As product designers, we are told that every decision we make must be backed by research, data, or a hypothesis. This is mostly true! Especially when discussing drastic changes to things like navigation, structure, or how different components are used/interacted with. …
This is a somewhat debated topic in the design industry. I’ve heard good arguments for keeping and removing these two sections from your résumé, but I’ve concluded that it does more harm than good, and I’m here to explain why.
Design isn’t about the tools
First off, you are not a designer because you can…
Using logic to get what we want from unhelpful endpoints
Summary
I was tasked with redesigning the Pay/Scan feature of our apps. The basic premise of this feature is that the user can scan their phone at the register and either:
- Pay, using a stored payment method, and earn loyalty
- Earn loyalty only (and pay with a separate payment method)
What…
Math and ethics influence design decisions
Summary
A poorly designed payment preferences UI was resulting in accidental charges and left users at risk of repeat charges that could cause banks to lock their cards. In addition to addressing these pain points, we managed to maintain a level of possible customization unmatched by competitors.
Collaborators
Design Manager — Sloane…
Feeding users food — and content
Summary
In the past, the enterprise agency apps used a navigation style that we refer to as “home screen.” This involved a landing page with a large hero image, a couple of icons in a grid, and an “Order Now” button. Although functional, it minimizes opportunities for brands to engage with…
A designer’s worst nightmare
A large part of our job as designers is to share our work with stakeholders. Our work can range from a research deck to a component design to the design of a new feature. The stakeholders can range from design peers to product managers to your boss’s boss’s boss.
Regardless…
Design tests are a hotly debated topic in the field. Almost daily I see someone post on LinkedIn referring to them as horrible, unfair, outdated, and sometimes even as theft. The moderates weigh in to suggest that companies should pay the designers for the labor. The more passive claim that…
In design, the happy path is what happens when the user does everything exactly the way you expect them to. Although this can happen, it won’t always happen.
One of the most common mistakes I see in portfolios from junior designers is that they often show too much — and too little — simultaneously.
One unfortunate reality of the many design boot camps out there is that they seem to encourage students to design entire apps or entire…
One of the most popular words in design is “empathy.” I’m here with the firm belief that empathy is bullshit. Empathy as the concept of “truly being able to feel what someone else feels,” is a terrific way for companies to avoid paying for in-depth research, but that doesn’t make…
I was discussing the problem of partisanship with some friends recently. And as we were discussing the seemingly insurmountable divide between the two parties and their beliefs, I had an idea.
If the divide is insurmountable, what if we stop trying to surmount it?
My proposal is simple — give…
