Don't Make Me Think!
A Glance at the World of UX Design and its Peculiari es
The Ouroboros Phenomenon Impact and Remedy for the Dying A en on Economy
Deepika Du a Kapoor Head - UX Prac ce Newgen So ware
A Design Leader, Industry Disruptor, and Community Champion
Eleva ng User Experience by Bringing Pragma c Designs to Life
Apicturespeaksathousandwordsbecausea Amillionormorepixelsmakeupanimage. Everypixelcontainsasubpixelwithan emissionofthreebandsofcolours—RGB:red,blue, andgreen.TheRGBcolourcomponentscreatea gamutofdifferentcoloursonanydisplay screen—computer, laptop, TV, mobile, and other
Thesesubpixelsandpixels,whenharmoniously combined,havethetransformativepowertocreate visualsthatnotonlygrabourattentionbutalsostir oursenses,evokingasenseofwonder.Itisthis powerofvisualsthathaspropelledthedigitalworld intotherealmofvirtualreality.Harnessingthepower ofpictures,businessesworldwidearecraftingand shapingtheirbrandidentity.
Everypicturemustbemeticulouslycraftedto perfectioninthiseraofrevolutionaryenterpriseuser experienceorUXdesign.Eachimagemustbepixelperfect,setatthehighestdefinedorHDresolution,to ensureconsistentandeffectivebrandcommunication withtheever-changingflowofpotentialconsumers. Theirattentionmaybefleeting,butwiththeright design,itcanbecapturedandretained.
Thisscenariodemandsthebestuserinterface(UI), akauserexperience(UX),designingleader.Recognizingthepopularneed, Insights Success India has risentotheoccasionandcreateditsfascinating edition, by going 'BeyondthePixels:Leadingthe ChargeinEnterpriseUXDesign.’
Now,youarekeenlyawareofhowcrucialdigital brandbuildingisformoderncompanies,andthatis whytheydeservethebestenterpriseUXdesigner–DeepikaDuttaKapoor,HeadofUXPracticeat NewgenSoftwareastheirpartneronthejourneyto emergesuccessfulintoday'shyperactivevirtualera.
So,withoutfurtherado,diveintothefollowingpages andwitnessadesigningdazzlebeforebeing enchantedbyourchoiceofthebestuserattentiongrabbingdesigningleader,showcasedtoyourutter delight.
What are you waiting for?Getinonthejoy-read!
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A Design Leader, Industry Disruptor, and Community Champion
Eleva ng User Experience by Bringing Pragma c Designs to Life
The goal is to create an environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute their best while also feeling connected to a shared purpose, vision and culture.
Newgen So ware
The21stcenturyiswitnessingtheemergenceofthe digitalworld.Thetechnologicalshiftisaccountable fortheemergence,whichhasbecomepersistentfor individuals.Ithasleftbehindthetraditionalwayof interactivityandbrandexperiencesacrosschannels.Ithas incorporatedphysicalanddigitalinteractions. Subsequently,theapproachhaschangedfrom‘consumers’ to‘users’,whichhasledtopersonalizedandinterconnected user-centricexperiences.Thisshiftrequiresan understandingoftheaudienceandacohesivenarrativeto createamoreengagingandimpactfuluserexperienceto achieveadesirableoutcome.
Apragmatictrailblazer,DeepikaDuttaKapoor,Headof UXPracticeatNewgenSoftware,keptpacewiththe emergingtechnologiesandcustomerrequirementstokeep draftingengagingdigitalexperienceswithuser-centric designs.Shestayedcurioustoexplorethesenovel technologicalshifts,whichpavedherpathtowards becomingtheLeaderinEnterpriseDesign.
Deepikaisaforcetobereckonedwithinthedesignworld. A 3x LinkedIn Top Voice inLeadership,UX&UED,she's notjustaleader–she'savisionary.Recognizedas a 2019 Nasscom Disruptor,Deepikaisattheforefrontof innovation,shapingthefutureofuserexperienceacross web,mobile,andemergingtechnologies.
Her two decades of experience areatestamenttoher dedicationtothecraft.Asastrategic UX Leader at Newgen, shespearheadsdesignteams,guidingandmentoring InteractionandVisualDesigners.However,herinfluence extendsfarbeyondthewallsofhercompany
A passionate design evangelist,Deepikais a street artist whousesherarttoraiseawareness.She'salsoapillarofthe designcommunity,servingasajurymemberatvariousUX awardsanddesignuniversities.Herdedicationto empoweringfellowdesignersinIndiaistrulyinspiring.
Deepika is more than just a leader; she's an innovator, a disruptor, and a champion for the design community.Her workandpassionaremakingarealimpactontheindustry.
Deepika’sjourneyindesignandleadershiphasbeen intertwinedwiththedramaticevolutionoftechnologyand itsimpactoncustomerengagement.Intheearlyyearsof hercareer,thefocuswasoncraftingcomprehensivebrand experiencesacrosstraditionalchannelslikeprintmediaand television.
Deepikameticulouslystudiedtheconsumers,builtdetailed personas,andsegmentedthemtounderstandtheir preferences.
Thedot-comboomchangedeverything.Thedigital landscapeexplodedwithnewchannelslikemicrosites, bannerads,andinteractivekiosks.Sheembracedthisshift, creatingdigitalcampaignsandevenexperimentingwith early“Phygital”conceptsthatblendedphysicalanddigital interactions.Theseinnovationslaidthegroundworkforthe seamlessandinterconnectedexperiencesthatUXdesigners strivefortoday.
Deepikadelvedintotheprinciplesofusability,prioritizing user-centricdesigntocreateintuitiveandengagingdigital experiences.Theconceptof“Omnichannel”emerged, emphasizingtheimportanceofprovidingconsistentand personalizedexperiencesacrossmultiplechannels.
Intheeraofhyper-personalization,AIanddataanalytics enableUXdesignerstotailorexperiencestoindividual users.Deepikaadds, “As a leader, I've had to be creative and innovate the design strategy to continuously keep pace with these changes. I've also prioritized building diverse and agile teams capable of responding to the evolving needs of our users and business.”
The key to successful design and leadership in this rapidly evolving landscape is to be a proac ve change maker, guide our teams effec vely, and follow the mantra of Keep itera ng. Keep evolving.
To spread design thinking throughout an organiza on, designers should integrate design principles into every step of product development.
Shebelieves, “The key to successful design and leadership in this rapidly evolving landscape is to be a proactive change maker, guide our teams effectively, and follow the mantra of Keep iterating. Keep evolving.”
Theterm“Phygital”perfectlyencapsulatestheblendingof physicalanddigitalexperiencesthatDeepikawitnessed earlyinhercareer Workingwithtraditionaloffline advertisingmediums,shequicklyrealizedtheimportance ofunderstandingthetargetaudienceandtailoringmessages toresonatewiththem.Thislaidthefoundationforher comprehensionofuserexperience,emphasizingthe considerationoftheirneedsandpreferencesineveryaspect ofdesign.
Moreover,theincreaseoftheinternetopenedhereyesto thepossibilitiesofmovingfrominchestopixels,andshe embracedthechallengeofcreatingengagingdigital concepts.Transitioningloyaltyprogramsfrompaper couponstointeractivewebexperienceswasapivotal moment,highlightingthepotentialofmergingphysicaland digitalinteractionstocreateseamlessuserexperiences.This experiencesolidifiedDeepika’sbeliefthatthefutureof designliesincreatinginterconnectedexperiencesthatcater tousersacrossmultipletouchpoints.
Theriseofmobiledevicesfurtheramplifiedthisconceptas shedelvedintomobileUXdesignforenterprisesinthe Banking,TelecomandTechnologysectors.Enterprise designbroughtuniquechallenges,suchasintricatelegacy productsyetcomplexsystems,diversestakeholders, includingC-suiteexecutives,andaneedtobalance innovationwiththestabilityrequiredforenterprise solutions.Italsoreinforcedtheimportanceof understandingtheuser’scontextwithinthelargerenterprise ecosystem.
Deepika’searlyexperiencesinvisualcommunication designanddigitalexperiencesshapedherperceptionofuser experience.Theytaughthertheimportanceofsolutionorienteddesign,adaptability,andtheabilitytobridgethe gapbetweenphysicalanddigitalinteractions.Theselessons havebeeninvaluableassheguidesthenextgenerationof designerstocreatecontextualandpurpose-drivendesign experiencesthattrulyresonatewithusers.
Deepika’sphilosophyondesignsystemsstemsfromher earlydaysworkingwithbrandguidelines,whichwere essentiallyaprecursortotherobustsystemswehavetoday
Butdesignsystemsaresomuchmorethanjustfontsand colours.They’reawayofthinking,asharedlanguagethat empowersteamstofocusontrulyinnovativework.
Deepikashares, “A successful product design system hinges on a few key principles. First, you need dedicated ownership – a core team that acts as the system’s stewards, constantly updating and refining it. It’s a big responsibility but a crucial one. Second, you need to approach it scientifically. Design systems aren’t arbitrary; they’re built for efficiency by creating standardization and consistency in interactions, visual elements and terminology. The system rules are designed with an underlying deep understanding of how people interact with products.”
Scalabilityandadaptabilityalsoplaycrucialrolesinsetting upthedesignsystem.Enterprisesoftwareiscomplex,and thesystemneedstobeabletogrowandchangewithit. Thatmeansregularcommunicationwithmultipleteamsand awillingnesstoevolvealongsidetheorganizationandthe productsyouaredesigning.
Ultimately,awell-designedsystemempowerseveryone.By providingaclearframeworkandreusablecomponents,it freesdesignerstofocusonthebiggerpicture–solving complexproblemsandpushingtheboundariesofwhat’s possible.It’sthebackboneofasuccessfulenterpriseUX strategy,reducingchaos,promotingconsistencyand encouragingacultureofinnovation.
SendtheElevatorBackDown:Designer’sPhilosophy
Throughouthercareer,‘sendingtheelevatorbackdown’ hasbeenmorethanjustametaphor;it’sbeenacore philosophy,andshehasachievedthisthroughamultifacetedapproach.
Shesays,“Empowering designers and building a solutionoriented mindset is a passion of mine. It’s about creating an environment where everyone feels valued and heard.” Mentorshipisexperienceddesignerssharingknowledge withnewerones,whetherformallyoroveracasual conversation.Morethaneverandmorethananyoneelse, peoplebuildingexperiencesshouldprioritizecontinuous learningtokeeptheirskillsfresh.
Autonomyisanotherbigone.Clearexpectations,theright directionandresources,andtrustintheteam’sabilityto deliverbuildsconfidenceandasenseofownership.To spreaddesignthinkingthroughoutanorganization,
designersshouldintegratedesignprinciplesintoeverystep ofproductdevelopment.Designshouldnotbean afterthought;itshouldbecentraltotheprocess.
TeamBuilding:NurturingaStrongCultureby InspiringConfidenceandEncouragingExploration
Leadingdiverseteamsacrosstheglobehasbeena rewardingjourneyforDeepika.Herapproachprioritizes timelycommunication,trust,andapproachability.She focusedonbuildingtrustbyassumingpositiveintentand minimizingmicromanagement.Thisempowersteam membersandbuildsasenseofownership.Effective communicationiskeyforasenseofbelonging.Deepika strivestocreateanenvironmentwhereinnovativeideas flourish,andtheteamembracesrisk-takingand experimentation.Thismeansbeingaccessible,whether throughscheduledone-on-onesorinformalconnections.
Inaddition,whileworkingwithgeographicallydistributed teams,sheencouragesproactivetransparencyandearly informationsharingtoenableinformeddecisions.Deepika hasalsofoundthatintegratingvideocallshelpsmaintaina personalconnectionandenhancesunderstandingacross culturalnuances.
Design systems aren’t arbitrary; they’re built for efficiency by crea ng standardiza on and consistency in interac ons, visual elements and terminology.
Encouraging open communica on and being approachable are key to fostering collabora on and a shared vision across diverse cultures and me zones.
Shebelieves, “Encouraging open communication and being approachable are key to fostering collaboration and a shared vision across diverse cultures and time zones. As a design leader, I promote an experimental mindset and support my team in taking risks and exploring innovative ideas.”
Throughherexperience,Deepikalearnedthatscalinga teamwhilekeepingthequalityhighandtheculturestrong comesdowntoafewthings.Firstandforemost,it’sabout trust.Givingteammemberstheautonomytodotheirbest work,freefrommicromanagement,oftenleadstothebest outcomes.Ofcourse,teamleadersneedtopairthatwith clearcommunicationandlotsoflistening.It’satwo-way streetwhereeveryonefeelsheardandvalued.Thiscreatesa realsenseofconnection,givingwingstocreativeideasand bringinginperspectivesevenwheneveryoneisworking independently.
“Second, I believe in being approachable.”Aleadersetsthe tonefortheentireteam.Iftheyareopenandaccessible,it encouragesotherstodothesame.Thiscanleadtobetter collaboration,fasterproblem-solvingandamoresupportive environmentoverall.
Deepikashares, “It’s important to remember that every team is different, and the DNA of each organization is also different. What works for one might not work for another It’s about staying adaptable and adjusting as needed.”
Thiscouldinvolvechangingcommunicationstyles,offering differenttypesofsupport,orevenrevisitingteamgoals. “Ultimately, the goal is to create an environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute their best while also feeling connected to a shared purpose, vision and culture.,” sheadds.
Deepikasaysthatthefutureofdesigningenterprise softwareexperienceswillbeprofoundlyshapedbyseveral emergingtrendsandtechnologies.Shehighlightsthe significantimpactofconversationalinterfaces,whichare settorevolutionizeuserinteractionswithinenterprises. Movingbeyondtraditionaltouchinterfaces,these conversationalsystems,poweredbyadvancedAI,will facilitateseamlessinteractionsthroughvoiceandchat, makinguserengagementmoreintuitiveandefficient.
ShealsoemphasizestheriseofempatheticUXtesting, whereunderstandingusers'emotionalandcognitivestates willbecomecrucial.Thisshiftwillenablethecreationof moreemotionallyresonantanduser-centricproducts.Inher talksatvariousconferences,Deepikahasoftendiscussed howAIisdrivingthesechangesandtransformingthe landscapeofdesign.
Additionally,Deepikaseestheevolutionofsmart dashboardstransforminghowenterprisesmakedecisions. Thesedynamictoolswillprovideactionableinsightsand recommendations,empoweringleaderstomakeinformed choicesquickly.Theadvancementoflow-codeplatforms willalsoplayasignificantrole,allowingorganizationsto buildsophisticated,AI-drivenapplicationswithminimal codingeffort,enhancingagilityandinnovation.
Lastly,sheemphasizestheimportanceofconsciousAI, whichfocusesonethicaldesignandaccessibility.By ensuringthatdigitalproductsareinclusiveandtransparent, organizationscanbuildtrustandcreategenuinelyhelpful experiencesforallusers.
Tonavigatethesechanges,Deepikaisadvocatingfora proactiveapproachthatincludescontinuous experimentation,embracingnewtechnologies,and nurturingacultureofinnovationandethicalresponsibility withintheorganization.Thisforward-thinkingmindsetwill beessentialforenterprisedesignstudiostothriveinthe dynamicandincreasinglycomplexdigitalenvironment.
HowdoesDeepikaviewtheroleofAIinshapingthe futureofdesignandinnovation?
Deepikapassionatelybelievesinthetransformativepower ofAIanditspivotalroleinshapingthefutureofdesignand beyond.ForthosebornintheeraofAI,thistechnologyis anintegralpartoftheirfoundation,promotingrapid innovationandcreativity Thisgeneration'sinherent familiaritywithAIenablesthemtoworkatremarkable speedsandwithunparalleledcreativity.However,Deepika highlightsthatthosewhowitnessedthedawnofAIpossess awealthofwisdomandnuancedunderstanding,which allowsthemtoapplyAIinmoresophisticatedand experiencedways.
"AIisheretostay,"Deepikaemphasizes,urgingeveryone toacknowledgeitspermanence.Thepaceofadvancement andinvestmentinAIisstaggering,withsignificant
AI is not a replacement for humans but a lens through which we can see further and clearer.
developmentsoccurringeveryfewmonths.Forboth individualsandenterprises,AIsimplifiescomplex information,makingiteasilydigestible.
OneofthemostliberatingaspectsofAI,accordingto Deepika,isitsabilitytoeliminatehesitationandfrictionin seekinginformation.AIdoesn’tjudge,allowingindividuals toaskanyquestionsfreely,cherishingamoreopenand inquisitiveenvironment,andbridgingthedigitaldivide.
DeepikafirmlybelievesthatAIisnotareplacementfor humansbutalensthroughwhichwecanseefurtherand clearer.
https://in.linkedin.com/in/deepikadutta
Whenitcomestodesigningfortheweb,the
goldenruleissimple:"Don’t make me think!" That'sthemagicphrasethatguideseverything inUX(UserExperience)design,andit'swhatseparatesa siteyoulovefromoneyoudread.It’sallaboutmaking thingseasy,intuitive,andenjoyable.We’veallbeenthere–lostinamazeofconfusingmenusorendlessclickstrying tofigureouthowtoaddaproducttothecart.Evernoticed howfrustratingitgets?That'swhatpoorUXfeelslike!The momentauserhastostopandthinktoomuchaboutwhatto donext,they’reout.
So,howdoesUXdesignfixthis?Well,it’sallabout thinkingfortheuser,sotheydon’thaveto.GoodUX designmakeseveryinteractionseamless,likegliding throughawell-oiledmachine,withouthavingtoreada manual.Let’stakeastrollthroughthepeculiaritiesofthis world.
GoodUXdesigndoesn’ttrytoshowoff–it’slikeaninja workinginthebackground,makingeverythingsmoothand simple.Imagineifyouwentintoagrocerystoreandhadto figureouthowtouseacomplicatedmachinejusttocheck outyourgroceries.Youwouldn’tgoback!It’sthesame withwebsitesorapps.Themomentsomethingistoo complex,we’reouttathere,right?
Thetricktokeepingitsimpleisunderstandingthatusers shouldn’thavetohuntforwhattheyneed.Thingsshouldbe inthemostobviousplace.Buttonsshouldbebig,text shouldbeeasytoread,andeverythingshouldflow naturally.Whenthingsaresimple,wedon’tthinkabout them;wejustusethem.Andisn’tthatthewholepoint?
Youknowwhatelsehelps?Visualhierarchy.Itsounds fancy,butitjustmeansorganizingelementssothatthemost importantstuffgetsseenfirst.It’slikelayingoutabuffet table–youdon’tputthechocolatecakeinahiddencorner, youputitrightwhereeveryonecanseeit!UXdesigners usesize,colour,andpositioningtoguideyoureyestowhat mattersmost.Bigheadlines,contrastingbuttons,all designedtograbattentionwithoutyelling,"Hey,lookat me!”
Thinkaboutit–nexttimeyou’reonawebsite,notice whereyoureyesnaturallygo.Isthe"BuyNow"button rightwhereyouexpectit?That’snotbyaccident.
UXdesignershavethoughtaboutwhereyou’lllookfirst andmadesureyoufindexactlywhatyouneedwithout searchingforit.
OneofthebiggestsecretsofgreatUXdesign?Empathy Designersaren’tjustputtingtogethercoloursandbuttons; they’retryingtostepintoyourshoes.They’reasking themselves,"WhatwouldfrustratemeifIweretheuser?"A gooddesignerthinkslikeauser–theywalkthroughevery click,everyscroll,andeveryswipe.Theyimaginethe differenttypesofpeoplewhomightbeusingthesite.It’sa bitlikeplayingdetectiveandsolvingamysterybeforeit evenhappens!
Whatworksforonepersonmightbeanightmarefor another.So,designerstest,theytweak,andtheyget feedback.It’sallaboutunderstandinghowyouthinkand thenanticipatingwhatyou’llwanttodonext.
Here’ssomethingthatgetsoverlookedallthetime–UX writing.Haveyoueverseenabuttonthatsays“Submit” andwondered,“Submittowhat?!”Ormaybeyou’ve encounteredavagueerrormessagelike“404Error.”What evenisthat?Thewordsonawebsiteorapparejustas importantasthedesign.
GreatUXwritingtellsyouexactlywhatyou’redoingin clear,friendlylanguage.Abuttonthatsays“GetStarted”is muchmoreinvitingthan“Submit.”Andwhensomething goeswrong,it’smuchnicertosee“Oops!Lookslikethis pagedoesn’texist.Let’shelpyoufindwhatyouneed,” ratherthanjust“Error.”Therightwordsputyouateaseand keepyoumovingforward.
Youknowwhattheysay–practicemakesperfect.The samegoesforUXdesign.Designerscan’tjustcreate somethingandassumeit’sflawless.Theyhavetotestit–againandagain.It’slikebakingacake.Youwouldn’tjust throwingredientstogetherandhopeforthebest,right?You tastethebatter,adjust,andmakesureeverythingisperfect.
Thisiswhereusertestingcomesin.Designersputtheir creationsinthehandsofrealpeopletoseehowthey navigatetheexperience.Sometimes,they’resurprisedby whatusersdo.Whatseemsobvioustoadesignermightbe
confusingtosomeoneelse.Andthat’sokay!It’sallpartof theprocessofrefiningtheexperienceandmakingitjust right.
Here’sthething–goodUXdesignisn’tjustabout functionality;it’salsoaboutbeauty.Butwait,youmight say,isn’tfunctionmoreimportantthanform?Yes,andno. Sure,wewantthingstowork,butwealsowantthemto lookgood.ThebestUXdesignisaperfectmarriageofthe two.It’slikeabeautifullydesignedcar–sure,ithastoget youfrompointAtopointB,butifitlookssleekandfeels luxuriouswhiledoingit,you’remorelikelytoenjoythe ride.
Thesamegoesforwebsitesandapps.Designerswantto createsomethingthatnotonlyworksflawlesslybutalso makesyouthink,“Wow,that’snice.”Abalanceof aestheticsandusabilityiswhatmakestheexperience memorableandenjoyable.
Attheendoftheday,thegoalofUXdesignissimple: don’tmaketheuserthink.Whenthingsjustwork,wedon’t evennoticethedesign.Andthat’sthemagic.GoodUXis likeaninvisiblehandguidingyouthroughtheexperience withoutyouevenrealizingit.Whetherit’skeepingthings simple,organizinginformationwithvisualhierarchy,or usingtherightwords,UXdesignisallaboutmakinglife easierfortheuser
Sothenexttimeyou’rebreezingthroughawebsiteorusing anappwithoutahitch,takeamomenttoappreciatethe designthinkingbehindit.Becauseifyoudidn’thaveto thinkaboutit,that’sUXatitsfinest.
Theuniverseiscyclic.Intheancientwisdomthis
cyclicalnatureoflife,destruction,andrebirthis symbolizedasaserpentconsumingitsowntail. ThesymbolthusemergediscalledOuroboros.
Inthemoderncontextoftoday'sdigitalworld,wherethe endlessconsumptionofcontentisleadingtoitsown exhaustion,theOuroborossymbolismcanbeusedasa metaphorforthestateoftheattentioneconomy.
Inthebeginning,likemanygoodthings,internet,too,had beenonceaplacefordiscoveryandinnovation.However, theincreasingcompetitiontograbattentionononeside, andspanoftheattentiongiverarecreatinganironiccycle ofself-destruction,threateningtokilltheveryeconomyit thriveson.
Initsbasicmeaning,theattentioneconomycanbedefined astheideawhereitcouldbearguedthat human attention is alimitedresourceinitscapacity.Inaworldoversaturated withdata,information,businesses,creators,andplatforms, everyoneisinaracecompetingwitheachotherforthis scarcecommodity Thus,theyoftenresortto sensationalism,clickbait,andhyper-engagementtechniques toholdviewers'interest.
Eventually,asitwasinevitable,thisdynamicturnedintoa phenomenonresemblingthesymbolofOuroboros:aswhen morecontentisproducedtocaptureattention,thatattention becomesincreasinglyscarce.Ineffectitleadsto diminishingreturnsforbothcreators–attentionseeker,and consumers–attentiongivers.
Let’shaveaheart-to-heartabouttheendlessfloodof contentwebothdealwith.Everysecond,it'slikesomeone turnedontheinternetfirehose—videos,articles,podcasts, andmemeseverywhere.Imean,justthinkaboutit.
Thousandsofnewthingscomingatuseverymoment,and yetsomehow,insteadofsatisfyingourthirstforknowledge orentertainment,it’soverwhelmingus!Likethe Ouroboros,we'redevouringcontentendlessly,butit’s eatingusrightback.
Ifyou’veeverfeltthatmomentofscrollfatigue—where you'reswipingandclickingthroughpostsandvideosbut absorbingalmostnothing—you’renotalone.Youstartoff curious,butbeforeyouknowit,you'reonautopilot. Contentoverloadhasbecomesointensethatourattention spanshaveshortened,andwe’releftwithfragmentedfocus. Tryingtostayontopofallthisinfofeelsliketryingtohold waterinyourhands—impossible.
Thisenvironmenthasbirthedwhatwecallcontent overload.Studieshaveshownthatourattentionspanis shrinkinglikeawoolsweaterinthewash.Andwithso muchvyingforourattention,creatorshavebeenforcedto competeintheattentionOlympics.Only,insteadof thoughtful,well-craftedcontentwinningthegold,it'sthe mostshocking,outrageous,orclickbaitystuff.Andguess what?We’realllosing.
Now,let’stalkaboutalgorithms—thetruepuppetmasters behindthescenes.Thesethingsarelikechefsata restaurant,constantlyservingusdishestheythinkwe’ll love,keepingusatthetableforhours.Theyaren’t interestedinwhat’sbestforus;they’rejustkeepingus scrolling.Theproblem?Thisalgorithmicbuffetreinforces whatwealreadylikeandlimitsourexposuretonewideas. Weenduptrappedin —ourownprivate echochambers bubbleswhereeveryoneagreeswithus,andnothingnew challengesus.
Andit’snotlikethey’reofferingusahealthy,balanceddiet. Ohno!Algorithmsarepushingfastfoodforthe brain—sensationalorcontroversialcontent,stuffdesigned togiveusaquickhitofdopaminebutwithzerosubstance. Thishasgivenrisetoclickbaitculture,wherequalityis secondarytotheabilitytograbyourattentionforjustlong enoughtomakeyouclick.It’sallaboutengagement,but where’sthedepth?
Inaway,thisiswherethe Ouroboros metaphorfits perfectly.Platformsaresoobsessedwithkeepingus engagedthattheyendupconsumingthemselves,sacrificing long-termsatisfactionforshort-termgains.Theypushout junkfoodcontentthatleavesusunsatisfied,andworse,less trustingofwhatwesee.
Thelong-termconsequencesofthisphenomenonare significant,bothforcreatorsandconsumers.
Erosionoftrust,youask?Absolutely.We’veallbecome skeptical.Youseeaheadlinepromisingsomething outrageous—“You Won’t Believe What Happens Next”—butbynow,youknowit’sprobablyan exaggerationatbestordownrightfalseatworst.This constantbarrageofdubiouscontenterodesourtrustin creators,platforms,andthemediaitself.Andoncetrustis lost,it’salong,toughroadtogetitback.
Andthenthere’sthebigone:mentalfatigue.Youknow thatfeelingwhenyou’vebeendoom-scrollingforhours, andyourbrainfeelslikemush?That’swhathappenswhen you’reconstantlybombardedwithtoomuchinformation. Ourmindsaren’tbuilttohandleendlesscontent consumption,andthisleadstostress,anxiety,andburnout. Notjustforusconsumers,butforcreatorstoo.They’re stuckinarelentlessrace,producingcontentthatpleasesthe
algorithmratherthancreatingsomethingmeaningfulor innovative.
Butdon’tlosehope!There’sawayoutofthismess.Wecan stillreversetheOuroborosandescapethisself-consuming cycleofendless,shallowcontent.
Firstup—qualityoverquantity.Insteadofbombardingus withmore,creatorsandplatformsneedtofocusongiving usbetter.It’saboutmakingcontentthatmatters,that engagesusonadeeperlevel,evenifittakeslongerto create.YouandIbothknowthatthebeststuffisn’talways fastfood—it’stheslow-cooked,thoughtfullymadecontent thattrulyleavesalastingimpact.
Take Substack or Patreon,forexample.Theseplatformslet creatorsmakealivingbyofferinghigh-quality,valuable contentdirectlytotheiraudience,withouttheneedtobow totheengagementgods.It’sasystemthatrewardscreators fortakingtheirtimetodosomethinggreatinsteadof churningoutcontentforthesakeofclicks.
Nextonthelist—rethinkthealgorithms Weneedthese platformstochangetheirgame.Insteadoffeedingusmore ofthesame,let’sseealgorithmsthatpromote discovery and diversity.Introduceustonewideas,challengeuswith differentperspectives,andgiveusabreakfromthejunk foodcontent. YouTube,forexample,hasstartedtesting waystorecommendmorethoughtful,researchedcontent. It'sasmallstep,butonethatcouldstarttorebuildtrustand improveengagement.
Andhere’swhereyoucomein,too.Mindfulconsumption isthekey.Weneedtotakecontrolofourowndigitaldiets. Nomorebingingonemptycalories.It’stimetousedigital well-beingtools—screentimelimits,curatedcontent lists—tohelpusmakebetterchoices.Wecanalsolearnto saynototheclickbaitandfocusoncontentthatfeedsour brains,notjustourdopaminereceptors.
Creatorscanhelptoobypromotingresponsible engagement.Imagineaworldwherecreatorsdon’tjust chaselikesandsharesbutinsteadaimtobuildahealthier relationshipwiththeiraudience.Somenewsoutletsare alreadyexperimentingwithslowjournalism,focusingon in-depth,thoughtfulreportinginsteadofchurningoutthe nextviralpiece.
