5 more UX activities you can do today to level up your design game

Welcome to part 2 of this series where we will go through 5 new UX activities you can do in less than 30 minutes that will level up your design game.

These micro-exercises aren't about process - they're about progress. Run one each day this week, and by Friday, your design will already feel more cohesive, inclusive, and user-friendly.

1. First-click test

Action play: Take a screenshot of one key page or screen. Ask 3-5 people, "Where would you click to complete [this task]?" Note their first clicks.

Why: The first click predicts task success, if users start in the wrong place, the flow is already broken.

2. Interface inventory

Action play: Spend 20 minutes collecting screenshots of buttons, modals, and input fields across your product. Drop them into one Figma board, a Miro or whatever tool you're using that allows you to view all of them at the same time.

Why: It exposes inconsistencies fast. You'll instantly see design drift and where your UI patterns need cleaning up.

3. Empty-state audit

Action play: Go through your product and look at every empty state (no data, no results, first-time screens). Ask: "Does this screen help the user take the next step?"

• Example: When a user has not designated any items as favorites or has not opened any files yet, containers meant to display lists of favorite or recently viewed items will be empty.
• Example: When an application supports alerts, but a user has not yet configured any alerts, there may be an empty pane or dialogue where those alerts will eventually appear.
• Example: When an application is composed of various workspaces or dashboards, but a user has not added content to those areas, those pages or screens will be empty.
• Example: Search results lists when nothing is found, as well as other cases where a command creates empty output.

Why: Empty states are often forgotten, but they shape first impressions and can turn confusion into momentum.

4. Accessibility spot check

Action play: Pick a flow of your site. Then, using only your keyboard, try to complete the flow by tabbing through your interface. Can you navigate everywhere in a logical order or do you run into problems?

Why: It takes five minutes but immediately surfaces issues that block real users. Small fixes here have a huge impact.

5. Journey snapshot

Action play: Pick one user persona and quickly map their top 3 goals and 3 biggest frustrations. Visualize it on a single page or whiteboard.

Why: It keeps empathy front and center and helps your team reconnect with why you're designing in the first place.