r/uidesign

**Hi Devs,

I am 16 years old, and for the past few months, I have been designing a custom operating system solo. My goal is to create an OS that completely hides the traditional Linux ecosystem under a completely modern, conceptual user interface, while running Windows (.exe) and Android (.apk) applications seamlessly out of the box.

The OS is built on an Arch Linux base, but features a custom-built desktop environment and window manager.

How it works under the hood:

• Windows (.exe) files are routed silently through a pre-configured Wine/Proton layer.
• Android (.apk) files run via a containerised Waydroid layer integrated at the kernel level.
• Both run in multi-window mode, meaning they look like native windows on the custom desktop.

Since I am currently building out the backend integration, I want to get early feedback from senior engineers on the visual direction.

I would love to get your thoughts on the architecture, the UI approach, and what technical hurdles I should prepare for next as a solo young developer.**

This one still sits with me.

We were deep into a project at Yellowchalk (A UI/UX Design Studio). Weeks of work behind us. Flows locked, screens polished, everything aligned. The kind where you finally feel like, yeah… this is going out clean.

Client was happy. Reviews were smooth. We were almost at the finish line.

Then he got married.

We didn’t think much of it at first. Few delays, slower replies… normal stuff. Then he comes back and says, “My wife had a look.”

Next call… everything changed.

She didn’t like it. Not one screen. Not one layout. Not even the direction.

It wasn’t feedback. It was a full reset. And here’s where it got real.

The deadline couldn’t move. Not even by a day.

They had a fixed date to launch. Not just a date… a specific time. The kind where a priest decides the exact moment something should begin. That was locked.

So we were sitting there… zero designs we could use, same deadline, and no room to negotiate time. For a bit, it felt like the ground just disappeared.

We had two options.

Fight for the old work. Or let it go and start again.

We let it go. Because it was the only way forward.

We went back to basics. No ego, no “but this was approved.” Just trying to understand what felt off to her, what she expected, what would make the product feel right to them.

Long nights. Constant revisions. A lot of “this doesn’t feel right yet.”

But slowly, it started coming together. Different from the first version. Softer. Clearer. More aligned. And somehow… better.

That deadline didn’t move. We shipped on time. On that exact day they wanted.

That project taught us something the hard way.

Design isn’t just about getting it right once.

It’s about being ready to throw it away… and still show up like it’s your first draft.

Two designs for the same Position Health View showing your strategy P&L, risk, and legs. Imagine you just opened your app, the market is moving, and you have 5-10 seconds to decide, which helps you better.

Which one lets you decide faster? Be brutal.

(The orb is animated i just couldn’t attach a video here)

I just finished designing the App Store screenshots for my game Brainify: Cross Math Puzzle

Trying to see if they are clear enough and actually "catchy".

Would you download this or just keep scrolling? Any feedback is appreciated!

Hey r/Samples 👋

I'm a UX researcher running a small study on an AI mobile app and looking for a few extra eyes. Trying to understand how people make sense of the experience — that's about all I can say without biasing the responses 🙃

Prototype Test (~6 min): No install needed. Just click through some screens on your phone or laptop and answer a few short questions. → https://t.maze.co/531293200

No compensation, no email signup, no marketing. Anonymous. You can stop anytime. I'll come back and share what we learned once the study closes if anyone's curious.

Thanks 🙏

I turned Notebook LM into a pocket guide for accessibility rules when I’m knee-deep in design and don’t want to hunt through documentation. Sharing because it’s saved me time and might help if you also get pulled into technical a11y questions.

Why it works:

• Fast answers: the model pulls the clause for you and cites the source so you can verify or dive deeper.
• Saves brain space: I don’t have to memorize tiny, nitty-gritty rules (touch targets, text style overrides, zoom reflows, etc).
• Keeps momentum: small accessibility checks don’t derail my workflow.

Quick context:

• I’m the de‑facto accessibility person at my org. Designers and devs come to me with technical questions.
• That pulls me away from design. Notebook LM gets me to an answer faster so I can get back to work.
• I shared the Notebook with coworkers. They still come to me with questions, but the tool helped me evangelize accessibility and saves me time.
• Important caveat: This isn’t a shortcut around learning accessibility. You still need to know what to ask and verify the answers.

Some sources I rely on:

• W3C - especially “How to Meet WCAG (Quick Reference)” (great single-page source for NotebookLM’s source limits)
• DesignSystem.digital.gov
• Penn State Accessibility
• WebAIM

Anyone else using NotebookLM? Would love to hear about how you're using it and what sources you're using.