Welcome back. I can't get the new Rosé + Bruno Mars song out of my head - and it really makes me wonder: how are some creative people able to produce banger after banger? Next year, I'm going to explore this concept of "taste" in a mini-docuseries on YouTube. Stay tuned for that. —Tommy (@DesignerTom) The Wireframe:
How to Actually Gather Information That MattrsWhen used effectively, Product Design is a scouting function that helps your org see through the fog of war. But most designers are terrible scouts—we're too busy debating the "right way" to do research instead of actually gathering intelligence that moves the needle. Today, I'm breaking down how to actually gather and use information in the real world → The Truth About Information GatheringAfter 14 years of designing products in Silicon Valley, I've learned that effective information gathering isn't about following a perfect process—it's about knowing where to look and how to weigh what you find. Here's the reality: Your job isn't to create perfect documentation. It's to help your company make money. And that means gathering information that directly impacts business decisions. Let's break down how to do this effectively → 1. Where to Actually Find InformationStop obsessing over user personas and start looking in places that matter: Market Analysis:
Competitor Intelligence:
Customer Intel:
Pro tip: Spend an afternoon building this context before you waste time on another "proper" research plan that'll get deprioritized anyway. 2. The Chain of Command for InformationHere's my simple framework for weighing information in time-sensitive scenarios: Level 1: Institutional Knowledge
Level 2: Customer Familiarity
Level 3: Direct Research
How to use it: Start with Level 1 and work your way up. In the absence of Level 3, fall back to Level 2. No Level 2? Rely on Level 1. 3. Making Fast Decisions with Limited InfoWhen you need to move at warp-speed, ask these three questions in order: 1. What bet is the company making?
2. What design bets support that company bet?For Velocity:
For Efficiency:
For Accuracy:
For Innovation:
For Distribution:
3. What's the weight of available information?Listen up: You'll rarely have perfect information. That's why knowing how to weigh what you have is crucial. The bottom line: Information gathering isn't about following a perfect process—it's about being a good scout. Your job is to help your team see through the fog of war, not write the perfect research plan. Together with Framer​Designing a Website 🤝🏻 Building a Website If you’re a designer tasked to create and publish visually stunning websites, there’s a tool for that. If you want to boost creativity while speeding up the overall web development process, you need Framer—no coding required. The next best no-code website builder for designers, Framer:
Plus, you can even import designs from Figma using our Figma-to-Framer plugin so you don’t have to start from scratch. Are you ready to learn how Framer can streamline your web development process? Learn more now. The "Making UX Decisions' Video CourseIn 2022, I wrote a book called "Making Design Decisions" to capture my 14 years of experience making good design decisions when time and resources were extremely limited. I sold over 2,400 copies to designers at companies like Microsoft, Netflix, IBM, and Spotify. I was encouraged to turn this into a robust video course with additional content:
My goal is to help designers understand that even the best design decisions can be undermined by the time it takes to arrive at them. So I want to provide you with a short and sweet framework for accomplishing what I've been able to over my career. The course launches next week. Join the waitlist and you'll get a discount during the first 4 days. See you next week, Tommy Thanks for reading! What's your favorite tool for organizing info? Hit reply and let me know. Enjoying this newsletter? Let us know here. |
Practical lessons, resources, and news for the UX/UI community. Learn the real-world skills, methods, and tools that help you build user-first experiences. We make resources like practical tutorials, the Design Tools Survey, the Design Tools Database, and UX Challenges. Join 60k+ other designers and sign up for the newsletter to get product design mastery in just 5 minutes a week.
Welcome back. My long-awaited course "Making UX Decisions" is finally available for pre-sale - get $100 off until this Thursday (this slick landing page is built in Framer), so I'm celebrating by sharing one of my favorite chapters with you today. I'm writing this from THiS24 (UserTesting Human Insights Summit) where I'm already filling pages of notes to share with you. You can catch me on this week's Honest UX Talks podcast where we get into some spicy takes about the state of design in...
Welcome back. We're seeing the early signs of a seismic shift in the product design landscape, and it's time we talk about it. The industry is approaching what I'm calling a "hard reset," and it's affecting everything from job titles to the tools we use. Let's dive in. P.S. Grab our free 8-part video course to learn how to make sense of information problems like a pro. —Tommy (@DesignerTom) The Wireframe: The crisis of job titles (and what it means for you) How new tools are reshaping our...
Welcome back. Last week, tech creator MKBHD dropped his first app—and the internet went wild. Panels, a $12/month wallpaper subscription, had designers everywhere raising eyebrows. My take? MKBHD isn't out here claiming to reinvent the wheel—he's a top-tier consumer advocate who decided to build something. This app? It's what happens when we spend too much time thinking about product instead of shipping it...something designers certainly aren't immune to. So cut the criticism and chew on...