2 min read
|
Saved February 14, 2026
|
Copied!
Do you care about this?
The article argues that modern digital products, like Instagram, have evolved into chaotic systems lacking coherent design. Instead of intentional structuring, changes happen randomly based on user metrics, resulting in a disjointed experience for users. This shift reflects a broader trend in which traditional design principles are abandoned in favor of an evolutionary approach.
If you do, here's more
Design has largely disappeared from digital products, replaced by a process of evolution driven by random changes and user testing. The author draws a parallel between the convoluted path of a giraffe's laryngeal nerve and the chaotic structure of platforms like Instagram. Instead of a coherent, intentional design, Instagram has become a jumble of features—stories, reels, direct messaging—layered on top of one another without any logical organization. Users find themselves posting in stories “just in case” their content gets lost in the cluttered feed.
This shift reflects a broader trend in digital product development, where teams rely on trial and error to determine what works. The focus has moved away from thoughtful design principles to a method of rapid iteration and metric analysis. The author argues that this approach contradicts the essence of design itself. While some might label these processes as design, the outcome resembles evolutionary randomness more than a carefully crafted product.
Ultimately, the piece suggests that the role of the designer is changing, with an emphasis on testing hypotheses rather than creating structured systems. The author implies that the evolution of digital products could continue without human designers, as nature has operated on the same principles of variation and survival long before humans stepped in. This viewpoint raises questions about the future of design in a world increasingly governed by data and user behavior rather than intentional creation.
Questions about this article
No questions yet.