Hey, UX friends! Happy Thursday.
If we haven't met yet, my name is Anfisa—senior product designer at MEWS by day. By night, I help UXers to stand out in a crowded market inside the IntoUX Community. Oh, and I’m also raising a 2-year-old (hi, all working moms).
Here is an insight:
Never in my life did I think I’d be building like this, as a designer...
Last month, as I was vibe-coding a product with the community for a hackathon team, trying to figure out how to get an idea running end-to-end.
In just a few days, I found myself collecting datasets, training a basic ML model, and sending & receiving data between tools I’d never touched before.
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The wildest part is that if your company uses APIs, you can already build actual apps using real product data. You can show a working prototype, not just a glossy Figma, but a tangible experience your devs can play with.
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That changes the status QUO
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Suddenly, the “we can’t build that” argument by a developer doesn’t work anymore, because you already did. And the more you lean into the learning, the harder it is for anyone to BS you.
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You start showing up as someone who bridges it all: product, design, and tech. It’s exciting.
And…a lot.
A bit too much, honestly.
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I realized that while traveling in Gdańsk a week ago.
It was a sudden, last-minute trip because 2 days before taking a plane, I woke up anxious, overwhelmed, distracted, and worried about not catching up enough. I couldn't sleep that night.
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My body signaled to me that I needed to run away and clear my mind. So I acted upon the impulse and booked a ticket to Gdansk. Away from work, away from baby, away from noise, away from AI madness.
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That weekend, somewhere between slow walks and good coffee, my mind started to clear up.
- Thoughts that had been sitting at the back of my brain surfaced.
- Worries didn't seem so massive.
- Priorities started to click into place.
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All because I created that space
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Yes, AI is here, and it changes the status quo rapidly, but...
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If you're already feeling stretched, pushing harder won’t help.
You’ll miss the signals. You’ll drift off course.
The only way to stay sharp and sane is to reflect.
Make space: daily or weekly, for your brain to breathe.
- To cut through the noise.
- To reconnect with what actually matters.
- To notice which skills are worth doubling down on to stay competitive.
Because in the next 5 years, surviving in design won’t be about being average. It’ll be about excelling at something.
And the only person who can name what that is…is you.
If you feel overwhelmed by AI madness, here is my advice:
Don’t let the crazy AI pace distract you from who you are and your goals.
Does this resonate with you? What’s been on your mind lately?
I’d love to hear what reflection looks like in your world right now.
This is the kind of stuff
we talk about inside the IntoUX Community
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Every month, we hold small sessions to reflect, share, and grow:
mock interviews, whiteboarding, app critiques, and honest convos about where the design world is heading.
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If you’re looking for a space that helps you slow down, stay sharp, and not feel so alone in it all, you’re welcome to join us.
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(Or just reply to this email if you want to chat first).
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Want to feel confident designing AI-powered products? Join this workshop on July 5th.
​In just a weekend, you’ll learn the foundations of AI every designer should know and how to create clear, helpful, trustworthy AI experiences.
​You’ll also receive a curated list of 20+ resources, tools, and references to keep learning long after the weekend ends.
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Agenda:
🧠Saturday: AI Essentials for Designers​
What AI is, how it works, key risks, where it fits (and doesn’t) in UX, plus safe & ethical tool use.
🎨 Sunday: Designing AI Products​
8 must-know UX patterns, designing for trust + clarity, hands-on workshop, and real examples you can use.
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​This is a live, practical training happening:
🗓 Saturday + Sunday (July 5th & 6th), 2–4pm BST​
💻 Online, taught by Micaela Dixon, AI Product Designer @uxdesignforai​
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🏷️ Use ANFISA10 code for a 10% discount
That's all for today.
Stay inspired and see you next week.
Anfisa
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