Notes on how research gets framed, run and remembered. Written for practitioners rather than for a feed.
“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.
“User research is where you will uncover or validate the user needs which should form the basis of what you are designing.”
Research practice · 4 min read
The fundamentals of running research that actually informs product strategy: understanding behaviors, needs and insights through the right methods, and the two assumptions to drop before you ever meet a user.