I felt a little unclear initially on how this project was to be structured. A lot of my peers opted to pursue this project, in its writing as an essay. To help steer myself in the right direction I ran this by various AI models to create a writing plan and suggested structure for this project.
I felt that Claude provided the most sound advice so I went with their proposal.
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Designing for Value
The purpose of this report is to examine a key trend in contemporary UX practice: the shift from intuition-led, purely human-centred design towards value-centred and outcome-driven UX. The report aims to explain what this trend is, why it is happening, and how it is affecting designers and UX practice.
UX is increasingly expected to demonstrate measurable impact through outcomes such as performance, engagement, retention, and accessibility reach. This represents a maturing of the discipline, where human-centred design remains essential but is now supported by metrics, strategy, and continuous research.
The report will identify and explain several interrelated trends, including:
The report will be supported by recent industry research (2025) to ensure relevance and credibility. Key sources include:
These sources will be used to support analysis rather than summarised individually.
1. Introduction
2. Identification of Key Trends
3. Implications for Designers
4. Conclusion
By the end of the report, readers should have a clear understanding of how and why UX is shifting towards measurable value, and how this trend is reshaping UX practice and designer responsibilities.
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With the aforementioned writing plan I began to write my initial attempt at the report. Immediately I knew this draft was flawed but I found it beneficial to write as it not only allowed me to identify these flaws but to also got me more comfortable with my subject matter and in the end I felt much more confident in my subject and in my approach.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YcjgokojII5iHN2pOG8MdAW-mKVgL1Jv3zsh8KjehF0/edit?usp=sharing
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After making some changes to the initial draft I came up with what I thought was a strong final report.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jxr69ZSkvOk-2gyiY8-arRuWqIQAHHla8pI3FDOHfNs/edit?usp=sharing
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Introduction
While looking into current UX trends, one thing that kept coming up was how much more focus there is now on measurable outcomes. UX has always been about understanding users and designing experiences that work well for them, but it feels like that is no longer the full picture. There is now a strong expectation that design work should also show clear value to the business.
This stood out to me as a junior designer thinking about placements and future roles. It made me realise that UX is no longer just about creating good experiences, but also about being able to explain why those experiences matter and what they actually improve.
Identification of the Key Trends
Instead of being driven by one single change, this shift in UX seems to be happening because of a few related trends that are all moving in the same direction. One of the most noticeable is the move away from intuition-led design. Human-centred design is still important, but relying on instinct or personal judgement alone doesn’t seem to be enough anymore. Designers are now expected to show how their work connects to things like conversion, retention, efficiency, or accessibility.
Another trend is the growing expectation for designers to think more strategically. According to the UX Design Institute (2025), designers are increasingly expected to understand research, strategy, and business thinking, not just visual design. This made me think about how UX roles are changing, from focusing mainly on screens to being more involved in wider product decisions.