A round-up of design links shared in July

Knowledge is power, especially when shared. This is a core value we uphold here at Clearleft, promoting a culture of learning and sharing. An example of this is our curated links newsletters...

Each month, we carefully curate a collection of links for our Clearleft, UX London and Leading Design subscribers featuring the latest articles, insights, tools and masterful creations from the wonderful, ever-evolving world of design.

Whether you are a design enthusiast, a professional in the industry, or just someone who appreciates the beauty and impact of great design, we are confident that you will find something new, inspiring and thought-provoking in each edition of our newsletter designed to make your life that little bit easier.

Each month, I’ll be posting nine of our most clicked links from each newsletter (three from each) in a monthly round-up blog for your consumption. There’ll sometimes be a tenth link and it’ll likely be something that we’ve accomplished in the agency that we’re super proud of, or letting you know when a sale is ending for one of our events. We promise to keep this to a minimum. You’ll likely be sick of our puns before anything else.

First up, the top three links from Clearleft’s curated links newsletter for July.

Let’s dive in…

Manifesto for a humane web...

A floral-themed design with the text 'Manifesto for a Humane Web' in bold letters, surrounded by intricate line-drawn flowers and leaves.

Do we need a web by and for humans?

6-minute read

Takeaways from Config 2024: Impacts on design systems, storytelling and accessibility...

Abstract graphic design featuring colourful geometric shapes and distorted text resembling 'Config 24' on a black background.

Forrester's article on Config 2024 highlights new AI features, storytelling, Figma slides and the importance of creating accessible designs.

3-minute read

What you can learn from open-source design systems...

Illustration featuring a computer screen displaying design systems with various icons and text bubbles around it, titled 'What You Can Learn From Open-Source Design Systems.'

Learn from over 100 published design systems...

2-minute read


Next up, your top three links from UX London Curated Links for July, a collection of links for UX professionals.

The UX reflex theory: lessons from Apple’s search bar experiment...

Two hands holding iPhone 15 Pro models, one in a light color and the other in a dark color, both with a wavy textured wallpaper on the screens.

Barsha Maharjan's article on UX reflex theory examines how Apple's relocation of the Safari search bar to the bottom in iOS 15 disrupted user habits. It underscores the significance of maintaining consistency in UX design to match users' learnt behaviours to reduce confusion.

5-minute read

Content strategy vs. UX writing...

A comparison graphic titled 'Content Strategy vs. UX Writing,' illustrating the differences between content strategy processes and UX writing tasks.

Content strategy focuses on content-related processes, while UX writing shapes user experiences through text. The two disciplines work in harmony.

5-minute read

Designer's maturity model...

A hierarchical pyramid chart displaying various leadership roles from 'Creators' at the base to 'Visionary' at the top, each with corresponding descriptions.

This article explores a framework known as the designer's maturity model that outlines the stages of growth for UX designers. The model is intended to guide designers in assessing their own progress and pinpointing opportunities for advancement.

2-minute read


Moving on to your top three links from last month’s Leading Design curated links newsletter for design leaders.

Navigating design leadership at high-growth companies: An interview with Alastair Simpson, VP of Design at Dropbox...

A person with short hair smiling, positioned inside a circular frame with a dark background and minimal circular designs.

Although we typically avoid sharing older links, we stumbled upon this interview with Alastair Simpson only increasing our anticipation for his talk - Building a Culture of Craft at Leading Design London 2024.

In this feature, Alastair lifts the lid on what it takes to scale products and teams successfully.

8-minute read

Open-source design leadership...

A warmly lit sign in a window surrounded by plants that reads 'We're Open' in bold, hand-painted letters.

How can you use the principles of open-source technology to become a better design leader?

5-minute read

Fill your cup first...

A man with glasses and a beard standing in front of a red background with bold text that reads 'Coaching Reflections: Servant Leadership or Burnout Martyrdom?'

In a thought-provoking exploration, Andy Polaine critiques popular leadership paradigms and offers a compelling alternative, encouraging viewers to reconsider traditional approaches in favour of a fresh perspective.

How would rethinking the balance between serving others and prioritising your own well-being transform your approach to leadership?

5-minute watch


Finally, from us…

Group coaching for experienced design leaders...

Two women seated at a desk in an office setting, engaged in a discussion with a laptop open in front of them, with the 'Leading Design Online Coaching' logo in the corner.

Join our exclusive 10-week group coaching programme for mid-to-senior design leaders, led by Julia Whitney, former Executive Creative Director at the BBC. Elevate your leadership skills while learning alongside your peers.

With the Autumn 2024 cohort starting on September 17, don't miss your chance to secure your spot - time is running out!

Secure your place now

Before you go...

The links in this blog are snippets of longer versions, if you would like to subscribe to any of our newsletters exclusively and be the first to receive the full version of any of our curated links newsletters, you can sign up here for Clearleft, here for UX London and here for Leading Design.