Published in UX Collective·PinnedMember-onlyDuolingo’s redesign: 4 things they got right, 1 possible improvementFirst, I realize that I’m a little behind here. I’m currently learning Japanese on Duolingo, and my dad, who’s learning German, got this update a bit ago. His thoughts were simply, “I don’t like it.” But that’s what I’ve come to expect from any large-scale redesign at first. …UX5 min readUX5 min read
Published in Bootcamp·Updated 2 days agoMember-onlyClose everythingPursuing mindfulness while working in tech — I’ve been working in tech long enough to know that mindfulness and screens rarely (if ever) mix. I have tried a number of terrific apps designed to help with the practice of mindfulness. (The best two, imo, are Inner Garden and Oak.) However, I’ve had to face the reality that…Design4 min readDesign4 min read
Jan 20Member-onlyPMs are not the boss of meFinding problem-alignment as a designer — It’s a tale as old as time. PM (Product Manager) writes a ticket. The ticket goes something like this:Design5 min readDesign5 min read
Jan 20Member-onlyAI means we’re all editors nowI remember learning at some point (I think in college, in the context of songwriting and music composition) that creatives are always switching between creator and editor. Oftentimes, creators in the modern economy are also their own marketers, social media managers, accountants, and more. The premise is simple — don’t…Design3 min readDesign3 min read
Published in Bootcamp·Jan 8Member-onlyGreat designers know how to zoomFocusing on the right things at the right time — I’ve worked with many terrific designers. I’ve worked with some designers who are still improving. But the truly great designers all have one thing in common — they know what level of zoom to focus at for each stage of a project. Microscope 🔬, Glasses 👓, Telescope 🔭 For the sake of simplicity, I like thinking…Design5 min readDesign5 min read
Published in Bootcamp·Updated Jan 8Member-onlyStop being creativeHow to make your portfolio stand out — Many early-career designers put a tremendous amount of work into portfolios that fail to impress. This can be tremendously draining and emotionally taxing. When applying for jobs, there is little-to-no feedback for designers, so they often end up in a hellish loop of portfolio and résumé edits. Changing a color…Design5 min readDesign5 min read
Published in Bootcamp·Jan 8Member-onlyUsing fitness rings to hack your productivityThe genius of Apple’s rings — Apple released fitness rings in September 2014. It’s a simple, yet effective tool, that hasn’t been changed for 9 years. There are three rings: Red — move goal, measured in calories Green — exercise goal, measured in “minutes of exercise time” Blue — stand goal, measured in number of hours…Productivity4 min readProductivity4 min read
Published in UX Collective·Dec 6, 2022Member-onlyAre we even affording right?Affordances, signifiers, hierarchy — A common example of affordance are “Norman doors.” The idea is, a door affords a certain action, such as opening, or closing. However, if the perceived affordance is different than the actual functionality, the user will be confused. More simply, if a door has a handle, it affords pulling. If…Design7 min readDesign7 min read
Published in Bootcamp·Updated Dec 1, 2022Member-onlyDesigning a scalable portfolioLike most designers, I’ve spent a lot of time working on my portfolio. And then deleting it and doing it over again. Building out your portfolio can feel daunting. There are a huge number of choices and you have to make a lot of them before you can even start…User Experience5 min readUser Experience5 min read
Nov 24, 2022Member-onlyThings I’m Thankful ForThe Design Edition — Listen, I’ve never been great at the gratitude thing. I’ve mastered “cynical,” but haven’t perfected “thankful.” So, in honor of the time of year where I’m forced to do my best, I’ve curated a list of things that I’m genuinely appreciative of. Auto-layoutUX4 min readUX4 min read
