcamp grad has those.
Now you might wonder what gets attention? Real products people actually use.
[A thread]
November 6, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Nobody cares about your redesign of Spotify or reimagined Instagram interface.
Every bootcamp grad has those.
Now you might wonder what gets attention? Real products people actually use.
[A thread]
Every bootcamp grad has those.
Now you might wonder what gets attention? Real products people actually use.
[A thread]
One-person businesses are quietly eating the world:
1/ Plot twist: You don't need a team, VC funding, or an office to build a million-dollar business anymore.
Solopreneurs are hitting $1M+ revenue with zero employees, just smart automation and niche focus.
1/ Plot twist: You don't need a team, VC funding, or an office to build a million-dollar business anymore.
Solopreneurs are hitting $1M+ revenue with zero employees, just smart automation and niche focus.
November 5, 2025 at 7:06 PM
One-person businesses are quietly eating the world:
1/ Plot twist: You don't need a team, VC funding, or an office to build a million-dollar business anymore.
Solopreneurs are hitting $1M+ revenue with zero employees, just smart automation and niche focus.
1/ Plot twist: You don't need a team, VC funding, or an office to build a million-dollar business anymore.
Solopreneurs are hitting $1M+ revenue with zero employees, just smart automation and niche focus.
1/ 2025 funding reality:
VCs are writing smaller checks, asking for profitability roadmaps (crazy concept) and actually reading your financials.
The "grow at all costs" era is DEAD. If your pitch deck doesn't show a path to revenue, you're getting ghosted.
VCs are writing smaller checks, asking for profitability roadmaps (crazy concept) and actually reading your financials.
The "grow at all costs" era is DEAD. If your pitch deck doesn't show a path to revenue, you're getting ghosted.
October 29, 2025 at 7:02 PM
1/ 2025 funding reality:
VCs are writing smaller checks, asking for profitability roadmaps (crazy concept) and actually reading your financials.
The "grow at all costs" era is DEAD. If your pitch deck doesn't show a path to revenue, you're getting ghosted.
VCs are writing smaller checks, asking for profitability roadmaps (crazy concept) and actually reading your financials.
The "grow at all costs" era is DEAD. If your pitch deck doesn't show a path to revenue, you're getting ghosted.
"I used ChatGPT to design my landing page. Why would I pay a designer $10K?"
Because ChatGPT doesn't understand your users.
It doesn't research your competitors.
It doesn't know why your conversion rate is 0.3%.
It just makes pretty shapes. Fast. (1/6)
Because ChatGPT doesn't understand your users.
It doesn't research your competitors.
It doesn't know why your conversion rate is 0.3%.
It just makes pretty shapes. Fast. (1/6)
October 23, 2025 at 7:59 PM
"I used ChatGPT to design my landing page. Why would I pay a designer $10K?"
Because ChatGPT doesn't understand your users.
It doesn't research your competitors.
It doesn't know why your conversion rate is 0.3%.
It just makes pretty shapes. Fast. (1/6)
Because ChatGPT doesn't understand your users.
It doesn't research your competitors.
It doesn't know why your conversion rate is 0.3%.
It just makes pretty shapes. Fast. (1/6)
Oh good, the return of 'let's sacrifice our mental health to optimize ad serving a tiny bit better.'
It's not a race to build great technology; it's a race to see who can burn through their seed funding and their engineers first. It never ends well.
It's not a race to build great technology; it's a race to see who can burn through their seed funding and their engineers first. It never ends well.
The grind culture that birthed many Big Tech companies from Google to Amazon is back.
As the AI race heats up, startups are promoting hardcore cultures like “996,” or working 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week.
As the AI race heats up, startups are promoting hardcore cultures like “996,” or working 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week.
Why these companies insist on a 72-hour work week
Start-ups are promoting hardcore cultures such as “996,” meaning working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week, as they race to compete in AI.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 22, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Oh good, the return of 'let's sacrifice our mental health to optimize ad serving a tiny bit better.'
It's not a race to build great technology; it's a race to see who can burn through their seed funding and their engineers first. It never ends well.
It's not a race to build great technology; it's a race to see who can burn through their seed funding and their engineers first. It never ends well.
Every founder: "We want it clean and minimal like Apple."
Also every founder: adds 47 features to homepage, 3 CTAs above fold, chatbot popup, newsletter signup, limited-time banner
That's not minimalism. That's literal chaos with whitespace.
Also every founder: adds 47 features to homepage, 3 CTAs above fold, chatbot popup, newsletter signup, limited-time banner
That's not minimalism. That's literal chaos with whitespace.
October 22, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Every founder: "We want it clean and minimal like Apple."
Also every founder: adds 47 features to homepage, 3 CTAs above fold, chatbot popup, newsletter signup, limited-time banner
That's not minimalism. That's literal chaos with whitespace.
Also every founder: adds 47 features to homepage, 3 CTAs above fold, chatbot popup, newsletter signup, limited-time banner
That's not minimalism. That's literal chaos with whitespace.
Design isn't decoration.
Over 65% of consumers now prefer brands that prioritize sustainable design.
72% buy more green products than five years ago.
Your design communicates values before your copy ever does.
Make it intentional.
Over 65% of consumers now prefer brands that prioritize sustainable design.
72% buy more green products than five years ago.
Your design communicates values before your copy ever does.
Make it intentional.
October 22, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Design isn't decoration.
Over 65% of consumers now prefer brands that prioritize sustainable design.
72% buy more green products than five years ago.
Your design communicates values before your copy ever does.
Make it intentional.
Over 65% of consumers now prefer brands that prioritize sustainable design.
72% buy more green products than five years ago.
Your design communicates values before your copy ever does.
Make it intentional.
Tired of confusing apps? That's where we come in.
We fix bad design. We help big companies and startups create digital products that people actually love to use.
We'll use this space to share:
- The top trends you need to know about.
- The most important news in digital strategy.
Follow us now!
We fix bad design. We help big companies and startups create digital products that people actually love to use.
We'll use this space to share:
- The top trends you need to know about.
- The most important news in digital strategy.
Follow us now!
October 21, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Tired of confusing apps? That's where we come in.
We fix bad design. We help big companies and startups create digital products that people actually love to use.
We'll use this space to share:
- The top trends you need to know about.
- The most important news in digital strategy.
Follow us now!
We fix bad design. We help big companies and startups create digital products that people actually love to use.
We'll use this space to share:
- The top trends you need to know about.
- The most important news in digital strategy.
Follow us now!