Your cubicle hates your creativity.
Title: How To Be (And Stay) Creative Context: Creativity is a muscle that needs to be exercised or it atrophies from neglect. No one wants to be a 99 pound creative weakling. Synopsis: The world at large is largely arrayed … Continued
Simplicity ain’t simple.
Title: Deceptive Simplicity Context: If achieving true simplicity was really simple, everyone would simply do it. Synopsis: Simplicity has it so easy. Should things be simple to use? Of course they should. Complexity is the enemy of usability. Simplicity is … Continued
Can you define “design”? No? OK, can you define “taxonomy”? Still no? Then do I have an article for you!
Title: A Common Design Taxonomy Context: Need a model to use when scoping the necessary design impact required for a given problem? “Common Design Taxonomy” to the rescue! Synopsis: What is design? Had to think about that for a minute … Continued
Iconography: the cause of—and solution to—all of life’s confusions…
Title: 5 Confusing Icons and Their History Context: The meaning behind an icon is very often in the eye of the beholder. Synopsis: Designers of all stripes have a love/hate relationship with iconography. A good, clear icon communicates succinctly, saves … Continued
Designers say “tomato”, developers say “tomato”…ummm…this contradistinction really doesn’t work non-verbally.
Title: Despite tension, engineering and design needs must be valued equally: Execs Context: “Can’t we all just get along?” The answer for designers and developers working on enterprise software the answer is all too often “no”. Synopsis: Enterprise users demand … Continued
Drinking too much soda making you fat? Blame your brain. Your lazy, lazy brain…
Title: Your Brain May Want That Bottle Of Soda Because It’s Easy To Pick Up Context: What your brain doesn’t know about how your brain works might just kill you. Or at least give you a mad sugar rush. Synopsis: … Continued
“I don’t like the use of that color” isn’t a critique, it’s an admission of stupidity.
Title: Collaboration through the Design Studio Context: There is an art to both the giving, and receiving, of criticism. Synopsis: Nobody likes to hear people tell them how much they suck. Rudeness is not intended to improve conditions, it is … Continued
“Let’s be friends you dumb moron user.” <—Every UI ever.
Title: The New Voice of YOU: Communicating Through the Digital Interface Context: How to Win Friends and Influence People with people (not “user”)-centric UX. Synopsis: When you meet a new person and want that person to like you do you … Continued
Fake it till you make it. Or: Prototype it till you motorbike it. (Sorry, not many words rhyme with “prototype”)
Title: Behind the scenes: Design sprint with Gimlet Media Context: If you build it, they will come. But how do you know what to build in the first place? Design sprint prototypes. You’re welcome. Synopsis: The Greatest Idea In The … Continued
Designers discussing design with Notdesigners need to remember that Notdesigners are not designers.
Title: Why designers need to step outside design Context: Communication is a design skill. Condescension is not. Synopsis: One of the basic mandatory skills any halfway competent designer requires is empathy. We leverage it day-in and day-out as we seek … Continued
Zombies eat brains. Bad UIs destroy brains. Coincidence?
Title: 3 things poor interfaces and zombies have in common Context: The danger posed to society at large by the undead pales in comparison to the existential threat of poor UX. Synopsis: It is a forgone conclusion that at some … Continued
#ux iota: There’s more than one way to animate a UI transition. Here’s literally dozens of ways.
Curated Instagram library of UI animations, transitions, and interactions. Be inspired. via instagram.com
Can someone please point me in the direction of the “Managers Who Love Agile” support group?
Title: Why Do Managers Hate Agile? Context: The question is no longer “should we go Agile?” but rather “when?” Synopsis: Business buzzword alert: AGILE! Yes, we’ve all heard it repeated ad nauseam. “We’re doing Agile” has to be one of … Continued
If it’s too loud, you’re too old…however, you’re the perfect age to get hired as a designer.
Title: At 90, She’s Designing Tech For Aging Boomers Context: Design isn’t always about what you can prove, sometimes it’s simply about what you know. Synopsis: This rapidly changing, tech obsessed, innovation-centric culture in which we live is unquestionably a … Continued
#ux iota: And tonight we’re going to curse at our computers like it’s 1995…
Title: 1995 video shows the struggle was real for first-time PC users Context: It’s all fun and games until the user throws their new computer out the window. Best Bit: “And interestingly enough, at software giant Microsoft Corporation, users were … Continued