https://ux.ryancyoung.com/ Occasional updates about what I am working on, reading, and thinking about. en Sat, 25 Apr 2026 19:00:00 CDT Lightly touching on the importance of networks, luck, and thanking the people who have helped propel me forward in my career. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/thank-you-mentors/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/thank-you-mentors/ Sat, 18 Apr 2026 19:00:00 CDT AI can't read your mind. Neither can people. So why do we expect more from a chat tool than we do from each other? https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/ai-prompt-people-problems/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/ai-prompt-people-problems/ Sat, 11 Apr 2026 19:00:00 CDT Growing a design team means learning to sell. Here's why, and why sales isn't a dirty word. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/designers-doing-sales/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/designers-doing-sales/ Sat, 04 Apr 2026 19:00:00 CDT I used to hate reading until I discovered that books aren’t just for homework, they have cheat codes for life. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/reading-competitive-edge/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/reading-competitive-edge/ Sat, 28 Mar 2026 19:00:00 CDT What a handful of seemingly random coins taught me about the difference between getting work done and delivering what actually matters. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/the-agile-coin-game-value-twist/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/the-agile-coin-game-value-twist/ Sat, 21 Mar 2026 19:00:00 CDT An honest take on fatigue, mental health days, and learning to put on your own oxygen mask even when you think being a leader means holding out. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/leadership-mental-health-day/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/leadership-mental-health-day/ Sat, 14 Mar 2026 19:00:00 CDT The origin story of the UX Jolly Roger, a symbol for frustrated UX practitioners who refuse to just polish screens and instead fight to solve real problems. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/ux-jolly-roger/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/ux-jolly-roger/ Sat, 07 Mar 2026 18:00:00 CST Organizing a local tech event is harder than it looks. Here’s what I ran into while planning World IA Day in Des Moines. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/lessons-organizing-local-tech-event/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/lessons-organizing-local-tech-event/ Sat, 28 Feb 2026 18:00:00 CST Copying is easy. Creating is hard. A practical perspective on product strategy, innovation, and why original thinking wins. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/copying-is-easy-creating-is-hard/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/copying-is-easy-creating-is-hard/ Sat, 21 Feb 2026 18:00:00 CST Work experience isn’t measured in years or titles but in repeated exposure, real decisions, and the patterns you learn to recognize over time. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/not-all-experience-is-equal/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/not-all-experience-is-equal/ Sat, 14 Feb 2026 18:00:00 CST Thinking like an artist can improve product development through thin slicing, rapid testing, and early validation. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/build-products-like-an-artist/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/build-products-like-an-artist/ Sat, 07 Feb 2026 18:00:00 CST From newspapers to generative AI, every platform repeats the same cycle: free access, rapid growth, then ads. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/death-taxes-and-ads/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/death-taxes-and-ads/ Sat, 31 Jan 2026 18:00:00 CST People in UX are just as equipped to lead retrospectives that will surface hidden problems, strengthen collaboration, and drive teams to success. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/ux-retros-for-better-conversations/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/ux-retros-for-better-conversations/ Sat, 24 Jan 2026 18:00:00 CST Why most UX portfolios miss the point, and how to fix yours with clearer storytelling, better scannability, and stronger case studies. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/refining-ux-portfolios-and-case-studies/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/refining-ux-portfolios-and-case-studies/ Sat, 17 Jan 2026 18:00:00 CST What steps should someone take to move into a UX/UI role, especially when they’re early in their learning and lack professional experience? https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/breaking-into-UX-without-experience/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/breaking-into-UX-without-experience/ Sat, 10 Jan 2026 18:00:00 CST Learning to draw, collecting advice, and realizing why Agile frameworks can’t replace practice or talent. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/drawing-through-agile/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/drawing-through-agile/ Sat, 03 Jan 2026 18:00:00 CST Reframing momentum as discipline, not motivation, and explaining how planning makes progress sustainable. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/momentum-takes-work/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/momentum-takes-work/ Sat, 27 Dec 2025 18:00:00 CST 2025 was a year of limited certainty, and the right books helped me think more clearly about where real advantage comes from. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/2025-reading-list/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/2025-reading-list/ Sat, 20 Dec 2025 18:00:00 CST Reflecting on a brief conversation I had with a larger-than-life personality several years ago about using conversation and creativity to cope with grief after losing a parent. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/healing-after-losing-a-partent/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/healing-after-losing-a-partent/ Sat, 13 Dec 2025 18:00:00 CST An original children’s story about a hero who loses his strength and discovers that kindness, humility, and vegetables are what make him truly strong. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/the-hero-witch-and-zucchini-story/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/the-hero-witch-and-zucchini-story/ Sat, 06 Dec 2025 18:00:00 CST With most UX work happening online across distributed teams, visibility comes from intentionally making research, design decisions, and workflows unavoidably transparent. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/big-and-visible-ux/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/big-and-visible-ux/ Sat, 29 Nov 2025 18:00:00 CST What running a garage sale says about how marketing and visibility is used to turn attention into sales. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/hanging-a-shingle/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/hanging-a-shingle/ Sat, 22 Nov 2025 18:00:00 CST In 2025, I’m thankful for family, plus the growth and meaningful connections I made that helped this year feel steady. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/thankful-look-at-2025/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/thankful-look-at-2025/ Sat, 15 Nov 2025 18:00:00 CST Reflecting on how using AI changes the way we perceive writing, authenticity, and human connection in our work. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/ai-helped-me-write-this/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/ai-helped-me-write-this/ Sat, 08 Nov 2025 18:00:00 CST Calling UX by other names isn't strengthening our field. It weakens shared understanding of the value we bring to every organization. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/ux-identity-crisis/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/ux-identity-crisis/ Sat, 01 Nov 2025 19:00:00 CDT Exploring the realities of caring for an aging parent and the moment roles reverse in ways no one prepares you for. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/from-child-to-caregiver/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/from-child-to-caregiver/ Sat, 25 Oct 2025 19:00:00 CDT Why intentional career planning and self-directed growth matter more than annual reviews. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/designing-your-career/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/designing-your-career/ Sat, 18 Oct 2025 19:00:00 CDT Sleek design loses its luster when users can’t see what’s happening. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/office-dishwasher-system-status/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/office-dishwasher-system-status/ Sat, 11 Oct 2025 19:00:00 CDT Taking cues from a child’s board game to turn messy and unpredictable user journeys into clear, shareable pictures of real-world complexity. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/candyland-journey-mapping/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/candyland-journey-mapping/ Sun, 05 Oct 2025 19:00:00 CDT Trying to thank a great Starbucks team reveals how broken customer feedback systems can be. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/giving-kudos-should-not-be-hard/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/giving-kudos-should-not-be-hard/ Sun, 28 Sep 2025 19:00:00 CDT Parenting reminds us that progress often comes from invisible work, and why metrics don’t tell the whole story. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/parenting-is-not-a-kpi/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/parenting-is-not-a-kpi/ Fri, 17 Feb 2023 18:00:00 CST A summary of all the books I read in 2022. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/23-02-18/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/23-02-18/ Sat, 18 Jun 2022 19:00:00 CDT Thoughts on homeownership, plus a few UX-related links. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/22-06-19/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/22-06-19/ Sat, 04 Jun 2022 19:00:00 CDT Thoughts about starting a new job and why getting to the point is a universal principal. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/22-06-05/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/22-06-05/ Sun, 29 May 2022 19:00:00 CDT Thoughts about why you can't dive right into the fun part of a project. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/22-05-30/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/22-05-30/ Sat, 14 May 2022 19:00:00 CDT Thoughts on new user research at work and how prototypes tell stories. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/22-05-15/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/22-05-15/ Sat, 07 May 2022 19:00:00 CDT Thoughts about character archetypes and relatable, primal problems in storytelling. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/22-05-08/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/22-05-08/ Sat, 30 Apr 2022 19:00:00 CDT Ended up rewriting this post because I forgot there were so many great nuggets from the new book I am reading! https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/22-05-01/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/22-05-01/ Sat, 23 Apr 2022 19:00:00 CDT Missed posting last week and late posting this week, but I finished a book and briefly recap. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/22-04-24/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/22-04-24/ Fri, 08 Apr 2022 19:00:00 CDT Week notes will be my chance to collect my thoughts about many different topics that I dabble in for my job as a UX designer. https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/22-04-09/ Ryan Young https://ux.ryancyoung.com/posts/22-04-09/