Notes on how research gets framed, run and remembered. Written for practitioners rather than for a feed.
“The problem arises when we design a solution for our specific user, but fail to design the path leading to that solution for them.”
Onboarding & user understanding · 5 min read
A UX teardown of a mental health app's 37-step onboarding — why a brilliant, clinically-backed solution can still lose its users before they ever reach it, and how deferring friction redesigns the path to value.
“When a product outsources the user's decision-making process entirely, eliminating friction ceases to be a design achievement and becomes a product risk.”
AI products & boundaries · 6 min read
A strategic guide for senior UX researchers and product leads navigating AI architecture decisions — why over-optimization for engagement quietly generates cognitive debt, and the tactical tools that prevent it.
“The first step to becoming a professional researcher is accepting that the player's brain is not a flawless machine — it is an evolved system optimized for saving energy and resources.”
Neuroscience & game research · 5 min read
A deep dive into Dr. Celia Hodent's book The Gamer's Brain, translated into practical guidance for game researchers: how cognitive load, cognitive economy and the brain's limits shape the player experience during design and player research.
“Peripheral vision affects our emotions, and our emotions affect our choices — every decision on a screen starts with watching.”
Visual perception · 5 min read
How the structure and limitations of the eyes shape design decisions: the difference between central and peripheral vision, the amygdala's role in attention and emotion, and what that means for the choices users make on screen.