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?
Three years ago, I was asked a simple question by one of the Executive Directors at a leading UK Financial Services brand: “How can we make digital, tangible?” - If I had a time machine, I would love to be able to go back to that moment in 2013 when I was asked the original question and respond as I have in this article.
The final part of Mike Harris' 'Talking Psych to non-Psychologists' tackles that practical reality of agency life – acting like an expert from your first day onwards. The article presents three thinking tools for meetings and other situations requiring expertise.
This blog explores the apparent lack of user-centred design in Apple Watch's apps and the considerations designers must take when designing for wearables.
I describe my job in many different ways depending on the situation – though I often use the words applied psychology. ‘Applying’ a subject typically means using the core body of knowledge to inform another area of work and life, rather than extending that body of knowledge itself. In part 2 of this blog, Mike Harris explains how we can better communicate psychology so people feel confident with complex concepts.
Psychology is a crucial discipline for all UX people – whether they started there or discovered it via other routes. However, it may come as a surprise, but not everyone spends all day philosophising on how the mind works. These ‘non-psychologists’ actually have other things that they think about. Who knew?! So for all fellow psychologists out there (and everyone else - please apply this to whatever your domain expertise is) if you find yourself starting to boulder on about ‘choice paralysis’ to a room full of furrowed brows and wandering eyes, please read the following advice...
Paper prototypes are an excellent and cheap tool to get feedback on early designs, but they are not as popular as other UX techniques. Ana Crespo explores why, how and when to sue them in a project.
As a UX consultant I often find it difficult to avoid or ignore poor design, particularly in the digital world. One rather damp weekend back in August I was taken to the cinema to watch the Pixar film Inside Out. On arrival, none of the traditional ticket windows were manned leaving me in the hands of the self-service ticket machines. The resulting experience led me to conclude that the designer(s) failed to adhere to some of the most basic design principles, as I will now demonstrate.