There is a world of differences to consider when designing for web or designing for desktop applications: From fundamental interactions to keyboard driven navigational paradigms to accessibility issues to screen layout to basic behavior and reaction of buttons, links, etc…we have to consider that a product with a rich client and a web client are [...]

This 10 web design rules that you can break article, made me realize that “Rules you should break” or “Standards you shouldn’t follow” articles appeal to everyone rebel side. Some of you guys may wonder what Jakob Nielsen would say to “Breaking the rules is okay when a design calls for it”. I think rules [...]

Making your interface smaller, hiding advanced functionality and taking out the obvious is the path to a simpler interface. Along this path you’ll face many obstacles. For every feature you hide or take away, there will be people who complain and demand that you bring it back. But every one of your users has different [...]

According to Alan Cooper, author of About Face 3.0 with Robert Riemann and David Cronin, “The persona is a powerful, multipurpose design tool that helps overcome several problems that currently plague the development of digital products. Personas help designers: Determine what a product should do and how it should behave. Communicate with stakeholders, developers, and [...]

I came across this new website from Adobe called INSPIRE, an online publication of the Adobe Experience Design Team, which will easily attract anyone into software, web & graphic design. The Adobe team shares valuable, real-life experiences both written & via videos. Here are some interesting content: Adobe and the future of multitouch (really cool!) [...]

“Usability is always secondary. It’s never the most important thing about an experience. I will accept poor usability if I get what I need, if the total experience is great. I will reject perfect usability if I am not rewarded with a useful, engaging experience.” – Donald Norman, author of “The Design of Everyday Things”

Here’s a study on how mega drop-downs overcome the downsides of regular drop-downs: Mega Drop Down Navigation Menus Work Well By Jacob Nielsen Here’s a screenshot of a great example not listed in the article above:

I’ve collected a set of UI design patterns libraries. Some of them present patterns with descriptions and advices such as Yahoo, others collect screenshots of UI designs, such as PatternTap. With all the available sites, you have a lot of patterns to tap into for your sites and applications! http://www.welie.com/patterns http://ui-patterns.com http://designinginterfaces.com http://time-tripper.com/uipatterns http://developer.yahoo.com/ypatterns http://patterns.littlespringsdesign.com [...]