Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 14/06/2026Scratching a segment sizing itch; turns out there’s roughly 25,000 males 18-35 living in Curaçao & diaspora (mostly in NL). Which is equivalent to the total population of Herzogenaurach, Germany (to pick a random town 😉). Just to put the 7-1 result in perspective. 010
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 06/05/2026This is so great — PSG get local art/design students to create posters for every Champions League match. Usually interpreting distinctive aspects of the other teams city, blended with Parisian vibes. Some stunning posters in the article. #FCBPSG #ChampionsLeague www.nytimes.com/athletic/725... 031
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 21/03/2026Found myself nodding along throughout Shubham Bose’s breakdown of ever-worsening news sites experiences. When will UX peeps take responsibility for delivering their deceptive patterns & degraded XP quality. Not good enough to shrug & blame the money peeps. thatshubham.com/blog/news-au...thatshubham.comThe 49MB Web PageA look at modern news websites. How programmatic ad-tech, huge payloads and hostile architecture destroyed the reading experience. 010
Reposted by NiallGregg Bernstein (he/him) @gregg.io · 01/12/2025User researchers already document findings at a faster velocity than orgs can act on them. It strains credulity that tech leaders are clamoring for even more yet worse AI-generated findings. My new blog post, "The only winning move is not to play." gregg.io/the-only-win...gregg.ioThe only winning move is not to play – Gregg BernsteinLet’s not debase ourselves as user researchers further 03410
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 11/05/2025When art lost its attachment to time, when life changed from a linear progression to an algorithmic suckhole, our museums changed, too. Once storehouses of modern history, they became just another venue in an attention economy. @nyt goes hard for todays Tate Modern www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/a...nytimes.comTate Modern Is the Museum of the Century (Like It or Not) 010
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 18/04/2025“Even when it’s politically diverse, social media … creates echo chambers. If Bluesky wants to remain relevant, it will have to evolve beyond its relatively monocultural milieu.” @chaykak.bsky.social details 🦋 origins, leadership, and future for @newyorker.com www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...newyorker.comBluesky’s Quest to Build Nontoxic Social MediaX and Facebook are governed by the policies of mercurial billionaires. Bluesky’s C.E.O., Jay Graber, says that she wants to give power back to the user. 1123
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 05/04/2025Companies sold the idea that we could self-correct through consumption, making brands our moral agents of societal change. Will a return to ‘simpler’ #marketing strategies create space for the more authentic & durable activism required in this moment? www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...theguardian.comMarketing’s ‘woke’ rebrand has ultimately helped the far right | Eugene HealeyOur industry must reckon with how we’ve trivialised activism by turning it into comms strategy – only to abandon it, says brand strategy consultant Eugene Healey 000
Reposted by NiallNikola Goger @nikolagoger.bsky.social · 04/04/2025We are looking for several Senior Service Designers for teams working on super interesting things all across the Ministry of Justice! Please share with your network! Closing date: 21/04/2025 www.jobtrain.co.uk/justicedigit...jobtrain.co.ukSenior Service Designer:National 001
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 04/04/2025When I moved to NYC in 2006 I relied on the subway map to navigate & learn the city. Long before Google Maps was a thing! Yet I always loved Vignelli’s map for its boldness & clarity, despite its topographical unhelpfulness. Cool to see its roots in the ‘25 update! www.nytimes.com/2025/04/02/n...nytimes.comThe Retro NYC Subway Map Design Nerds Love Makes a Comeback (Gift Article)The redesigned map of the New York City system, the first to be introduced in nearly half a century, is reminiscent of a version from the 1970s that was reviled by many traditionalists. 020
Reposted by NiallCaius Nocturne 🌿🌙 @nocturne.works · 08/11/2024During these times, you may want to consider divesting from US-located digital services and products to ones based in the EU. Here's a website that might help you. european-alternatives.eueuropean-alternatives.euHomepage | European AlternativesWe help you find European alternatives for digital service and products, like cloud services and SaaS products. 44928
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 15/02/2025Even the tiny subset of viewers who know anything about fonts will think it’s Helvetica. The fact that it should be, but isn’t quite, seeps through to the audience and adds to the shows weirdness… Enjoy this #severance titles art deep-dive #typography nerds! www.artofthetitle.com/title/severa...artofthetitle.comSeveranceLearn how Emmy winners Oliver Latta (aka extraweg) and Teddy Blanks created the opening titles for the Apple TV+ series Severance 030
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 28/01/2025CMOs future role… “will be an architect of customer experiences, a champion for marketing tech & ethical AI, and a catalyst for societal change.” Agree with Aquents Simon Lusty on #marketing’s opportunity, esp via consumer-centricity powered by insights & content tech. aquent.com/blog/redefin...aquent.comRedefining the CMO role for better business results. | AquentEnterprises require CMOs to be data-driven to hold C-Suite status. Discover the skills needed to adapt, including data fluency, tech-savviness, and more. 040
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 22/01/2025“The future of design leadership is not to aspire to ever-higher executive roles, ruling over a vast UX empire. Rather, embrace the “Founder Mode” concept of hands-on and vision-based leadership of small and highly effective design teams.” Seems on point; WDYT? www.uxtigers.com/post/founder...uxtigers.comDesign Leaders Should Go “Founder Mode”The future of design leadership is not to aspire to ever-higher executive roles, ruling over a vast UX department. Rather, embrace the “Founder Mode” concept of hands-on and vision-based leadership of... 040
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 22/01/2025Very helpful overview of (some of) the great design talent + leaders active on Bluesky. Let’s build the supportive, inspiring, thought-provoking community we all need right now! Thanks for putting this together @jonas.do 🙌 011
Reposted by NiallJason Beaird @jasongraphix.com · 15/01/2025This is the best analysis I've seen of the current UX job market. @jmspool.bsky.social's latest is a must-read for anyone in the UX industry, not just those currently job hunting.articles.centercentre.comWhy is the UX Job Market Such a Mess Right Now? — A Comprehensive ExplanationEvery day, I talk with people struggling to find a UX design, research, or content job. The UX job market has never been this difficult to navigate. Even seasoned, talented UX professionals are str... 161
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 13/01/2025Long read but very interesting walk through of the relationships between developers, communities, and buyers considerations that drive #architecture design decisions for modern skyscrapers. Interesting parallels to current software development & design landscape too imo. 010
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 13/01/2025Handy overview of the best conferences for designers working #AI or #conversationdesign in 2025. What conferences are you looking forward to this year? Especially for designers or leaders based in Europe :) uxplanet.org/2025-list-of...uxplanet.org2025 List of UX + AI Design ConferencesThe best conferences for AI designers 000
Reposted by NiallJames Kirkham @spoonybear.bsky.social · 10/01/2025“F1 is having its streetwear moment, just as Adidas perfected the art of turning performance gear into cultural currency..” www.linkedin.com/pulse/inked-...linkedin.comINKED IN & ICONIC : A weekly what’s upThat Adi Merc Merch Some partnerships just feel right before they even begin. With Adidas moving into F1, we can expect the pit wall to start influencing the catwalk. 011
Reposted by NiallMariusz @mariusz.cc · 10/01/2025We need to stop trying to do everything ourselves and instead focus on empowering others across the organization to improve the user experience. In other words, we need to become true leaders rather than just practitioners.buff.lyThe Design Leader Dilemma — Smashing MagazineDesign leaders are expected to deliver the impossible. Instead of trying, we need to redefine our role from implementor to enabler. 011
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 09/01/2025Lots of very useful tools to try out here via @kaplich.me 🙌 011
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 07/01/2025New year, new projects & plans! This time will be different — this time I’ll finally create a proper #stakeholdermap to guide my strategies! Snag; adidas has 1000s of people — do you have some tips for creating an actionable stakeholder map more effectively?? My go-to base map here for reference ☺️ 030
Reposted by NiallJames Kirkham @spoonybear.bsky.social · 07/01/2025“we’ve been witnessing the death of the campaign and the birth of the cultural moment. Traditional advertising is entertainment’s understudy, while brands are learning merely to be protagonists in culture stories.” digiday.com/marketing/cu...digiday.comCultural relevance is big business as marketing and entertainment collide — and M&A is cashing inNowhere is this crossover sharper than in the creator economy, where marketing and entertainment collide. 002
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 06/01/2025Not something I’ll claim to be good at (yet!), but a worthwhile intent to start the new year by manifesting a more positive & constructive outlook on the possibilities that lie ahead of us. www.adidas.com/us/blog/9519... 010
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 05/01/2025Getting ready to go ‘back to school’ tomorrow after lovely & much-needed two weeks vacation. Enjoyed a week in Amsterdam & another in Limerick; reconnecting with family over nice food, warm fires, and activities with the kids. Lucky me. Hope you’re similarly recharged for the year ahead? 100
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 22/12/2024We wrestle with a pervasive sense of despair about techs ability to solve our problems. Social media brought loneliness instead of connection. AI brought job risk instead of ease. We lost the optimism for a brighter tomorrow that fueled #Googie. Will we get it back? www.nytimes.com/2024/12/21/r...nytimes.comThe Fight to Save Googie, the Style of Postwar Optimism (Gift Article)The car-centric architectural style, characterized by neon signs and dramatic rooflines, is now endangered. Its admirers mourn the loss of the ideals it represented. 010
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 15/12/2024Well written, albeit somewhat depressing piece by @alex_shephard here on what the awarding of the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia really means. TLDR; mega-money trumps inclusion, human rights, and actual football quality every time. newrepublic.com/article/1893... via @newrepublic.comnewrepublic.comThe Saudi World Cup Is International Soccer’s Greatest DisgraceThe decision to reward the corrupt regime with the honor of hosting the cherished tournament is one more instance of the sport’s recent slide into shame. 020
Reposted by NiallMartin Jordan @martinjordan.com · 14/12/2024Maybe there should be one place to make user-centred design roles in the German public sector visible. I’ve made the first simple version: verwaltungsgestaltung.de#positionen Please let people interested in #GovDesign know! 183
Reposted by NiallWolf Brüning 💙 Design Systems @wolfbruening.de · 11/12/2024"I’ve noticed my students tend to use the term 'design thinking' as a synonym for UX/Digital Product Design. This is a dangerous smallification of design and a source of shoddy work." @cwodtke.bsky.social writes about Design's unsexy yet important middle bits: cwodtke.medium.com/designs-unse...cwodtke.medium.comDesign’s Unsexy Middle BitsWhile Design Thinking gets all the attention, it is not the same as (Digital) Product Design. 132
Reposted by Niallnicolasnova @nicolasnova.bsky.social · 10/12/2024“how did links come to represent information in the first place? And what’s at stake in the movement away from links toward AI chat interfaces?” aeon.co/essays/when-...aeon.coWhen AI summaries replace hyperlinks, thought itself is flattened | Aeon EssaysIn creating anonymous summaries, AI flattens out all the fascinating architecture of thought that makes the internet hum 172
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 10/12/2024Had a nice catchup with Oleg from Noomo Agency (LA) yesterday, who shared their latest bit of magic — a customisable #AI powered immersive experience. We discussed how this approach can enhance event/fashion/etc activations, connecting brands with new audiences. Try it out! beat.noomoagency.combeat.noomoagency.comNoomo Beat — Personalized AI Audiovisual Experience.Noomo Beat is an immersive 3D microsite offering personalized AI music and dynamic visuals for brand activation. Customize your experience and explore interactive storytelling. 110
Reposted by NiallJA Westenberg @joanwestenberg.com · 08/12/2024We’ve turned ‘networking’ into digital hoarding—collecting connections that mean nothing. But social capital isn’t financial capital—it doesn’t scale infinitely. Trying to maintain too many connections dilutes value. www.joanwestenberg.com/why-your-soc...joanwestenberg.comWhy Your Social Capital is Probably WorthlessIn 1973, sociologist Mark Granovetter published one of the most influential papers in social network theory. "The Strength of Weak Ties" demonstrated something counterintuitive: when it comes to findi... 5309
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 08/12/2024We let our minds get stuck in mechanical routines like memory & knowledge-crunching. This will be easily copied & replaced by machines. So, the question isn’t if #AI will develop humanlike minds — it’s if we are slipping into machinelike minds ourselves. We’re being challenged. Are we up to it? 000
Reposted by NiallMartin Jordan @martinjordan.com · 06/12/2024Join us in April for the International #GovDesign conference in Amsterdam from April 9–11. The call for submissions remains open until December 15. international.gebruikercentraal.nl/conference20...international.gebruikercentraal.nlUser Needs First International Conference 2025 - User Needs FirstAmsterdam, the Netherlands - April 9, 10, 11. For anyone working on better government services. Here's all you need to know. 01412
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 04/12/2024Without context of project goals & constraints etc, this seems a missed opportunity to elevate craft at global level. Reasonable imo that EVERY govt dept doesn’t have budget+expertise to create & maintain own sub-sections; surely creating an AI x custom modular toolkit would be stronger solution? 000
Reposted by NiallHypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 03/12/2024Quality long read. One of the many takeaways is that these companies are often lead by people who are in no way equipped to deal with the social and ethical ramifications of their products.theverge.comWhat do you love when you fall for AI?Inside the surprisingly meaningful, unexpectedly heartbreaking, and deeply confusing reality of AI relationships. 710122
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 02/12/2024This long read is worth your time & thought. How might we learn from ecologists approaches to preservation by ‘rewilding the internet’ in a sustainable way. Not just the surface layer, but also looking to the soil: the complex underlying infrastructure connecting & powering our every interaction. 110
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 28/11/2024This looks like a really interesting program (for anyone able to be in Helsinki for 2 yrs). Learn the techniques & tools to design for sustainability. Or alternatively to build organizations or tech for #sustainability if that’s a better pivot for you. 020
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 26/11/2024Always helpful to listen to people who know what they’re talking about. Such as @kelseyhightower.com with @annodea.com outlining why novel tech alone will not be enough to create the experiences many come here craving. Same as seen with sports/style products & events. Let’s get to work! 1362
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 24/11/2024If you’re interested in connecting with me more deeply, I love mentoring people through the ADPL platform. Whether looking to improve your impact & career growth as a practitioner, or think through leadership challenges with another perspective, I’m always up for a chat 😊 adplist.org/mentors/nial...adplist.orgGet mentored by Niall O'Kelly on ADPListPart of adidas global (digital) experience design leadership, based in Amsterdam (NL). Spent past ~8 years building our practice + leading product design for ecomm. Currently leading global design for... 030
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 23/11/2024Spent some time this evening scouring search results for ‘design + [European country]’ — building this collection representing the diversity of experiences & expertise on this side of the pond. Pls share if valuable, suggest others to add (inc you!), or msg to be removed 💚 bsky.app/profile/did:... 194
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 22/11/2024Curious if any of you have worked with NN/Gs ‘CASTLE’ framework to measure experience performance for enterprise workflows & platforms design? We track several of the dimensions quite closely within our product & ops teams; interested in adoption/success elsewhere. www.nngroup.com/articles/cas...nngroup.comCASTLE Framework for Workplace Applications UXThe HEART framework is great for B2C products but is lacking for workplace applications where users cannot choose the product. CASTLE offers a complementary assessment framework for UX that focuses on... 020
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 19/11/2024Reposting this as much to ensure I don’t lose track of it as to help others find this rich design community quickly! #designsky 010
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 19/11/2024Learning more about the decentralised core of Bluesky; feels like a meaningful evolution of users relationship with platforms. And in turn, with the wider web & brands. So, in this version of our digital world, how do you think personalised storytelling might evolve? #FutureOfStorytelling 110
Niall @niallokelly.bsky.social · 18/11/2024I guess I’m on Bluesky now! Feels so strange to have a ‘new’ platform to visit & share from. Got out of prev posting habits when Twitter got sold. Good chance now to scrape off the rustiness, and think through which types of thoughts are best to share here. WIP or fully cooked? 250