HEIDI ROUX

Over the years, I’ve learned that good design isn’t really about finding the slickest solution. It’s really about developing better instincts.

Earlier in my career, I cared a lot about getting to an answer quickly ... the right pattern, the cool solution, the thing that looked impressive. With more experience, what’s mattered more is knowing when to slow down, when to simplify, and when to admit I don’t understand something yet. Those instincts don’t come from trends. They come from doing the work long enough to see what actually holds up.

Here are 5 things that have consistently shaped how I approach design.

1. Simplicity is rarely the easiest option

Simplicity takes effort. It usually means removing things that someone worked hard on, pushing back on “just one more” idea, and spending more time than feels comfortable deciding what actually matters.

But when an experience feels clear, it’s almost never an accident. It’s the result of intentional choices around hierarchy, focus, and restraint. Less clutter gives people room to think. Clear structure helps them feel oriented instead of overwhelmed. Over time, I’ve learned that simplicity isn’t about minimalism — it’s about respect for the user’s attention.

2. If I feel uncertain, I’m probably missing something

When I don’t know what to design next, I used to treat that as a problem to push through. Now I see it as a signal.

Uncertainty usually means I don’t have enough information yet, maybe about the user, the constraints, or the real problem we’re trying to solve. The answer is rarely to jump into layouts or flows. It’s almost always to ask better questions and listen more carefully.

Once the problem is clear, the design work tends to move forward on its own. Some solutions are easier than others but nothing makes it impossible like not knowing what you're aiming for.

3. The best work doesn’t happen alone

Some of the strongest work I’ve been part of came out of conversations, not individual moments of inspiration. Feedback, critique, and shared context almost always make the work better, even when they make it messier at first.

Working closely with product, engineering, and research helps surface assumptions early and keeps design grounded in reality. It also makes the outcome feel shared, which matters when things evolve (as they always do). Design gets stronger when it’s shaped in the open.

4. What I like is not the same as what users need

This one took time to learn. Personal taste plays a role in design, but it can’t be the reason behind decisions. Just because something resonates with me doesn’t mean it works for someone else, especially when I’m not the user.

Separating preference from evidence removes a lot of unnecessary friction. It shifts conversations from opinion to intent, from defending choices to understanding impact. The work improves when it’s less about taste and more about clarity and usefulness.

5. Motivation, behavior change, and “gamification” are mostly talking about the same thing

These ideas often get treated as separate disciplines, but in practice they overlap constantly. They’re all trying to answer a similar question: how do you design experiences that people want to come back to?

Progress, feedback, pacing, and a sense of purpose are shaped by how an experience feels over time. When they’re handled thoughtfully, they don’t feel gimmicky or manipulative. They just feel human.

Good design doesn’t force engagement. It supports it.

The longer I do this work, the less I see design as something you feel your way through and the more I see it as a practice of clarity, structure, curiosity, and empathy.

Execution matters, but what matters more is the thinking behind it: the intent, the care, and the willingness to keep learning. That’s what turns products into experiences that feel connected, intentional, and worth returning to.