Embrace Your Inner Designer

Josh Broton || @joshbroton || joshbroton.com

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Who am I?

( Josh Broton! )

  • Interactive Design Lead / Front-End Developer at VistaComm in Sioux Falls, SD
  • Freelance: Design, front-end development, UX audits
  • Front-end developer for KidBlog.org
  • joshbroton.com
  • twitter.com/joshbroton

Is Design Important?

  1. It changes how users see your application
  2. It changes how users use your application
  3. It changes how users spread your application

It gives your application credibility

Yikes...

It feels like we're here

Another example

mint.com

It makes using it easier

  • Think in flows, not in screens.
  • Make a list of steps users take to use your application
  • Do it yourself

The best marketing
is free
marketing


Walgreens
vs.
Apple

Walgreens App

The best marketing tool you can have as a business is a well-designed application.

Walgreens now sees 30% of their refills come through their app.

The truth

A well-designed app can mean the difference between success and failure.

My Design Tips for Developers

Consistent Layout


Use a grid system to ensure proper spacing.

Use White Space

  • Use less white space between items in a group to create logical coorelation
  • Use more whitespace between groups to create distiction
Again,
yikes....

White Space


This greatly improves readability and retention.

Use Color,
Size, &
Positioning to Convey Importance

What is the most important?
How about now?

vs.
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Good visual hierarchy isn't about wild and crazy graphics or the newest photoshop filters, it's about organizing information in a way that's usable, accessible, and logical to the everyday user.
- Brandon Jones

Be Consistent

  • Use just one sans-serif font for the body.
    One other font for accent
  • Use <h1>, <h2>, etc tags
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Icons

  • Should only be used to add emphasis
  • Should be consistent through your entire UI
  • Should adhere to UI standards

What Do These Do?

Not Consistent

Not Consistent

Color

  • Every color should consistently match an action
  • Remember 10% of the world is partially colorblind
  • Don't reinvent the wheel: Adobe Kuler

All Together

Use Typical Casing


All uppercase lettering is hard to read.







Who actually likes this?

Left Alight Type and Objects

Centered type is very hard to read and scan. It takes extra effort, and extra effort is normally not something Internet users are willing to give to anything.

Right alignment is a great way to make a very distinct point or be contrarian. It does not, however, make for a good body style.

Steal Ideas


99% of creativity is forgetting where you stole your idea from.
- Blaine Bartel












Do you copy-and-paste code?

Navigation MUST Be Easy

  • Proper nesting
  • Breadcrumb navigation
  • CONSIDER TOUCH

Keep It Simple


Don't make your users think. Ever.
They called this their "simple" redesign...


Make Action Items Obvious

Make Important Items Stand Out

Minimize Noise

Omit Needless Items




The reduction to the essential has never led to catastrophe.
- Dieter Rams

When in doubt,
leave it out!

If you can't define an EXPLICIT reason for something, eliminate it.

Keep Instructions Simple

Test Test Test




In the last six weeks, have your team members spent at least two hours watching people experience your product or service?
- Jared M. Spool



Don't ask if your application does what it should. Ask if your users can make your application do what it should.
- Me
August 11-13, 2013

Thank You!


Questions?


 twitter.com/joshbroton
joshbroton.com