In the vibrant world of design, where creativity meets functionality, a troubling trend has emerged. Scroll through Dribbble or similar platforms, and you’ll find an endless stream of pixel-perfect interfaces, slick gradients, and meticulously aligned mockups. But beneath the glossy veneer lies a question that’s becoming harder to ignore: What are we actually designing for?

Let’s be honest. Much of what we see today on these platforms isn’t solving problems—it’s solving for likes. The work is undeniably beautiful, but it often feels hollow, like a visual exercise untethered from real-world needs. A login screen for an imaginary app. A dashboard with no context. A reimagined Spotify UI that nobody asked for. These designs are polished to perfection but lack the soul of what design is supposed to be: problem-solving.

This isn’t just a critique of individual designers—it’s a systemic issue fueled by the platforms themselves. Dribbble, for instance, rewards eye-catching visuals over meaningful solutions. Its format encourages short-form “shots” that prioritize aesthetic appeal over depth or usability. The result? An echo chamber where trends are recycled endlessly, and originality is sacrificed at the altar of virality.

But here’s the kicker: this isn’t what design is meant to be. Design is about people. It’s about understanding their needs, frustrations, and desires—and crafting solutions that make their lives better. It’s about empathy, research, iteration, and yes, aesthetics—but aesthetics that serve a purpose beyond looking good in a 400-pixel frame.

So how did we get here? Part of the blame lies in the way new designers are entering the field. Many are self-taught or come from bootcamps that emphasize building portfolios over mastering fundamentals. They’re told to “just start creating,” which often translates into mimicking what they see online. Without real-world experience or mentorship, they fall into the trap of designing for other designers rather than for users.

But it’s not just about new designers—it’s about all of us. As a community, we’ve allowed this culture to flourish by prioritizing clout over critique. We’ve stopped asking hard questions like “Who is this for?” or “What problem does this solve?” Instead, we double-tap and move on.

So where do we go from here? How do we reclaim design as a discipline rooted in purpose? It starts with shifting our focus from what looks good to what works well. Platforms like Dribbble need to evolve, encouraging deeper discussions and rewarding designs that demonstrate thoughtfulness and impact—not just aesthetics.

As designers, we need to hold ourselves accountable too. Let’s stop chasing trends and start chasing meaning. Let’s seek out feedback that challenges us instead of validating us. Let’s remember that our job isn’t just to make things pretty—it’s to make things better.

This isn’t a call to abandon beauty or creativity—far from it. Great design marries form and function in ways that are both inspiring and effective. But if we continue down this path of surface-level design, we risk losing sight of what makes our work valuable in the first place.

So let’s talk about it. Is Dribbble killing design—or are we? How do we balance aesthetics with purpose in an industry increasingly driven by likes and shares? And most importantly, how can we ensure that our work truly makes a difference?

The floor is yours—let’s start the conversation.