The UX design industry is facing unprecedented challenges. If you've been affected by recent tech layoffs or are worried about job security in user experience roles, you're not alone. This conversation with experienced UX professionals reveals the reality of today's design landscape and offers practical guidance for moving forward.
Designers, product managers, Scrum masters, and other professionals are experiencing widespread layoffs across the tech industry. What makes this wave different is its universal nature—it's affecting everyone from junior designers to principal-level experts and middle management alike.
The pattern emerging from companies like Google, Meta, and countless startups shows a calculated shift in how organizations view UX design roles. Several factors are driving these changes:
Cost-cutting measures are forcing companies to eliminate positions that were once considered essential. Organizations are restructuring teams, often replacing experienced local talent with offshore resources or attempting to automate design processes.
AI and automation are being positioned as potential replacements for human designers. Leadership teams are actively exploring how artificial intelligence could handle tasks traditionally performed by UX designers, researchers, and product managers.
Misalignment of business priorities has led some companies to deprioritize user experience in favor of short-term cost savings, even when it means sacrificing quality and efficiency.
The pattern emerging from companies like Google, Meta, and countless startups shows a calculated shift in how organizations view UX design roles. Several factors are driving these changes:
Cost-cutting measures are forcing companies to eliminate positions that were once considered essential. Organizations are restructuring teams, often replacing experienced local talent with offshore resources or attempting to automate design processes.
AI and automation are being positioned as potential replacements for human designers. Leadership teams are actively exploring how artificial intelligence could handle tasks traditionally performed by UX designers, researchers, and product managers.
Misalignment of business priorities has led some companies to deprioritize user experience in favor of short-term cost savings, even when it means sacrificing quality and efficiency.
Understanding how to navigate today's UX job market starts with recognizing how the field has evolved. The path from traditional graphic design to modern user experience design mirrors the industry's transformation.
Many successful UX professionals started as graphic designers, working on print materials like brochures, maps, and festival posters. The pivot to digital began in the late 2000s when companies shifted from printed materials to interactive PDFs and web-based products.
This transition marked a fundamental change—products were no longer static designs but dynamic digital experiences accessible via CD-ROM or the cloud. Designers who recognized this shift early positioned themselves for success by learning about user experience, web design, and digital product development.
Working in corporate environments taught valuable lessons about large-scale design systems:
These experiences built skills in user research, stakeholder interviewing, data-backed design decisions, and cross-functional collaboration—capabilities that remain crucial today.
For many experienced professionals, recent layoffs represented their first time being let go. The surprise isn't just personal—entire high-performing teams have been dismantled seemingly overnight.
One designer's story illustrates the sudden nature of these changes: After stepping up to cover additional responsibilities as both a product owner for e-commerce and CRM systems, they received an email in August announcing "organizational change"—code for position elimination.
Within weeks of that initial layoff, the pattern continued:
The entire cohesive, high-performing agile team was dismantled, despite consistently meeting deadlines and receiving strong reviews. New hires from other regions appeared in meetings without proper introduction or knowledge transfer, setting the stage for operational difficulties.
What became clear was that these weren't reactive cost-cutting measures. Leadership had been asked to explore how artificial intelligence and automation could replace roles or refine processes to justify further cuts. This represented a calculated workforce transformation, planned at the highest levels.
Understanding how to navigate today's UX job market starts with recognizing how the field has evolved. The path from traditional graphic design to modern user experience design mirrors the industry's transformation.
Many successful UX professionals started as graphic designers, working on print materials like brochures, maps, and festival posters. The pivot to digital began in the late 2000s when companies shifted from printed materials to interactive PDFs and web-based products.
This transition marked a fundamental change—products were no longer static designs but dynamic digital experiences accessible via CD-ROM or the cloud. Designers who recognized this shift early positioned themselves for success by learning about user experience, web design, and digital product development.
Working in corporate environments taught valuable lessons about large-scale design systems:
These experiences built skills in user research, stakeholder interviewing, data-backed design decisions, and cross-functional collaboration—capabilities that remain crucial today.
For many experienced professionals, recent layoffs represented their first time being let go. The surprise isn't just personal—entire high-performing teams have been dismantled seemingly overnight.
One designer's story illustrates the sudden nature of these changes: After stepping up to cover additional responsibilities as both a product owner for e-commerce and CRM systems, they received an email in August announcing "organizational change"—code for position elimination.
Within weeks of that initial layoff, the pattern continued:
The entire cohesive, high-performing agile team was dismantled, despite consistently meeting deadlines and receiving strong reviews. New hires from other regions appeared in meetings without proper introduction or knowledge transfer, setting the stage for operational difficulties.
What became clear was that these weren't reactive cost-cutting measures. Leadership had been asked to explore how artificial intelligence and automation could replace roles or refine processes to justify further cuts. This represented a calculated workforce transformation, planned at the highest levels.
Since he personally has no time or social media experience to curate an online presence for it, EVE has helped to start the foundation for an online following onInstagram and Facebook to reach customers Faraj would previously have missed out on.
It is important to recognize that social media marketing is becoming the new norm. While the start up of a social media strategy can be overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be.
While you focus on your passion of running your business, EVE is here to focus on our passion of helping you navigate the social media world and digital business.
Since he personally has no time or social media experience to curate an online presence for it, EVE has helped to start the foundation for an online following onInstagram and Facebook to reach customers Faraj would previously have missed out on.
It is important to recognize that social media marketing is becoming the new norm. While the start up of a social media strategy can be overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be.
While you focus on your passion of running your business, EVE is here to focus on our passion of helping you navigate the social media world and digital business.
Despite concerning trends, there's reason for optimism. The notion that AI will eliminate the need for UX designers ignores fundamental truths about human behavior and needs.
As UX thought leaders point out, the idea that a single chatbot or voice assistant will replace well-designed interfaces is shortsighted. Even AI systems require thoughtful user interfaces to function effectively. Artificial intelligence needs an operating system, visual design, and intuitive interactions.
The future isn't "AI versus UI"—it's AI-augmented UI. This means UX designers who can integrate AI capabilities into human-centered experiences will be more valuable than ever.
The design process fundamentals haven't changed:
These skills are still relevant—perhaps more than ever—as products become increasingly complex and users demand better experiences.
Organizations like Never Search Alone provide networking and support for professionals navigating career transitions. These communities reveal that you're not alone—designers, product managers, and technical leaders across all experience levels are facing similar challenges.
Staying connected with former colleagues and industry peers provides valuable support. Many professionals find that their strongest opportunities come through personal connections rather than traditional job applications.
When team members reconnect after layoffs, they often discover shared experiences and can provide mutual support, references, and leads on new opportunities.
Ensure your work showcases measurable business impact, not just visual design. Highlight projects where you:
Consider learning complementary skills that make you more versatile:
Create case studies that demonstrate your thinking, not just final deliverables. Show how you:
Join UX communities, attend virtual events, and participate in design challenges. This keeps your skills sharp while expanding your professional network.
The current challenges in UX employment also represent opportunities. There are significant gaps in how current platforms serve job seekers:
These gaps represent design problems—and UX professionals are uniquely positioned to solve them. Collaborative workshops bringing together designers, developers, and product managers could reimagine how we approach career transitions and talent matching.
If you've experienced a layoff or are concerned about job security, remember that this is a universal challenge affecting talented professionals across the industry. The skills you've developed—understanding users, solving problems, and creating meaningful experiences—remain valuable.
The path forward requires resilience, adaptation, and community. By staying connected with fellow professionals, continuing to develop your skills, and maintaining focus on user-centered design principles, you can navigate this challenging period and emerge stronger.
Whether you're building a product, redesigning your website, or need strategic UX guidance, Agency Eve specializes in creating user experiences that drive business results. Our team understands the current landscape and can help you build digital products that stand out.
Need help with your UX project? Let's connect - as experienced professionals who understand both user needs and business objectives, we'd love to learn how we can support your design needs.
This article is based on content from the UX MURDER MYSTERY podcast.
HOSTED BY: Brian J. Crowley & Eve Eden
EDITED BY: Kelsey Smith
INTRO ANIMATION & LOGO DESIGN: Brian J. Crowley
MUSIC BY: Nicolas Lee
A JOINT PRODUCTION OF EVE | User Experience Design Agency and CrowleyUX | Where Systems Meet Stories ©2025 Brian J. Crowley and Eve Eden
Email us at: questions@UXmurdermystery.com
EVE explains to clients that e-commerce is the future.
As product design consultants we're watching another tech hype cycle unfold—this time around AI-powered wearables. Google Glass failed. Apple Vision Pro is being discontinued. Yet companies keep pouring billions into smart glasses that users don't want.
Small businesses have always been an essential part of the U.S. and global economy.
EVE takes on a new client in Chicago, Illinois (IL) to establish their Customer Experience (CX).
In our technology-driven world where cars drive themselves, machines read X-rays and algorithms respond to customer service inquiries, the fear of being replaced by automation is an understandable concern of many.
