At least five factors are drawing software design into a dark age:
- The death of Steve Jobs.
- The emergence of Lean Startup and the latest startup bubble/hype.
- The ready availability of UI frameworks that enable engineers to produce nice-looking UIs without help from designers.
- The entry of a young generation of software professionals, the exit of an older generation, and promotion to management of the middle-aged generation between.
- Apparent hesitance of platforms to impose consistency on developers.