Color is often used to evoke emotions and emphasis. That’s one of the reasons why designers see color as an important element in their work. Colors communicate messages on both psychological and visual level. The importance of color is undeniable, but is basing the message solely on color the right thing to do? This post… Continue reading 3 Common Color Accessibility Issues One Can Easily Avoid
Tag: different
Housing, It’s a Human Right (Part 2)
A 3-Part Series on the digital accessibility of the housing process experienced by people with disabilities. In this 3-part series, we will look at the challenges and rewards of the entire experience surrounding the process of acquiring housing for people who live with a disability. We will look at: Buying an existing home Leasing an… Continue reading Housing, It’s a Human Right (Part 2)
Enhancing Accessibility with AI and ML
There has been a lot of buzz recently about Artificial Intelligence, with some people speculating that we are approaching the long-awaited AI revolution. This hype has been chiefly generated by recent advanced algorithms powering ChatGPT and other language-related models. While I believe that these models are still a far cry from general AI (AI which… Continue reading Enhancing Accessibility with AI and ML
Give Your Site Some Focus! Tips for Designing Useful and Usable Focus Indicators
What Are Focus Indicators? Have you ever noticed the blue outlines that sometimes show up around buttons or form fields? What about when you click on a menu item? Have you ever tried to make those outlines disappear? Here’s a hint: by default, browsers use the :focus css pseudo class to give outlines to form… Continue reading Give Your Site Some Focus! Tips for Designing Useful and Usable Focus Indicators
What should be the contrast level of inactive buttons?
Using the APCA Readability Criterion to improve the accessibility of disabled controls Disabled buttons. They need to look non-interactable. But they also can’t be completely unreadable. How do I find the sweet spot? I spent a few hours in a deep dive going through a bunch of blogs and accessibility guidelines documentation in search for best approaches… Continue reading What should be the contrast level of inactive buttons?
15 Best New Fonts, October 2023
Fonts By Ben Moss Yesterday We’re entering the final quarter of 2023, and even in the pre-holiday lull, there are still plenty of fonts to get excited about. In this month’s edition of our roundup of the best new fonts for designers, there are lots of revivals, some excellent options for logo designers, and some… Continue reading 15 Best New Fonts, October 2023
Risk tolerance: why some countries prefer more complex UIs
An analysis of Uncertainty Avoidance and Amazon’s website in various countries Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash What do Switzerland, the US, Sweden, the UK, and the Netherlands have in common? They are all rich, protestant, relatively cold countries where a big part of the population consists of (former) immigrants. They also form the top 5 of… Continue reading Risk tolerance: why some countries prefer more complex UIs
We’re turning designers into factory workers
Considering the availability of modern tools and recent advancements in governance (design systems), one might think designers could relax and enjoy some leisure time. Surprisingly, that’s not the case. In fact, it feels like designers have even less time than before. As we’re frantically pushing towards an auto-governed future, we ought to stop and think… Continue reading We’re turning designers into factory workers
How to Add Hair in Photoshop
Whether you want to add some extra detail or fill in a patchy spot of hair, this tutorial will give you the skills to do it quickly. With a few simple paint strokes, you can totally transform your images. It’s even great for non-digital painters. So let’s dive right into it! What You’ll Learn How… Continue reading How to Add Hair in Photoshop
Design for meaningful outcomes
Aim for quality outcomes, not just outputs — that’s how we can drive customer and business value! Designing for outcomes enables us to focus on customer needs and meaningful business results. “Start with the customer experience and work backwards to the technology,” Steve Jobs once said. To write a compelling story, start with the ending as a meaningful destination.… Continue reading Design for meaningful outcomes
The Dangers of Deceptive Design Patterns (And How to Avoid Them)
UX By Louise North Today As web designers, our role in crafting user-friendly digital landscapes is critical. We are tasked with creating user experiences that make visitors feel comfortable and respected. This, in turn, creates benefits for our clients by improving repeat visits and achieves the site’s ultimate aims, whether that is sales revenue or… Continue reading The Dangers of Deceptive Design Patterns (And How to Avoid Them)
3 Essential Design Trends, September 2023
Here’s what’s trending in design this month: 1. Monochrome Color Schemes One-color design patterns can be beautiful and somewhat enchanting. With tints and tones of the same base color, there is a certain elegance that comes with a monochrome color scheme. Designers who have worked with color in this way know that while the end result may look… Continue reading 3 Essential Design Trends, September 2023
Unveiling the experience wheel of true fortune
Our tendency to focus on negative experiences has prevented us from recognizing and seizing the opportunities of another loop. This is better known as the flywheel effect, and the key ingredient is how success can be replicated through a series of logical but effective steps until it links as a chain. (Image source: Neil Webb) Would… Continue reading Unveiling the experience wheel of true fortune
How to ‘un-stuck’ your design work
Three lifelines to call on when you’re feeling stuck creatively I’ve been a professional designer for over twenty years, working across a wide range of media: UX/UI, motion, branding, web design, mobile apps, and creative coding. Most lately, I’ve been developing my font design practice. Design is a long journey of exploration and growth. You… Continue reading How to ‘un-stuck’ your design work
Our dangerous tendency to hold on to losing bets
Tools to mitigate commitment bias and overconfidence Midjourney Last week, we wrote about how ‘conviction’ is a very human attribute responsible for our powerful, yet irrational ability to almost will positive outcomes into existence; presumably against all odds. Today we’ll cover the dark side of conviction and overconfidence — and unfortunately, the more common tendency to overcommit and… Continue reading Our dangerous tendency to hold on to losing bets
Accessibility of the Button: Should We Fix It or the Root Cause Problem?
Let me tell you a story along the lines of…Button, Button, Who’s Got The Button? Typical “how to” articles are dry laundry lists of tactical “do this/don’t do that” mechanics that do nothing to help you think about WHY you should do things differently. Today, I’m going to share a more strategic accessible design approach… Continue reading Accessibility of the Button: Should We Fix It or the Root Cause Problem?
I sent an email, but nobody read it. So I sent out an invite.
When it comes to group dynamics, there are two key factors that play a crucial role: task-oriented and maintenance-oriented behaviors. As you plan your team’s agenda, consider how these factors influence the dynamics and productivity of the group. midjourney 2023 / prompt: Google calendar full of meetings “Not another meeting…” or “this could have been an email…”… Continue reading I sent an email, but nobody read it. So I sent out an invite.
Accessibility Legislation & Regulation Roundup – A LOT Happened in Just July
A lot is happening in the US legislative and international regulatory space right now around accessibility. Not surprisingly, many of these actions were timed to the US’ ADA anniversary. It can be overwhelming. Here are some of the things my colleagues and I are monitoring for you right now and our take on what they… Continue reading Accessibility Legislation & Regulation Roundup – A LOT Happened in Just July
How you can create non-obvious UX research insights
6 tips to sidestep “we already knew it” feedback on a research report Image on https://www.nirandfar.com/hindsight-bias/ Every UX researcher wonders how they can create amazing insights that go beyond expectations and elicit a ‘wow!’ reaction from their audience. Despite conducting numerous rounds of interviews, sometimes our research reports can seem too plain and bland if they… Continue reading How you can create non-obvious UX research insights
What Your Organization Needs to Navigate Canada Digital Accessibility Laws
A comprehensive guide to understanding digital accessibility requirements in Canada Digital accessibility is an integral aspect of equality and inclusivity, providing the same opportunity for all in the modern, digital world. In recognition of this, Canadian federal and provincial governments have implemented various legislative acts to ensure that individuals with disabilities have digital access without… Continue reading What Your Organization Needs to Navigate Canada Digital Accessibility Laws
From Beethoven to Bach: how Apple’s new app makes classical music discovery a breeze
Discovering and enjoying classical music made easy with Apple’s dedicated app, Apple Music Classical Generated by the author using Adobe Firefly There’s a problem when it comes to searching and exploring classical music on music streaming services. Apple Music is not different, and Apple tried to solve this problem by launching a separate app! In this… Continue reading From Beethoven to Bach: how Apple’s new app makes classical music discovery a breeze
Innovative Home Decor: How Custom Neon Signs Elevate Interior Design Strategies
“There’s No Place Like Home” LED sign by VoodooNeon.com Introduction to innovative home decor In recent years, the world of interior design has seen a significant shift towards innovative and unconventional home decor ideas. As homeowners, we are always on the lookout for unique ways to express our individuality and creativity in our living spaces.… Continue reading Innovative Home Decor: How Custom Neon Signs Elevate Interior Design Strategies
Setting up performance reviews for Product Designers
Take a few shortcuts with my comprehensive guide on evaluating designers Why is evaluating designers so difficult? Evaluating the performance of a product designer within a startup or agency environment is challenging. It involves a mixture of objective and subjective data that is synthesized in an attempt to gauge if someone is to be rewarded,… Continue reading Setting up performance reviews for Product Designers
3 Essential Design Trends, June 2023
That’s a big part of the reason so many designers are stripping down menus to more minimal styles. (Plus, it can create a cleaner, more sleek overall design.) Here’s what’s trending in design this month – and it is all about navigation. 1. Pop-Out Navigation There’s an obvious connection to mobile-friendliness here – website designs that use… Continue reading 3 Essential Design Trends, June 2023