Checking Your Year-End Recap Before It Goes Live

What Should Teams Check Before Launch?

This UX Collective article looks at year-end recap features, the personalised summaries that brands and apps send around December. Drawing on last year's recaps, the author compares what worked and what felt off, and notes what has changed for 2026. The most useful part, according to the summary, is a single pre-launch step that the author argues almost nobody takes, which makes it a practical focus rather than a general trend piece.

For brand builders, recaps are one of the few moments when data, design and tone have to land together in front of a large audience. Product designers, UX leads and marketers planning a seasonal campaign should read it before locking scope. It is a short route to spotting avoidable mistakes in personalisation and presentation.