Digital media magazine for designers and developers
Web design plus tips and tricks.
Human Strategy In An AI-Accelerated Workflow
6 March 2026 @ 8:00 am
UX design is entering a new phase, with designers shifting from makers of outputs to directors of intent. AI can now generate wireframes, prototypes, and even design systems in minutes, but UX has never been only about creating interfaces. It’s about navigating ambiguity, advocating for humans in systems optimised for efficiency, and solving their problems through thoughtful design.
Now Shipping: Accessible UX Research, A New Smashing Book By Michele Williams
3 March 2026 @ 3:00 pm
Our newest Smashing Book, “Accessible UX Research” by Michele Williams, is finally shipping worldwide — and we couldn’t be happier! This book is about research, but you’ll also learn about assistive technology, different types of disability, and how to build accessibility into the entire design process. This thoughtful book will get you thinking about ways to make your UX research more inclusive and thorough, no matter your budget or timeline. Jump to the book details or order your copy now.
Getting Started With The Popover API
2 March 2026 @ 10:00 am
What happens if you rebuild a single tooltip using the browser’s native model without the aid of a library? The Popover API turns tooltips from something you simulate into something the browser actually understands. Opening and closing, keyboard interaction, Escape handling, and much of the accessibility now come from the platform itself, not from ad-hoc JavaScript.
Fresh Energy In March (2026 Wallpapers Edition)
28 February 2026 @ 9:00 am
Do you need a little inspiration boost? Well, then our new batch of desktop wallpapers is for you. Designed by the community for the community, the wallpapers in this collection are the perfect opportunity to get your desktop ready for spring — and, who knows, maybe they’ll spark some new ideas, too. Enjoy!
Say Cheese! Meet SmashingConf Amsterdam 🇳🇱
26 February 2026 @ 11:00 am
Meet our brand new conference for designers and UI engineers who love the web. That’s [SmashingConf Amsterdam](https://smashingconf.com/amsterdam-2026), taking place in the legendary Pathé Tuschinski, on April 13–16, 2026.
A Designer’s Guide To Eco-Friendly Interfaces
23 February 2026 @ 10:00 am
Every high-resolution hero image, autoplay video, and complex JavaScript animation carries a cost. Sustainable UX challenges the era of “unlimited pixels” and reframes performance as responsibility. In 2026, truly sophisticated design is defined not by how much it adds, but by how thoughtfully it reduces its footprint.
Designing A Streak System: The UX And Psychology Of Streaks
18 February 2026 @ 3:00 pm
What makes streaks so powerful and addictive? To design them well, you need to understand how they align with human psychology. Victor Ayomipo breaks down the UX and design principles behind effective streak systems.
Building Digital Trust: An Empathy-Centred UX Framework For Mental Health Apps
13 February 2026 @ 3:00 pm
Designing for mental health means designing for vulnerability. Empathy-Centred UX becomes not a “nice to have” but a fundamental design requirement. Here’s a practical framework for building trust-first mental health products.
Designing For Agentic AI: Practical UX Patterns For Control, Consent, And Accountability
11 February 2026 @ 1:00 pm
Autonomy is an output of a technical system. Trustworthiness is an output of a design process. Here are concrete design patterns, operational frameworks, and organizational practices for building agentic systems that are not only powerful but also transparent, controllable, and trustworthy.
CSS <code>@scope</code>: An Alternative To Naming Conventions And Heavy Abstractions
5 February 2026 @ 8:00 am
Prescriptive class name conventions are no longer enough to keep CSS maintainable in a world of increasingly complex interfaces. Can the new `@scope` rule finally give developers the confidence to write CSS that can keep up with modern front ends?