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Vitaly Friedman

Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Smashing Magazine; UX consultant and educator (Design Patterns for AI Interfaces)

SeniorLeads from the frontHybrid schoolAISystemsContentEducationResearch
He is teaching the practice how to design AI interfaces humanely — codifying the patterns for trust, transparency, and craft so designers level up with AI rather than get replaced by it.

Signature win. Built Smashing Magazine and the Smart Interface Design Patterns body of work into a global reference that has trained a generation of designers and developers.

The case

editorial · CCBEI · with sources
CraftTwo decades setting the craft bar via Smashing Magazine and 100+ Smart Interface Design Patterns; consults on clarity, accessibility, and conversion for orgs like the European Parliament, Zalando, and OTTO.9
CommunicationOne of the most legible voices in UX — books, checklists, conference curation, and live training that make design patterns teachable; clarity is literally his product.10
BusinessFrames UX around conversion, performance, and accessibility outcomes for mid-to-large enterprises; built durable revenue (Smashing) but his lever is craft/education more than P&L ownership.7
Education[Education recalibrated toward editorial baseline] Defining people-elevation case: courses, team licenses with certification, SmashingConf, and live UX training have reskilled a generation of designers worldwide.9
InnovationBuilding the emerging canon of AI interface design patterns (scaffolding, refinement, trust, orchestration) explicitly to make AI humane and empower designers — elevates the practice, doesn't shed it.8

Endorsed by peers

illustrative · opens with verified accounts
OverallI'd work for them111
CraftRaised my craft bar118
CommunicationMade the case for design131
BusinessMade design matter to the business92
EducationTaught me something I still use118
InnovationShowed me a new way to work105

Verified peers only — one tap with LinkedIn. Names stay private; we show role and industry. Bars are illustrative until the participation backend is live.

Stories

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