Why software development is a constant balancing act between adding new features and maintaining simplicity and usability. Photo by Luke Peters on Unsplash As software developers, we are always looking for ways to improve our products and make them more useful for our users. However, there is a fine line between adding useful features and creating software bloat. Jamie Zawinski, a programmer and open-source software developer, coined Zawinski’s Law, which states, “Every program attempts to expand until it can read mail. Those programs which cannot so expand are replaced by ones which can ..read more

The gap between tech’s promise and reality - fixing healthcare for people with limb differences benefits everyone. April marks Limb Difference Awareness Month, a time dedicated to shedding light on the unique challenges and experiences of those living with limb differences. As of April 2024 there are over 5.6 million Americans Living with Limb Loss & Limb Difference. Despite the significant strides in technology and its profound ability to transform lives, there remains a startling gap in information regarding how these advancements impact the limb different communities. This month, I aim ..read more

How to use dimension scales in your design system effectively to boost consistency, designer-developer collaboration, & minimize errors. As part of the comprehensive Design System, following the establishment of a systematic color palette, the next crucial step was to define a dimension scale. This scale aimed to reduce the excessive use of raw values in screen designs and the production codebase, preventing potential errors. Simultaneously, it sought to enhance consistency and cohesiveness within the design framework. What is a dimension scale? A dimension scale, in the context of d ..read more

On VoiceOver, ALT image length, and why we design like blind people rarely use phones. Interview with the blind chess legend. Blind chess, photo by author Must-knows before you read this: There are several ways to define blindness. Here, the term “blind users/people” is used interchangeably with “visually impaired,” “legally blind,” “low-vision users,” or “screen reader users,” as I’m interviewing a person who is 100% blind. Medical terms are not the subject of this story and fall within the realm of health professionals. Note that the story is not about color-blind users. If y ..read more

Data can be your competitive edge as a Designer, if you understand how to think about it. Photo by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-wearing-brown-jacket-and-using-grey-laptop-874242/ Most designers I've met have a single common stumbling block around Data, which prevents them from learning several valuable skills. From creating Data Visualizations, which use our Design skills and processes, to Data Storytelling, which persuades audiences to empathize with our users, Data can be a competitive edge in this weird job market. However, whether I was helping Designl ..read more

User research lies at the heart of human-centered design, so limited access to customers is a common frustration among product designers. While nothing can substitute regular feedback from actual users, there are alternative ways to fill in the blanks in understanding who, how and why is using your product. A great deal has been said about the importance of user research, the crucial “U” ingredient without which the practice of “UX” falls apart. Yet many researchers and designers find themselves in a continuous fight for access to customers, constantly having to prove that sourcing direct ..read more

What does understanding cultural needs mean for experience success? Shanghai’s IKEA store. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-36771294 Before we dive in. For your reading pleasure and for the validity of the article and its trustworthiness there are references throughout the article. The full reference list can be found at the bottom of this article. Enjoy! Jump to sections of interest: Cultural sensitivity to design How IKEA redesigned and adapted stores to fit Chinese culture (almost) How to get to China ​ How to adjust outside of Scandinavia Cultural clash or cultural&nb ..read more

Weekly curated resources for designers — thinkers and makers. “There is a monotonous and somewhat vanilla verbosity associated with how LLMs write and talk. I don’t think it’s because AI doesn’t use the right words. I think it’s because AI can’t show an interest in talking to us. AI isn’t alive, or conscious, and so what interest it does show is just an artifact of language.” What if LLMs were actually interesting to talk to? →By Adrian Chan Fed up with complex, cluttered, and clunky task-tracking tools? →[Sponsored] Flat is the new, ridiculously simple tracking app for teams witho ..read more

Successful AI products enable both to do their best work, Framing problems for AI, from mechanisms to capabilities by Author There are tasks humans can do, tasks AI can automate, and a new category of tasks humans can do only with the help of AI, source: Turing Trap. Successful AI products enable both to do their best work. Points below frame ways to approach building AI capabilities toward useful, valuable, responsibly considered human needs Redrawn from Stanford Digital Economy Lab + HAI Data Science and Design have grown from different disciplines, but converge when productiz ..read more

We get it, you live and breathe UX, but you don’t need to be a party pooper 24/7. I don’t really like (anymore) to write “controversial” articles because I enjoy not dealing with shitty comments too much, but my god, guys, calm down! Look, let me get this out of the way immediately: I’m all for good UX, accessibility, and all. I’m not here advocating for making products with just bells and whistles for the sake of it. But you gotta let it go sometimes. I started working “in digital” 15+ years ago, I started using the internet around 1999. We knew pretty much nothing about UX. Most e ..read more