The Feed & The Thread

The Feed & The Thread - January 18, 2026

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This episode covers the rise of Authentic Experience (AuX) and how emotional design is becoming a key product differentiator. It also explores why Instagram's ad breaks feel worse than regular ads. Community highlights include discussions on mobile-first web design checklists, form field accessibility, and replacing paid subscriptions with free browser utilities. Plus, details on UX Camp Winter happening February 21st.

In This Episode

  • The emerging concept of Authentic Experience (AuX) and designing intelligence over interfaces
  • Emotional design and why feelings are becoming key features in UX
  • Why Instagram's ad breaks feel worse than regular ads
  • Community discussions on mobile-first design, form field accessibility, and productivity tools

    • Articles Mentioned

    • "The dawn of Authentic Experience (AuX)" by Darren Yeo (UX Design.cc)
    • "Feelings are the new features" by Vadym Grin (UX Design.cc)
    • "Why Instagram's ad breaks feel worse than ads" by Fabrizia Ausiello (UX Design.cc)
    • Also mentioned: New pieces from Nielsen Norman Group, CSS-Tricks, and UX Planet

      • Community Discussions

      • r/Design - Building a vector graphics viewer for mobile
      • r/UserExperience - Replacing paid subscriptions with free browser utilities (2025 stack)
      • r/web_design - No-excuses checklist for modern small business web design in 2026
      • r/Design - Form field types and email field accessibility

        • Announcement

        Chicago Camps is hosting UX Camp Winter on Saturday, February 21st. Get tickets at chicagocamps.org.

        About The Feed & The Thread

        The Feed & The Thread is a daily summary of UX articles found in the industry and some light-touch updates from the UX Community found in online forums. It’s brief, and meant as a light-touch overview of what’s happening across UX.

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        The Feed & The ThreadBy Chicago Camps