Product Identity
I'm writing a zine
Will I become an author now?
2nd Dec 2024
Will I become an author now?
Christopher Butler
Designing for (Realistic) Attention
The average person is capable of reading 250 words per minute.
When I advise that a...
5th May 2023
The average person is capable of reading 250 words per minute.
When I advise that a webpage — like a service detail page — have a maximum main body word-count of 150 words, I’m really recommending that it ask a reader to commit to 30 seconds. To put that in perspective, a...
The personal website...
What makes a good design principle?
Like many design teams, the Wall Street Journal team has been thinking through our design...
14th Nov 2017
Like many design teams, the Wall Street Journal team has been thinking through our design principles. Writing design principles comes pretty naturally (especially if you read this excellent list by Jeremy Keith). As we collaborate, we end up with a lot of candidates. However,...
Retail Design Blog
STRAUSS CI FACTORY
Engelbert Strauss is one of the world’s leading work brands. The CI Factory is a progressive...
1st Jul 2025
Engelbert Strauss is one of the world’s leading work brands. The CI Factory is a progressive production site and high-tech...
Christopher Butler
The Road Through Your Screen
2nd Jun 2023
Ryan Mulligan
Scrollspy Navigation Web Component
Just here for the code and demos? Check out the scrollspy-nav repository on GitHub and its...
7th Oct 2023
Just here for the code and demos? Check out the scrollspy-nav repository on GitHub and its corresponding demo page.
The backstory
A "scrollspy" is a method of tracking which link in a menu is active based on a relevant section of information being visible in the viewport....
Christopher Butler
The Last Time
Life has as many ends as it has beginnings. What can an end teach us about making our...
15th Oct 2021
Life has as many ends as it has beginnings. What can an end teach us about making our world?
Bye, Chris” were the last words a friend said to me. We had been talking on the phone for about an hour, catching up as we did back then, a few times each year. He said his goodbye as...
The DESK Magazine
Death by a Thousand Buttons — from the Desk of van Schneider — Edition №268
Welcome back to DESK!
New York threw us another perfect weekend so I took the Escape Machine down to...
4th Jun 2025
Welcome back to DESK!
New York threw us another perfect weekend so I took the Escape Machine down to Balthazar in SoHo for some overpriced eggs benedict (a Tobias favorite, although I prefer it at PASTIS in Meatpacking District, same owner, better food).
While enjoying my brunch...
Koos Looijesteijn -...
There are no individual contributors in design
This term, that I believe comes from software development, is taking hold in other fields too:...
3rd Jun 2021
This term, that I believe comes from software development, is taking hold in other fields too: individual contributor. I don’t...
Fonts In Use – Blog...
Sega logo (1976–present)
Contributed by Stephen Coles
Source: segaretro.org License: All Rights Reserved.
The Sega logo...
17th Aug 2021
Contributed by Stephen Coles
Source: segaretro.org License: All Rights Reserved.
The Sega logo used since 1976, in its official color for the Japanese market.
Source: segaretro.org Image: Scarred Sun. License: All Rights Reserved.
Sega logo used from the late 1950s to...
The personal website...
Functions and the future of design systems
New kinds of computers and interfaces are becoming ubiquitous: in our cars, on our wrists, in our...
12th Feb 2022
New kinds of computers and interfaces are becoming ubiquitous: in our cars, on our wrists, in our ears, at our desks at work, on our TVs at home. In response, we’ve seen innovations in the content, organization, and delivery of design systems: design tokens, interoperability,...
Koos Looijesteijn -...
A not so gentle intro to web3
Almost everything web3-related is a grift based on getting people to buy crypto. Although the...
30th Dec 2021
Almost everything web3-related is a grift based on getting people to buy crypto. Although the distributed part of blockchain technology...
Scott Jenson
A UX designer walks into a Tesla Bar
I borrowed a friend’s Tesla 3 yesterday. About 5 minutes into the ride, the windshield started...
29th Dec 2021
I borrowed a friend’s Tesla 3 yesterday. About 5 minutes into the ride, the windshield started fogging up. I couldn’t find the defroster on the large control screen Teslas are so famous for. In desperation, I tapped the CAR icon but that took me to the settings screen which ended...
Koos Looijesteijn
How I repaired our oven with a piece of Lego
1st Aug 2026
The Turn Signal RSS...
The 8 Guidelines for Good Automotive UX Design
The primary goal of a designer is to ensure the safety of the driver. Non-driving-related...
1st Dec 2023
The primary goal of a designer is to ensure the safety of the driver. Non-driving-related activities, like interacting with an…
Sarah Parmenter
Geek Mental Health Week
This has been written as part of the Geek Mental Health Week – starting on Monday October 3rd 2016. ...
29th Sep 2016
This has been written as part of the Geek Mental Health Week – starting on Monday October 3rd 2016. You can hear me read this as an audioblog – 8 minutes. T his time of year is a strange one…
Oykun Yilmaz
The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stainer
My recommendation: 7/10
More details and reviews on Amazon
Focusing on the good you can do for...
1st Feb 2023
My recommendation: 7/10
More details and reviews on Amazon
Focusing on the good you can do for others than yourself was an interesting perspective to build habits. I found the practical tips about how to phrase some questions useful such as using "What..." instead of "Why.
Nela Dunato Art &...
Art Day: How to make time for creative projects while busy with client work
Self-employed creative professionals have significantly more control over our schedules than those...
12th Nov 2024
Self-employed creative professionals have significantly more control over our schedules than those employed in other organizations, but finding time for our own art can still be a challenge. While I was writing and editing my first book, I started using a technique that helped me...
The Turn Signal RSS...
The Subtle Art of Designing Physical Controls for Cars
Two years ago, I explored how to rethink climate controls in cars. I was frustrated by carmakers...
1st Feb 2025
Two years ago, I explored how to rethink climate controls in cars. I was frustrated by carmakers relying too heavily on touch screens and…
Fatih Arslan
Four years at PlanetScale
It’s been four years since I joined PlanetScale. In this post, I'm reflecting on my journey and...
20th Jan 2025
It’s been four years since I joined PlanetScale. In this post, I'm reflecting on my journey and accomplishments during this period.
The personal website...
Copying is the way design works
CC-BY SA 4.0
(more on that in a bit). You can download, copy, remix, excerpt,
...
28th Oct 2020
CC-BY SA 4.0
(more on that in a bit). You can download, copy, remix, excerpt,
change, and repost it however you see fit.
I
Charles Eames said
it best: “We don’t do ‘art’ — we solve problems.”1
2
They...
The DESK Magazine
How to make a minimalist portfolio with Carbonmade
You don't need anything too fancy. You don't want to work for hours on your site.
9th Mar 2023
You don't need anything too fancy. You don't want to work for hours on your site.
Jan Miksovsky’s blog
Fixing the under-appreciated JavaScript Map class and using it to construct a build system
17th Nov 2025
The Pudding
Are you more likely to die on your birthday?
Are you more likely to die on your birthday? Yes.
8th May 2025
Are you more likely to die on your birthday? Yes.
The DESK Magazine
Every choice is a confession
I believe our aesthetic taste is incredibly important, maybe even more important than we admit...
5th Feb 2026
I believe our aesthetic taste is incredibly important, maybe even more important than we admit because it reveals our deepest values inside of us.
If you like plastic versus wood, if you're drawn to chrome or brass, to minimalism or maximalism, to sharp edges or soft curves.......
Identity Designed
CleanO2
Designed by Ordinary Things, San Francisco.
2nd Aug 2022
Designed by Ordinary Things, San Francisco.
Sarah Parmenter
The New Macbook Pro with Touchbar
I purchased my new MacBook Pro on a flight from London to San Francisco in the Autumn. I felt all...
21st Mar 2017
I purchased my new MacBook Pro on a flight from London to San Francisco in the Autumn. I felt all futuristic as I secured one of the new machines whilst on a poor internet connection, blazing through the sky. I felt even more nerdy when the Apple Store in Union Square was one of...
Melissa Penfold
ISABELLA’S INCREDIBLE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
It’s a bargain hunter’s paradise at Isabella Walker-Smith’s bumper Christmas Collection which has...
29th Nov 2024
It’s a bargain hunter’s paradise at Isabella Walker-Smith’s bumper Christmas Collection which has stacks of table lamps in the style of Christian Liaigre, Kelly Wearstler, Ralph Lauren, and Aerin, from $80. There are quality travertine lamps, $280 a pair, and adorable rattan...
Jakob Nielsen on UX
2026 AI and UX Predictions: A Mid-Year Reality Check
Summary: Halfway through 2026, AI is evolving faster than expected, but usability is struggling to...
2nd Jul 2026
Summary: Halfway through 2026, AI is evolving faster than expected, but usability is struggling to keep pace.
The Pudding
Sizing Chaos
The inter-generational struggle to find clothes that fit more than a tiny portion of women
18th Feb 2026
The inter-generational struggle to find clothes that fit more than a tiny portion of women
Scott Jenson
The Present Needs Files
My last post “The Future Needs Files” clearly touched a nerve. The comments covered concerns well...
14th Sep 2021
My last post “The Future Needs Files” clearly touched a nerve. The comments covered concerns well beyond what I intended. This amazing energy shows how fundamental and impassioned we are when it comes to “storing my data”. However, I made a mistake by titling my post “The Future...
The personal website...
The micromanager's dilemma
Here’s a riddle: Nobody I’ve ever worked with likes micromanagement. Yet, on every team I’ve been...
13th Dec 2022
Here’s a riddle: Nobody I’ve ever worked with likes micromanagement. Yet, on every team I’ve been on, there is at least one micromanager. How is this possible?
Harvard Business Review says, “Micromanage at Your Peril.” Forbes says “Micromanaging is one of the most damaging habits...
julian.digital
Media Consumption (Apr 2021)
>_ Summary Read 4 books (671 min, -60% MoM) and 33 articles (-23%) Listened to 613 songs (+3%) and...
3rd May 2021
>_ Summary Read 4 books (671 min, -60% MoM) and 33 articles (-23%) Listened to 613 songs (+3%) and 11 podcasts (704 min, -6%) Watched 6 movies (752 min, +199%), 12 soccer games (1395 min, +105%) and 0 TV episodes (0 min, -100%) Played 1 board game (50 min, + ∞) and 0 video games...
Koos Looijesteijn
The most important question in design: who’s gonna pay me?
9th Nov 2023
The Turn Signal RSS...
The Struggle to Find Out How Cars Manage Your Personal Data
Cars today collect more than 200 different data points. Most of these data points are not only...
1st Jun 2021
Cars today collect more than 200 different data points. Most of these data points are not only interesting to car manufacturers themselves.…
Retail Design Blog
Tan Mok Won Mixed Use Spaceby USER + NAUxLab
Tan-Mok-Won is located on the site of a 2013 fire in Ulsan, South Korea. Such history defines the...
3rd Feb 2025
Tan-Mok-Won is located on the site of a 2013 fire in Ulsan, South Korea. Such history defines the site’s locality,...
julian.digital
Media Consumption (Jan 2021)
>_ Summary Read 11 books (2456 min, +111% MoM) and 26 articles (-46%) Listened to 263 songs (-59%)...
1st Feb 2021
>_ Summary Read 11 books (2456 min, +111% MoM) and 26 articles (-46%) Listened to 263 songs (-59%) and 15 podcasts (749 min, -43%) Watched 1 movie (107 min, -54%), 7 soccer games (835 min, -.6%) and 21 TV episodes (1079 min, +40%) Played 0 board games (0 min, -100%) and 1 video...
Koos Looijesteijn -...
UXers and Product Managers Both Say Others Intrude on Their Work
"Summary: A survey of 372 UX and PM professionals shows that duplicative work is frequent and...
2nd Feb 2023
"Summary: A survey of 372 UX and PM professionals shows that duplicative work is frequent and generates confusion and inefficiency. The first four questions are discussed in this article. A companion article covers the last two.
"
Melissa Penfold
AT-HOME ENTERTAINING TRENDS FOR 2026, SERVED!
What we want now: listening bars, hidden wet bars, Argentine grills, and spaces where every room...
12th Nov 2025
What we want now: listening bars, hidden wet bars, Argentine grills, and spaces where every room pulls double duty for the party
Every generation has its own way of gathering at home—the conversion pits and buffets of the ’70s, the formal dinner parties of the ’90s, the open-plan...
Christopher Butler
What We Do When We See
What does it even mean to design when perception is reality? Do we all ever see the same...
5th Nov 2021
What does it even mean to design when perception is reality? Do we all ever see the same thing?
Visual Intelligence, a wonderful book about seeing and clarity, Amy Herman begins with the story of Derreck Kayongo.
Kayongo had just stepped into the shower in his hotel room...
The personal website...
How to get the best design feedback from your team
In 2015, I wrote out my thoughts on creative feedback. Here’s that article in list format:
Feedback...
13th Apr 2017
In 2015, I wrote out my thoughts on creative feedback. Here’s that article in list format:
Feedback should be concise
Feedback should be action-oriented
Feedback should have a consistent format
At the time, the Planetary design team was growing. We were grappling with one of the...
The personal website...
Inclusive design on the Tokyo subway
For the past two weeks, I’ve been exploring Tokyo. Until the last few days of 2018, I had never been...
13th Jan 2019
For the past two weeks, I’ve been exploring Tokyo. Until the last few days of 2018, I had never been to Tokyo — or, for that matter, any city as large as Tokyo. And while I have many many great memories of the city, I’m particularly eager to share my impressions of the Tokyo...
Jim Nielsen’s Blog
AX, DX, UX
Matt Biilman, CEO of Netlify, published an interesting piece called “Introducing AX: Why Agent...
2nd Mar 2025
Matt Biilman, CEO of Netlify, published an interesting piece called “Introducing AX: Why Agent Experience Matters” where he argues the coming importance of a new “X” (experience) in software: the agent experience, meaning the experience your users’ AI agents will have as...
UX Collective
How Estonia, AI gardens, and plywood make designers prolific
Weekly curated resources for designers — thinkers and makers.
3rd Nov 2025
Weekly curated resources for designers — thinkers and makers.
The personal website...
Flight crews don't decide where to fly
Airbus A320 - Photo from Wikimedia
When an Airbus A320 takes off, there are typically 10 people who...
11th Feb 2018
Airbus A320 - Photo from Wikimedia
When an Airbus A320 takes off, there are typically 10 people who are operating it. Between the pilots and cabin crew, their responsibilities include:
Understanding how the plane works
Monitoring the flight’s progress
Evaluating the weather...
The personal website...
How to generate color palettes for design systems
It used to be easy to pick colors for design systems. Years ago, you could pick a handful of colors...
20th Apr 2024
It used to be easy to pick colors for design systems. Years ago, you could pick a handful of colors to match your brand’s ethos, or start with an off-the-shelf palette (remember flatuicolors.com?). Each hue and shade served a purpose, and usually had a quirky name like “idea...
The personal website...
The product design talent crisis
Airbnb, the paragon of a “design-led” company, is only hiring a single designer. The job requires...
31st Jul 2025
Airbnb, the paragon of a “design-led” company, is only hiring a single designer. The job requires more than a decade of experience. There are probably hundreds (possibly thousands) of applicants. The fact that a company known for its design culture is investing only at the top of...
Ryan Mulligan
Transition to the Other Side with Container Query Units
Managing the position of an element as it travels across the length of its parent container can be...
11th Oct 2025
Managing the position of an element as it travels across the length of its parent container can be tricky. Assuming they both have dynamic, responsive dimensions, we might rely on JS to check the width and/or height of each element and do some calculations for a proper end...
Scott Jenson
Design can be free
As consumer devices get ‘smart’, they tend to sprout a large number push buttons. It’s almost cliche...
15th Jan 2023
As consumer devices get ‘smart’, they tend to sprout a large number push buttons. It’s almost cliche at this point to complain about them. The tiny buttons, hidden modes, and Konami Code interaction encourages mistakes and forces frequent trips to the user manual. Of course, they...
Luke Mitchell |...
My favourite albums of 2023
I don’t have a Spotify wrapped to share this year. So, in no particular order, my favourite albums...
8th Dec 2023
I don’t have a Spotify wrapped to share this year. So, in no particular order, my favourite albums of the year:
boygenius – the record
I have followed the work of this supergroups members for a little while. When they come together they create something incredible. This album is...
The Turn Signal RSS...
Bringing the Coolest Car of the Carrera Panamericana to Life
Restoring an amazing picture from the 1953 Carrera Panamericana
1st Sep 2019
Restoring an amazing picture from the 1953 Carrera Panamericana
Alex Baldwin
Product Design Sprints - QCon 2014
When I started at thoughtbot a year and a half ago, my first project was given to me within an hour...
11th Jun 2014
When I started at thoughtbot a year and a half ago, my first project was given to me within an hour of getting my laptop’s dev environment set up. We kicked off a green field project for a non-profit in the education space. They wanted to raise funds digitally for public schools....
The personal website...
My management philosophy
After reading Lara Hogan’s post and getting some inspiration from my own manager, I thought it’d be...
10th Jun 2018
After reading Lara Hogan’s post and getting some inspiration from my own manager, I thought it’d be good to write up my management philosophy. This reflects my approach at this moment in time — I’m still pretty new to management, and will be revisiting this over time.
My...
Ryan Mulligan
Someone Great
Where to start? The grief is heavy and far too real. I barely slept last night. The brain fog is...
13th Mar 2024
Where to start? The grief is heavy and far too real. I barely slept last night. The brain fog is thick but finding the words and placing them here may provide some catharsis.
I lost someone great. Oscar was so much bigger than most folks will ever understand. His love, not just...
Christopher Butler
Ten Books About AI Written Before the Year 2000
This by no means a definitive list, so don’t @ me!
AI is an inescapable subject. There’s obviously...
1st Feb 2025
This by no means a definitive list, so don’t @ me!
AI is an inescapable subject. There’s obviously an incredible headwind behind the computing progress of the last handful of years — not to mention the usual avarice — but there has also been nearly a century of thought put...
Jan Miksovsky’s blog
Promoting a design and development tool through comics
8th Jan 2026
Ryan Mulligan
Penguin!
My partner and I finally finished our epic three-part claymation saga. It's our first attempt at...
6th May 2024
My partner and I finally finished our epic three-part claymation saga. It's our first attempt at creating stop-motion videos with clay and it truly is a lot of work for such a short result. That claymation episode of Parks and Recreation is a little too real. I won't compare our...
UX Collective
The algorithmic atelier
Weekly curated resources for designers — thinkers and makers.
3rd Aug 2026
Weekly curated resources for designers — thinkers and makers.
Jeffrey Zeldman...
Handwritten notes in the time of AI note takers
“Here is the thing people get wrong about AI in meetings. The transcript captures what was said. It...
9th Apr 2026
“Here is the thing people get wrong about AI in meetings. The transcript captures what was said. It does not capture what mattered.”—Lucas Radke
The best project management tool is still a pen, plus the discipline to notice what the machine cannot.
The post Handwritten notes in...
The personal website...
Changing all the fonts on WSJ.com
“Change the fonts.” It’s a simple mission statement.
In reality, changing the fonts on wsj.com has...
11th Dec 2017
“Change the fonts.” It’s a simple mission statement.
In reality, changing the fonts on wsj.com has involved years of coordination and planning between nearly every team at the Wall Street Journal. In the past month, the last few coordinated steps were executed with an incredible...
Identity Designed
WHEN
Designed by Universal Favourite, Sydney.
16th Dec 2024
Designed by Universal Favourite, Sydney.
Fonts In Use – Blog...
Fonts In Use is not active on Instagram
Contributed by Nick Sherman
Fonts In Use. License: CC BY-SA.
The Fonts In Use staff was never...
15th Jul 2025
Contributed by Nick Sherman
Fonts In Use. License: CC BY-SA.
The Fonts In Use staff was never especially enthusiastic about maintaining our account on Instagram. The platform is antithetical to so much of the what we love on the web: hyperlinks, web feeds (e.g., RSS),...
Christopher Butler
The Fundamentals Problem
Anyone can make something that looks designed, but that doesn’t mean that design has happened.
A...
3rd Nov 2025
Anyone can make something that looks designed, but that doesn’t mean that design has happened.
A few months ago, a client was reviewing a landing page design with my team. They had created it themselves using a page builder tool — one of those platforms that integrate content...
Jeffrey Zeldman...
She’s the Boss.
SNOW WHITE is my jailer. She reclines near me while I work, watching closely for the moment I stand...
1st Jun 2026
SNOW WHITE is my jailer. She reclines near me while I work, watching closely for the moment I stand up. The instant I leave my desk, she directs me to her feeding area so I can open another can of cat food and arrange its contents neatly on a plate. She’ll eat a few bites, then...
The Pudding
Common Threads
Visualizing how musicals use motifs to tell stories.
9th Dec 2025
Visualizing how musicals use motifs to tell stories.
The Pudding
Bears Will Be Boys
How and why do we gender animals in stories?
7th Jul 2025
How and why do we gender animals in stories?
Nela Dunato Art &...
Journaling technique: Polarity integration journal spread
Journaling is the most potent way to resolve inner challenges, find solutions to problems, and...
18th Jul 2024
Journaling is the most potent way to resolve inner challenges, find solutions to problems, and develop your own creative voice. Today I’m sharing one of my favorite journaling techniques that I use quite often when I want to explore two sides of a problem.
The DESK Magazine
The case for being ignorant
I am sure you know this feeling. You find a new book that you absolutely love. A new movie, a new TV...
14th May 2024
I am sure you know this feeling. You find a new book that you absolutely love. A new movie, a new TV series or even a new hobby such as cycling or designing. It can be anything and everything.
The personal website...
What makes a good design principle?
Like many design teams, the Wall Street Journal team has been thinking through our design...
14th Nov 2017
Like many design teams, the Wall Street Journal team has been thinking through our design principles. Writing design principles comes pretty naturally (especially if you read this excellent list by Jeremy Keith). As we collaborate, we end up with a lot of candidates. However,...
The Turn Signal RSS...
The State of UX Design of Chinese Car Brands
An in-depth look at the booming Chinese car industry and its UX design trends
1st Jul 2020
An in-depth look at the booming Chinese car industry and its UX design trends
Product Identity
Why Niche design
A few updates + a manifesto?
12th Nov 2025
A few updates + a manifesto?
Koos Looijesteijn -...
Here's how I maintain healthy media routines (most of the time)
It took me a while to break the bad habits I had around social platforms and reading news. In...
11th Feb 2021
It took me a while to break the bad habits I had around social platforms and reading news. In fact,...
Christopher Butler
If This, Then That, Except for When...
I’m not saying that “Agentic AI” will “never” replicate all tasks that workers are currently paid to...
3rd Jun 2025
I’m not saying that “Agentic AI” will “never” replicate all tasks that workers are currently paid to complete, but I strongly suspect that current agents have an extremely limited task scope.
As exhibit A, I submit this podcast episode, in which Agentic AI is sold on the basis...
The personal website...
Just-in-time design
photo by Tools for motivation
There is a disconnect between product design and product...
12th Nov 2018
photo by Tools for motivation
There is a disconnect between product design and product engineering.
Three factors contribute to this disconnect:
Products get shipped faster every day. DevOps teams automate huge amounts of the delivery process, enabling engineering teams to ship...
Retail Design Blog
Audemars Piguet office by Studio Banana
Studio Banana designed an avant-garde work environment at Audemars Piguet Manufacture Le Locle,...
4th Nov 2024
Studio Banana designed an avant-garde work environment at Audemars Piguet Manufacture Le Locle, blending high-end manufacturing with biophilic design principles...
Melissa Penfold
SEASON’S TREE-TINGS! THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CHRISTMAS, 2023
The past few years have been rocky for Christmas. In 2020 it was cancelled. In 2021, it felt a...
5th Dec 2023
The past few years have been rocky for Christmas. In 2020 it was cancelled. In 2021, it felt a little more appealing. Things began to feel more normal in 2022, but having been homebodies for so long we were still flexing our dormant social muscles. In 2023 the weight of current...
Christopher Butler
Periodical – 10
It’s a grey afternoon here in Durham. I’m about to shut down for the evening, put on some music, mix...
1st Dec 2023
It’s a grey afternoon here in Durham. I’m about to shut down for the evening, put on some music, mix up a gin and tonic, and get dinner together for the family.
The kids are eager to open the first drawer of our advent calendar.
These evenings of the twilight of the year are...
Christopher Butler
Organization – Office – 2024
After the kitchen, the office is still the most used room in our home. This is how we have optimized...
21st Dec 2024
After the kitchen, the office is still the most used room in our home. This is how we have optimized it this year.
About a year and a half ago, I wrote a long entry to this blog about how we keep this office space organized. While much of it is still as it was then, it is...
The personal website...
What google search shows us about the future of product design
You can read this article on UX Booth.
10th Sep 2019
You can read this article on UX Booth.
Christopher Butler
Gestalt Principles of Design – Symmetry
We tend to perceive symmetrical elements as being connected, even if they are not.
The Gestalt...
7th Jul 2023
We tend to perceive symmetrical elements as being connected, even if they are not.
The Gestalt Principles of Design are a set of concepts and guidelines drawn from gestalt psychology, which theorizes that the mind tends to process organized groups of things as a whole,...
Jakob Nielsen on UX
UX Roundup: AI Judgment | Heuristic Evaluation | Consistent Brand Assets | New Music Model
AI judgment may follow a scaling law | Scaling AI’s judgment of usability heuristics | Generating...
2nd Feb 2026
AI judgment may follow a scaling law | Scaling AI’s judgment of usability heuristics | Generating consistent visual design assets with AI | New AI music model: Mureka O2
The Turn Signal RSS...
How We Designed a White-Label In-Car Infotainment System
Over the past two years, we created an infotainment system as a product, here is a look inside our...
1st Aug 2024
Over the past two years, we created an infotainment system as a product, here is a look inside our design process.
Melissa Penfold
WHERE TO FIND EXCEPTIONAL FLOWERS IN FIVE DIFFERENT CITIES
Not only do fresh flowers bring joy and delight into a home, they’re also a symbol of important...
3rd Oct 2025
Not only do fresh flowers bring joy and delight into a home, they’re also a symbol of important moments in life: they are the decoration of choice at weddings and funerals, and also the ultimate gift of love on Valentine’s Day. Their delicate nature, however, can make it tricky...
Jeffrey Zeldman...
Required reading: “The Interracial Cuck Porn Theory of Everything”
Cameron Cummins-Smith’s grand unifying theory connects the far right’s seemingly disparate...
24th May 2026
Cameron Cummins-Smith’s grand unifying theory connects the far right’s seemingly disparate obsessions—from trans panic and great replacement theory to anti-feminism and white birth-rate anxiety—into a single ideological system fueled by pornographic narratives:
In physics there...
The Turn Signal RSS...
The Problem With Digital Instrument Clusters and How to Design a Better One
Is it possible to design a digital instrument cluster that is better than its analog counterpart?
1st Jan 2024
Is it possible to design a digital instrument cluster that is better than its analog counterpart?
Fonts In Use – Blog...
Reclaiming the City, Reclaiming Words: Póli Gynaikón – City of Women
Contributed by Maria Paganopoulou
Photo: Maria Paganopoulou. Delfys Feminist Archive,...
6th Oct 2022
Contributed by Maria Paganopoulou
Photo: Maria Paganopoulou. Delfys Feminist Archive, Athens. License: All Rights Reserved.
Covers of the magazine Póli Ginaikón
Marsha Rowe, editor of the groundbreaking feminist magazine Spare Rib, famously recalled: “Suddenly, words...
The personal website...
Design better data tables
Poor tables. Where did they go wrong?
Table tetris
After being the bread and butter of the web for...
3rd Aug 2016
Poor tables. Where did they go wrong?
Table tetris
After being the bread and butter of the web for most of its early history, tables were cast aside by many designers for newer, trendier layouts. But while they might be making fewer appearances on the web these days, data tables...
Retail Design Blog
Jiangnan House Yangzhou Guangling by B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio
Project Background — The project is located in the old town of Guangling Road in Yangzhou. It...
1st Oct 2025
Project Background — The project is located in the old town of Guangling Road in Yangzhou. It features architectural clusters...
Identity Designed
Apex
Designed by Gold Front, San Francisco.
26th May 2024
Designed by Gold Front, San Francisco.
Fonts In Use – Blog...
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Contributed by Peiran Tan
Source: www.evangelion.co.jp ©カラー／Project Eva....
17th Oct 2019
Contributed by Peiran Tan
Source: www.evangelion.co.jp ©カラー／Project Eva. ©カラー／EVA製作委員会 ©カラー. License: All Rights Reserved.
Created and directed by Hideaki Anno, Neon Genesis Evangelion (新世紀エヴァンゲリオン, often abbreviated as NGE or simply EVA) is a Japanese media...
Fatih Arslan
My feelings about X (formerly Twitter)
This will be short, but I just wanted to rant and vent here because this is my space. I'll use X or...
7th Apr 2024
This will be short, but I just wanted to rant and vent here because this is my space. I'll use X or Twitter interchangeably throughout the post, but they represent the same entity.
Loss of integrity
Since Elon's takeover of Twitter, a lot has changed. But
Christopher Butler
How to Know When to Use AI
Maybe this will help.
In my circles, AI is either everything or it is nothing.
It is the...
2nd May 2024
Maybe this will help.
In my circles, AI is either everything or it is nothing.
It is the thing to use in every case because if we don’t someone else will or it is the thing to never use because it is a sin against humanity.
Capitalists and artists have almost always...
The personal website...
Crystal ball 1-on-1s
1-on-1s are my favorite management tool. Not only for managing direct reports; sideways and upwards...
25th Mar 2018
1-on-1s are my favorite management tool. Not only for managing direct reports; sideways and upwards management need 1-on-1s, too. Here’s my general definition for a 1-on-1:
Reoccuring - Whether it’s weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, set a cadence and stick with it.
Informal - Don’t...
UX Collective
Liquid Glass isn’t a design failure; it is Apple’s most tactile digital future yet
Weekly curated resources for designers — thinkers and makers.
23rd Jun 2025
Weekly curated resources for designers — thinkers and makers.
The DESK Magazine
Tutorial: How to make an illustration & animation portfolio with Carbonmade
Some portfolios look so good, you can't imagine how they did it. They must have hired a developer...
1st Jan 2023
Some portfolios look so good, you can't imagine how they did it. They must have hired a developer and worked for hours on the design.
Permanent Style
How to dress like Luciano Barbera
Luciano Barbera is a menswear icon for many reasons. For me, however, the most important is that he...
1st May 2026
Luciano Barbera is a menswear icon for many reasons. For me, however, the most important is that he always emphasised dressing comfortably, appropriately and in an understated manner. Dressing comfortably means eschewing the uber-tight suit... > Read more
The personal website...
What happens when things go wrong
The rise of the startup economy – and the abundance of millennial entrepreneurial wisdom it has...
6th May 2014
The rise of the startup economy – and the abundance of millennial entrepreneurial wisdom it has produced – means you can hardly go a day without seeing Samuel Becket’s words writ large:
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
In celebrating...
The personal website...
My management philosophy
After reading Lara Hogan’s post and getting some inspiration from my own manager, I thought it’d be...
10th Jun 2018
After reading Lara Hogan’s post and getting some inspiration from my own manager, I thought it’d be good to write up my management philosophy. This reflects my approach at this moment in time — I’m still pretty new to management, and will be revisiting this over time.
My...
Retail Design Blog
Purple Garden Restaurant
Located near Hangzhou’s famed West Lake, the project takes inspiration from Ming Dynasty gardens and...
3rd Jun 2024
Located near Hangzhou’s famed West Lake, the project takes inspiration from Ming Dynasty gardens and fuses them with a contemporary...
Permanent Style
Reader Profile: Jaime
Jaime is a reader based in Atlanta, Georgia. He’s a pastor there, and works particularly on social...
2nd Jan 2026
Jaime is a reader based in Atlanta, Georgia. He’s a pastor there, and works particularly on social justice projects and inter-faith relations. Church has always been an excuse for him to dress up, but also an excuse to talk to young men in t... > Read more
Retail Design Blog
Roche Diagnostic Center Interior by Studio Alexander Fehre
The Roche Diagnostic Innovation Center in Penzberg, Bavaria, is a 35,500 m² research and workplace...
2nd Jul 2026
The Roche Diagnostic Innovation Center in Penzberg, Bavaria, is a 35,500 m² research and workplace complex realized for Roche Diagnostics...
The DESK Magazine
Dear Young Designer, Part II
(this is a timely continuation of Part I of Dear Young Designer)
→ You don't need to become a...
4th Nov 2025
(this is a timely continuation of Part I of Dear Young Designer)
→ You don't need to become a grifter to be successful. I know it seems that way today (given the context of 2025), but trust me there is another way that's more meaningful and
Fonts In Use – Blog...
10 Years of Fonts In Use
Contributed by Nick Sherman
License: All Rights Reserved.
Fonts In Use officially launched 10...
21st Dec 2020
Contributed by Nick Sherman
License: All Rights Reserved.
Fonts In Use officially launched 10 years ago today, on December 21, 2010. The site, which started as just the Blog before opening up to public contributions in 2012, has grown far beyond our expectations when we...
The Turn Signal RSS...
Designing A New UX Concept to Reduce Driver Distraction
is it possible to create a modern interaction model that allows the flexibility of touch screens but...
1st Jun 2019
is it possible to create a modern interaction model that allows the flexibility of touch screens but does not cause driver distraction?
Ryan Mulligan
Sticky Page Header Shadow on Scroll
We've seen it plenty of times around the web where a website's page header follows us as we scroll...
2nd Apr 2023
We've seen it plenty of times around the web where a website's page header follows us as we scroll down the page. CSS makes doing this a breeze with sticky positioning:
.page-header {
position: sticky;
top: 0;
}
What if we desired something a little bit extra, like applying a...
Melissa Penfold
YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO SHOPPING ANTIQUES
Whether you’re a collector or a new devotee, there’s a renewed energy in the industry and an...
8th Aug 2023
Whether you’re a collector or a new devotee, there’s a renewed energy in the industry and an explosion of interest as online auction shopping gives all the convenience of mass-produced decor without the environmental impact. The benefits of decorating with antiques are almost...
Scott Jenson
Thinking with your hands
UX is less about technique and more about teamwork. Getting everyone to agree on a common goal is...
24th Aug 2021
UX is less about technique and more about teamwork. Getting everyone to agree on a common goal is where the real magic lives. But too often UX designers inadvertently sabotage that teamwork. Not intentionally, it’s just that, as a group, we UX designers have strong opinions that...
ramsés cabello
a new space
over the years, I’ve used multiple services to host my website. from geocities, to the most recent...
19th Jan 2025
over the years, I’ve used multiple services to host my website. from geocities, to the most recent read.cv — which is getting sold to perplexity — ive enjoyed building, designing and planning my personal site.
i moved to pika.page today and im excited to build a small space where...
The personal website...
Breaking looms
Let’s talk about Luddites. The actual, real, historical Luddites.
“Luddite” was the label given to a...
4th Feb 2020
Let’s talk about Luddites. The actual, real, historical Luddites.
“Luddite” was the label given to a group of English workers’ rights activists in the early 19th century. They owe their name to a man who may never have existed — Ned Ludd. The Luddites were working-class people...
The personal website...
Beauty in the machine: Post-industrial design
Has design become boring?
A twitter thread by Sheehan Quirke (aka the Cultural Tutor) has been...
21st Sep 2022
Has design become boring?
A twitter thread by Sheehan Quirke (aka the Cultural Tutor) has been making the rounds lately, arguing just that. Quirke describes the many shortcomings of modern design: architecture, urban planning, industrial design, and interior design have all been...
Fonts In Use – Blog...
Philip K. Dick paperback covers (Panther Science Fiction)
Contributed by Florian Hardwig
Source: www.flickr.com Uploaded to Flickr by
citizen3xx24j....
20th Jun 2021
Contributed by Florian Hardwig
Source: www.flickr.com Uploaded to Flickr by
citizen3xx24j. License: All Rights Reserved.
Now Wait for Last Year (1975). Cover art by Chris Foss. [More info on ISFDB]
Roslyn Gothic arguably saw its most extensive and iconic use on the...
Jeffrey Zeldman...
Tales o’ Tech: Suffering Fools
I.
In the early 2000s, an old friend with a new business wanted me to design his website, but his...
2 weeks ago
I.
In the early 2000s, an old friend with a new business wanted me to design his website, but his partner balked:
“I can get two websites made in India for half the price,” the partner said.
“Sounds like you should do that,” I replied, ending the negotiation.
Rude fools were...
The personal website...
Well-designed interfaces look boring
3 billion people used the internet for the first time in the past decade. Can you imagine what that...
15th Jul 2015
3 billion people used the internet for the first time in the past decade. Can you imagine what that was like? When I began using the internet, the web was pretty much just text. Interface design required finagling websites from knots of spreadsheet-like tables, and even the most...
The personal website...
Breaking looms
Let’s talk about Luddites. The actual, real, historical Luddites.
“Luddite” was the label given to a...
4th Feb 2020
Let’s talk about Luddites. The actual, real, historical Luddites.
“Luddite” was the label given to a group of English workers’ rights activists in the early 19th century. They owe their name to a man who may never have existed — Ned Ludd. The Luddites were working-class people...
The Pudding
The Middle Ages
Follow hundreds of kids as they navigate their trecherous middle school years.
3rd Mar 2025
Follow hundreds of kids as they navigate their trecherous middle school years.
Christopher Butler
We Cannot Talk About AI Without Talking About Capitalism, Fascism, and Liberty
Let me begin with a disambiguation: I’m not talking about AI as some theoretical intelligence...
2nd May 2025
Let me begin with a disambiguation: I’m not talking about AI as some theoretical intelligence emerging from non-biological form — the sentient computer of science fiction. That, I suppose, can be thought about in an intellectual vacuum, to a point. I’m talking about AI, the...
Fatih Arslan
A month in Munich
We stayed with the family (two kids and my wife) for several weeks in Munich. I took hundreds of...
31st Aug 2024
We stayed with the family (two kids and my wife) for several weeks in Munich. I took hundreds of photos. Here is how it went.
Retail Design Blog
Ophie Lip Oil by Apoorva Ghule
Ophie is a clean beauty lip oil designed to feel as good as it looks. Vegan, cruelty-free, and...
2nd Jan 2026
Ophie is a clean beauty lip oil designed to feel as good as it looks. Vegan, cruelty-free, and infused with...
The Turn Signal RSS...
The Role of Cognitive Load in Automotive UX Design
Cognitive load refers to Cognitive load is not the same as cognitive distraction. Cognitive...
1st May 2023
Cognitive load refers to Cognitive load is not the same as cognitive distraction. Cognitive distraction is Cognitive load may lead to…
Melissa Penfold
THE MOST THOUGHTFUL GIFTS THAT NO ONE ELSE WILL GIVE
We’re always here to help you find gifts that elicit “you really know me!” enthusiasm, even from the...
2nd Dec 2024
We’re always here to help you find gifts that elicit “you really know me!” enthusiasm, even from the normally taciturn. This year, we aimed higher, aspiring to choose items with such eternal appeal, and of such high quality, that some might become heirlooms—used and loved by both...
Product Identity
head on the cloud, feet on the ground
A conversation with Sari Azout of Sublime
17th Jul 2025
A conversation with Sari Azout of Sublime
The DESK Magazine
The best portfolios launched with Semplice in May 2022
Every week, we handpick two portfolios created with Semplice to feature on our Showcase. These are...
1st Jun 2022
Every week, we handpick two portfolios created with Semplice to feature on our Showcase. These are the best of the best, chosen by yours truly from hundreds of beautiful submissions.
Oykun Yilmaz
Practising distraction-free creativity
The design world is filled with exciting opportunities.
We see Designers on X who are creating...
21st Feb 2024
The design world is filled with exciting opportunities.
We see Designers on X who are creating Framer templates, experimenting with 3D, writing newsletters, starting design subscription agencies, selling icon packs and many more.
I know it’s tempting to chase them all. I’ve given...
The personal website...
Consequentialism
Consequentialism became the most popular approach to ethics following the Age of Enlightenment....
10th May 2020
Consequentialism became the most popular approach to ethics following the Age of Enlightenment. Writers in the late 18th and early 19th century saw how strict, rule-based, duty-bound theories of ethics resulted in contradictory and often destructive behavior. After Napoleon’s...
Christopher Butler
Periodical 20 – Localized Computing
At a time of ubiquitous computing, there is still something to be gained from its...
16th Oct 2024
At a time of ubiquitous computing, there is still something to be gained from its opposite.
There was a time when computers were furniture. It’s easy to note all the reasons why it’s good that this is no longer so. After all, I remember how exciting it was to slide the first...
Jakob Nielsen on UX
Hamlet Remixed: Using AI to Convert Content into Alternative Formats
AI can translate a single source across media, styles, and audience frames. That makes it possible...
2nd Apr 2026
AI can translate a single source across media, styles, and audience frames. That makes it possible to reuse core material in formats better suited to different platforms and audiences. Shakespeare’s Hamlet serves here as a case study in a wide range of AI media transformations.
Christopher Butler
Organization – Office
I am on a continual quest for organization.
After the kitchen, the office is the most used room in...
18th Aug 2023
I am on a continual quest for organization.
After the kitchen, the office is the most used room in our home.
My wife and I work here, Monday through Friday, 9 to 5. Our children play and create in here just as often. It’s where we maintain several workspaces, store supplies,...
The personal website...
What google search shows us about the future of product design
You can read this article on UX Booth.
10th Sep 2019
You can read this article on UX Booth.
Retail Design Blog
Kaymana Earth Villa by Pablo Luna Studio
Earth Villa is part of Kaymana, a hospitality complex in Uluwatu, Bali, conceived around the ideas...
2 weeks ago
Earth Villa is part of Kaymana, a hospitality complex in Uluwatu, Bali, conceived around the ideas of solid flow, transition,...
Identity Designed
Donut Shop
Designed by TwoPoints.Net, Hamburg, Barcelona.
11th Mar 2024
Designed by TwoPoints.Net, Hamburg, Barcelona.
The personal website...
What happens when things go wrong
The rise of the startup economy – and the abundance of millennial entrepreneurial wisdom it has...
6th May 2014
The rise of the startup economy – and the abundance of millennial entrepreneurial wisdom it has produced – means you can hardly go a day without seeing Samuel Becket’s words writ large:
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
In celebrating...
The personal website...
Research, empathy, simplicity, speed
photo by Toa Heftiba
Earlier today, I read a thought-provoking tweet from John Maeda:
"Salt Fat Acid...
17th Oct 2018
photo by Toa Heftiba
Earlier today, I read a thought-provoking tweet from John Maeda:
"Salt Fat Acid Heat" as the perfect set of ingredients for a meal makes me wonder what a similar set of essential ingredients might be for digital products. https://t.co/z1w1PUyQsD
— John Maeda...
Jakob Nielsen on UX
A New AI: Creation as Exploration and Discovery
AI transforms UX into exploration-based discovery.
21st Aug 2025
AI transforms UX into exploration-based discovery.
The personal website...
How to take your team's creative pulse
“Could we explore other options?”
If you’ve been to a design review, you’ve probably heard this...
10th Feb 2019
“Could we explore other options?”
If you’ve been to a design review, you’ve probably heard this question. When I hear it, my heart breaks. It says that our team is out of alignment: the work I’m sharing isn’t meeting everyone’s expectations.
I’d like to share a workshop that I...
The personal website...
The 1-hour design principles workshop
Design principles are a valuable tool for any team that works together towards a shared outcome....
19th Aug 2018
Design principles are a valuable tool for any team that works together towards a shared outcome. Written well, design principles can create alignment, speed up decision-making, and increase the quality of the team’s output.
Lately, I’ve worked with two of my teams to write design...
Retail Design Blog
CNC & Active Offices by Studio Reaktor
The new office spaces of Czech News Center and Active Radio were built within the new Hagibor...
4th Aug 2026
The new office spaces of Czech News Center and Active Radio were built within the new Hagibor administrative complex on...
Retail Design Blog
Casa Giardino by Claudio Larcher Design Studio
Set within the vast urban regeneration of Scalo Farini, Casa Giardino is a temporary restaurant and...
2nd Feb 2026
Set within the vast urban regeneration of Scalo Farini, Casa Giardino is a temporary restaurant and social space that transforms...
Identity Designed
Mountainview Brewing
Designed by Memory, Salt Spring Island.
4th Nov 2024
Designed by Memory, Salt Spring Island.
The DESK Magazine
How much YOU is in YOUR work?
I started my design career by accident and never enjoyed a classical educational foundation in...
29th Apr 2024
I started my design career by accident and never enjoyed a classical educational foundation in anything I'm doing professionally. As a result, my approach always had a bit more of a "punk" approach.
The Turn Signal RSS...
An in-depth look at the UX Design of the Porsche Taycan
An in-depth look at the UX Design of the Porsche Taycan
1st Nov 2019
An in-depth look at the UX Design of the Porsche Taycan
Identity Designed
The Dinner Ladies
Designed by Universal Favourite, Sydney.
7th Jun 2024
Designed by Universal Favourite, Sydney.
The personal website...
How to get the best design feedback from your team
In 2015, I wrote out my thoughts on creative feedback. Here’s that article in list format:
Feedback...
13th Apr 2017
In 2015, I wrote out my thoughts on creative feedback. Here’s that article in list format:
Feedback should be concise
Feedback should be action-oriented
Feedback should have a consistent format
At the time, the Planetary design team was growing. We were grappling with one of the...
The Turn Signal RSS...
How Apple and Google Are Taking Over the In-Car User Experience
Ever since the introduction of the iPhone and Apple App Store in 2007 and 2008, our digital lives...
1st Dec 2022
Ever since the introduction of the iPhone and Apple App Store in 2007 and 2008, our digital lives center around apps. These are available…
Identity Designed
Pets at Home
Designed by Nomad, London.
24th Apr 2023
Designed by Nomad, London.
The Turn Signal RSS...
Mercedes vs Lucid: Different Views on Luxury UI Design
Exploring the UI design of two different luxury car brands
1st Nov 2020
Exploring the UI design of two different luxury car brands
Jan Miksovsky’s blog
Home science and engineering projects that my kids and I enjoyed
2nd Apr 2025
Koos Looijesteijn -...
100 ways to slightly improve your life without really trying
"1 Exercise on a Monday night (nothing fun happens on a Monday night).2 On the fence about a...
12th Jan 2023
"1 Exercise on a Monday night (nothing fun happens on a Monday night).2 On the fence about a purchase? Wait 72 hours before you buy it.3 Tip: the quickest supermarket queue is always behind the fullest trolley (greeting, paying and packing take longer than you think).4 Bring...
The personal website...
Crystal ball 1-on-1s
1-on-1s are my favorite management tool. Not only for managing direct reports; sideways and upwards...
25th Mar 2018
1-on-1s are my favorite management tool. Not only for managing direct reports; sideways and upwards management need 1-on-1s, too. Here’s my general definition for a 1-on-1:
Reoccuring - Whether it’s weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, set a cadence and stick with it.
Informal - Don’t...
The personal website...
Beyond 10×
In the January 1968 issue of computer science trade magazine Communications of the ACM, a paper...
1st Nov 2021
In the January 1968 issue of computer science trade magazine Communications of the ACM, a paper appeared under the unassuming title “Exploratory experimental studies comparing online and offline programming performance.” “Programming is a multibillion dollar industry,” the paper...
Melissa Penfold
HAVE YOU PREORDERED YOUR COPY OF MELISSA’S NEW BOOK YET?
In her best-selling book, Living Well By Design, Melissa Penfold addressed the basics of interior...
3rd Mar 2025
In her best-selling book, Living Well By Design, Melissa Penfold addressed the basics of interior decorating. Now she turns her attention to demonstrating what a powerful force design can be in boosting our physical and emotional well-being in her newest book, ‘Natural Living By...
Sarah Parmenter
British Summertime
Aha, the great British Summer. You really never know what you’re going to get and it makes planning...
3rd Aug 2017
Aha, the great British Summer. You really never know what you’re going to get and it makes planning weekends so darn difficult. Us Brits really do love to talk about the weather; as I write this post I started the day in shorts and a t-shirt and I’m about to go and fetch a...
The personal website...
Responsive roadmaps
Shane Parrish’s essay The Map is Not the Territory begins:
The map of reality is not reality. Even...
8th May 2019
Shane Parrish’s essay The Map is Not the Territory begins:
The map of reality is not reality. Even the best maps are imperfect. That’s because they are reductions of what they represent.
The same is true for product roadmaps. Understanding and applying Parrish’s mental model is...
Oykun Yilmaz
Introvert Designer
I’m an introvert. Unfortunately, I have discovered this term and its true meaning quite late in my...
1st Sep 2020
I’m an introvert. Unfortunately, I have discovered this term and its true meaning quite late in my life. I have always been the person who talks less in a large group. I've always preferred to be either by myself or with a small number of people
Christopher Butler
Periodical – 1
This is a semi-daily check-in. Experimental; likely to not actually be daily. Regular and...
11th Nov 2023
This is a semi-daily check-in. Experimental; likely to not actually be daily. Regular and short.
The kids are in the bath, listening to the Yoto Daily, which aptly describes itself as a “morsel.” The host offers stray thoughts, short learnings, words of the day, fascinating...
Luke Mitchell |...
RSS is calm
I’ve been thinking a bit about how I consume from the web, to improve my digital health. Here’s some...
5th Oct 2020
I’ve been thinking a bit about how I consume from the web, to improve my digital health. Here’s some things I’ve done recently:
Delete all work stuff from my phone (Slack, Email etc).
Clean up my social follows, and use Twitterrific ‘muffles’ more.
Use Drafts to record ideas and...
The Turn Signal RSS...
How We Designed a White-Label In-Car Infotainment System
Infotainment systems are often overcomplicated and poorly built. Until recently, it was difficult to...
1st Aug 2024
Infotainment systems are often overcomplicated and poorly built. Until recently, it was difficult to change this because each carmaker had…
Jakob Nielsen on UX
UX Roundup: UX Leaders Need Profits | In-depth AI | Emotional Avatar Animation | Construction Time |...
UX should quest for profits, not a seat at the table | In-depth AI reviews of draft academic papers...
1st Dec 2025
UX should quest for profits, not a seat at the table | In-depth AI reviews of draft academic papers | Emotional lip-synching of avatars when singing | Time needed to build AI supercompute data centers | Discover user needs
Scott Jenson
Hype is a Business Tool
Remember WAAAY back in late 2022 (what feels like ancient history now) when you first started...
6th Aug 2025
Remember WAAAY back in late 2022 (what feels like ancient history now) when you first started playing with ChatGPT? Like everyone else, you probably created a poem in a pirate’s voice. “Pirate Poetry” was fun, exciting, and even playful. Today, EVERYONE is talking about AI, and...
Jan Miksovsky’s blog
Writing a VS Code extension in ES modules in early 2025
17th Mar 2025
Nela Dunato Art &...
Why I don’t want to grow my freelance design studio into an agency
As of September 1st 2023 I’ve been self-employed for 10 years. For this anniversary, I decided to...
2nd Sep 2023
As of September 1st 2023 I’ve been self-employed for 10 years. For this anniversary, I decided to answer a question I'm often asked by family, friends, colleagues, and even strangers: do I plan to hire more people and grow my own design agency? I don't, and in this article I...
Fonts In Use – Blog...
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer movie titles
Contributed by Florian Hardwig
Source: annyas.com License: All Rights Reserved....
26th Dec 2022
Contributed by Florian Hardwig
Source: annyas.com License: All Rights Reserved.
“Rankin/Bass present” is lettering based on Weiß-Initialen Serie II, or Weiss Initials Series II, with the alternate forms for A and E, rendered bolder, with rough contours and a bouncing...
The personal website...
Well-designed interfaces look boring
3 billion people used the internet for the first time in the past decade. Can you imagine what that...
15th Jul 2015
3 billion people used the internet for the first time in the past decade. Can you imagine what that was like? When I began using the internet, the web was pretty much just text. Interface design required finagling websites from knots of spreadsheet-like tables, and even the most...
Product Identity
The Dumbification of our smart screens
Re: Enshittification: How screens might become dumber
3rd Jul 2024
Re: Enshittification: How screens might become dumber
Jan Miksovsky’s blog
Origami Projector: a Glitch-like app for site editing
3 weeks ago
The personal website...
The Role of Doubt in Design
At a recent happy hour, I struck up a conversation with a product manager. I told him I was a...
17th Jul 2019
At a recent happy hour, I struck up a conversation with a product manager. I told him I was a product designer, and he asked “one of the good ones, or one of the bad ones?” A designer on his team — a “bad one” — asked too many questions. Questions like “Why are we building this...
Permanent Style
Dress codes: The meaningful tailoring of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
By Robbie Collin. It’s a formative stage in every man's sartorial journey: when the height of good...
2nd Mar 2026
By Robbie Collin. It’s a formative stage in every man's sartorial journey: when the height of good taste means trying to dress like a spy from a film. There’s James Bond of course – and goodness knows there’s enough advice out there for anyo... > Read more
Koos Looijesteijn -...
Quarantine
Until this week, we have been lucky with our daycare. Apart from the occasional positive tests, I’m...
12th Jan 2022
Until this week, we have been lucky with our daycare. Apart from the occasional positive tests, I’m not aware of...
Koos Looijesteijn
Will I regret buying a new Mac?
19th Jan 2026
Scott Jenson
Reactive Haptics
When people think of haptics, they usually think of typing on mobile keyboards or tapping on...
11th Feb 2025
When people think of haptics, they usually think of typing on mobile keyboards or tapping on trackpads. While impressive, these are fairly limited uses of haptics, both attempting to recreate a simple “click.” These are one-shot user events that don’t respond dynamically to the...
Ryan Mulligan
The Pixel Canvas Shimmer Effect
I recently stumbled on a super cool, well-executed hover effect from the clerk.com website where a...
3rd Dec 2024
I recently stumbled on a super cool, well-executed hover effect from the clerk.com website where a bloom of tiny pixels light up, their glow staggering from the center to the edges of its container. With some available free time over this Thanksgiving break, I hacked together my...
The personal website...
Working to work
Despite the fact that I build websites for a living, I do a significant amount of work in my...
18th Jan 2014
Despite the fact that I build websites for a living, I do a significant amount of work in my notebooks.
Quick quiz: what does a web developer do for a living? If you said ‘make websites, duh,’ you’re technically correct (the best kind of correct). And you’re in good company; I’d...
The personal website...
The legacy of NFTs
A new trend is sending shock waves through the world of art, collecting, finance, and...
29th Dec 2021
A new trend is sending shock waves through the world of art, collecting, finance, and investing.
It’s the result of a perfect storm: one part scientific breakthrough, one part new financial paradigm, one part reflection of world events. Some people attribute it entirely to the...
Koos Looijesteijn -...
I sold Big Timer
Five months ago I sold my countdown timer web app, Big Timer! I never really announced that, so...
18th Apr 2022
Five months ago I sold my countdown timer web app, Big Timer! I never really announced that, so here’s what...
The personal website...
Stop brainstorming
“Brainstorming” — the problem-solving technique of coming up with as many ideas as possible in a...
18th Jan 2022
“Brainstorming” — the problem-solving technique of coming up with as many ideas as possible in a short period of time — has been showing up on a lot of my leadership meeting agendas lately. Many of my peers are employing brainstorming in the belief that, as thought-leading...
UX Collective
When the canvas starts acting, who’s really in control?
Weekly curated resources for designers — thinkers and makers.
a week ago
Weekly curated resources for designers — thinkers and makers.
Koos Looijesteijn
Beautiful shadows have beautiful colors
15th Jul 2024
The Turn Signal RSS...
A Guide to Prototyping Automotive Interfaces
Good design is not a function of talent, but number of iterations. Here's my guide to prototyping...
1st Sep 2023
Good design is not a function of talent, but number of iterations. Here's my guide to prototyping automotive interfaces
The Turn Signal RSS...
In-Car Climate Control Design: How It Has Gone Backwards and How to Fix It
Why has the design of in-car climate controls gone backward, and is there a better way to design...
1st Feb 2023
Why has the design of in-car climate controls gone backward, and is there a better way to design them?
Christopher Butler
visual journal – 2024 May 20 - June 1
Faces
The last two weeks have been unusually busy and routine-disrupting. Half the input to the...
1st Jun 2024
Faces
The last two weeks have been unusually busy and routine-disrupting. Half the input to the book as usual, but still, something is better than nothing!
I intended to make the collage on the right only black and white. Couldn’t resist a bit of color.
Very...
Identity Designed
Krayna
Designed by Heyholm, Basel.
5th Jul 2023
Designed by Heyholm, Basel.
The personal website...
Responsive roadmaps
Shane Parrish’s essay The Map is Not the Territory begins:
The map of reality is not reality. Even...
8th May 2019
Shane Parrish’s essay The Map is Not the Territory begins:
The map of reality is not reality. Even the best maps are imperfect. That’s because they are reductions of what they represent.
The same is true for product roadmaps. Understanding and applying Parrish’s mental model is...
Christopher Butler
sketchbook – 2024 March 9 - March 16
Putting these up on my website is a new thing I am doing!
Either nothing is magic or everything...
9th Mar 2024
Putting these up on my website is a new thing I am doing!
Either nothing is magic or everything is.
We are doing solar this year!
The back is better than the front.
Ryan Mulligan
Notes on handling events in Web Components
My click-spark web component was a fun, silly project at best. Yet I've seen it's had some love...
27th Jul 2024
My click-spark web component was a fun, silly project at best. Yet I've seen it's had some love since being shared. So why not publish it as an npm package? No better time than the present, some say.
I had done a major refactor before publishing, the most notable was that the...
Jakob Nielsen on UX
UX Roundup: Ecommerce Usability Fails | Social Media Less Social | Overseeing Agents | Your Team as...
Summary: The two most conversion-killing ecommerce usability fails | Social media use remains strong...
1st Jun 2026
Summary: The two most conversion-killing ecommerce usability fails | Social media use remains strong but the platforms are becoming less about connecting with other people | The usability of overseeing AI agents | Team-building image idea: design video game characters | Professor...
Melissa Penfold
NON-OBVIOUS MEGA DESIGN TRENDS: HOW TO SEE WHAT OTHERS MISS
If you want to understand what’s going to be big in design this year, peer into the world’s psyche....
20th Feb 2025
If you want to understand what’s going to be big in design this year, peer into the world’s psyche. When the world was scared and isolated during the Covid shutdown, we decorated for comfort. This year, weary and worried after a stretch of inflation and political uncertainty,...
Retail Design Blog
Monarch by OPEN Strategy & Design
MONARCH – A ROYAL WELCOME CRAFTING A LEGACY For forty years, Mansion House has stood for ‘A Warm...
1st Apr 2025
MONARCH – A ROYAL WELCOME CRAFTING A LEGACY For forty years, Mansion House has stood for ‘A Warm Welcome’, a...
Koos Looijesteijn
Who is responsible for the impact of innovative products?
7th Dec 2023
The Pudding
Comparisons as Predictable as the Sunrise
An analysis of 200,000 similes from popular fiction.
4th May 2026
An analysis of 200,000 similes from popular fiction.
Christopher Butler
Out-Random the AI
If you are a creative person, AI is frightening. It should be. It is yet another technology that we...
1st Apr 2024
If you are a creative person, AI is frightening. It should be. It is yet another technology that we know more than enough to not pursue, but will anyway because our culture is an untethered, nihilistic avarice addiction cloud in which we are all entrapped.
The truth is that...
Ryan Mulligan
Click Spark
Last week I had made this fun little experiment. When clicking or tapping on the page, sparks (of...
2nd Jan 2024
Last week I had made this fun little experiment. When clicking or tapping on the page, sparks (of joy) fly out from the mouse cursor/tap position. It started with me just messing around a bit in CodePen, but after sharing and getting a few friendly nudges on my Mastodon post,...
ramsés cabello
nested folders @ sketch
hola! 〜 ദ്ദി ( ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ )
i hope it is not very cold at the moment you’re reading this post 〜 although...
21st Nov 2025
hola! 〜 ദ്ദി ( ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ )
i hope it is not very cold at the moment you’re reading this post 〜 although here is freezing and dark-ish, i wanted to write a few words about something i designed at sketch a while back and recently released + some other misc 〜
let’s start with a photo...
Scott Jenson
The invisible problem
Whenever I explain my research at Google into mobile text editing, I’m usually met with blank stares...
22nd Sep 2023
Whenever I explain my research at Google into mobile text editing, I’m usually met with blank stares or a slightly hostile “Everyone can edit text on their phones, right? What’s the problem?” Text editing on mobile isn’t ok. It’s actually much worse than you think, an invisible...
Jeffrey Zeldman...
For students who make websites
WordPress.com maker Automattic is expanding into education with a new, free product designed for...
17th Aug 2026
WordPress.com maker Automattic is expanding into education with a new, free product designed for teachers and their classes called WordPress.com Education. The suite for classrooms includes a full WordPress.com domain for each student, plus free domain names (on the .blog or .art...
The personal website...
Making WSJ.com more accessible
As I write this, the WSJ.com team is launching a brand new homepage experience for small screens.1...
3rd Aug 2016
As I write this, the WSJ.com team is launching a brand new homepage experience for small screens.1 It’s one of our biggest subscription-drivers, a page that hundreds of thousands of people see every day. The new experience builds on the award-winning design of the WSJ iOS and...
Product Identity
Beautiful ugly websites
Form is cheap, function is everything(?)
7th Mar 2024
Form is cheap, function is everything(?)
The personal website...
Datum ipsum
tl;dr — I’ve created a tool called Datum Ipsum to enable designers to use realistic data when...
27th Jul 2016
tl;dr — I’ve created a tool called Datum Ipsum to enable designers to use realistic data when mocking up data visualizations. Also, this is a written version of a talk I gave at Data Viz Camp 2016 in NYC. The slides for that talk are here.
In my career as a designer, both at...
Identity Designed
Pilo
Designed by 5.5, Paris.
30th Jun 2023
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