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The 10 Usability Heuristics in Cartoons: Jakob Nielsen
Jakob Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics are fundamental principles for designing user-friendly interfaces. I use them often to evaluate my work – and other websites and applications I encounter. They serve as general guidelines rather than strict rules, and at times are open to interpretation, but they help UX designers create intuitive, efficient, and hopefully satisfying…
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The Usability of Touchscreens in Modern Vehicles: A Growing Concern
Car safety experts and drivers have long been concerned about the usability of touchscreens in vehicles. If you have tried to use one while driving, you know why. Many people prefer the simplicity of traditional buttons. Over the past 30-plus years, digital displays have replaced tactile knobs and buttons, leading to concerns about increased distracted…
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10 years of Google Material Design
Google Material, also known as Material Design, is a design system developed by Google in 2014. It was Google’s comprehensive design system/framework to create good UX and UI designs. It aims to create a unified, consistent user experience across various devices, platforms, and screen sizes. It’s 10 years old and has evolved a lot in…
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Web forms placeholder text – Don’t use it!
I found a great resource that explains with excellent examples why we shouldn’t use web forms placeholder text as field labels. “Placeholders are popular because they save space and have a minimalist aesthetic. But using placeholder text for labels or even just hint text is problematic.” I often explain to people that what is most…
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Designing for neurodivergence: Software accessibility and ADHD
Digital accessibility is important for many reasons and its importance is only growing. Yet defining what accessibility means, or what the application of universal accessibility principles look like when designing for neurodivergence, is really challenging. I believe that many people use WCAG compliance checkers to test their work for technical compliance. That’s a good start,…
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Designing Progress Trackers
I’m working on a progress tracker for a service within a larger application environment and am looking at ways to incorporate this component into the existing pattern. I want to design a progress tracker that both looks good and also enhances the user experience by making a specific process clear. Here are key factors I’m…
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Accessibility resource: The A11Y Project
The A11Y Project is a community-driven effort to make digital accessibility easier. It’s full of resources, information and context for people in different roles to help them create more accessible digital products and experiences. Summary of the The A11Y Project: Visit the A11y Project for more
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How to create accessible web products by Digital BC
If you are looking for a resource that articulates the importance of creaing accessible web products to both experienced professionals and those new to digital accesibility, Digital BC has a great resource for you. This accessibility information is part of the Digital BC website from the Government of British Columbia. It provides information and guidance…
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Understanding Customer Needs with the Jobs-To-Be-Done Framework
The Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) framework is a powerful tool for businesses to gain deep insights into customer motivations, leading to more successful product development and improved customer satisfaction. By aligning products with the real jobs customers are trying to accomplish, companies can build stronger, more meaningful connections with their target audience. The framework…
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Deceptive Patterns in UX – Don’t try to trick or insult your users!
Nielsen Norman Group (NNG) has a posting that resonates with me called Deceptive Patterns in UX: How to Recognize and Avoid Them. What is a deceptive pattern? NNG defines them as “A deceptive pattern is a design pattern that prompts users to take an action that benefits the company employing the pattern by deceiving, misdirecting,…