Tanya Donska
@tanya-dnsk.bsky.social
Embedded UX/UI Partner | DNSK.WORK
Reposted by Tanya Donska
Many design systems show high adoption but low satisfaction. This article exposes the hidden costs, workarounds, and developer frustration behind the dashboards #designsystems
The Developer Experience Tax Hidden Inside Your Design System
hackernoon.com
November 21, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Many design systems show high adoption but low satisfaction. This article exposes the hidden costs, workarounds, and developer frustration behind the dashboards #designsystems
Reposted by Tanya Donska
Watched a designer present to 14 people. 27 changes requested. 8 about the same color. The flow never shipped. Everyone knew it wouldn't. They showed up anyway. #productdesign
Why Everyone in Your Design Review Knows Nothing Will Change (And Shows Up Anyway)
hackernoon.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:16 AM
Watched a designer present to 14 people. 27 changes requested. 8 about the same color. The flow never shipped. Everyone knew it wouldn't. They showed up anyway. #productdesign
If you’ve been researching the same problem for 3 months, you’re not being thorough.
You’re being scared.
Research theater looks polished.
But users don’t care about your reports — they care about shipped fixes.
👉 https://dnsk.work/blog/ux-iceberg-problem-research-excuse/
You’re being scared.
Research theater looks polished.
But users don’t care about your reports — they care about shipped fixes.
👉 https://dnsk.work/blog/ux-iceberg-problem-research-excuse/
September 9, 2025 at 2:31 PM
If you’ve been researching the same problem for 3 months, you’re not being thorough.
You’re being scared.
Research theater looks polished.
But users don’t care about your reports — they care about shipped fixes.
👉 https://dnsk.work/blog/ux-iceberg-problem-research-excuse/
You’re being scared.
Research theater looks polished.
But users don’t care about your reports — they care about shipped fixes.
👉 https://dnsk.work/blog/ux-iceberg-problem-research-excuse/
Most SaaS pricing pages don’t fail because the pricing is wrong.
They fail because the UX is unclear.
Confusion, footnotes, endless tables — that’s not trust.
That’s churn.
👉
They fail because the UX is unclear.
Confusion, footnotes, endless tables — that’s not trust.
That’s churn.
👉
Why SaaS Pricing Pages Fail (And How to Fix Yours) › DNSK BLOG
Most pricing pages aren’t underpriced — they’re unclear. Here’s how to rethink your SaaS pricing UX, reduce friction, and turn clicks into conversions.
dnsk.work
September 4, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Most SaaS pricing pages don’t fail because the pricing is wrong.
They fail because the UX is unclear.
Confusion, footnotes, endless tables — that’s not trust.
That’s churn.
👉
They fail because the UX is unclear.
Confusion, footnotes, endless tables — that’s not trust.
That’s churn.
👉
Good design isn’t enough.
You can research, polish, and test endlessly — but if users never discover it, it doesn’t exist.
Design for discovery, not just polish.
👉 dnsk.work/blog/stop-building-hidden-features/
You can research, polish, and test endlessly — but if users never discover it, it doesn’t exist.
Design for discovery, not just polish.
👉 dnsk.work/blog/stop-building-hidden-features/
September 2, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Good design isn’t enough.
You can research, polish, and test endlessly — but if users never discover it, it doesn’t exist.
Design for discovery, not just polish.
👉 dnsk.work/blog/stop-building-hidden-features/
You can research, polish, and test endlessly — but if users never discover it, it doesn’t exist.
Design for discovery, not just polish.
👉 dnsk.work/blog/stop-building-hidden-features/
If your settings page is longer than your product, that’s not “user freedom.”
It’s your design indecision passed straight onto the user.
Fewer, smarter choices = better UX.
👉
It’s your design indecision passed straight onto the user.
Fewer, smarter choices = better UX.
👉
When Your Settings Page Becomes the Product › DNSK BLOG
Endless settings don’t give users control — they give them cognitive fatigue. Here’s how to clean up your UX by making smarter product decisions.
dnsk.work
August 28, 2025 at 1:31 PM
If your settings page is longer than your product, that’s not “user freedom.”
It’s your design indecision passed straight onto the user.
Fewer, smarter choices = better UX.
👉
It’s your design indecision passed straight onto the user.
Fewer, smarter choices = better UX.
👉
Most features don’t fail because they’re buggy.
They fail because no one asked:
Who is this actually helping?
Design for the stuck user.
Not the board. Not the demo. Not “internally, everyone gets it.”
👉 https://dnsk.work/blog/who-are-you-designing-for/
They fail because no one asked:
Who is this actually helping?
Design for the stuck user.
Not the board. Not the demo. Not “internally, everyone gets it.”
👉 https://dnsk.work/blog/who-are-you-designing-for/
August 26, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Most features don’t fail because they’re buggy.
They fail because no one asked:
Who is this actually helping?
Design for the stuck user.
Not the board. Not the demo. Not “internally, everyone gets it.”
👉 https://dnsk.work/blog/who-are-you-designing-for/
They fail because no one asked:
Who is this actually helping?
Design for the stuck user.
Not the board. Not the demo. Not “internally, everyone gets it.”
👉 https://dnsk.work/blog/who-are-you-designing-for/
Your product doesn’t need to sound nice.
It needs to sound sure.
Polite UX isn’t trust — it’s hesitation.
Stop apologising. Start being clear.
👉
It needs to sound sure.
Polite UX isn’t trust — it’s hesitation.
Stop apologising. Start being clear.
👉
The UX Mistake That Makes You Sound Unsure › DNSK BLOG
Friendly copy isn’t always helpful. Here’s why overly polite UX makes your product feel unsure — and how to write clearly without sounding cold.
dnsk.work
August 19, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Your product doesn’t need to sound nice.
It needs to sound sure.
Polite UX isn’t trust — it’s hesitation.
Stop apologising. Start being clear.
👉
It needs to sound sure.
Polite UX isn’t trust — it’s hesitation.
Stop apologising. Start being clear.
👉
Thinking about a redesign?
Stop. Audit first.
Cut the dead weight.
Fix the flows.
Then make it pretty.
Full post →
Stop. Audit first.
Cut the dead weight.
Fix the flows.
Then make it pretty.
Full post →
Your Product Doesn’t Need a Redesign — It Needs a Reckoning › DNSK BLOG
Redesigning your product might not fix the real issues. This post unpacks how a proper UI audit can reveal dead logic, drift, and design debt.
dnsk.work
August 14, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Thinking about a redesign?
Stop. Audit first.
Cut the dead weight.
Fix the flows.
Then make it pretty.
Full post →
Stop. Audit first.
Cut the dead weight.
Fix the flows.
Then make it pretty.
Full post →
Your MVP should make you uncomfortable.
If it doesn’t, you probably polished the wrong things.
Scrappy is fine. Permanent duct tape isn’t.
Full read →
If it doesn’t, you probably polished the wrong things.
Scrappy is fine. Permanent duct tape isn’t.
Full read →
The First Version Is Supposed to Be Awkward › DNSK BLOG
Your MVP worked — congrats. But if you’re still shipping the same clunky UI while trying to scale, it’s time to stop surviving and start designing.
dnsk.work
August 12, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Your MVP should make you uncomfortable.
If it doesn’t, you probably polished the wrong things.
Scrappy is fine. Permanent duct tape isn’t.
Full read →
If it doesn’t, you probably polished the wrong things.
Scrappy is fine. Permanent duct tape isn’t.
Full read →
Silence ≠ success.
No feedback doesn’t mean “it worked” — it means “they didn’t care enough to say anything.”
No love, no hate, no usage? That’s not peace. That’s churn.
Listen to the quiet:
No feedback doesn’t mean “it worked” — it means “they didn’t care enough to say anything.”
No love, no hate, no usage? That’s not peace. That’s churn.
Listen to the quiet:
Why Silence Isn’t Feedback — It’s the Exit Sign › DNSK BLOG
Not all churn is loud. This post unpacks what user silence really means — and how to design for the feedback you’re not hearing.
dnsk.work
August 7, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Silence ≠ success.
No feedback doesn’t mean “it worked” — it means “they didn’t care enough to say anything.”
No love, no hate, no usage? That’s not peace. That’s churn.
Listen to the quiet:
No feedback doesn’t mean “it worked” — it means “they didn’t care enough to say anything.”
No love, no hate, no usage? That’s not peace. That’s churn.
Listen to the quiet:
We’ve all done it.
Shipped a button that looks real — but isn’t.
No feedback. No action. No idea what it’s doing there.
It’s not just bad UX.
It’s a promise with a countdown.
Every click = trust leak.
Here’s why fake buttons happen:
Shipped a button that looks real — but isn’t.
No feedback. No action. No idea what it’s doing there.
It’s not just bad UX.
It’s a promise with a countdown.
Every click = trust leak.
Here’s why fake buttons happen:
When You Click — and Nothing Happens: UX’s Quietest Failure › DNSK BLOG
Fake buttons happen — in MVPs, launch pressure, and fast-moving roadmaps. But every broken affordance trains your users to stop trusting you.
dnsk.work
August 5, 2025 at 11:03 AM
We’ve all done it.
Shipped a button that looks real — but isn’t.
No feedback. No action. No idea what it’s doing there.
It’s not just bad UX.
It’s a promise with a countdown.
Every click = trust leak.
Here’s why fake buttons happen:
Shipped a button that looks real — but isn’t.
No feedback. No action. No idea what it’s doing there.
It’s not just bad UX.
It’s a promise with a countdown.
Every click = trust leak.
Here’s why fake buttons happen:
Most UX issues won’t show up in analytics: https://dnsk.work/blog/fake-persona-test/
They’ll show up when Edith double-taps the wrong thing, or Joel tries your form one-handed on 3G.
That’s what Fake Persona Testing is for.
Not research. Not a joke. Just useful.
They’ll show up when Edith double-taps the wrong thing, or Joel tries your form one-handed on 3G.
That’s what Fake Persona Testing is for.
Not research. Not a joke. Just useful.
July 31, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Most UX issues won’t show up in analytics: https://dnsk.work/blog/fake-persona-test/
They’ll show up when Edith double-taps the wrong thing, or Joel tries your form one-handed on 3G.
That’s what Fake Persona Testing is for.
Not research. Not a joke. Just useful.
They’ll show up when Edith double-taps the wrong thing, or Joel tries your form one-handed on 3G.
That’s what Fake Persona Testing is for.
Not research. Not a joke. Just useful.
We redesigned your product.
You didn’t ask.
We couldn’t help it.
It wasn’t to show off. It wasn’t a pitch.
Something about it almost worked — and our brains couldn’t leave it alone.
Not critique. Just curiosity: https://dnsk.work/blog/redesigning-without-permission/
You didn’t ask.
We couldn’t help it.
It wasn’t to show off. It wasn’t a pitch.
Something about it almost worked — and our brains couldn’t leave it alone.
Not critique. Just curiosity: https://dnsk.work/blog/redesigning-without-permission/
July 29, 2025 at 1:30 PM
We redesigned your product.
You didn’t ask.
We couldn’t help it.
It wasn’t to show off. It wasn’t a pitch.
Something about it almost worked — and our brains couldn’t leave it alone.
Not critique. Just curiosity: https://dnsk.work/blog/redesigning-without-permission/
You didn’t ask.
We couldn’t help it.
It wasn’t to show off. It wasn’t a pitch.
Something about it almost worked — and our brains couldn’t leave it alone.
Not critique. Just curiosity: https://dnsk.work/blog/redesigning-without-permission/
Your portfolio isn’t a conversion funnel.
It’s not there to push someone to “request the full deck.”
It’s there to show how you work, how you think, how you handle mess.
If that comes through, no CTA needed:
It’s not there to push someone to “request the full deck.”
It’s there to show how you work, how you think, how you handle mess.
If that comes through, no CTA needed:
How to Build a UX Portfolio That Gets You Hired | DNSK BLOG
Tired of gaming algorithms? Learn how to build a UX portfolio that gets you hired by real humans — not filtered out by AI.
dnsk.work
July 24, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Your portfolio isn’t a conversion funnel.
It’s not there to push someone to “request the full deck.”
It’s there to show how you work, how you think, how you handle mess.
If that comes through, no CTA needed:
It’s not there to push someone to “request the full deck.”
It’s there to show how you work, how you think, how you handle mess.
If that comes through, no CTA needed:
“Award-winning. Strategic. Passionate.”
I used to lead with that.
It sounded safe.
And said nothing.
So I rewrote my bio like I’d fix a bad UI.
Now it starts with:
> I design the part of your product people complain about.
I used to lead with that.
It sounded safe.
And said nothing.
So I rewrote my bio like I’d fix a bad UI.
Now it starts with:
> I design the part of your product people complain about.
Why I Stopped Sounding Like Every Other Designer on LinkedIn | DNSK BLOG
Award-winning. Passionate. Strategic. Driven. You’ve read that sentence before — probably on my old LinkedIn profile. It wasn’t a lie. But it also wasn’t helping. I’m a designer. A good one. I’ve led design across enterprise tools, scaling platforms, internal systems, and launch-day MVPs...
dnsk.work
July 22, 2025 at 9:05 AM
“Award-winning. Strategic. Passionate.”
I used to lead with that.
It sounded safe.
And said nothing.
So I rewrote my bio like I’d fix a bad UI.
Now it starts with:
> I design the part of your product people complain about.
I used to lead with that.
It sounded safe.
And said nothing.
So I rewrote my bio like I’d fix a bad UI.
Now it starts with:
> I design the part of your product people complain about.
Everyone’s shouting “AI will replace designers!”
Meanwhile, I’m still fixing login flows from 2012.
AI can wait.
Meanwhile, I’m still fixing login flows from 2012.
AI can wait.
July 15, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Everyone’s shouting “AI will replace designers!”
Meanwhile, I’m still fixing login flows from 2012.
AI can wait.
Meanwhile, I’m still fixing login flows from 2012.
AI can wait.