Thoughts, ideas and solutions on UX, web accessibility and design
Juliet Richardson, Principal UX Consultant at Nomensa talks technology trends for 2017 and how a UX led approach can help.
Too often a brief for a website redesign reads like a shopping list for a kid in a sweet shop– every feature you’ve ever thought of is included, from search and complex filtering to interactive maps and videos.
What’s wrong with the “kid in a sweet shop” approach?
Demand for UX services is currently high, as reflected in the huge number of openings for UX professionals within the job market. However, when demand outstrips supply, how do you find the people who have truly mastered UX? As demand rises, prices tend to increase to reflect the increased demand. This can mean that higher prices don’t necessarily reflect higher quality. So, how do you spot quality?
Focus groups have a reputation for generating ideas, the theory being that listening to other peoples' thoughts and insights triggers fresh ideas. Focus groups are often used within the UX industry to generate ideas for possible new products or services, but may not always be the best method to use.
We receive lots of briefs for UX projects – some are very clear and detailed, others are somewhat vague and leave us guessing as to exactly what is needed and how we should respond. In this article, we look at how to write a perfect brief so you’ll be much more likely to get inspiring, exciting and innovative proposals that give you exactly what you want.
Has the world become too visual? That was the question posed by Will Self recently in the Point of View slot on BBC Radio 4. He argues that we have a world that is now too image-rich and puts the case that he now considers himself to be “post-image”. Now, it is obviously Will’s job in the Point of View slot to be provocative, but it does raise some interesting questions about text and image and whether, in today’s digital world, we have become too greedy for images as Will argues.
The other day a colleague asked, “what is the difference between qualitative and quantitative user research?” This is typically answered by saying that one gives you numbers; the other gives you more in-depth insight.
It sparked a bit of a debate. Is it that easy, and is that the whole story?
As UX professionals, one of our most common deliverables is the humble wireframe. The wireframe is a great way of specifying the layout and interactions of a digital product. It allows you to fine tune and test things early in the design lifecycle, avoiding costly mistakes.