How to f*ck up your project as a UI Designer ?

With Dorian Delorme, former UI/UX Designer at BearStudio, I presented a topic I believe is essential for most UI designers: “How do you fail your project at more than one level?”. “F*ck up a project” doesn’t just mean a bad interface, it means wasted time, lost money, and frustrated users. These lines will help you avoid those traps by making smarter design choices.

Choose your tools wisely

Pick the right tool for the job. Many fail because they start wireframing in software not meant for it. Since 2022, countless tools have made it easier to present clear layouts to clients. Today Figma leads the race, maybe not tomorrow. Choose tools that evolve and match your workflow.
What matters most? A reusable component system, intuitive positioning, cloud access, and real-time collaboration. Components save hours of repetitive updates, grids replace pixel pushing, and online access mimics Git-like versioning. Collaboration keeps teams aligned.

Consistency above all

Use components, colors, and text styles consistently. When the main instance changes, everything updates. That’s how you keep a design alive as projects evolve. Fonts follow the same rule: use properly licensed, web-safe typefaces with full glyph sets.

Design patterns and user habits

Don’t reinvent the wheel. Existing design patterns exist because they work. Changing them might feel creative, but it forces users to relearn what they already know. Be ready for the consequences of “originality”.
Position components where people expect them. Misplaced buttons or menus frustrate users faster than bad colors. Speaking of colors: red means error, green means success, and orange warns. Avoid using red as your main brand color: confusion guaranteed.
Spacing and alignment matter too. Crowded layouts look messy and unfinished. Well-structured spacing gives clarity and confidence.

Mobile first, no excuses

Everyone says “mobile first”, few actually do it. Stop waiting for clients to “picture it” or assuming devs will fix it later. They won’t. Start with mobile. Period.

Work with, not against, developers

Don’t design what your dev team can’t build. Unrealistic UI and 3D effects might sell a dream, but they’ll kill deadlines and budgets. Involve developers early, balance ambition with feasibility, and avoid disappointing both the client and the developers.

Test early, test often

Fake data beats lorem ipsum. Use AI or real samples to test layouts under realistic conditions. Prototype, simulate navigation, and review results before writing a single line of production code. During development, test again: confirm the implementation matches the intent.
Most importantly: you are the first user of your product. If you haven’t tested edge cases, you’re not done. Never deliver untested work.

In the end

Design isn’t just about creating beautiful mockups, it’s about thinking beyond them. Today, designers and developers share more ground than ever, and many challenges already have known solutions. Like an API contract, a shared “design-dev contract” is emerging, built on communication and mutual understanding. Collaboration, not separation, is what makes a project succeed.