Published inBootcamp·Updated Nov 7, 2022Creative Empathy for Product DesignWhy Human-Centered Design Calls for Empathy Design strategist Teresa Brazen, from Adaptive Path and Cooper, understands that our best work comes from a place of empathy. As a designer, she says, you “make things for people. Those people aren’t you.” Empathy can help us at every phase of the design process. Indeed, many startups fail because…Empathy Design9 min readEmpathy Design9 min read
Feb 17, 2019How to Design Meaningful ProductsIf a product isn’t meaningful for people, no amount of great design will make it successful What is your purpose in life? What's mine? We humans don't exist to consume, swipe, buy, or use; we exist to live, to love, and to be human. So the products we make need…UX8 min readUX8 min read
Published inUX Collective·Aug 3, 2018So long, User Experience… hello, Human ExperienceI detest “User Experience.” Calm down 😮 I’m not hating on the field, on its practitioners (I am one), or on Don Norman, who invented the term back in the 80's. I detest “User Experience” the way Whitney Hess detests “Lean UX.” It’s specifically about the word “user” and the…User Experience6 min readUser Experience6 min read
Published inPrototypr·May 15, 2018Privacy: A Quick Overview for App DesignersI feel like app designers’ attitudes on privacy have gone from 🤨 to 😒 & lately to 😳. It’s ok: 😌 here’s what you need to know. Summary (TL;DR) Privacy isn’t scary: it’s an opportunity to earn people’s trust. This is about how we handle personal data. Some data are…Privacy7 min readPrivacy7 min read
Published inUX Collective·May 7, 2018Public Speaking: Four Habits for AnyoneYou, yes you, can can become a better public speaker! People seem to think public speaking is reserved for the chosen few who possess a talent for it. Some of us are born with it, and the rest of us should just give up. I don’t agree. First, thinking that…Public Speaking4 min readPublic Speaking4 min read
Oct 13, 2017Online Privacy: The Absolute BasicsEasy ways for you to protect your privacy online Dear Mom & Dad, I love you. I know you use the internet to buy things, send e-mail, check your Facebook, and watch porn (no judgments here!). That’s why I want to start a conversation with you about privacy, tell you…Privacy3 min readPrivacy3 min read
Published inUX Collective·Jan 10, 2017How To Make Stuff People LoveA Design Framework for Sustainable Engagement — In the realm of human experience, it's clear that we are all looking to experience love, in one way or another. And love can be felt in any satisfying, empowering, meaningful experience we humans can have. True love can only come from healthy relationships, and if we want our products…Design6 min readDesign6 min read
Published inPrototypr·Sep 27, 2016The Basics of Effective Journey MappingThe Journey Map is known by many names, including Experience Flow, Customer Decision Journey, or User Experience Journey. Whatever we call it, each journey map is a story, and what makes stories effective makes journey maps effective, too. An effective Journey Map teaches us, is based on truth, and helps…UX4 min readUX4 min read
Apr 29, 2016Lessons I Learned from Pixar’s Inside OutA while back, I watched Pixar’s Inside Out again with my partner and her niece. A great film, it poignantly illustrates some important lessons about life and the power of empathy in a fun, subtle way. If you haven’t seen the movie, it tells the story of the emotional life…Inside Out5 min readInside Out5 min read
Oct 26, 2015Why John Oliver Is Wrong About Emotional IntelligenceJohn Oliver makes fun of emotional intelligence in one of his segments; not in a witty, intelligent way, but in a bullying, ignorant way. It feels somehow out-of-character for the show that saved Net-neutrality. So, What’s The Problem? In this Last Week Tonight segment, John Oliver shows a clip that states this about Canada’s…John Oliver4 min readJohn Oliver4 min read