About MissionUX

We help the builders of mission‑critical software talk openly—and safely—about designing for real constraints.

Most UX publishing focuses on consumer apps and glossy case studies. Meanwhile, the people who design and build tools for analysts, clinicians, operators, cyber defenders, case workers, and other high‑stakes roles rarely have a place to compare notes. Contracts, NDAs, security boundaries, and messy legacy stacks make it hard to share what actually works.

MissionUX exists to change that.

The Gap We’re Filling

  • Open conversation, without oversharing. Safe ways to discuss constraints, tradeoffs, and outcomes—minus classified details or vendor spin.
  • Real‑world constraints first. Fixed scopes, Statement of Work (SOW)s, legacy beasts, policy rules, multi‑system handoffs, auditability, safety.
  • Evidence over theater. Artifacts, acceptance criteria, and proxy metrics—not vapor.

What We Cover (and Why)

We center on mission‑focused products—but many lessons are universal. Alongside hard‑won patterns from government and regulated domains, we welcome cross‑industry UX topics that raise the craft for everyone:

  • Evergreen craft: IA, interaction, content strategy, research methods.
  • Industry shifts: AI and agentic systems in UI, privacy/ethics, accessibility, regulation.
  • Career & practice: hiring in constrained environments, portfolios when work is classified, design ops, leadership.

This mix keeps Mission UX grounded in reality while contributing back to the wider UX community.

What You’ll Find Here

  • Case studies from real programs (sanitized, practical, candid)
  • Playbooks for operating under constraints (checklists, criteria, guardrails)
  • Deep dives on patterns that reduce risk and cognitive load
  • Inside the Mission interviews— designers, engineers, PMs, SMEs, and leaders
  • Opinion pieces that are spiky but constructive—and always humane
If you’re looking for submission instructions, that’s in How to Contribute. This page is about why we exist and what we stand for.

Who this is for

  • UX and product practitioners working in (or entering) gov, defense, cyber, health, or other high-risk domains.
  • Leads and managers who need repeatable processes, hiring rubrics, and coaching tools.
  • Engineers and analysts who want UX that respects operations, reliability, and security.
  • Decision-makers looking for clarity on why (and how) to invest in UX for mission outcomes.

If you care about speed, reliability, safety, and ethics, you’re in the right place.

Our Principles

  1. Respect the mission. Be tough on the work, kind to the people.
  2. Human‑centered by default. Safety, clarity, and dignity matter—especially under pressure.
  3. Traceable decisions. Constraints and tradeoffs should be explicit.
  4. Show your work. Templates, checklists, and artifacts beat slides.
  5. Accessibility is table stakes. Plain language, usable diagrams, inclusive examples.
  6. Security first. Anonymize rigorously. When in doubt, leave it out.

Safety & Anonymity

We publish candid lessons while protecting teams and users:

  • No controlled or classified material. No real PII.
  • Redact program names and sensitive visuals; share patterns and decisions, not secrets.
  • Anonymous byline available; we’ll credit organizations only with explicit permission.

Who’s Behind Mission UX

Mission UX is curated by practitioners who operate inside the constraints we write about—UX leads, engineers, PMs, and researchers from government and regulated domains. Editorial stewardship by Trish W. and a rotating set of contributors.