Justin Kalaskey
@justinkalaskey.com
Curious creative. Human experience advocate. Raised on punk rock and pixels.
This site is incredible and the world needs more like this
September 24, 2025 at 12:27 PM
This site is incredible and the world needs more like this
Reposted by Justin Kalaskey
The ROI of UX is the value of your entire company, because user research is the work that determines what problem is most valuable to solve in the first place.
Trouble is, people won't believe you if you tell them this.
So the second job on top of that job is to convince people to trust us.
Trouble is, people won't believe you if you tell them this.
So the second job on top of that job is to convince people to trust us.
The ROI of UX is so massive that no one will believe you
User research makes the most difference when findings challenge closely-held assumptions. But the truth is often unpopular.
productpicnic.beehiiv.com
August 10, 2025 at 10:56 PM
The ROI of UX is the value of your entire company, because user research is the work that determines what problem is most valuable to solve in the first place.
Trouble is, people won't believe you if you tell them this.
So the second job on top of that job is to convince people to trust us.
Trouble is, people won't believe you if you tell them this.
So the second job on top of that job is to convince people to trust us.
"Good UX made all this new technology usable... UX standards brought consistency, best practices, and templates built on proven success. But in the search for consistency and usability, we lost something. We stopped asking “What if?” and started asking “What’s the benchmark?”."
AI won’t kill UX — we will
It’s time we stopped blaming the tools and started asking better questions about how we work, what we value, and how we make space for…
uxdesign.cc
August 7, 2025 at 12:12 AM
"Good UX made all this new technology usable... UX standards brought consistency, best practices, and templates built on proven success. But in the search for consistency and usability, we lost something. We stopped asking “What if?” and started asking “What’s the benchmark?”."
Product Designers, especially beginners, need to remember there are tools other than Figma.
Differentiate and expand your skillset to stand out in a crowded market
Differentiate and expand your skillset to stand out in a crowded market
June 25, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Product Designers, especially beginners, need to remember there are tools other than Figma.
Differentiate and expand your skillset to stand out in a crowded market
Differentiate and expand your skillset to stand out in a crowded market
We need more of this. Using our design skills to help progressive movements claw the internet (and our attentions) back from the tech oligarchs.
Fantastic work @bell.bz, taking the lead and pushing us towards a better internet!
Fantastic work @bell.bz, taking the lead and pushing us towards a better internet!
We've launched a new page that outlines what we're trying to do with open working projects and importantly, *why* we're doing it.
This isn't the internet we want and we're going to do everything to make sure we're making things better, not chasing profit over anything.
piccalil.li/support-picc...
This isn't the internet we want and we're going to do everything to make sure we're making things better, not chasing profit over anything.
piccalil.li/support-picc...
June 17, 2025 at 11:51 AM
We need more of this. Using our design skills to help progressive movements claw the internet (and our attentions) back from the tech oligarchs.
Fantastic work @bell.bz, taking the lead and pushing us towards a better internet!
Fantastic work @bell.bz, taking the lead and pushing us towards a better internet!
As soon as investors get involved, you can bet some amount of creativity and "soul" will be lost. Their demand for unsustainable growth over all else incentivises the use of deceptive design, increasing profit margins, and featuritius.
Designers, don't give up control. Take your time.
#designsky
Designers, don't give up control. Take your time.
#designsky
Products Need Soul but Markets Reward Scale
How soulful products lose their edge when market realities take over.
hvpandya.com
May 29, 2025 at 1:05 PM
As soon as investors get involved, you can bet some amount of creativity and "soul" will be lost. Their demand for unsustainable growth over all else incentivises the use of deceptive design, increasing profit margins, and featuritius.
Designers, don't give up control. Take your time.
#designsky
Designers, don't give up control. Take your time.
#designsky
Foundation Capital & Designer Fund released their State of AI in Design 2025 report!
🧵of my insights from the report
🧵of my insights from the report
State of AI in Design Report 2025
The State of AI in Design report is a collaboration between Foundation Capital and Designer Fund that explores how AI is changing the way design teams work, including adoption patterns, pain points, a...
www.stateofaidesign.com
May 27, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Foundation Capital & Designer Fund released their State of AI in Design 2025 report!
🧵of my insights from the report
🧵of my insights from the report
I see myself in this article and I don't like it
Shhh. Don’t tell the new designers.
Some things they just have to learn for themselves.
uxdesign.cc
May 19, 2025 at 2:07 PM
I see myself in this article and I don't like it
Design mode in Cursor, huh? If it's as good as it looks, I'm not sure how much longer I'll be using Figma
www.linkedin.com/posts/tomkrc...
#designsky
www.linkedin.com/posts/tomkrc...
#designsky
Introducing Design Mode for Cursor! 🧑🎨🤖
Vibe code and vibe design in… | Tom Krcha | 771 comments
Introducing Design Mode for Cursor! 🧑🎨🤖
Vibe code and vibe design in one place, stay in the flow.
Uses the same existing AI agent that's in your favorite coding tool, same context, intertwined.
...
www.linkedin.com
May 16, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Design mode in Cursor, huh? If it's as good as it looks, I'm not sure how much longer I'll be using Figma
www.linkedin.com/posts/tomkrc...
#designsky
www.linkedin.com/posts/tomkrc...
#designsky
This is why companies need to build for MUP, not MVP.
Minimum Usable Products are still the minimum, but they have their foundational bases covered. Like, you know, following a11y and sematic standards.
Figma Sites is nothing more than investors demanding infinite growth at any cost.
Minimum Usable Products are still the minimum, but they have their foundational bases covered. Like, you know, following a11y and sematic standards.
Figma Sites is nothing more than investors demanding infinite growth at any cost.
“Do Not Publish Your Designs on the Web with Figma Sites…”
adrianroselli.com/2025/05/do-n...
Figma announced Figma Sites, letting you publish your Figma designs directly to the web like it’s 1997.
#accessibility #a11y
adrianroselli.com/2025/05/do-n...
Figma announced Figma Sites, letting you publish your Figma designs directly to the web like it’s 1997.
#accessibility #a11y
Do Not Publish Your Designs on the Web with Figma Sites…
…Unless you want to fail all the WCAGs, create litigation risk, close off opportunities in Europe, engage in reputational harm, and oh yeah, throw up barriers to your customers and users. What am I ta...
adrianroselli.com
May 8, 2025 at 1:32 PM
This is why companies need to build for MUP, not MVP.
Minimum Usable Products are still the minimum, but they have their foundational bases covered. Like, you know, following a11y and sematic standards.
Figma Sites is nothing more than investors demanding infinite growth at any cost.
Minimum Usable Products are still the minimum, but they have their foundational bases covered. Like, you know, following a11y and sematic standards.
Figma Sites is nothing more than investors demanding infinite growth at any cost.
As excited as I am for @figma.com Make, I'm curious if it will suffer the same issues as similar tools that use one-shot prompting:
- Context/memory loss
- Limited to small-scale prototypes
If I can export Make's code into an AI IDE like Cursor, that'll really change the game!
- Context/memory loss
- Limited to small-scale prototypes
If I can export Make's code into an AI IDE like Cursor, that'll really change the game!
May 7, 2025 at 5:42 PM
As excited as I am for @figma.com Make, I'm curious if it will suffer the same issues as similar tools that use one-shot prompting:
- Context/memory loss
- Limited to small-scale prototypes
If I can export Make's code into an AI IDE like Cursor, that'll really change the game!
- Context/memory loss
- Limited to small-scale prototypes
If I can export Make's code into an AI IDE like Cursor, that'll really change the game!
I wish Lovable, Bolt, and v0 the best. Figma Make is going to make their user count nosedive
May 7, 2025 at 5:08 PM
I wish Lovable, Bolt, and v0 the best. Figma Make is going to make their user count nosedive
Got to see @markhoppus.bsky.social talk about music, cancer, and hand stuff.
Every punk rock kid's dream.
Every punk rock kid's dream.
April 12, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Got to see @markhoppus.bsky.social talk about music, cancer, and hand stuff.
Every punk rock kid's dream.
Every punk rock kid's dream.
The cobbler's kids finally have new shoes!
I pushed my new portfolio to feel like an extension of myself, focusing on personal expression and craft. There's still more work to do, but it's a start!
Built with HTML/CSS, vanilla JS, Tailwind, and 11ty.
justinkalaskey.com
#designsky #webdev #oldbay
I pushed my new portfolio to feel like an extension of myself, focusing on personal expression and craft. There's still more work to do, but it's a start!
Built with HTML/CSS, vanilla JS, Tailwind, and 11ty.
justinkalaskey.com
#designsky #webdev #oldbay
March 20, 2025 at 2:18 PM
The cobbler's kids finally have new shoes!
I pushed my new portfolio to feel like an extension of myself, focusing on personal expression and craft. There's still more work to do, but it's a start!
Built with HTML/CSS, vanilla JS, Tailwind, and 11ty.
justinkalaskey.com
#designsky #webdev #oldbay
I pushed my new portfolio to feel like an extension of myself, focusing on personal expression and craft. There's still more work to do, but it's a start!
Built with HTML/CSS, vanilla JS, Tailwind, and 11ty.
justinkalaskey.com
#designsky #webdev #oldbay
"The whole idea of the World Wide Web was that it was decentralised and independent. It was released as an open standard so that access could be as democratic as possible."
It's time to bring the internet back under our own control. Learn the basics and craft your resistance.
It's time to bring the internet back under our own control. Learn the basics and craft your resistance.
March 4, 2025 at 2:41 PM
"The whole idea of the World Wide Web was that it was decentralised and independent. It was released as an open standard so that access could be as democratic as possible."
It's time to bring the internet back under our own control. Learn the basics and craft your resistance.
It's time to bring the internet back under our own control. Learn the basics and craft your resistance.
Reposted by Justin Kalaskey
A guide on what to do when you see a Nazi:
January 21, 2025 at 12:50 AM
A guide on what to do when you see a Nazi:
We as designers have been so focused on "users" and design systems that we forgot about who matters most: people.
By designing for profits over people, we have inadvertently contributed to the slide we're on today.
But we can make change. Design is a powerful tool. How are you going to wield it?
By designing for profits over people, we have inadvertently contributed to the slide we're on today.
But we can make change. Design is a powerful tool. How are you going to wield it?
I dunno how long I can do this whole social media thing. It’s weird to talk about the design when the world is burning and the other shoe is dropping imminently.
January 16, 2025 at 12:59 PM
We as designers have been so focused on "users" and design systems that we forgot about who matters most: people.
By designing for profits over people, we have inadvertently contributed to the slide we're on today.
But we can make change. Design is a powerful tool. How are you going to wield it?
By designing for profits over people, we have inadvertently contributed to the slide we're on today.
But we can make change. Design is a powerful tool. How are you going to wield it?
My brain: still designing websites with a col-span mindset thanks to Bootstrap and 960 grid.
Me: trying to use CSS Grid like a grown-up. Send help.
#webdev #designsky #oldhabitsdiehard
Me: trying to use CSS Grid like a grown-up. Send help.
#webdev #designsky #oldhabitsdiehard
January 15, 2025 at 9:52 PM
My brain: still designing websites with a col-span mindset thanks to Bootstrap and 960 grid.
Me: trying to use CSS Grid like a grown-up. Send help.
#webdev #designsky #oldhabitsdiehard
Me: trying to use CSS Grid like a grown-up. Send help.
#webdev #designsky #oldhabitsdiehard
There's a rift forming in the product design world: rapid prototyping vs craft. Sure, rapid prototyping gets something out the door fast, but it's generic as hell. Craft takes time and intentionality.
I didn't meet all my goals today (thanks, life), but that's okay. I'm choosing craft.
#designsky
I didn't meet all my goals today (thanks, life), but that's okay. I'm choosing craft.
#designsky
January 15, 2025 at 4:19 AM
There's a rift forming in the product design world: rapid prototyping vs craft. Sure, rapid prototyping gets something out the door fast, but it's generic as hell. Craft takes time and intentionality.
I didn't meet all my goals today (thanks, life), but that's okay. I'm choosing craft.
#designsky
I didn't meet all my goals today (thanks, life), but that's okay. I'm choosing craft.
#designsky
Cursor was struggling with my "this doesn't follow any kind of standard, wtf are you thinking" layout. So I'm testing out CodeParrot to assist in development.
Left image is what went in, right is what came out. Not too bad for getting me 80% of the way there!
Better than Builder.io, IMO.
Left image is what went in, right is what came out. Not too bad for getting me 80% of the way there!
Better than Builder.io, IMO.
January 14, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Cursor was struggling with my "this doesn't follow any kind of standard, wtf are you thinking" layout. So I'm testing out CodeParrot to assist in development.
Left image is what went in, right is what came out. Not too bad for getting me 80% of the way there!
Better than Builder.io, IMO.
Left image is what went in, right is what came out. Not too bad for getting me 80% of the way there!
Better than Builder.io, IMO.
My new site only looks partially broken, which means it's on track, right? Today's goal is to finish the homepage and start a case study.
Cursor can be both helpful and frustrating as it rewrites code, but it's still much faster than doing this myself in VSCode.
#designsky #buildinpublic #webdev
Cursor can be both helpful and frustrating as it rewrites code, but it's still much faster than doing this myself in VSCode.
#designsky #buildinpublic #webdev
January 14, 2025 at 2:28 PM
My new site only looks partially broken, which means it's on track, right? Today's goal is to finish the homepage and start a case study.
Cursor can be both helpful and frustrating as it rewrites code, but it's still much faster than doing this myself in VSCode.
#designsky #buildinpublic #webdev
Cursor can be both helpful and frustrating as it rewrites code, but it's still much faster than doing this myself in VSCode.
#designsky #buildinpublic #webdev
You know the saying, 'The cobbler's children have no shoes'? My portfolio's been shoeless for too long! Building a new UX/product design portfolio this week using a small web approach: Eleventy, custom Tailwind + SCSS, vanilla JS. Cursor for dev. Follow along!
#design #webdev #buildinpublic
#design #webdev #buildinpublic
January 13, 2025 at 5:04 PM
You know the saying, 'The cobbler's children have no shoes'? My portfolio's been shoeless for too long! Building a new UX/product design portfolio this week using a small web approach: Eleventy, custom Tailwind + SCSS, vanilla JS. Cursor for dev. Follow along!
#design #webdev #buildinpublic
#design #webdev #buildinpublic