UX Design Blog | Fractional Design Insights

News, views, and real-life lessons in UX design.

29 July 2026

Framer has launched CanvasBench

Framer has launched CanvasBench, a new benchmark that tests AI agents across 236 real design tasks, including layout, design understanding, editing and maintaining websites.

27 July 2026

Figma just changed Auto Layout

Figma just changed Auto Layout to behave more like CSS, and a million designers and developers breathed a sigh of relief.

21 July 2026

We've gone one step closer to science fiction becoming reality

We've gone one step closer to science fiction becoming reality. Does everyone remember the film Her, in which the lonely main character, Theodore, carries an AI companion in his shirt pocket, letting it observe the world with him through a tiny camera and speaker?

17 July 2026

GPT-5.6 design capabilities

OpenAI says GPT-5.6 represents a leap forward in design. If you're planning to build a product with AI, here are the things I reckon it'll trip you up on.

6 July 2026

Vibe coding platform Base44 has reportedly built its own AI model

Vibe coding platform Base44 has reportedly built its own AI model to avoid producing the same generic “AI-slop” website designs we’re starting to see everywhere. Business Insider pitted it against Anthropic. Here's…

30 June 2026

Figma Config 2026 Summary

A few thoughts on the main Figma #Config2026 updates, now that the dust has settled. For me, the biggest theme was not any single feature but rather that Figma is trying to make the canvas the place where more of the product workflow actually happens.

29 June 2026

What Figma’s CEO, Dylan Field, had to say

What Figma’s CEO, Dylan Field, had to say about the advent of AI actually makes me feel like the future is bright for human designers, and it's given me a lot of faith in where creativity is going.

26 June 2026

Figma Config 2026: Figma Motion

Here's one of the most interesting updates to come out of Figma Config 2026: Figma Motion. Figma Motion is a new Figma feature that lets designers create animations directly inside Figma, using a timeline, keyframes, animated components, and motion variables instead of moving into separate tools like After Effects, Jitter, or Principle.

23 June 2026

Figma Check Designs

One of Figma’s new features is super useful for those who need to work fast, and I’m wondering if other designers use it.

10 June 2026

WWDC26

Apple’s WWDC26 is happening this week. If you're a UX designer, you can use it to gain insights into upcoming industry trends and stay ahead of the curve. Here's what to know.

10 April 2026

Three Small UX Details That Make a Big Difference

UX Design: Three tiny details that clients don't notice until they're missing: 1. Loading state messaging Don't just show a spinner. Tell people what's happening: "Loading your dashboard..." or "Processing payment..."

11 March 2026

Why Do Startups Pay 3x More for Work That Takes Twice as Long?

I think it often comes down to fit, not quality. Agencies are built for a certain type of client and project. They have processes, account teams, and structured timelines that work well at scale. For established companies with budget and time, that setup makes total sense.