via @laurenbugeja, quote from @chriscoyier
Things websites should be: fast, useful, intuitive, and secure. How you get there: there is no one-true-way. Enjoy the journey.
— Chris Coyier (@chriscoyier) May 8, 2012
Images in design
Insights via Kissmetrics: The Shocking truth about how web graphics affect conversions
- Image placement matters: David Ogilvy’s research found that, on average, headlines placed below an image are read by 10% more people than headlines above.
- Use captions: Text captions under images get read four times more than body copy. Also, If you can’t come up with a good caption for an image, it’s probably because the image has no place on the page.
Ten laws to design by
1. Hick’s Law - every additional choice increases the time it takes to make a selection
2. Pareto principle - the 80/20 rule
3. The rule of thirds - a viewer is more likely to be drawn to the intersection points
4. Proximity - elements that are near each other will appear related
5. Feedback - provide immediate feedback on user actions
6. Fitt’s Law - The time required to move to a target is a function of the target size and distance to the target.
7. The golden ratio - produces visually pleasing compositions.
8. Occam’s Razor - the simplest solution is almost always the best
9. Fibonacci sequence - patterns based on the sequence are intrinsically aesthetic
10. Mental models - it’s easier for users to understand and learn something new if they can model it off of something they already understand
* Miller’s Law - the average human can hold 7 ±2 objects in working memory
Excellent article by @globalmoxie: Designing for Touch
“Stacking controls in a touch interface should always be avoided, especially at screen bottom. Unfortunately, that means Android apps should have their controls at the top of the screen to avoid crowding the system buttons. It’s not ideal: this puts navigation outside the thumb zone, and when you tap a button, the hand covers the entire screen. But it’s better than the alternative, which invites fat-finger errors.”
“For Android, app navigation and controls should float to the top. This is the reverse of the convention for iPhone, where the Home button doesn’t create the same kind of competition as Android’s buttons. Compare the Foursquare app for Android, left, and for iPhone, to see the resulting difference.”
37 Signal’s Basecamp’s mobile login form keeps labels within input fields visible until a user actually begins to enter an answer. via @LukeW - Mobile First
pinboard.in - When changing your password, the new password text box uses a low contrast font and forgoes the typical type-your-password-again pattern.
/via Lenny Sirivong
(via stoweboyd)
Square’s credit card flow | FunctionSource
Smashing Mag: “A nice simple UX idea: Handling CC payment details on mobile”
The Anatomy of an Effective Homepage (KissMetrics)
