November 25, 2014 — Today, we’re happy to release the Christmas Icon Set, a set of 24 icons created by Manuela Langella and free to be used in private as well as commercial projects. The icons are all available in AI, PSD, EPS, PDF, SVG and PNG formats. You may modify the size, color or shape of the icons. We’d kindly like to ask you to provide credits to the creator and link to this article if you would like to spread the word about the freebie. Read more…

November 24, 2014 — Testing is a critical process that developers should integrate into their workflow to minimize the number of bugs that get caught in the quality assurance phase. In this article, Lawrence Howlett shows you what to consider when creating a front-end testing plan and how to test efficiently accross browsers, devices and web pages. Front-end testing also needs to be budgeted for — with time, resources and money. Whichever tool you pick, stick with it, define a process and put the effort in. The result will be a better website, with significantly fewer bugs. Read more…

November 21, 2014 — Developer’s involvement in the design process seems to be addressed very little. This is a shame, because developers have a huge amount to add to discussions about design. The truth is that many designers have a somewhat elitist attitude towards design. They believe that only they can come up with good design ideas. Everybody has the ability to make good design suggestions. Admittedly, a trained designer will probably be more effective at finding design solutions. But that does not mean others should not contribute. As designers, we need to swallow our pride and accept contributions from everybody! Read more…

November 20, 2014 — In this article, Alon Even will go over the importance of using visual mobile analytics to measure the user experience from day one, as well as provide examples and other insights, so that you can optimize your onboarding experience and increase your app’s retention rate. He will provide you with knowledge that you can apply to your own mobile app exploits, whether you are a developer or a mobile app publisher. While there is no magic bullet for creating a perfect onboarding experience, remaining focused and committed to monitoring your onboarding experience will get you further than any other strategy. Read more…

November 18, 2014 — In the wake of so much “CSS versus JavaScript animation” infighting, a new API specifically for web animation is coming out that might just unite both camps. In 2014, Rachel Nabors had the chance to travel the world to talk about using animation in user interfaces and design. She met and interviewed dozens of people who use and champion both CSS and JavaScript. What you’re about to read is purely observational and as unbiased an account as you will be able to find on the subject of web animation. Read more…

November 17, 2014 — In this article, Daniel Sternlicht walks you through the development process of a Chrome extension with modern web tools and libraries. It all begins with an idea. Daniel thought it would be nice to create a Chrome extension that enables you to mark your reading progress in articles so that you can continue reading them later — anywhere. “Markticle” is the name he chose for this extension. He’ll share here the technologies that he used to develop it. After reading this article, you’ll have a ready-to-use “Save for Later”-like Chrome extension. Read more…

November 14, 2014 — As a designer, you might start looking for a new job when you feel you have hit a wall with your current employer or when greater opportunities are present at other companies. When you’re honest with who you are and what you want in a job, you will be able to determine whether the position meets your criteria. Planning for job requirements, salary and perhaps location before applying is obvious, but many people forget to set criteria for one major thing: corporate culture. Corporate culture shapes every aspect of an organization, from operations and business policies to “extra-curricular” activities and day-to-day staff interactions. Read more…

November 13, 2014 — Today, we’re happy to release a quite special hand-drawn doodle icon set that has been created by Roundicons and can be used for both private and commercial projects. This icon set is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Please always provide credits to the creators and link to the article in which this freebie was released if you would like to spread the word. You may modify the size, color or shape of the icons! Read more…

November 12, 2014 — In this article, James Rosewell outlines common challenges and how to configure Google’s new Universal Analytics to efficiently overcome them, using features such as custom dimensions, enhanced link tracking and server-side data feeds. Universal Analytics is a powerful tool, and it is prepared for a world in which designers get a single report of all interactions, including for websites, native applications and real-world events. Happy analyzing! Read more…

November 11, 2014 — The way you frame communication, or how you say something, could be extremely effective at persuading people to start using your product. In this article, Victor Yocco will cover how to effectively frame a message, and how to test it before implementation. Design teams need to give deeper thought to how they are conveying their message, not just what they are saying. Outlined above is a process for creating and testing a message, which will help you communicate clearly and effectively with users. Your messages will resonate with them. Read more…