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Design Theory

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Why Skilled UX Designers Are (Like) Magicians

  • Behavioral Science, Design, Design Theory, Human factors, Visual Design

Discover how to create a user-centered experience by designing for the Locus of Attention.

Article by Vero Vanden Abeele
IDEAS IN BRIEF
Why Skilled UX Designers Are (Like) Magicians
  • The article is built around the term “locus of attention”, which refers to the focus of attention, including not only the actively chosen object but also anything that grabs one’s attention, including cases where selective attention wanders off.
  • The manipulation of users’ attention is essential in UX design, as the locus of attention determines what will be noticed and what will be ignored.
  • A skilled UX designer should know how to grab, hold and relocate the locus of attention.
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14 min read

The Art & Science of Design

  • Conversational Design, Design, Design Theory, UX Education

Balancing Creativity and Analysis to Solve Complex Problems.

Article by Nate Schloesser
IDEAS IN BRIEF
The Art & Science of Design
  • The article explores the balance between subjective creativity and objective analysis in design.
  • From the author’s perspective, designerʼs priorities should include:
    • Experimenting with new ideas;
    • Remaining receptive to feedback;
    • Relying on data analysis to refine and enhance their designs;
    • Generating solutions that positively impact society’s accessibility, sustainability, and social justice.
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12 min read

Bring out your dead!

  • Design, Design Theory, The rise of design, Things UX People Like

In a world of attention-grabbing headlines, it’s more important than ever to critically evaluate claims of “dead” concepts and practices.

Article by Rich Nadworny
IDEAS IN BRIEF
Bring out your dead!
  • From author’s perspective, labeling concepts or practices as “dead” has become commonplace, but such claims are often superficial and driven by commercial interests.
  • The media industry tends to favor sensationalism over substantive analysis, which can lead to oversimplification of complex issues.
  • The excitement of design and innovation lies in its evolution and rediscovery, as it continuously gets better through trial and error over time. It’s important to critically evaluate trends and consider the broader context.
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3 min read

Stop Sprinting and Start Jamming

  • Design, Design Theory, Simplicity, Strategy, The rise of design, UX Education

Learn how jamming provides huge benefits to innovation efforts.

Article by Rich Nadworny
IDEAS IN BRIEF
Stop Sprinting and Start Jamming
  • Jamming when designing promotes experimentation and teamwork while sprinting can become misguided and unrealistic.
  • The author draws an analogy between the creative process of producing music and design and shows the number of benefits of jamming:
    • Jamming removes false expectations on the team to accomplish tasks within unrealistic deadlines.
    • Jamming promotes collaboration, curiosity, and experimentation.
    • Jamming allows people to have quiet time between jams to reflect and think by themselves; this gives rise to innovative ideas within the team.
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4 min read

The Rise of Relational Design

  • Behavioral Science, Design, Design Theory, Human factors, Psychology and Human Behavior, UX Magazine

What if we designed anything with relationships in mind?

Article by Fabian Pfortmuller
IDEAS IN BRIEF
The Rise of Relational Design
  • The author believes that putting relationships first should be a common practice in every part of human activity.
  • The author sees a relational design as something we can anticipate in the nearest future. It can be applied in many cases – from designing cities to building any type of organization or system.
  • Relational design isn’t new in any way – the fact they are old makes them this powerful. With relationships in mind, we can start designing a new future.
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3 min read

Designers And Developers Pay More Attention To Human Autonomy

  • Behavioral Science, Design, Design Theory, Human factors

More autonomy and less dependency can improve our toxic relationship with digital technologies and benefit all of us, says Alexander Steinhart.

Article by Alexander Steinhart
IDEAS IN BRIEF
Designers And Developers Pay More Attention To Human Autonomy
  • The majority of tech companies concentrate on attracting active users and increasing consumption. Additionally, their economic incentives conflict with our own values and aspirations as users. 
  • According to the author, we should adhere to the rules of responsible, ethical, and humane design referred to as Design for Human Autonomy.
  • There are 3 conditions to design for human autonomy:
    • The user and their interactions with others should be prioritized over their use of the digital service;
    • In the end, consumers are encouraged to navigate mainly without the software itself;
    • The app’s values are transparent, and it respects the users’ values and objectives.
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5 min read
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