CategoryDesign

March 18, 2020 — For the purpose of this two-part series of articles, we’re going to assume the answer for “Should designers code?” is “It depends.” If you’ve started and never finished courses in some online coding school — or if you’ve finished the courses but found it difficult to apply this style of learning in your day-to-day work, these two articles will provide a few different learning methods and will highlight different opportunities for their everyday application. In this first part of the series, we’ll take a look at getting comfortable with the command line and text editors. Read more…

March 3, 2020 — Prototyping helps to formulate the main trajectory of the design by framing your mind around a continuous pursuit of better concepts. Any team that makes a prototyping integral part of their design is motivated to search for a better solution. Today, Tony Kim will introduce you to ProtoPie, a tool that will help you prototype in the best way possible to validate an idea and bring it to life. Read more…

March 2, 2020 — In this sixth instalment of Inspired Design Decisions, Andy Clarke will explore how British art director Neville Brody and in particular his work on The Face Magazine inspires his designs for the web. How do we use blend modes to add depth to our designs? How do we use vertical text for impact? How can we use clipping paths to bring in character and energy to a design? In this article, Andrew Clarke will explore just that. Read more…

February 20, 2020 — iPhone was built to be comfortably used for one-handed operation, allowing for a smoother thumb movement across the screen. 90% of the smartphones sold today have >5-inch displays. Bigger screen real estate presents newer challenges and opportunities for app makers and designers. In this article, Maitrik Kataria will show you how designing apps for one-handed usage can solve those challenges. Read more…

February 17, 2020 — Does your website have a mascot that the audience isn’t responding well to or that outright hates it? Or maybe your new client has brought along a mascot that you’re unsure about? If a mascot’s design or messaging isn’t on point with an audience, there’s no sense in keeping it as is and losing business over it. Today, Suzanne Scacca is going to give you four options for turning your hated brand mascot into one the people love. Read more…

January 24, 2020 — How do we know if we are truly impactful as a design team? Are we seen as a vehicle to deliver a solution that moves a needle? The business value of design has been proven at scale by the McKinsey Design Index. and the study shows the best design performers increased their revenues and shareholder returns at nearly twice the rate of their industry counterparts. It’s time to empower our design teams and give them one voice to show how and when design really adds value. Read more…

January 8, 2020 — No frills, or flashing neon frills with sprinklers attached? ‘Brutalist’ websites have flourished in recent years, but their guiding philosophy remains unclear. Brutalist web design has grown so quickly that there does not seem to be a clear consensus on what the style actually is. To some it means practicality, to others audacity. Love it or hate it, brutalist architecture celebrates rawness. Read more…

December 24, 2019 — Sprint 0, and its close cousin the design sprint, came about to solve real, everyday challenges. But do they deliver real value or just an illusion? In this article, Shamsi Brinn proposes an alternative first sprint that supports agile teamwork and delivers measurable results. Read more…

December 19, 2019 — Data analysis, tools and workflow are very helpful for UX designers in a data-driven world, especially for those working on visualizations or data products. Since we live in an increasingly data-driven world, basic data literacy is useful for almost any professional — not just UX designers. With this article, Adonis Raduca would like to give UX designers the knowledge and tools to incorporate data into their daily routines. Read more…

December 13, 2019 — Inclusive Components started shipping this month, and the response is overwhelmingly positive. This book is an essential handbook on how to build the most common interface patterns in an accessible way, but it’s also a set of blueprints for building inclusively on every project. Read more…