Chris Smith 🚢

I share what I’m learning while building AI products that empower human creativity and productivity | 25+ yrs in tech as a software designer & product leader.

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

Are You Ready for the Future of User Interfaces? A Deep Dive into Dynamic Design:

Agent-based interfaces are not just a part of the user experience, they are the experience.

When first asked about LLMs as the future of user experiences, I shrugged it off, dismissing the idea because text-based interfaces are plagued by affordance issues.

I've changed my tune slightly because of a new concept that I've been exploring:

Agent-based Interfaces
Agent-based interfaces can themselves be the entire experience, or they can be overlaid on top of a more traditional user experience.

They feature three UI patterns:

•  An interface composed to collect input from the user. e.g. text input box, a microphone, or camera.

• An interface to communicate back to the user the state of the agent. e.g. a message area displaying the status of the agent ("sprinkling pixie dust"), status indicators and progress indicators.

•  A canvas for AI generated output like text, images, video, or additional interface controls (buttons, links, toggles, etc.).

The canvas has the most potential as new AI technology emerges.

The canvas itself can be generated by the AI agent, it can be part of a larger traditional user interface.

Traditional software interfaces are complicated.

Product designers need to consider anything and everything that a user might want from the system and therefor the UX is burdened with a lot of unnecessary interactions: large and complex navigation panels, complicated forms, and more.

"JEI" or just-enough-interface
Agent-based dynamic experiences learn user behavior, generate a goal-focused UX: only what is necessary to complete the user's goal is injected into the interface. User's direct the agent through dialog (text, voice, gestures) to drive progress toward the goal.

Because dynamic interfaces are an interface of one, generated for a specific user and context, accessibility immediately becomes a first-class citizen.

While current LLM interfaces fall short, I'm excited and hopeful about the prospect of agent-based dynamic interfaces for the emerging AI-powered software of tomorrow.

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

@WilderwithWords It’s been a ride, but nothing quite as wild as yours. I’m still here, building silent momentum. 😆

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

People love quick fixes.

Overnight successes.
Immediate breakthroughs.
Definitive victories.

But building a solopreneur creator business is a slow grind.

It's showing up every. single. day.

It's doing one positive thing for your business every day.

I am failing miserably at the grind. Committing to building in public means you have to be willing to talk about your misses.

Publicly failing sucks. But not trying at all sucks more.

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

@karllittleboy Hi Karl. I’m going super nerdy with an AI twist. I got distracted by real life but I’m still working at it bit by bit!

What about you?

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

Three months ago I committed to building a content creator business.

What happened next was a journey into self-doubt, fear, and decision paralysis, and then I found freedom. Here's how the journey unfolded...

────✧────
The jouney begins
────✧────

I'd heard about @ship30for30 for close to a year but I avoided it because of the cost.

In December 2023, I challenged myself: write every day for 30 days on my own first. If I could do that then I'd investing in Ship 30 for 30.

I completed the challenge, so I bought the course.

────✧────
Trouble ensues
────✧────

I joined the January 2024 Ship 30 for 30 cohort. I decided on my niche on day one, and I wrote on that topic for 15 days straight. It was agony!

I felt like an imposter.

The biggest reason? I have been convincing myself that I need to be an expert to write about my chosen niche.

So I picked a new niche.

And I hated it too! Every post felt like an extension of my work day. I needed something that I'd find joy in writing about.

Enter niche three. It resonates with me.
Only one problem...

It's a topic where I have no credibility.

But this one I don't want to give up on. So after even more soul searching, and talking to a friends, on X and in life, I have my answer!

────✧────
Freedom unfolds
────✧────

I am starting a new online creator business from ground zero. I'll share everything I learn while building it from 0 to six figures here on 𝕏.

Intrigued? Tap that follow button with conviction to join the journey, and let's skyrocket to six figures together. Your support is my fuel; your growth, our goal. Team up, level up!

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

@TimHobs520 That sounds like you’re on your way to controlling your time and working on what you enjoy. Congrats on that!

I’m working on my thing slowly. My writing consistency has suffered but I’ll be back!

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

Some people seem to enjoy life more than others.

Surround yourself with them until you are one of them.

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

You want to be a content creator.

Or maybe you are a content creator.

But have you ever asked...

"What if I dreamed even bigger?"

What changes from what you are doing now to what that bigger dream looks like?

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

@mircokaempfer Great twist to the traditional way of setting growth goals!

Growing an audience has value but isn’t directly in your control.

Building a consistent writing habit is even more valuable and you have complete control over that!

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

@VentureJourneys Nicola, give me some of that masterclass goodness!

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

@russellmomentum Congrats Russell! That’s amazing!

And you looked smoooth while doing it.

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

@AlinDragu I'm watching.

And taking notes! 🧐 📝

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

Absolutely AkAsh!

I think 0 to 100 is harder than 100 - 500 as far as followers go on X.

Assuming you actually want to monitize at some point, you don't want to do any growth "hacks" but build a real and engaged audience of enthusiasts on the niche topic.

That's my task and I'm sticking to it!

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

Building a creator business is hard!

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. There are a thousand little things you have to do that aren't obvious at first.

This past week I've:
→ Setup my newsletter landing page on ConverKit.
→ Setup my custom domain to point to my ConvertKit landing page.
→ Setup my custom domain email so my newsletter is delivered from my creator email account.
→ Got my first subscriber (psst don't tell anyone it was just me testing the process).
→ Wrote a few posts on my new creator 𝕏 account.

Let me tell you, it's discouraging as a new creator and your new 𝕏 account has 1 follower (yourself). 😆😢

But, you just have to stay positive and take one step forward every day toward your goal.

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

Hi Atam! Yes, I started a new X account for my new creator business.

It was a tough call, and I'm not sure if it was the right one but it felt like the right way to go in my cause.

My creator business is super nerdy and niche; I didn't think any of my current followers would be interested so I split it off into it's own account.

I'll be sharing the journey from $0 to ...wherever it goes. I said $500k but that's an overwhelming number atm.

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

@mircokaempfer Congrats on 300! That was enough for the Spartans!

Profile is looking great!

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

@TripDivy Thanks Divyam! Hopefully I’m not delusional about what it takes to succeed! 🥴

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

@WilderwithWords You are all these things and more! Really glad we met and are “growing up” together. 💪🏼

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

@AngRadulovic I’m sorry for you lose, Angelina.

Your words are beautiful. Welcome back to writing in public, the world needs your voice.

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

@AngRadulovic Feel free to DM me if you'd like someone to spring-board some ideas with.

Sometimes just explaining your thinking gives you all the clarity you need.

[Chris Smith 🚢 @UXbyChris]

I wasted 2 months picking my solopreneur niche.

The answer was right in front of me the whole time, but I ran from it.

The mistake I made?

Limiting beliefs:
• I needed to be a guru
• I needed to sound like a genius
•  I needed to write about my profession

But then I realized:
•  You can be a guide
•  You can just be yourself
• You can write about your passion

Excitement and personality beats ego and prestige.