The Feed & The Thread - March 18, 2026

We challenge the assumption that lovable products or smart AI are the end goals, asking instead how we keep humans in control while Ian Batterbee argues that learning matters more than emotional connection. As Jeff Sauro and Jim Lewis propose data-driven frameworks to separate AI efficacy from speculation, we also confront the harsh reality of a tight job market where resilience is the only skill that doesn't depreciate. From the frustration of exclusionary hiring practices to the temptation of side hustles, we explore whether our current systems amplify human judgment or erode it entirely. From The Feed Forget your “lovable” products; the real leverage point was always learning. — Chasing emotional connection distracts teams from measuring if their assumptions actually hold up. Empower Users with Christopher Noessel’s Newest Release, Designing Assistant Technology: AI That Makes People Smarter — Bad AI erodes human skills, so systems must amplify judgment rather than replace it. Assistant, Analyst, and User: How We’re Examining AI in UX — AI can match human reliability for coding comments if multiple tests check for variation. From The Thread Australia are you only hiring people you personally know? — Frustration with hiring practices relying on personal connections suggests the traditional application process is broken. 12 months post lay off..Anonymous Resume Review — A twelve-month job search highlights how long the recovery process can truly take for laid-off workers. Any UXR's here with a side hustle? How do you find yours? — The tight market drives researchers to seek extra income, raising concerns about delivering best work while stretched thin. Today's Notable Articles Anime vs. Marvel/DC: Designing Digital Products With Emotion In Flow — [email protected] (Alan Cohen) Today's Notable Discussions Behance stopped showing my work after 6 years break from posting. What am I doing wrong? — r/UI_Design Looking for tips on one of my app designs — r/UI_Design UW MHCID ACCEPTANCE!! — r/hci How do you push back when everyone thinks they’re the designer? — r/UXDesign Job role trends — r/uxwriting They give me the solution, not the problem. How do you cope with this? — r/UXDesign Anyone apply for UMSI In state tuition? — r/hci About The Feed & The Thread The Feed & The Thread is a daily summary of UX articles found in the industry and some light-touch updates from the UX Community found in online forums. It’s brief, and meant as a light-touch overview of what’s happening across UX.