Ideas and Discoveries
sentient design
A.I., Snake Oil, and Miracle-Cure Expectations
Be distrustful when AI is hyped as a cure-all—but don’t assume it’s useless just because it doesn’t live up to outlandish promises.
design system
Don't Put Crap in the Design System
Crap is rushed work, shortcuts, experiments, and other unvetted/unverified work. While crap is an unavoidable part of product design and development, it has no place in a design system.
design system
What's Next for a Global Design System
Since proposing a Global Design System, Big Medium’s Brad Frost has received a flood of responses—from positive to skeptical to scathing. Here’s a rundown and what’s next.
design system
A Global Design System
Big Medium’s Brad Frost issues a call to action to create a Global Design System of common UI components. What would this look like, and what would it mean for you?
design system
The Design System Ecosystem
Brad Frost explores the landscape of a mature, end-to-end design system for big, complex organizations. Discover all the moving pieces and how they hang together.
process
Only One Deliverable Matters
Too much design effort goes into artifacts that are not part of the working software. There’s a better way to work.
design system
The Most Exciting Design Systems Are Boring
Design systems should solve problems that designers confront over and over again, so that they can turn to more interesting challenges.
sentient design
You’re Not Late to Machine Learning
If you’re worried that you’re behind in getting in on machine learning, never fear: AI has not so much come of age as reached an awkward adolescence. You’re right on time.
sentient design
Why Machine Learning and AI Matter for Design Teams
There’s a critical role for design in the era of the algorithm—and your organization almost certainly has what it needs to jump in today.
leadership
Do More with Less: Digital Leadership in Lean Times
Josh Clark shares nine principles to guide high-performing teams to deliver faster/better/cheaper in an era of shrinking budgets.
video
Design Systems: Mastering Design at Scale
In this InVision video series, Brad Frost, Dan Mall, and Josh Clark share their know-how to help you build and use a design system.
podcast
Designing with Artificial Intelligence: The Dinosaur on a Surfboard
On the Presentable podcast, Josh Clark joins Jeff Veen to consider the role for designers in a world of algorithms and machine learning.
podcast
The Design System and Your Future Self
On the Style Guide podcast, Josh Clark shares how design systems are a kindness to your future self—and can make sense of emerging interactions, too.
c25k
How Josh Clark Invented “Couch to 5K” and Helped Millions Start Running
Big Medium’s Josh Clark created the exercise schedule that got the world running. The BBC tells the story.
future
Of Nerve and Imagination
The future is sitting right in front of us in plain view, waiting to be assembled. Do we have the nerve and imagination to piece it together?
interview
The Rise of Artificial Intelligence: How AI Will Affect UX Design
Adobe profiled and interviewed Big Medium’s Josh Clark about the opportunities and challenges facing UX designers in a world of machine learning and artificial intelligence.
sentient design
Systems Smart Enough To Know When They're Not Smart Enough
Google and others offer wrong answers with matter-of-fact authority. How can designers build stronger signals of trust into data-driven interfaces?
newsletter
A Little Big Medium
Sign up for Big Medium’s occasional email newsletter. Lots of big ideas, with none of the marketing hoo-ha.