I am a creative. What I do is alchemy. It is a mystery. I do not so much do it, as let it be done through me. I am a creative. Not all creative people like this label. Not all see themselves this way. Some creative people see science in what they do. That is their truth, and I respect it. Maybe I even envy them, a little. But my process is different—my being is different. Apologizing and qualifying in advance is a distraction. That’s what my […]
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Ever since I was a boy, I’ve been fascinated with movies. I loved the characters and the excitement—but most of all the stories. I wanted to be an actor. And I believed that I’d get to do the things that Indiana Jones did and go on exciting adventures. I even dreamed up ideas for movies that my friends and I could make and star in. But they never went any further. I did, however, end up working in user experience (UX). Now, I realize that there’s an […]
More infoPicture this: You’re in a meeting room at your tech company, and two people are having what looks like the same conversation about the same design problem. One is talking about whether the team has the right skills to tackle it. The other is diving deep into whether the solution actually solves the user’s problem. Same room, same problem, completely different lenses. This is the beautiful, sometimes messy reality of having both a Design Manager and a Lead Designer on the same team. And if you’re wondering […]
More infoAs a product builder over too many years to mention, I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen promising ideas go from zero to hero in a few weeks, only to fizzle out within months. Financial products, which is the field I work in, are no exception. With people’s real hard-earned money on the line, user expectations running high, and a crowded market, it’s tempting to throw as many features at the wall as possible and hope something sticks. But this approach is a recipe […]
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In today’s fast-paced world, it can be easy to neglect our own well-being in favor of meeting deadlines, fulfilling responsibilities, and juggling multiple commitments. However, taking care of ourselves is crucial for maintaining our physical, emotional, and mental health. The art of self-care is all about prioritizing your own well-being and making time for activities that nourish and rejuvenate you. Here are some tips for incorporating self-care into your daily routine: 1. Schedule regular “me time”: Carve out time in your schedule for activities that bring you […]
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Job interviews can be nerve-wracking experiences, but with the right preparation and mindset, you can increase your chances of success. Here are 10 essential tips for a successful job interview: 1. Research the company: Before your interview, take the time to research the company. Learn about its history, mission, values, products or services, and recent news or developments. This will show the interviewer that you are genuinely interested in the company and have taken the time to prepare. 2. Practice your answers: Prepare answers to common interview […]
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Effective communication is crucial in all aspects of our lives, whether it be in our personal relationships, at work, or in social situations. Good communication skills can help us to build strong relationships, resolve conflicts, and achieve our goals. However, many of us struggle with communication, whether it be because of shyness, lack of confidence, or simply not knowing how to effectively convey our thoughts and feelings. To help you become a better communicator, here are some dos and don’ts of effective communication: Do: Listen actively One […]
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Feedback, in whichever form it takes, and whatever it may be called, is one of the most effective soft skills that we have at our disposal to collaboratively get our designs to a better place while growing our own skills and perspectives. Feedback is also one of the most underestimated tools, and often by assuming that we’re already good at it, we settle, forgetting that it’s a skill that can be trained, grown, and improved. Poor feedback can create confusion in projects, bring down morale, and affect […]
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“Any comment?” is probably one of the worst ways to ask for feedback. It’s vague and open ended, and it doesn’t provide any indication of what we’re looking for. Getting good feedback starts earlier than we might expect: it starts with the request. It might seem counterintuitive to start the process of receiving feedback with a question, but that makes sense if we realize that getting feedback can be thought of as a form of design research. In the same way that we wouldn’t do any research […]
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I’m not sure when I first heard this quote, but it’s something that has stayed with me over the years. How do you create services for situations you can’t imagine? Or design products that work on devices yet to be invented? Flash, Photoshop, and responsive design When I first started designing websites, my go-to software was Photoshop. I created a 960px canvas and set about creating a layout that I would later drop content in. The development phase was about attaining pixel-perfect accuracy using fixed widths, fixed […]
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