My Favorite Things of 2025 (UX Edition)

As the end of 2025 draws near, I wanted to share a few of the things that shaped my thinking, challenged my assumptions, and helped me grow professionally this year. These podcasts, newsletters, books, tools, and conferences kept me learning, questioning, and connecting dots across strategy, research, and technology.

🎧 Podcasts

Design Better - Thoughtful conversations at the intersection of design, technology, and the creative process

The Librarian Linkover - Showcasing how skills from traditional LIS education and backgrounds can be applied far beyond traditional library settings

The Nielsen Norman Group UX Podcast - Expert interviews on design, research, and strategy, often from a philosophical perspective

📰 Newsletters

UX Collective - A weekly must-read that helps me think more critically about design and the impact of our work

The Rundown AI - A snapshot of what’s happening in AI, including practical applications to your work (thanks Kira Litvin for sharing this resource!)

📚 Books

Empire of AI by Karen Hao - This title gave me a clearer view of the social and ethical dimensions of AI, which has helped me think more critically about designing responsible, user-aware experiences in emerging tech

Reimagining Design by Kevin Bethune (foreword by John Maeda) - I've learned so much from Bethune's ability to balance his corporate and engineering knowledge with design and recommend this title to readers from entry to senior-level positions

Service Design: From Insight to Implementation by Lavrans Løvlie, Andy Polaine, and Ben Reason (foreword by Jeff Gothelf) - I purchased the updated edition of this classic when it was released earlier this year and have enjoyed diving into the new case studies that demonstrate the value of service design

🛠️ Tools

Asana - Great for cross-team collaboration (and yes, every time I mark a task as complete the little celebration graphics still make me smile)

Figma - Essential for organizing research, mapping ideas, and collaborating with colleagues on new processes (this tool became essential as I iterated on sitemaps this year)

Helio - An online research tool with beautiful, built-in data visualizations that make insights easier to share (another essential tool for me)

🎤 Conferences

Future Product Days (Copenhagen) - Two days packed with thoughtful talks on design, engineering, UX, AI, and product leadership (shoutout to old friends Casey Harmon and new connections John Haggerty who helped make this event memorable!)

UXinsight Festival (I attended online) - A collaborative, one-day learning experience bringing UX researchers from all backgrounds together

Thank you to the many people, ideas, and conversations that made 2025 such a meaningful year of growth. If you’re planning your 2026 professional development, I highly recommend checking these out!

Tell me in the comments, what were your favorite UX resources or experiences this year? 👀 I'd love to integrate your recommendations into 2026.