Earlier this year Lenny invited Marty Cagan to his podcast. The conversation set the tone for the rest of the year in the product community. Cagan’s view on product managers sent ripples through the product management world. With conviction, Cagan claimed that product managers who aren’t part of empowered teams have become obsolete, relegated to the realm of project management rather than driving meaningful impact.

Predictably, this sparked heated debate. Ben Erez, another voice in the product community, offered a contrasting perspective: not all work needs to fit Cagan’s vision of empowered teams. He argued that there’s still a place for feature factory-style work, and dismissing it outright misses the mark.

The Double Diamond Dream vs. the Reverse Reality

As designers, we find ourselves deeply connected to this conversation. After all, many of us entered the field with dreams of tackling big, meaningful problems — discovering opportunities, ideating solutions, and crafting value for both businesses and customers. The double diamond framework was our beacon, promising a structured path to creativity and innovation.

But here’s the key issue: outside the bubbles of Apple or Airbnb, this idyllic process rarely exists. Most of us operate in environments that mirror a “reverse double diamond” — where the scope narrows before it ever widens. It’s like trying to grow a lush garden in soil that’s already been paved over. Instead of starting with discovery, we’re handed pre-defined solutions, asked only to execute, not to question. By the time an idea reaches design, the train has already left the station — launch dates are set, resources allocated, and exploration discouraged.

Designers in the Feature Factory

This disconnect can feel like a betrayal of our training. We were taught to solve problems, not just translate PRDs into interfaces. Yet, the hard truth remains: in many companies, designers are boxed into roles with limited influence on strategy or discovery. It’s frustrating, to say the least. Whenever someone asks me how I apply the double diamond, I feel unease. Claiming that the double diamond works perfectly for my design needs feels like perpetuating a myth.

The reality feels more like being a cog in a pre-set machine. And as Peter Merholz points out in one of his podcast episode with Jesse James Garret, for some organizations, “good enough” design really is enough. Their business models don’t hinge on user-centered discovery or cutting-edge innovation. Instead, they prioritize efficiency and predictability. While this might sting for idealistic designers, it’s a system optimized for their needs — not ours.

Reframing Constraints as Opportunities

Does this mean we abandon our principles? Hardly. It means adapting without compromising quality. If the “first diamond” — problem discovery — isn’t part of the equation, we can still find ways to innovate within constraints. Constraints, after all, are like the DNA of creativity — guiding what’s possible while still leaving room for expression. They’re the puzzle pieces we rearrange to create something meaningful.

The Commoditization of UX

Another factor that weakens the relevance of the first diamond is the commoditization of UX. The truth is that much of interaction design has already been solved. Password resets, checkout flows, onboarding experiences — these patterns are commoditized. The true challenge isn’t reinventing the wheel; it’s ensuring that wheel fits seamlessly into the machine. With design systems and AI-assisted tools streamlining repetitive tasks, our roles as designers are shifting. This isn’t a threat; it’s an opportunity.

Rather than lamenting the rise of AI or the commoditization of UX, we should reframe the narrative. If design’s repetitive aspects are automated, where does that leave us? It leaves us with time and space to tackle more strategic, nuanced challenges — to specialize, to evolve.

Where We Go From Here

We need to prototype our way forward. Yes, UX has become a commodity, but that doesn’t mean our skills are obsolete. Instead, it’s an invitation to adapt. Think of it like a forest after a fire — what looks like destruction is actually fertile ground for new growth. Designers have the chance to grow in directions where our strengths remain unmatched and essential.

One promising path is accessibility. With regulations like the European Accessibility Act gaining momentum, inclusivity isn’t just a “nice-to-have” anymore; it’s becoming a legal and ethical imperative. Designers who specialize in accessibility can make the digital world more equitable while carving out an indispensable role in businesses navigating these new mandates.

Service design offers another avenue. Companies are waking up to the fact that customer journeys don’t begin when someone downloads their app — they start much earlier, in moments as diverse as a Google search or a conversation with a friend. Designers who can map these holistic experiences are becoming the architects of end-to-end value.

Then there’s the rise of AI and data-informed design. Picture yourself as a guide, shaping how humans interact with machines, ensuring these systems are intuitive, ethical, and human-centered. Or imagine evolving into a user-centered product manager, steering development with the empathy and insight that only a seasoned designer can bring.

But the opportunities don’t stop at technology. Designers could pivot into roles as cross-disciplinary collaborators, working alongside psychologists, sociologists, and organizational strategists to decode cultural trends and human behavior. Within organizations, we could embrace roles as facilitators and educators, teaching design thinking and cultivating a culture of creativity and problem-solving. In this way, we become the torchbearers for adaptability in an era of constant change.

The field of design evolves as an ecosystem. Similarly to competing species in nature, as the design field matures, we are carving out new niches within the business ecosystem. Specializing in accessibility, journey mapping, or operational efficiency allows us to act as the connective tissue of a thriving organizational system. By finding and filling these gaps, we ensure that design continues to be not just relevant but essential.

Shaping Tomorrow’s Design Landscape

Yes, the landscape is changing. Yes, many of us work in “feature factories.” But instead of resisting the tide, let’s surf it. Automation frees us to redesign not just products, but systems, structures, and interactions — to apply our creativity in ways that stretch far beyond the screen.

The future isn’t bleak. It’s wide open. And it’s in our hands, as designers, to shape it.