Tag / ux
Free Sketch Template for building a meaningful “Affinity Diagram” during the UX Process
A step-by-step guide with some key concepts explained*I believe that doing an affinity diagram exercise is more efficient in a physical space with teammates scribbling notes, thinking out loud and engaging in discussions. Therefore, unless Sketch provides the ability to share/edit a file with multiple people at once, I would suggest to use the template to digitally store written Post-it notes or to showcase the process/result somewhere (i.e portfolio).
At the end of this article, there is a link to download a Free Sketch Template to create a digital version of an affinity diagram with explanations 😎
What is an Affinity Diagram?In short, the affinity diagram shows the common issues, themes, and scope of the customer problems and needs in one place. By hierarchically grouping the data, or affinity notes that reveal the problems and needs, it acts as the voice of the customer and the issues become the basis for user requirements. With just a few tools, you can create a visual representati..
Why the discovery phase is the most important web design step
The discovery phase in web design can help you create products and services that your users really need. Here’s why you need to take it seriouslyCreating websites that people want to use requires an intense amount of research. To truly understand the people who will be using your products and services is the main current of user experience design.
Oriol Beda quipped in UX Collective that “research is still seen as a magic wand that is only waved when problems arise”.
If you don’t know who your audience is, how can you ever expect to design something suited to their wants and needs? The answer is you won’t. You’ll end up with a half-baked product that nobody will want to use. For a better design process, research should be a primary tool for answering problems and not a fall back for when things go awry.
So, what steps can UX/UI designers take to ensure that they’re creating successful work? When it comes to web design, one of the most important steps is the discovery phase.
In this pos..
20 Free iPhone X Mockups [PSD, Sketch]
via TheyMakeDesign
А compilation of iPhone X Mockups in PSD and Sketch. It includes clay style, realistic mockups and flat design in different angles from frontal to perspective and isometric ones.
Check them out, maybe you’ll find one of them useful for your next project:
Frontal and Perspective iPhone X PSD Mockups by RamotionFrontal Mockup by PixedenPerspective PSD Mockup by Virgil PanaFrontal Sketch mockup by murathanFrontal PSD Mockup by Alexander LitvinenkoFrontal PSD Mockup by Unite ThemeFrontal PSD Mockup by KonstantinFrontal PSD Mockup by Danish DesignsFrontal PSD Mockup by PSD DaddyFrontal PSD Mockup by Design BoltsPerspective PSD Mockup by Super Crowds inc.Frontal Sketch mockup by Rajat KashyapFrontal Sketch Mockup by Greg DlubaczFrontal Sketch Mockup by Roberts OzolinsFrontal Sketch Mockup by Rifayet UdayFrontal Sketch Mockup by Joseph Angelo TodaroFrontal Sketch & PSD Mockup by Pierre BorodinPerspective PSD & Sketch Clay Mockup by RamotionPerspective PSD Clay Mockup by laz..
How to design Mobile Push Notifications that Don’t Suck
Photo by Jamie Street on UnsplashAs a writer, I am often being asked to help app makers with push notifications. Designing a push requires both time and energy and it’s never an easy task to do especially if you are a technical thinker. What I mean by a “technical thinker” is that a lot of people see only one side of a push notification; they have something to tell their app users and they just tell it. Usually through a very generic message. This is way too technical.
But the fact is that a push notification is a marketing tool no less important than SMS and emails. So, app makers need to be careful with this to make the most out of it. Mastering the technique of merely sending a push is not yet enough to make that push work. You have to convey a marketing message in a very user-friendly way. So, let’s examine my algorithm of designing mobile push notifications that don’t suck. Here you are!
When to send the pushDefinitely NOT when your users are sleeping. Also, always send push notif..
Checklist for effective logo design
Satisfy your client and give them their money’s worth with this effective logo design checklistRockstar logo designer and overall great man, Aaron Draplin, has designed a ton of successful logos. Looking through his book, Pretty Much Everything, you’ll see all of the logos that Aaron has created from his initial sketches to full blown billboard spreads.
Whether it’s a humble logo for his friend’s hot dog stand or the audacious Nike Air Max 360 logo, Draplin has produced some fine logo designs. Each is an exercise in restraint, intent and efficiency.
Logos are powerful. They pack an emotional punch. A good logo can make you feel a sense of achievement or bitter to your stomach. It’s said that we see around 4000 to 10,000 advertisements a day so one can only guess how many logos we’re exposed to.
Paul Rand, the man behind such logo classics as IBM, ABC and Ford, believed that “the only mandate in logo design is that they be distinctive, memorable and clear.”
Thousands of logos are made b..
Why Focusing Too Much on App User Acquisition is Not Right
In the mobile app world, focusing on ANYTHING too much is already a growth killer. You know why? Because there are a dozen things to take care of and if you invest too much energy into one thing only, you might end up losing the others. The same applies to focusing too much on user acquisition. Of course, it’s tempting to invest money into acquiring new users especially if you are just starting but there are other growth factors you should consider too such as engagement and retention.
Let’s start with understanding what user acquisition is and how it can help you.
Basically, mobile user acquisition equals to getting people to download your mobile app.
User acquisition is sometimes rather costly but you cannot overlook it because let’s face it, you need people to learn about your app and to download it to understand what a treasure it is.
via GIPHYThere are tons of acquisition strategies you can use. You can start with the following:
You can build a landing page with links to your app ..
How to Play the Innovation Jigsaw Game
Image Source : Business InsiderCreative problem solving is a learned skill that every service designer, developer or researcher needs to master. Seeing a problem and devising a possible solution requires specific knowledge within a discipline and a flexible mindset. But new inventions come in many different shapes and sizes. Indeed, when a medical breakthrough is made, it is sometimes (but not always) referred to as ‘wholly original’. This means the solution is novel and no part of it has ever been used before. Which raises the question, are other inventions generally not?
“Most problems are multi-layered and don’t contain one solution alone.”As a matter of fact, no. Most problems are multi-layered and don’t contain one solution alone. This means existing solutions to other problems can be brought together to solve a brief. Often, the very best solutions are the product of other discoveries.
Take Galileo, for example. The Italian is often credited with inventing the first microscope, b..
Who uses Service Design?
“A “service” sign in a room lit up at night” by Mike Wilson on UnsplashNetflix, Google, Spotify & iPhone are all highly aware of the importance of good Service Design. We can see this through their business models. Did you ever wonder why Netflix charges customers on a monthly basis instead of per movie or why Spotify also only offers monthly subscriptions? And why did Apple switch from iTunes to Apple Music? The reason is simple. All of these providers wanted to move away from selling products and into selling services. Through well-designed services, providers hope to build and maintain a relationship with you, the customer. This relationship means that they can predict their revenue better, re-invest in improving customer experiences, up-sell and introduce new products and services more effectively to their existing customer base.
The benefits of brand loyalty, which companies such as Nike developed and cherished in the eighties and nineties, are reaped with more certainty through s..
Wireframing Tools for Beginners
Wireframing is a key skill for UX design and often used to show layouts or visualize ideas to clients, stakeholders, and developers. Today’s wireframing programs can make it quicker and easier to develop these deliverable. Sketch, Figma, Codepen, Invision, Mindmeister, and many more are available and widely used.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of available design tools when creating your wireframes. I haven’t even mention Adobe, PowerPoint, and good old pen and paper. Sometimes a sketch on a piece of paper works just as well as presenting digital wireframes. As beginners, many UX professionals get caught up in software – Which ones are the best to use? What will look best on my resume for future jobs? The design stage, project requirements, and even the client or employer will influence which tool to use.
Wireframes range from low fidelity, with placeholders for elements, text, and media, to high fidelity versions that look, and may even function, like the finished ..