Discover the unique user experience path that Jon Yablonski, Senior Product Designer at Mixpanel, followed in this third episode of Season 4. In this episode, Jon Yablonski shares how understanding human behavior and psychology can help UX designers create more meaningful, effective products. He also explores how curiosity, continuous learning, and embracing AI as a partner can help designers adapt and grow in a rapidly changing field.
One part of our conversation really stood out to me. It was his advice for anyone interested in user experience. They may seem like simple ideas, but they can shape your entire career.
1. Write
Write about what you’re learning and working on. Reflection strengthens your understanding and communication skills.
2. Build and explore
Work on side projects. Scratch that creative itch.
3. Stay curious
Never assume you know everything. Approach everything with a learning mindset.
Transcript
All right, everyone—welcome to another episode of UX Pathways. I have the pleasure of being joined today by Jon Yablonski.
Jon, how are you?
I’m excellent. Thank you, Marc.
Great to hear. You’ve had a very impressive career—I’ve read your book and know you’ve done a lot of great work. Could you tell our audience about your current role and a bit about your journey?
Yeah, absolutely. I’m a Senior Product Designer at a SaaS company called Mixpanel. We focus on product analytics—helping teams understand how users interact with their products. It’s all about monitoring behavior, learning from data, and then iterating to improve the experience.
So it’s a lot of data, fast iteration, listening to customers, and shipping updates that keep users happy.
My journey has been a bit winding—and I’m proud of that. I started as a graphic designer and got into digital pretty early with the rise of the iPhone and mobile web. That was an exciting time.
I began building websites and mobile apps, and over time, I naturally shifted from making things look good to making things work well. That transition led me into UX. Along the way, I’ve worked across agencies, automotive, aerospace, and now SaaS—so it’s been a dynamic path with a lot of learning.
And don’t forget about the book you wrote.
Yes—the book. Laws of UX really reflects a consistent theme in my career: the intersection of human psychology and technology.
The more we understand human behavior, the better we can design for people. That’s the core idea behind the book. Looking back over 15+ years, that thread has always been there. I’ve just been fortunate to have the time and resources to create something that gives back to the design community.
I love that—giving back. Let’s dig into that intersection you mentioned.
UX has always felt a bit nebulous. We’ve heard many definitions, and I know Don Norman coined the term—but how do you define user experience? And how do you explain its importance?
I think it comes down to the relationship humans have with technology.
I tend to romanticize that relationship a bit—I believe in how technology can augment human intellect and amplify our abilities. If you look at pioneers like Doug Engelbart or Alan Kay, their vision was always about enhancing human capability.
One quote I love—by Jared Spool—is: “Design is the rendering of intent.”
That really captures our role as designers. We’re shaping tools—apps, websites, products—that help people get things done, make decisions, and process information more effectively.
Our job is to understand why something should exist and design it in a way that enhances human capability.
I like that—“augmentation of human capabilities.” Was there a moment where that really clicked for you?
Yes—very clearly.
I was working in the Fiat Chrysler office in Michigan on an in-vehicle system for the Jeep Wagoneer. It was my first major automotive project. I was consulting through an agency, so I was coming in as an outsider.
Because of that, I didn’t have access to much user data. But I was still expected to propose improvements. And as any UX designer knows—you need data to support decisions.
So I leaned on what I did have: psychology. I revisited concepts I learned in school and started researching heuristics and behavioral principles. I couldn’t find a resource that made this information accessible and design-friendly.
So I decided to create one—and that became Laws of UX.
That’s a great origin story. It’s amazing what can come out of a real need.
So how do you adapt to change? Is there a mindset or approach you rely on?
I’d say curiosity is at the core.
I try to challenge assumptions—my own included—and approach everything as a student. That mindset applies whether I’m working on a project or thinking about my career.
I also believe strongly in first principles. Laws of UX is really built on that foundation—understanding human behavior at its core.
From there, you build in layers: identify strengths, recognize weaknesses, and continue learning. That continuous learning mindset is essential.
That’s powerful. And it ties back to your book—humans operate in consistent ways, even as technology changes.
There’s always hype in our industry—blockchain, etc. What’s something today that’s hard to ignore?
AI, without a doubt.
We’re all figuring out how to adapt to it—especially with large language models. But I think the wrong framing is “AI will replace us.”
Instead, it’s about augmentation.
A good analogy is autopilot in airplanes. When pilots relied on it too much, their skills degraded. But when used properly—with a human in the loop—it made them better and safer pilots.
That’s how we should think about AI. It’s not a replacement—it’s a partner.
We’re exploring what it can do well and where it struggles. Ethan Mollick calls this the “jagged frontier,” and I think that’s exactly where we are.
And remember—the AI you’re using today is the worst it will ever be. It’s only getting better.
That’s a great perspective. It really reinforces that human + technology relationship.
So with your journey in mind, what advice would you give to someone entering the field or making a career change?
Three things:
1. Write.
Write about what you’re learning and working on. Reflection strengthens your understanding and communication skills.
2. Build and explore.
Work on side projects. Scratch your creative itch. That’s how I created Laws of UX and other projects—it all came from curiosity outside of my day job.
3. Stay curious.
Never assume you know everything. Always approach things with a learning mindset.
That curiosity really underpins everything.
That’s great advice—and applicable beyond UX.
To wrap up, where can people learn more about you and your work?
You can visit my website: jonyablonski.com—that’s my hub for everything I’m working on.
I’m also active on LinkedIn—those are probably the best places to connect.
Jon, thank you for being here today. Wishing you continued success.
Thank you—I appreciate the opportunity to share.
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