In user experience (UX) design, it can often feel like we’re walking a tightrope. We pour time and energy into crafting solutions, only to see some ideas fall flat in the real world. When a product or feature doesn’t hit the mark, it’s easy to feel like we’ve failed. But here’s the truth: in UX, there’s no such thing as failure—only opportunities to learn and iterate.

Even Kobe Bryant, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, embraced this mindset. In his inspiring video about failure, Kobe describes how every misstep is a step closer to success, as long as you’re willing to learn and adapt. You can watch his wisdom here. His message resonates deeply with the iterative nature of UX design.

In UX, a feature that “fails” isn’t a dead end—it’s feedback. It’s data. It’s an invitation to dig deeper into user needs, revisit assumptions, and refine our approach. The process of designing, testing, and improving isn’t linear; it’s a cycle. As long as we’re iterating, we’re moving forward.

Here are three ways to embrace the iterative mindset in UX design:

 1. Reframe user feedback. Negative feedback or low engagement with a product isn’t failure—it’s insight. Dive into what users are telling you (directly or indirectly), and let it shape your next iteration.

 2. Test early and often. Ship ideas quickly, knowing they don’t need to be perfect. Every prototype, MVP, or feature rollout is an experiment that informs the final solution.

 3. Celebrate the process. Iteration is the lifeblood of UX. Celebrate the fact that you’re learning and evolving with every design decision. Remember, UX isn’t about getting it “right” the first time—it’s about meeting user needs better with every iteration.

So, the next time a design doesn’t land as expected, remind yourself: you’re not failing. You’re learning, adapting, and improving. In UX design, failure doesn’t exist—only progress does.