Remember when we believed good design would make the world a better place? That if we just worked hard enough, companies would see its value and put people first? Yeah… about that.
At the moment, user-centered design can feel more like a nice-to-have. Shareholder value trumps building products people actually want, AI gimmicks flood the backlogs, restructurings hit mid-project, and layoffs abound. It’s enough to make even the most optimistic designer question their job choice.
But before you go full nihilist, hear me out: pessimism might actually be our best tool to get through this. The hopeful kind—one that sharpens our strategies, helps us play the long game, and makes designers harder to sideline. Let’s talk about why pessimism makes us stronger
strategists.