Published in Bootcamp·Feb 26, 2021Member-onlyIn pursuit of greatnessThis was an email I sent to my team to get us to focus less on trying to make every decision perfect and to instead get us to focus more on trying to do great work: Perfection is never the goal. You’ll never change the world trying to be perfect…Design2 min readDesign2 min read
Published in UX Collective·Jan 31, 2020Member-onlyIf I die in this room please blame the designerThere is no such thing as human error — only design error. — This door is a masterclass in design error. It is so poorly designed that people felt the need to make a sign that explains not only how to use it but also how to get help if you get trapped. …Design2 min readDesign2 min read
Published in UX Collective·Jan 29, 2020Member-onlyWhy Chrome’s hold to quit is a big usability winChrome’s hold to quit is one of the best little pieces of interaction design I’ve seen in years. And it’s so simple. It’s also a massive usability win. It prevents you from accidentally hitting command-q when you mean to hit command-w, which are right next to each other. The keyboard…User Experience2 min readUser Experience2 min read
Published in UX Collective·Jan 20, 2020Member-onlyThe one thing Netflix understands that HBO Now doesn’t(but may be forgetting) — It would be hard to build a product as lacking in basic features and user experience as HBO Now if you understood the real job that users hire streaming video services to do. Understanding why users would use your product is the key to making sure you build a product…Design9 min readDesign9 min read
Published in UX Collective·Oct 1, 2019Member-onlyIs the Sonos Move well designed? A UX reviewThe Sonos Move is an impressive portable speaker from its spec sheet, to its size, to its price, to its many capabilities. But is it well designed? Let’s find out together. All of my reviews use the Design Critique Rubric and the Guidelines for Thoughtful Product Design. …Music15 min readMusic15 min read
Published in UX Collective·Jun 28, 2019Member-onlyIf you want to work somewhere, just askHere is a big career secret: If you want to work some place or with someone, just ask. Don’t wait for an official job opening. Heck, by the time an official job opening is posted, a hiring manager may already have a preferred candidate in mind. …Design3 min readDesign3 min read
Published in The Startup·Jun 26, 2019Member-onlyThe magic of the daily demoIf you are trying to build something great you may be missing one of the most important rituals — the daily demo. My team meets every day at 4 pm for a daily demo and critique, where people show off what they have been working on. We give people a…UX9 min readUX9 min read
Published in The Startup·Jun 12, 2019Member-onlyBuilding an associate product/UX designer program to help create the next generationEvery company that reaches a certain size will need to start hiring employees without much or any experience. But how do you do this without hurting the quality of your team? Enter the associate product designer program. Create your own pipeline of talented people. The general idea of this program…Design7 min readDesign7 min read
Published in The Startup·Apr 17, 2019Member-onlyThis is why we don’t ship prototypesThe Samsung Galaxy Fold isn’t even out yet and it is already breaking in droves. The idea for folding computing devices has merit that should be explored. But — BUT — ideas are cheap. Execution is expensive. Samsung is learning this the hard way. Samsung is rushing out early tech…Samsung3 min readSamsung3 min read
Published in UX Collective·Apr 9, 2019Member-onlyA case study in how poor language hurts designWhat does “unblank projector” mean?” — This is an excellent lesson in why we need to use humanistic, usable language. Design is not just about visuals. This is a photo I took off the projector in my class last week. Our classrooms have a Crestron automation system in them that controls lights, projectors, and audio. …Design3 min readDesign3 min read
