Designers who hide behind rigid processes and endless documentation stifle creativity and churn out uninspired designs that miss the mark.
In the last decade, we saw the rise of “Design Thinking” as a commodity—a checklist that anyone could follow to technically “do design.” This allowed many to enter the field without developing the deep, unspoken taste that defines great work. They climbed the ranks by enforcing these checklists: more research, more artifacts, more justification.
But process should be a scaffold, not a cage.
As the industry tightens, we are seeing a correction. The designers who survive and thrive won’t be the ones who can perfectly execute a double-diamond diagram; they will be the ones who can cut through the noise, make intuitive leaps, and ship work that matters. It’s time to value outcomes over artifacts.
Updated: January 30, 2026