This document discusses key aspects of good and bad design. It notes that good design is a relationship between form and function, with both being important. Good design meets a communication need and prompts an emotional response. Critical ingredients for good design include thorough research, understanding context and audience, and allowing sufficient time in the design process. Bad design fails to consider function and can result from inappropriate stylistic choices, lack of usability testing, or "design by committee."
Building Character: Creating Consistent Experiences With Design PrinciplesAdam Connor
Inconsistency is one of the most common points of breakdown and frustration in the interactions and experiences we have. Whether we’re interacting with other people, applications, our bank, our doctor, our government, anyone, we form expectations and understandings of what someone or something will do based on our previous experiences and their past behaviors. When something happens that doesn’t fit with those expectations–that seems out of character–we’re caught off guard. What do we do next? What should we expect now?
Principles act as rules that guide how we think and act. Formed by our motivations, values and beliefs, we use them as “lenses” through which we examine information in order to make decisions on what to do. And because of their persistent influence on our behavior, they influence other’s views and expectations of us. Using these same kinds of constructs throughout the design process we can design interactions and consistent behaviors that set and live up to expectations for our audiences.
Slides from my talk on the things I've learned by comparing the collaborative process as it is carried out in many modern organizations to the creative process of artists and makers.
Tariq Hassan works as an art director and designer. He takes a straightforward approach to creative projects by first understanding the client's goals and objectives, then developing solutions. Tariq enjoys asking questions to fully understand what clients want to achieve with their brand before presenting creative concepts. He strives to get straight to the point in his designs and communications by removing unnecessary elements. Multiple clients provide positive feedback on Tariq's ability to enhance their projects with new perspectives and recommendations.
This document summarizes a talk on UX leadership given by James Chudley. He discusses why great design needs great leadership due to design projects being chaotic with an unknown outcome and many stakeholders. He then shares soft leadership skills that are important for leading successful teams, such as being positive, admitting failures, sharing visions and decisions, discovering people's passions, and giving recognition and feedback. Throughout the talk, Chudley emphasizes communication, accountability, problem-solving, and leading by example.
The document discusses applying content strategy principles to photos online. It suggests considering photos as "content" and strategizing what types of photos are needed, what messages they should communicate, and how they will be organized, created, and maintained over time. This could help ensure photos are more effective and meet business goals and user needs. The document provides examples of how to map user journeys, create shot lists and style guides, conduct photo shoots, and measure the impact of photos against key performance indicators.
Ralph ybas porftolio graphic design 2016.compressedRalph Ybas
Ralph Ybas is a graphic designer and photographer from Cebu City, Philippines. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Advertising Arts from the University of San Carlos. His work experiences include layout editor and intern graphic designer. His skills include Adobe software, communication, teamwork, and he specializes in branding, layouts, and photo editing. He has completed various projects for clients including logos, advertisements, magazine covers, and more. Ralph aims for simplicity and clarity in his design work.
Why is this so hard? Understanding the challenges that inhibit design in your...Adam Connor
Design has been heralded as the savior of product and service offerings, and lately companies are scrambling to pick up designers everywhere they can find them. Innovation centers are springing up like mushrooms and it seems everybody is talking about the importance of knowing and understanding their audience. However, these new ways of working and thinking don’t seem to take hold, so people keep doing things the way they´ve always done them and users continue to suffer.
What causes these organizations with such good intentions and great talent to struggle?
An organization may be aware that it needs to change, but knowing what and how to change is hard. And for change to happen, organizations have to be ready for change. Using culture as a lens, we examine how people work together, how they believe things should work, and which values they share.
The document discusses bridging the gap between designers and clients. It argues that designers often blame clients for not understanding design, but that it is the designers' responsibility to educate clients and make the design process simple. The author provides five tips for designers: 1) make clients feel involved in ideas, 2) simplify complex processes, 3) understand clients' strategies and goals before designing, 4) communicate designs in ways clients can understand, and 5) truly care about clients' businesses. The goal is for designers and clients to collaborate as a team.
Building Character: Creating Consistent Experiences With Design PrinciplesAdam Connor
Inconsistency is one of the most common points of breakdown and frustration in the interactions and experiences we have. Whether we’re interacting with other people, applications, our bank, our doctor, our government, anyone, we form expectations and understandings of what someone or something will do based on our previous experiences and their past behaviors. When something happens that doesn’t fit with those expectations–that seems out of character–we’re caught off guard. What do we do next? What should we expect now?
Principles act as rules that guide how we think and act. Formed by our motivations, values and beliefs, we use them as “lenses” through which we examine information in order to make decisions on what to do. And because of their persistent influence on our behavior, they influence other’s views and expectations of us. Using these same kinds of constructs throughout the design process we can design interactions and consistent behaviors that set and live up to expectations for our audiences.
Slides from my talk on the things I've learned by comparing the collaborative process as it is carried out in many modern organizations to the creative process of artists and makers.
Tariq Hassan works as an art director and designer. He takes a straightforward approach to creative projects by first understanding the client's goals and objectives, then developing solutions. Tariq enjoys asking questions to fully understand what clients want to achieve with their brand before presenting creative concepts. He strives to get straight to the point in his designs and communications by removing unnecessary elements. Multiple clients provide positive feedback on Tariq's ability to enhance their projects with new perspectives and recommendations.
This document summarizes a talk on UX leadership given by James Chudley. He discusses why great design needs great leadership due to design projects being chaotic with an unknown outcome and many stakeholders. He then shares soft leadership skills that are important for leading successful teams, such as being positive, admitting failures, sharing visions and decisions, discovering people's passions, and giving recognition and feedback. Throughout the talk, Chudley emphasizes communication, accountability, problem-solving, and leading by example.
The document discusses applying content strategy principles to photos online. It suggests considering photos as "content" and strategizing what types of photos are needed, what messages they should communicate, and how they will be organized, created, and maintained over time. This could help ensure photos are more effective and meet business goals and user needs. The document provides examples of how to map user journeys, create shot lists and style guides, conduct photo shoots, and measure the impact of photos against key performance indicators.
Ralph ybas porftolio graphic design 2016.compressedRalph Ybas
Ralph Ybas is a graphic designer and photographer from Cebu City, Philippines. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Advertising Arts from the University of San Carlos. His work experiences include layout editor and intern graphic designer. His skills include Adobe software, communication, teamwork, and he specializes in branding, layouts, and photo editing. He has completed various projects for clients including logos, advertisements, magazine covers, and more. Ralph aims for simplicity and clarity in his design work.
Why is this so hard? Understanding the challenges that inhibit design in your...Adam Connor
Design has been heralded as the savior of product and service offerings, and lately companies are scrambling to pick up designers everywhere they can find them. Innovation centers are springing up like mushrooms and it seems everybody is talking about the importance of knowing and understanding their audience. However, these new ways of working and thinking don’t seem to take hold, so people keep doing things the way they´ve always done them and users continue to suffer.
What causes these organizations with such good intentions and great talent to struggle?
An organization may be aware that it needs to change, but knowing what and how to change is hard. And for change to happen, organizations have to be ready for change. Using culture as a lens, we examine how people work together, how they believe things should work, and which values they share.
The document discusses bridging the gap between designers and clients. It argues that designers often blame clients for not understanding design, but that it is the designers' responsibility to educate clients and make the design process simple. The author provides five tips for designers: 1) make clients feel involved in ideas, 2) simplify complex processes, 3) understand clients' strategies and goals before designing, 4) communicate designs in ways clients can understand, and 5) truly care about clients' businesses. The goal is for designers and clients to collaborate as a team.
The document provides information for a client project including mind maps, assessment of ideas, and development of ideas for promotional materials. The client wants a nature-themed brochure, leaflet, or business cards promoting their reflexology business. The student evaluates three ideas - a trifold brochure, a two-sided leaflet, and business cards. They decide to develop the leaflet idea further with mood boards and mockups. They also propose creating social media graphics. An assessment addresses suitability, appeal, timelines, costs and legal/ethical considerations. Market research investigates competition and the spa industry. Potential target audiences are identified as athletes, those with pain conditions, and those seeking relaxation.
This document outlines 4 potential ideas for a client project for a building company.
The first idea is to design a logo incorporating elements of existing logos using bright colors and textures. The second idea is to create a website following the logo color scheme. The third idea is to design a business card using the logo and colors. The fourth extra idea is to create social media accounts like Instagram and Facebook.
Each idea is then evaluated on clarity, feasibility, resources needed, and timeline. A treatment is proposed using a gray and yellow color scheme, custom font, and emblem logo. A website, social media, and materials will be created to look modern and match the brief. A schedule is then outlined to complete the project
The client has asked the document author to develop ideas for a branding and marketing project for a building company called Walker Renovations. The author proposes four main ideas:
1. Designing a logo incorporating elements of existing logos that uses bright colors and geometric shapes.
2. Creating a website following the logo's color scheme and incorporating elements from other building company websites.
3. Designing a business card using the logo and color scheme that may include an image like a tape measure.
4. Setting up social media accounts, primarily Instagram, to showcase the company's work and target a younger audience.
The author evaluates each idea and believes they have the skills and resources to complete the project
Lights! Camera! Interaction! What Designers Can Learn From FilmmakersAdam Connor
I began college as a film student. I’ve always loved storytelling, particularly visual storytelling in the forms of film and animation. Well-made films show us that they can drive engagement, communicate in subtle ways, change attitudes, and inspire us to try to change our lives.
Films succeed in evoking responses and engaging audiences only with a combination of well-written narrative and effective storytelling technique. It’s the filmmaker’s job to put this together. To do so they’ve developed processes, tools and techniques that allow them to focus attention, emphasize information, foreshadow and produce the many elements that together comprise a well-told story.
We’re responsible for creating products that aren’t just easy to use, but that people appreciate using. It stands to reason that the methods used in films to communicate with and engage audiences can serve as inspiration for designers.
With this presentation, we'’ll revisit the topic of using stories in design and expand on the technical aspects used in film to communicate. We’ll look at some tools used in film such as: cinematic patterns, beat sheets, and storyboards. We’ll consider why they’re used and how we might look to them for inspiration.
This career project explores a career as a graphics designer. It discusses that graphics designers use creative and technical skills to design visual content for websites, publications, and other media. They work independently or with clients to design graphics within deadlines. The document summarizes the typical job duties, educational requirements, salary expectations, and future job prospects for graphics designers. It also outlines the student's personal interest in this career based on an assessment of their skills and values.
This document provides information and guidance for developing and assessing ideas for a client project. The client requires promotional materials for their massage therapy business.
The document outlines three initial ideas - a trifold brochure, a two-sided handout, and an unspecified third idea. Each idea is then evaluated based on criteria such as meeting client requirements, feasibility, and available resources.
The second idea of a two-sided handout is selected to develop further. Additional items like business cards and a Facebook banner are also proposed. Research is then presented on the client's target audience and competitors to help inform the project development.
Wireframes are an important step in the creative process & Design Thinking. It's one of the first times that your team actually sees the product come together. The presentation explores the basics of wireframes and how they fit into the process of Human-centered Design.
This deck was part of workshop held by General Assembly on the Intro to Wireframing on 2-10-2015
1 Pixel to the Left: Why Visual Design Details MatterEmily Rawitsch
Although we have all heard someone passionately declare, “UX is not UI,” visual design is a fundamental part of the user experience. Good design is in the details. It builds trust. It creates hierarchy of information. It makes buttons look clickable. It has the power to transform a functional experience into a delightful experience.
So how we can ensure that the visual details we design are brought to life as intended? Can moving an object 1 pixel to the left really make a difference? In an attempt to find a common language between designers and developers, we will discuss what details are worth fighting for versus when to let go.
Design thinking for designing and delivering servicesZaana Jaclyn
This document outlines an agenda and introduction to a design thinking workshop focused on reimagining libraries. The workshop covers the core phases of design thinking - discovery, definition, development and delivery. In the discovery phase, participants share stories about libraries and build personas. In definition, they identify opportunities and frame focus questions. The development phase involves generating many ideas and prototyping a new library experience. Finally, in delivery, participants prepare pitches to present their visions for the library of tomorrow. The overall workshop aims to collaboratively solve challenges facing libraries through a human-centered design process.
Get out of the lab and into the real worldcxpartners
James Chudley conducted user research for an ecommerce site selling frozen meals to elderly customers by visiting customers in their homes rather than using a lab. This provided invaluable insights into the real-world challenges customers faced using computers and the site. It allowed the client to understand users' experiences firsthand and provided an engaging, memorable experience for the client compared to traditional lab research. While more complicated to plan than lab research, home visits can provide more natural, empathetic insights into how users interact with products in their actual environments.
Discuss Design Without Losing Your MindAdam Connor
This is an updated version of Discussing Design: The Art of Critique.
We’ve all struggled at times in sharing our designs with teammates and stakeholders and collecting feedback on them. The comments we receive can seem to more about personal preference or indicate some misalignment of goals and vision for the project.
Our ability to critique and to facilitate critique with others speaks directly to the quality of these conversations. Designers frequently complain about the quality and uselessness of the feedback they are given, but we rarely take a step back and examine how to collect useful feedback and make our discussions around our designs more productive.
With this talk we look deeper into the various aspects of critique, not just as an activity for collecting feedback, but as a key skill in our ability to communicate and collaborate. We examine the language, rules and strategies for critique and provide participants with takeaways that can immediately be put to work to create a useful, collaborative environment for discussing designs.
The client has asked the document author to complete several tasks, including taking product photography, creating social media posts, and providing a marketing plan. For the product photography, the author proposes either a clean white background or an Indian pattern background. They evaluate each idea and determine they have the skills and resources to complete the white background style within the timeframe. For the social media posts, the author's idea is to make the posts concise and visually appealing using the product images. They believe this idea matches the client's needs and can be done on schedule. In researching competition, the author finds the client has little direct competition but could benefit from improved product photography compared to competitor brands.
This document provides information on various roles in film production, including producer, director, production manager, art director, casting director, edit producer, graphic artist, and specialist researcher. It also discusses film schools in the UK and the pros and cons of freelance versus permanent work in the media industry. At the end is a short section on primary and secondary research.
Critique is a vital skill for any good designer. Here we talk about it's application in everyday life as well as the formal work we do with clients as UX Designers.
This talk has been given at a number of conferences by myself and the amazing Aaron Irizaryy (http://www.thisisaaronslife.com/)
We'll be keeping the most up-to-date version of the slides uploaded here. If you'd like a copy from a previous iteration, please get in touch with either Aaron or myself, and we'll happily get one to you.
Updated 5/55 to the version used at WebVisions Portland in 2012.
This white paper discusses using visual pictures or diagrams to fully understand complex concepts and communicate them effectively. It argues that drawing a picture forces one to summarize their thinking in a static visual, demonstrating a deep understanding of the topic. The paper provides examples of diagrams created by the author to illustrate business strategy and architecture. It recommends starting with a detailed diagram, then summarizing the concepts into progressively smaller diagrams to fully internalize the information before being able to discuss it fluently.
Like it or not, more and more interactions between companies and their customers are occurring via an interface. Careful consideration of the interaction and visual design is of paramount importance to any company wishing to grow their customer base or loyalty. The importance of visual interface design has risen sharply since the introduction of smart phones and tablets and is becoming ever more complex. Executives now care more than ever about the visual interface and what it means to their brand. So how does one stand out? This talk will help designers create visual interfaces for dense, complex products and make their experiences memorable and useful. The talk highlights some of the key differences between more traditional visual design mediums and designing for the interface. It will also discuss how to design a unique visual interface but put the needs of users first, how to add surprise and delight to critical moments of the experience, and how craftsmanship and attention to detail can set you apart in a visually complex medium.
When it comes to online selling, there is a big overlap between Design and Marketing. One fails without the other. In this ebook, I will tell you how to get better at Marketing using simple Design hacks.
The elements of product success for designers and developersNick Myers
All software, whether it's for consumers or workers, needs to meet the ever growing demands people have in today’s world. Greater user expectations and influence are forcing companies to create and deliver better products, but not every organization has a rich heritage in software creation like tech giants Apple and Google. Most companies need to be more customer-focused, become design specialists, and transform their cultures as they shift to become both software makers and innovators.
Myers, head of design services at Cooper, will share the elements of product success that companies need to possess and be market leaders: user insight, design, and organization. Myers will share principles and techniques that successful innovative companies use to truly understand their customers. He’ll also discuss the methods effective designers use to support their customers and create breakthrough ideas and delightful experiences. And he’ll finish by sharing the magic formula organizations need to deliver ground-breaking experiences to market.
This talk was given at UX Day.
The document discusses the power of visuals in business strategy and decision making. It tells the story of Sean, a vice president tasked with fixing a struggling business division. He worked with a facilitator to create hand-drawn visuals of the division's strategy and issues. This engaged employees and helped orient them to goals. The document then discusses how strategic illustrations can clarify concepts, engage teams, and transform organizations by bridging where they are and where they need to be through images at a glance. Research shows visuals improve retention and learning, engaging both sides of the brain for more creative, nonlinear thinking.
The document summarizes a presentation by Juliet Richardson about how UX alone is not enough and designers need to think beyond UX. Richardson discusses how beautifully designed interfaces will not succeed if the underlying proposition or content is not appealing to the target audience. She provides examples where UX improvements did not translate to business goals like increased signups or donations because the content or user needs were not properly understood. Richardson argues that UX practitioners need to consider strategic business objectives, user research, content strategy, and organizational alignment in order to ensure UX delivers value beyond just usability.
DMI Views: Bridging the designer/client relationship—It's not them. It's us. MLD/Mel Lim Design
The article discusses how designers often blame clients for not understanding or appreciating design, but argues that designers need to better understand the client's perspective. It provides 5 tips for bridging the gap: 1) Make clients feel involved in ideas to foster ownership, 2) Simplify complex processes, 3) Learn the client's business before designing, 4) Present ideas in terms the client understands, not just visually, and 5) Show empathy for the client's situation and care about their business goals. The goal is for designers and clients to collaborate as a team rather than see their relationship as an "us vs them."
This document provides an introduction and preface to a book about graphic design. It discusses the author's journey in the design industry and perspectives on how the field has evolved. The preface describes how the author aims to inspire designers and non-designers to think about design and how it is changing communication visually. It also urges readers to see promise in empty spaces and understand how to become designers who can create stories and fill spaces.
The document provides information for a client project including mind maps, assessment of ideas, and development of ideas for promotional materials. The client wants a nature-themed brochure, leaflet, or business cards promoting their reflexology business. The student evaluates three ideas - a trifold brochure, a two-sided leaflet, and business cards. They decide to develop the leaflet idea further with mood boards and mockups. They also propose creating social media graphics. An assessment addresses suitability, appeal, timelines, costs and legal/ethical considerations. Market research investigates competition and the spa industry. Potential target audiences are identified as athletes, those with pain conditions, and those seeking relaxation.
This document outlines 4 potential ideas for a client project for a building company.
The first idea is to design a logo incorporating elements of existing logos using bright colors and textures. The second idea is to create a website following the logo color scheme. The third idea is to design a business card using the logo and colors. The fourth extra idea is to create social media accounts like Instagram and Facebook.
Each idea is then evaluated on clarity, feasibility, resources needed, and timeline. A treatment is proposed using a gray and yellow color scheme, custom font, and emblem logo. A website, social media, and materials will be created to look modern and match the brief. A schedule is then outlined to complete the project
The client has asked the document author to develop ideas for a branding and marketing project for a building company called Walker Renovations. The author proposes four main ideas:
1. Designing a logo incorporating elements of existing logos that uses bright colors and geometric shapes.
2. Creating a website following the logo's color scheme and incorporating elements from other building company websites.
3. Designing a business card using the logo and color scheme that may include an image like a tape measure.
4. Setting up social media accounts, primarily Instagram, to showcase the company's work and target a younger audience.
The author evaluates each idea and believes they have the skills and resources to complete the project
Lights! Camera! Interaction! What Designers Can Learn From FilmmakersAdam Connor
I began college as a film student. I’ve always loved storytelling, particularly visual storytelling in the forms of film and animation. Well-made films show us that they can drive engagement, communicate in subtle ways, change attitudes, and inspire us to try to change our lives.
Films succeed in evoking responses and engaging audiences only with a combination of well-written narrative and effective storytelling technique. It’s the filmmaker’s job to put this together. To do so they’ve developed processes, tools and techniques that allow them to focus attention, emphasize information, foreshadow and produce the many elements that together comprise a well-told story.
We’re responsible for creating products that aren’t just easy to use, but that people appreciate using. It stands to reason that the methods used in films to communicate with and engage audiences can serve as inspiration for designers.
With this presentation, we'’ll revisit the topic of using stories in design and expand on the technical aspects used in film to communicate. We’ll look at some tools used in film such as: cinematic patterns, beat sheets, and storyboards. We’ll consider why they’re used and how we might look to them for inspiration.
This career project explores a career as a graphics designer. It discusses that graphics designers use creative and technical skills to design visual content for websites, publications, and other media. They work independently or with clients to design graphics within deadlines. The document summarizes the typical job duties, educational requirements, salary expectations, and future job prospects for graphics designers. It also outlines the student's personal interest in this career based on an assessment of their skills and values.
This document provides information and guidance for developing and assessing ideas for a client project. The client requires promotional materials for their massage therapy business.
The document outlines three initial ideas - a trifold brochure, a two-sided handout, and an unspecified third idea. Each idea is then evaluated based on criteria such as meeting client requirements, feasibility, and available resources.
The second idea of a two-sided handout is selected to develop further. Additional items like business cards and a Facebook banner are also proposed. Research is then presented on the client's target audience and competitors to help inform the project development.
Wireframes are an important step in the creative process & Design Thinking. It's one of the first times that your team actually sees the product come together. The presentation explores the basics of wireframes and how they fit into the process of Human-centered Design.
This deck was part of workshop held by General Assembly on the Intro to Wireframing on 2-10-2015
1 Pixel to the Left: Why Visual Design Details MatterEmily Rawitsch
Although we have all heard someone passionately declare, “UX is not UI,” visual design is a fundamental part of the user experience. Good design is in the details. It builds trust. It creates hierarchy of information. It makes buttons look clickable. It has the power to transform a functional experience into a delightful experience.
So how we can ensure that the visual details we design are brought to life as intended? Can moving an object 1 pixel to the left really make a difference? In an attempt to find a common language between designers and developers, we will discuss what details are worth fighting for versus when to let go.
Design thinking for designing and delivering servicesZaana Jaclyn
This document outlines an agenda and introduction to a design thinking workshop focused on reimagining libraries. The workshop covers the core phases of design thinking - discovery, definition, development and delivery. In the discovery phase, participants share stories about libraries and build personas. In definition, they identify opportunities and frame focus questions. The development phase involves generating many ideas and prototyping a new library experience. Finally, in delivery, participants prepare pitches to present their visions for the library of tomorrow. The overall workshop aims to collaboratively solve challenges facing libraries through a human-centered design process.
Get out of the lab and into the real worldcxpartners
James Chudley conducted user research for an ecommerce site selling frozen meals to elderly customers by visiting customers in their homes rather than using a lab. This provided invaluable insights into the real-world challenges customers faced using computers and the site. It allowed the client to understand users' experiences firsthand and provided an engaging, memorable experience for the client compared to traditional lab research. While more complicated to plan than lab research, home visits can provide more natural, empathetic insights into how users interact with products in their actual environments.
Discuss Design Without Losing Your MindAdam Connor
This is an updated version of Discussing Design: The Art of Critique.
We’ve all struggled at times in sharing our designs with teammates and stakeholders and collecting feedback on them. The comments we receive can seem to more about personal preference or indicate some misalignment of goals and vision for the project.
Our ability to critique and to facilitate critique with others speaks directly to the quality of these conversations. Designers frequently complain about the quality and uselessness of the feedback they are given, but we rarely take a step back and examine how to collect useful feedback and make our discussions around our designs more productive.
With this talk we look deeper into the various aspects of critique, not just as an activity for collecting feedback, but as a key skill in our ability to communicate and collaborate. We examine the language, rules and strategies for critique and provide participants with takeaways that can immediately be put to work to create a useful, collaborative environment for discussing designs.
The client has asked the document author to complete several tasks, including taking product photography, creating social media posts, and providing a marketing plan. For the product photography, the author proposes either a clean white background or an Indian pattern background. They evaluate each idea and determine they have the skills and resources to complete the white background style within the timeframe. For the social media posts, the author's idea is to make the posts concise and visually appealing using the product images. They believe this idea matches the client's needs and can be done on schedule. In researching competition, the author finds the client has little direct competition but could benefit from improved product photography compared to competitor brands.
This document provides information on various roles in film production, including producer, director, production manager, art director, casting director, edit producer, graphic artist, and specialist researcher. It also discusses film schools in the UK and the pros and cons of freelance versus permanent work in the media industry. At the end is a short section on primary and secondary research.
Critique is a vital skill for any good designer. Here we talk about it's application in everyday life as well as the formal work we do with clients as UX Designers.
This talk has been given at a number of conferences by myself and the amazing Aaron Irizaryy (http://www.thisisaaronslife.com/)
We'll be keeping the most up-to-date version of the slides uploaded here. If you'd like a copy from a previous iteration, please get in touch with either Aaron or myself, and we'll happily get one to you.
Updated 5/55 to the version used at WebVisions Portland in 2012.
This white paper discusses using visual pictures or diagrams to fully understand complex concepts and communicate them effectively. It argues that drawing a picture forces one to summarize their thinking in a static visual, demonstrating a deep understanding of the topic. The paper provides examples of diagrams created by the author to illustrate business strategy and architecture. It recommends starting with a detailed diagram, then summarizing the concepts into progressively smaller diagrams to fully internalize the information before being able to discuss it fluently.
Like it or not, more and more interactions between companies and their customers are occurring via an interface. Careful consideration of the interaction and visual design is of paramount importance to any company wishing to grow their customer base or loyalty. The importance of visual interface design has risen sharply since the introduction of smart phones and tablets and is becoming ever more complex. Executives now care more than ever about the visual interface and what it means to their brand. So how does one stand out? This talk will help designers create visual interfaces for dense, complex products and make their experiences memorable and useful. The talk highlights some of the key differences between more traditional visual design mediums and designing for the interface. It will also discuss how to design a unique visual interface but put the needs of users first, how to add surprise and delight to critical moments of the experience, and how craftsmanship and attention to detail can set you apart in a visually complex medium.
When it comes to online selling, there is a big overlap between Design and Marketing. One fails without the other. In this ebook, I will tell you how to get better at Marketing using simple Design hacks.
The elements of product success for designers and developersNick Myers
All software, whether it's for consumers or workers, needs to meet the ever growing demands people have in today’s world. Greater user expectations and influence are forcing companies to create and deliver better products, but not every organization has a rich heritage in software creation like tech giants Apple and Google. Most companies need to be more customer-focused, become design specialists, and transform their cultures as they shift to become both software makers and innovators.
Myers, head of design services at Cooper, will share the elements of product success that companies need to possess and be market leaders: user insight, design, and organization. Myers will share principles and techniques that successful innovative companies use to truly understand their customers. He’ll also discuss the methods effective designers use to support their customers and create breakthrough ideas and delightful experiences. And he’ll finish by sharing the magic formula organizations need to deliver ground-breaking experiences to market.
This talk was given at UX Day.
The document discusses the power of visuals in business strategy and decision making. It tells the story of Sean, a vice president tasked with fixing a struggling business division. He worked with a facilitator to create hand-drawn visuals of the division's strategy and issues. This engaged employees and helped orient them to goals. The document then discusses how strategic illustrations can clarify concepts, engage teams, and transform organizations by bridging where they are and where they need to be through images at a glance. Research shows visuals improve retention and learning, engaging both sides of the brain for more creative, nonlinear thinking.
The document summarizes a presentation by Juliet Richardson about how UX alone is not enough and designers need to think beyond UX. Richardson discusses how beautifully designed interfaces will not succeed if the underlying proposition or content is not appealing to the target audience. She provides examples where UX improvements did not translate to business goals like increased signups or donations because the content or user needs were not properly understood. Richardson argues that UX practitioners need to consider strategic business objectives, user research, content strategy, and organizational alignment in order to ensure UX delivers value beyond just usability.
DMI Views: Bridging the designer/client relationship—It's not them. It's us. MLD/Mel Lim Design
The article discusses how designers often blame clients for not understanding or appreciating design, but argues that designers need to better understand the client's perspective. It provides 5 tips for bridging the gap: 1) Make clients feel involved in ideas to foster ownership, 2) Simplify complex processes, 3) Learn the client's business before designing, 4) Present ideas in terms the client understands, not just visually, and 5) Show empathy for the client's situation and care about their business goals. The goal is for designers and clients to collaborate as a team rather than see their relationship as an "us vs them."
This document provides an introduction and preface to a book about graphic design. It discusses the author's journey in the design industry and perspectives on how the field has evolved. The preface describes how the author aims to inspire designers and non-designers to think about design and how it is changing communication visually. It also urges readers to see promise in empty spaces and understand how to become designers who can create stories and fill spaces.
This presentation talks about the definition of what design is. It also touches on the basics of design thinking. It showcases different types of design and concludes with how you can become and designer and what you would need to study design.
User experience (UX) design is important for indie developers. As an indie, you must own the user experience even if you are not a professional designer. To improve your UX skills, manage your fears, develop a vision for your product, and cultivate feedback through iterative testing. Follow a lean process of rapid prototyping and testing assumptions with real users. UX involves visual thinking - use sketches, stories and drawings to explore design ideas before coding. Constantly test your designs and gather feedback to refine the user experience.
The document discusses flat design and its advantages over skeumorphic design for website usability. Flat design presents content and design elements in a simple, straightforward interface without unnecessary visual elements. It advocates keeping interfaces minimalist and intuitive for users. Adopting a flat design approach where appropriate can improve usability and set designers apart by prioritizing functionality over visual complexity.
The book of design quotes - more than 100 inspirational quotesewebbers studio
We collected these words, quotes and tweets from world leaders in business, art and design for Brand Managers, Art Directors, Graphic Designers, Creative Directors and all related to graphic design management business fields.
This book is prepared also for founders and owners to read more about the previous founders and owners tweets and this may by the light for his/her business challenges and these quotes my work as supporters for business future.
Every can use this book for in the life to know what is the philosophy of most of public figures in the world.
This document summarizes the services offered by Graphics Merlin, a design company. They provide branding, print, and digital design services including logo design, website design, brochures, and other marketing materials. Their team has over 10 years of experience and takes a customized, research-based approach to understand each client's needs and brand. They aim to create cohesive designs that effectively promote businesses and improve profits through implementation of design solutions.
Jeff Swystun presented these insights and observations at the International Design Symposium in China. Now in the form of a white paper from Swystun Communications, find out how you can design so each consumer believes what you produced had them specifically in mind.
Todorstoyanov.com - 22 logo design mistakes to avoidTodor Stoyanov
The document provides advice on common mistakes to avoid when designing logos. It discusses 22 specific mistakes, including not planning adequately at the beginning of a project, creating discriminatory or offensive logos, borrowing too many ideas from other artists, making logos that are not adaptable to different media, including too many details or elements, and using poor typography choices. The overall message is that logos need to be well-planned, original, functional across different contexts, convey the right message about a brand clearly and simply, and use design best practices.
Presentation held for Microsoft Norway 11.12.2007.
- Who am I?
- What is design?
- Design is not...
- Bad design
- Tips how to talk better to your designer
- Microsoft
- Apple
- Is it really Microsoft?!
Interface Design Concepts and Planning: 532 lecture 2Don Stanley
The document discusses web design and core design principles:
1. The lecture discusses design as problem solving and communication, with design defined as solving problems and making sense of information.
2. Key design principles are discussed including contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity to guide the user's eye and connect related elements.
3. Users scan pages rather than read, so design must be optimized for scanning to reduce cognitive load on users.
This document provides information about developing personas for a driverless bicycle project. It begins with an introduction to personas and their purpose in product design. It then discusses different types of personas like design personas, marketing personas, draft personas, and validated personas. The key benefits of personas in focusing product design and ensuring it meets user needs are explained. The document concludes with instructions for a persona design workshop to develop personas for a driverless bicycle project.
Class 2: Setting the foundation for a successful website designDon Stanley
This document summarizes a lecture on web design and core principles. It discusses design as a problem solving process involving communication. Key aspects of design covered include contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity to guide the eye and differentiate elements. The lecture also discusses thinking like users by considering how they scan pages and make satisficing choices rather than optimal ones. Homework involves redesigning an interface while considering the audience and their goals.
Nan-in, a Japanese Zen master, received a visit from a university professor who wanted to learn about Zen. To demonstrate his teaching method, Nan-in served tea to the professor. He poured the professor's cup full, and kept pouring until the tea overflowed. The professor watched until he could no longer restrain himself, saying "It is overfull, no more will go in!" Nan-in responded "Like this cup, you are full of your own opinions and cannot learn Zen until you first empty your cup."
Design without critique is like a flower without water (WebExpo 2013 version)Petr Stedry
Prepare for critique by accepting your design is imperfect, setting expectations, preparing the design, and sharing context. During the session, limit scope and be specific with feedback, balance positive and negative comments, avoid personal opinions, and acknowledge, appreciate, and capture feedback. End discussions when arguments are exhausted to improve designs through constructive critique.
Presented by Lea Synefakis-Pica for Analytics That Excite 2014
Even the most seasoned analyst can make very simple changes to a presentations to make a big impact. If everyone in your audience is catching up on email or sleep, chances are your presentation design and/or data charts are obscuring your valuable insights and hurting you rather than helping you. Lea can help you inspire action and build credibility with a fresh new toolbox of tips and techniques to set your presentations apart and get the results you’re looking for.
A good presentation has interesting, audience-focused content organized simply with few bullet points. Visuals should be relevant to the content and animations should enhance the message. An effective presentation involves practicing to deliver the content clearly and engagingly with humor when appropriate. Key principles for design include contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity to create a cohesive visual experience for the audience.
Design aims to improve the human experience by planning products and services. Good design considers the user experience, organizes information logically, and focuses on usability and functionality over eccentricity. Key principles include keeping designs simple, grouping similar elements together, and ensuring the design looks good while prioritizing clear communication over flashy aesthetics. The document provides guidelines for evaluating design quality and focusing on the user experience.
Similar to Presentation notes for Call me Delia talk (20)
International Upcycling Research Network advisory board meeting 4Kyungeun Sung
Slides used for the International Upcycling Research Network advisory board 4 (last one). The project is based at De Montfort University in Leicester, UK, and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
1. 1. Hello
2. There is a lovely quote by Ms van Horne about the passion of cooking. I believe
that this befits design too - design should be entered into with abandon, or not at
all!
3. There's a reason our dear Gordon Ramsey, a 3 Michelin star chef, got so upset on
his TV series when celebrity guest Vic Reeves visited and asked the waiter if the
chef could just do him a 'fried egg as he didn't fancy anything on the menu'. He's
capable of so much more, and the customer blindly disregards his skill to dumb down
his potential. Great chefs, like great designers, are very passionate about what
they do and sadly design is not often seen as the skilled talent it deserves to be
known as. That's why there's often a sweary Gordon at the helm of a design team -
passion.
4. What is good design? What is bad design? What is design?
So how do we know what should be known as good design? To help you understand these
conclusions, I'll take you through what bad design is first.
5.'Design is a relationship' quote (Rand)
One of the most renowned and respected graphic designers, Paul Rand, was once
pressed for a definitive meaning of design. Perceptions can vary and this often
leads to basic miscommunication as to the meaning of the design process. Rand
described design as 'the relationship between form and content'. He refers to the
classic rule of design: 'Form Follows Function'. This does not imply that form is
of less importance than the function (and this applies to fashion, interior design,
architecture, product design, graphic, web, everything) but that the form cannot be
decided without knowing the function. You must have a function, a point, a message
- otherwise 'form' is just wallpaper and has no purpose. Function without form
doesn't communicate and has no emotion, so doesn't attract interest. Both must
engage people to succeed as a design.
It doesn't matter whether we're talking about architecture, fashion, interiors,
product or tattoo design, all is a relationship between the form and the content,
but for the purposes of this short session I'll be dealing with graphic or 'visual
communication' design, which is the foundation of all communication design.
6. What is design?
Design is very often thought to be how something looks, or the aesthetics - this is
completely wrong, and a vast underestimation of the design process. Whether its
graphic design for a simple poster or the product design of a car, the 'looks' are
only a part of the consideration and always should be the result of appropriate
research and use. How something looks should go hand in hand with what it's meant
to do or communicate, and benefit what you're trying to do or say. Paul Rand
pointed out that design is not just 'visual communication', as graphic designers
said our profession should be known, but that design often involves the invisible.
Considerable work goes into the parts that customers often don't see, the research,
the structure, the subtleties - and that is also design.
Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, famously said "Design is not just what it looks like, and
feels like; design is how it works" and I think there's a key point there. How
something feels, and thus how it gets a response from someone using it, is
dependent on the relationship between form and function. Design should prompt an
emotional or physical response.
7. What makes bad design?
Bad design is not a matter of opinion - something either works or it doesn't,
whether you 'like' it is a matter of taste. Actual bad design is a failure in one
of the many design considerations in the process, or a failure to recognise the
function and thus produce an effective product. Bad design can also be an
inappropriate or misleading use of style or individual elements, which we'll go
2. into shortly. It can even be a result of trying to please everyone, often referred
to as 'design by committee' (which in case you're wondering is not a good thing)
and something ending up homogenous and bland because you don't focus on what it
needs to do and say. If nobody hates it, nobody can love it as there's nothing to
'feel' (remember Steve's quote earlier!).
8. Bad design kills
Contrary to popular belief, something which regularly pops up on 'omg this is the
ugliest website in the world' and 'bad design' showcases, our local Lingscars.com
is not actually BAD design. Of course it's rather garish, and not the most elegant
of aesthetics, but as we mentioned earlier aesthetics is not the sole purpose of
design! Whether you like how something looks or not is a matter of taste, and to
designers with a love of beautiful fonts and beautiful photography this is a bit of
an assault on the eyes - but this is the key. It's MEANT to be. Ling is known as a
unique character, very animated and known for deliberately trying to stand out in
her marketing, and her personality very much shines through in her product.
Information on this site is actually key, the cars and product take centre stage
and having used this for car quotes recently it is actually easy to find what you
need. So when the function and the message come through in a way that's appropriate
to the company behind it, it's not 'bad design'. However this approach only works
in the aesthetic sense and it wouldn't stand out if everyone else did this - you
can't be disorganised with your message, or have a lack of information, or poor
customer service. Bad design in your customer experience is a different thing
altogether.
9. Bad design, more killing
As I mentioned earlier, bad design can be the result of inappropriate usage, which
is usually an accident or a basic case of not doing your research properly. In
certain circumstances inappropriate logos could raise a bit of a laugh and not do
your brand any harm, but when we're dealing with a children's health centre logo
that looks more than a little dodgy (I'll leave the innocent minds amongst you to
work this one out!) it doesn't do too well with your customers. Some simple effort
with the logo design here would have remedied this if only they'd looked and
checked!
Surrey Police here used the famously hated font 'Comic Sans' for a poster dealing
with very emotionally sensitive material - this is inappropriate design. For one,
the name of the font should have given a clue to the person setting the poster that
it did not fit the message or the seriousness it needed to portray - there is
nothing comic-like bout this subject. Also, a childlike look in the design of the
font - which is primarily known for its over-usage in school newsletters and the
like - is not even comparable to a sexual assault message. I'll highlight in a
moment just why typographic choices are important in a design process.
10. So what makes good design?
Good design, being a relationship between the form and the function, should use the
nature of the medium as an advantage and not a restriction. e.g. the printing
process brings countless options to a book or magazine design, and the internet
brings interactivity and varying screen sizes to a website. Nobody ever complained
that books were different sizes, yet we constantly hear it on the web. Nobody ever
complained that books couldn't be made of cheese, we got on with creating beautiful
layouts and technically superb prints for the materials they were made out of. Good
design uses the nature of the medium and its features, for good.
Good design must answer a communication or physical need (for the purposes of this
presentation audience I'm talking about graphic/communication design and not
product/architecture or the like) and a person seeing, interacting with or using
this communication will have an emotional or physical response. The content is WHY
your message is being designed, so this is what you must portray.
An example here is the photographer Andrew Zuckerman. Here he highlights his latest
book 'Bird' which is a collection of highly specialist and beautiful bird
3. photography. The communication is undeniable - it's a photo of a bird. It's clean,
just like his style and his books, and the navigation design is very simple and
clean. It's a perfect example of the function working with the form to communicate
what he does and what the product is.
11/12. Critical ingredients
So what are the critical ingredients for good design? Well there are far too many
to cover in detail for a half-hour talk, and this is why the design process is a
very skilled undertaking when done properly, but I'll run through some key design
theory fundamentals which are important in the recipe for good and effective
design. Firstly, your most important tool is never, ever Photoshop (or the Mac, or
any other item) - it's your brain, the thinking throughout the ideas and solution
process, and also time. Design is often rushed or skimped upon in time and budget
because it's not seen as being important - viewing design as just aesthetics leads
people to believe design is the end of a process and not as important, which is not
true. Good design takes time, and this leads to a quality solution.
13. Critical ingredients
Firstly - research, research, research!! Research is the cornerstone to your design
and any design process. It gives you the context, history and meaning to what
you're working on. If you don't know WHY and you don't know WHO is going to use it,
or what is already out there how can you begin to design? If you don't work out the
context and always ask questions, you'll never hit the right solution.
Saarinen quoted that you should â œAlways design a thing by considering it in its
larger context. A chair in a room, a room in a house, a house in an environment, an
environment in a city planâa which is key to all design elements. All things must
exist somewhere, and in some context. Your website's buttons are part of an
instruction, that instruction is part of a page, that page part of a section and
the section part of the site. The site will be used by a certain person for a
certain need, in a certain context - these must all work together to benefit, which
creates a good design relationship.
Critical ingredients - a shopping list
14. Personality - how do you want or need to be perceived? Is humour appropriate?
If your company/brand/product/service was a person how would they act, what would
they enjoy and how would they be perceived? Identifying personality traits is
essential. After all, Harrods clientele would not be looking for a Lings Cars wild
and humorous personality when buying luxury and bespoke products, and Ling's
personality would not come across in a sedate and elegant Harrods-like aesthetic
treatment.
15. Space - known as 'white space' it's essential to a design to allow your brain
time to process the information it's communicating. If everything is crammed
together it becomes difficult to separate content and thus to know what's
important. A cluttered design can also suggest being disorganised, desperation by
throwing all content at the customer at once, and lead to information overload. An
interior designer wouldn't throw 300 chairs into your living room even though they
could fit - it would not be easy to use, it would create confusion. Good design
allows space to perceive the information.
16. Simplicity - a well known design rule is taught: 'take something away - if it
works without it, you didn't need it'. It's a way of reducing clutter and ensuring
a message is received clearly without distraction. Paul Rand went on to clarify
that 'less is more' is slightly misleading, after all some designs are more complex
than others depending on the personality and style. He said 'just enough is more'.
Nike is known for their iconic logo, a simple tick. Their slogan and ethos was
'just do it', and the tick represented what they wanted to communicate, perfectly.
Sometimes simplicity is perfect, 'just enough'.
Tiffany & Co are known for beautifully crafted, luxury jewellery items. They don't
4. communicate this with clutter and myriads of colour - they're known for quality so
they let the products speak for themselves with clean, simple photography as the
focus.
17. Relationship & proximity - related items, whether it be a logo, a website or a
system, are related in function for a reason. They should be close to one another
and properly linked, as items close to one another are perceived by our brains to
be more related than ones further apart. This creates a single visual unit. iTunes
interface is used here as an example; the playback controls are grouped together at
the top as one visual unit with volume, which is functionally related to the
playback as a secondary action (you need the volume once you're playing a track,
not before) nearby. The Library, Store and Playlist elements on the left group
their own sub-elements into 3 distinct groups of their own, but their proximity to
one another allows the sidebar to also be perceived as an inter-related whole (i.e.
they are all different collections of things).
18. Colour - colour is a massive study on its own, but I'll briefly touch upon
this. Colour is deeply linked to human psychological response and is observable
from our very early growth, so this can be used to trigger immediate associations
(such as 'red for danger' and 'green is OK'). Remember these may differ from
culture to culture, as red in the Far East is known for being lucky! Colour can
also be used to show consistency in a design and to highlight actions or certain
types of content. Here Barclays use a green login button to signify trust (as green
is known for 'go' and 'ok' with positive connotations) with their brand blue -
which incidentally was chosen because blue is seen as trustworthy and a calm colour
- used for all action buttons. This is immediately recognisable throughout their
website that a blue button performs some kind of action.
Consider other variants - in other cultures colours can mean different things, and
also colour blindness affecting roughly 20% of men genetically can be a major
factor if your target audience are mostly male. Colour blindness testers are
available online and in the printing process.
19. Hierarchy - this is how you give perceived importance to elements in a layout
or structure. Not all elements are the most important - however, clients can
wrongly claim this, as stakeholders will often want 'their' particular department
or feature to be noticed. Sorry, but not everything is your primary message so
leave secondary content out of it otherwise everything in your design fights for
attention and the message is lost! As shown here, Barclays give most prominence to
their main products (UX/user experience research can help determine exactly what
your users need and want to find on the website, just as user research can
determine what customers make a beeline for in a supermarket layout). Barclays then
give less space and less highlighting to the secondary messages of 'ask a question'
but still feature them on the main page, with promotional offers towards the
bottom.
20. Type - this is where I break out the wooden spoon and hit people for using
Brush Script. There is no excuse, other than irony (and that is rare) for bad
fonts. There are hundreds of thousands of beautifully designed (that means
structure and technical expertise as well as the aesthetics, remember) available so
do your research! Remember you need to communicate a personality, and the message
needs to be communicated well, so a badly constructed font or a poor use of it can
drag a design down quickly. Example here with a script font set in all caps - don't
do it. Also, fonts designed so they only work with a set amount of kerning (the
space between the letters) is a poor design in itself - choose a better font and
set it well!
21. Alignment - if elements randomly float around an area, be it a book cover or a
website or a logo, they lose relationship to other elements and look unimportant or
5. unnecessary. Alignment is important to visually link information and create a
unified design and message.
23. Taste is subjective
Good or bad design is not a matter of 'I like it' or not. That is taste, and while
everyone's 'taste' may be different, because good design is the solving of a
communication problem in response to a well-structured and researched brief, when
it's successful and answers the brief that cannot be disputed. Form follows
function, and where the form actually suits and communicates the personality and
message of the function, it works.
24. It's shit.
Poorly constructed feedback does nothing and is the problem of the observer. If you
simply say something is shit, you're wrong unless you can define what is actually
the problem and what's needed to solve it. Constructive feedback solves problems
and this is what the design process is about. Remember that you the client or you
the designer are most often NOT the target audience of whatever
message/product/item you're communicating, so your personal 'taste' doesn't factor
in decision making. Client comments I've received in the past such as 'oh my wife
likes blue so it has to be blue' are rubbish, unrelated to the brief and will not
improve design. Again, pleasing everyone (such as the client's wife) is NOT the
objective of good design. Good critique is proper feedback on the message and
design elements, or even acknowledging a failure in the brief or research, from
those who understand the relationship of form and function. In other words, let the
designer do their job to solve the communication need.
Seek other designers' opinions - as our host pointed out, he comes to me for design
feedback even though I shout at him for using bad fonts (honestly I'm not that
mean). I will always be honest but never criticise 'taste' - I respond with
constructive feedback to improve an issue, if one is needed.
25. Pinch of salt.
You may need this from time to time, for the occasional difficult brief or
client ;)
Thank you for your time and for watching my presentation, I hope you found it
useful and once again thanks to all who gave very lovely feedback - if you need any
design advice or solutions please contact me via http://twitter.com/minxlj or at
leannej@mobious.net