From a Flickering Screen to UX Mastery: Bob Baxley on the Childhood Spark That Fueled a Life in Design
Bob Baxley – 2024
Bob Baxley is a renowned software designer who recently shared his insights and experiences in a Q&A that inspired me. From the moment a Heathkit computer first captured his teenage imagination to the guiding principles he now relies on to balance intuition and user research, Baxley’s journey reveals a deep understanding of what it takes to create innovative, user-centered experiences. Throughout our conversation, he offered a unique glimpse into how he nurtures that original spark, ultimately crafting products that empower and inspire a sense of wonder.
Kendall Klien: Can you share your journey into UX design? What inspired you to enter this field, and what experiences have shaped your career?
Bob Baxley: My journey into software design began in 1976 when I first saw a computer. I was 13 years old and visiting the home of a family friend, the Wilkinsons. Mr. Wilkinson was an engineer at Texas Instruments and the prototypical engineering nerd you see in old NASA photos. His son Glen was a bit older than I was, and they had recently bought and assembled a Heathkit computer, which Glen had in his room.
He took me in to show it to me, and I was immediately intrigued and flummoxed by the sight. I’d never seen a small black and white TV with text on it. In addition, I’d never before seen a keyboard that wasn’t part of a typewriter. And perhaps most memorably, I’d never seen anybody be able to take an action that changed what was on the screen.
That said, I could still make some connection between his pressing keys and the text appearing on the screen. It was novel but a relatively easy leap from a traditional typewriter. When he pressed a key, a letter appeared on the screen.
But then, something unprecedented happened. He pressed a handful of keys, typed ENTER, and then a WHOLE BUNCH of letters and words appeared on the screen. I’d never seen a machine do anything remotely like that, and at that moment, I fell in love with computing.
It’s a feeling that’s never left me, even now, four-plus decades later. I’m still absolutely amazed and enchanted by the miracle of electrons zipping around inside the metal box on my desk and somehow causing light on a screen with meaning.
A few months later, my school got a computer, which was quite a feat for a small school in 1976. I learned to program in BASIC, further cementing my love of software.
What happened after that is a long and circuitous story, which I will leave untold because so much resulted from random encounters, fortuitous timing, and dumb luck.
Some 35 years after I first became a designer, I continue to be driven by an intense desire for everyone to experience the same magic I felt when I first saw a computer. We all experience this magic when we feel empowered and cared for by the people “on the other side of the glass.”
Bob on stage at the 2024 Design Leadership Summit in Toronto along with Katrina Alcorn, Levon Sharrow, and Christina Goldschmidt
KK: How do you balance intuition with user research when designing? What is the ideal mix to create an exceptional product experience?
BB: It depends on whether I’m part of the target audience for the product or not. Suppose I have a deep understanding of the problem space. In that case, my work is almost entirely driven by intuition…although it’s intuition honed by decades of watching ordinary people use software. This experience has granted me a meaningful sense of how “mere mortals” process and understand screen-based user interfaces.
By contrast, if I’m working on a product in a domain I have limited knowledge of, then I rely on formative research. I employ ethnographic and other forms of observation and inquiry to understand the audience’s needs and intentions, using that knowledge to create different ways of solving their problems.
Generally speaking, I avoid traditional usability studies, which I find almost always inconclusive and often misleading. They tend only to reflect first impressions. However, it’s important to note that I’ve discovered usability-style studies of adjacent products—observing users operate competitive or related products—to be a vibrant source of information.
My research position is controversial and outside the mainstream, but it’s consistently produced some of the most successful and highly regarded products in their respective categories.
Bob in Bangalore, India, at ThoughtSpot’s 2023 Award Dinner, congratulating designer Akshay Mohankar on earning our annual Excellence in Design Award.
KK: If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your 21-year-old self? Are there any career paths or decisions you would approach differently now?
BB: When I was 21, I was utterly lost, trying to figure out the world of work. As such, I don’t have much advice for that version of me other than perhaps to tell myself to have more confidence that I would figure things out…eventually.
The more interesting question is what my 21-year-old self would say to me at this stage. In that reverse mentoring scenario, I suspect the younger version of Bob would look at the current version and tell me to relax, have more fun, and stop overthinking everything. This sounds like good advice for us all.
Bob in Paris at the start of a week-long cycling adventure along the Seine in May 2023.
KK: Which digital or physical product exemplifies outstanding design, and what elements make it stand out to you?
BB: There are many great products and product companies out there, but the ones I constantly return to are Apple, Nintendo, Leica, and Lego.
In all of those cases, the companies have cultures that express a clear point of view—one that comes across in every aspect of the product experience, from branding to packaging to unboxing to setup to usage to post-sales. Moreover, they hold a POV that affords a unified experience that is the hallmark of all great products.
Put succinctly, the most easily’s most easily observed quality is coherence, while the most significant source of frustration of a bad product is fragmentation.
Bob at the top of Pakistan's Gondogoro La (18,323 ft) in 1998, Broad Peak is seen to the right along with the dawn light hitting the summit of K2.
Reflecting on my conversation with Bob Baxley, I’m reminded that great design isn’t just about creating products—it’s about understanding people. It’s about tapping into a sense of wonder, listening deeply to actual needs, and holding onto a vision that connects technology with humanity. From the spark of curiosity that first lit up his imagination in 1976 to the tools and experiences we rely on today, Bob’s journey shows us that design, at its core, is an act of empathy. As we step away from this conversation, let’s carry forward the reminder that our work as designers is not just to solve problems but to create moments of joy, ease, and connection for every person who interacts with what we build. Ultimately, great design doesn’t just make life better—it makes us feel seen, understood, and valued.
