Designing and Prototyping Better user Experiences with XD
Your brain is biased and subconsciously fills in details. Your instincts are often unique, forged by a lifetime of experiences.
A prototype's raison d'etre is gut reactions and discussion stimulations.
Design is the theory of experience
- Exploration - Sketch quickly with few constraints.
- Communication - Quickly pitch important features and problems solved. Then critique but do not propose solutions.
- Validation - Use an outside source to verify solution's viability
User Interviews
- Have three to five points you need data for
- Know what good feedback / data looks like (have examples)
- Make it okay for the user to destroy
- (If external) use NDAs and get permission to record
- Screen users to ensure you're talking to the right person
- Acknowledge weirdness and move on quickly. Don't let it fester.
- Be wary of using technical terms that confuse user
- Don't talk down / mansplain
- Build from general to specific. Ask related / relevant questions about a similar experience.
- Check your physical / mental signals
- Let them struggle, watch the failure
- Have conversations, don't interrogate
- Have a note taking strategy, use the same style for everyone
- Keep as close as possible to an exact schedule
Web and App Design Tips for Photoshop
Start quickly with Adobe Comp, use a shared library to import that work to Photoshop
Did you know? You can change the default font in Photoshop by changing the font with no files open.
You can make layer visibility an item that displays in history
- Alt click an art board to zoom
- CMD comma to hid layer
- CMD question to lock layer
- CMD al comma show all layers
- ESC to end typing
Try http://skyfonts.com/ to try out and manage fonts
Responsive Design Beyond Our Devices
Move away from pages and page layouts to patterns
Create a network of content for any and all screen sizes
Design the priority and not the layout
Look into @Supports
You must be device agnostic
Create a style guide pattern library (use services like Fractal.build)
Tricks for Web with Photoshop CC
Paul is an adobe master
Shared libraries can be treated as quick and easy style guides
Export shapes as SVG directly from Photoshop
Photoshop CC 17 added free (and paid) templates that are worth looking at
Photoshop Character styles can be imported from libraries
Updating an item in a library auto updates all files that use that element
The Most Out of Lightroom
Everything is non-destructive
You can edit a smart preview without the actual photo on local / cloud storage
Organize by collections and not folders, the images can live wherever they like on the hard drive but be in one collection.
HDR can be accomplished with only two images
Boundary warp can help with panorama images
Want to use the same settings for the next image? Use "previous"
Jim Babbage is a lightroom master
Creative Spark
Stop. Breath. Look.
Do you have a reason for waking up?
Limits and constraints help give voice to a project
Art of the future comes from the art you create now
Breaks and restoration are as important as creation
Chris Orwig is inspiring
