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Yazin Akkawi
Yazin Akkawi

3.8K Followers

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Published in UX Collective

·Pinned

Ever wonder why the most popular apps are starting to look the same? It might be a good thing

Now designers can spend more time focusing on what really matters. — Open Instagram, Airbnb, Apple Music, Twitter, Dropbox or Lyft and at first glance it might feel like it’s hard to tell the difference between which app is which: big, bold headlines with rounded sans-serif fonts; minimal black and white interfaces with lots of negative space; little to no color. The…

Design

5 min read

Ever wonder why the most popular apps are starting to look the same? It might be a good thing
Ever wonder why the most popular apps are starting to look the same? It might be a good thing
Design

5 min read


Published in UX Collective

·Nov 20, 2019

Minimalism is not, and never will be, dead

Simple designs are scientifically better. — By now, most of us are familiar with minimalism in design. Over the last decade, you’ve seen plenty of the ever-familiar Apple aesthetic, overuse of Helvetica and sans-serifs, hidden navigation, the exaggeration of negative space and understated color palettes. But like with most trends, a style reaches a saturation point…

Design

3 min read

Minimalism is not, and never will be, dead
Minimalism is not, and never will be, dead
Design

3 min read


Published in UX Collective

·Oct 10, 2019

Why every designer must work remotely

How getting out of the office has helped me grow as a designer. — In a creative business like mine, the office represents a lot: to clients, it communicates legitimacy and credibility; to employees, it communicates stability; to everyone else, it communicates success. Before becoming a design entrepreneur, I viewed the office as the centerpiece of a business. After starting MSTQ four years ago…

Startup

3 min read

Why every designer must work remotely
Why every designer must work remotely
Startup

3 min read


Published in UX Collective

·Oct 2, 2019

7 signs of an underachieving product designer

The non-obvious red flags I look for. — Update: the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely my own and based on my own experience. This list is not meant, in any way, to be used as hiring principles for product designers or as criteria for performance reviews. 1. They never ask why. The product designer is ultimately the steward of…

Design

3 min read

7 signs of an underperforming product designer
7 signs of an underperforming product designer
Design

3 min read


Published in UX Collective

·Sep 16, 2019

Design processes are bullshit

Describing design processes is impossible. — Have you ever had to teach an infant child how to speak? Does it make you a bad parent if you can’t sit your 18 month child down and prepare them for all the things they need to know about talking? Sounds Ridiculous, Right? Because it is ridiculous. Breaking down and sharing a…

Design

4 min read

Design processes are bullshit
Design processes are bullshit
Design

4 min read


Published in Modus

·Sep 5, 2019

We Can’t Fix Design with Fear

The key to digital tech’s ethical dilemma is innovation and optimism — “Stand back!” yelled Arthur Edsall in an imported Roger-Benz, one of the first-ever petrol cars. He, along with two other passengers, was demonstrating the German-manufactured, French-assembled car near the Crystal Palace in southeast London, driving at what a witness called a “tremendous pace, like a fire engine — as fast…

Ideas

6 min read

We Can’t Fix Design with Fear
We Can’t Fix Design with Fear
Ideas

6 min read


Published in UX Collective

·May 27, 2019

You don’t really have much of a defense against manipulative designs online

Dark patterns work well. Too well. And there’s not much you can do about it. — Have you ever tried to delete your Amazon account? Of course not. But if you ever wanted to, you’d quickly realize that it’s a borderline impossible task. …

User Experience

4 min read

You don’t really have much of a defense against manipulative designs online
You don’t really have much of a defense against manipulative designs online
User Experience

4 min read


Published in UX Collective

·Apr 17, 2019

What the happiest country on Earth taught me about Design

How two weeks in Copenhagen gave me perspective on design. — Good product design, at best, can help someone save money or time. It can also help someone complete a task more effectively or efficiently. At a minimum, good design can make someone feel good. I know it may seem menial, but ask yourself, what does “feeling good” really mean? What…

Life Lessons

5 min read

What the happiest country on Earth taught me about Design
What the happiest country on Earth taught me about Design
Life Lessons

5 min read


Jan 1, 2019

How to Design a Successful New Year’s Resolution

Forget resolutions. Make it a New Year’s habit. — For most of us, a resolution worthy enough to save for the New Year is usually one that is important to us. …

Habit Building

3 min read

How to Design a Successful New Year’s Resolution
How to Design a Successful New Year’s Resolution
Habit Building

3 min read


Oct 8, 2018

The Most Important Steve Jobs Quote That No One Ever Talks About

It’s worth quoting at length. — Shortly after his death in 2011, I picked up the Steve Jobs biography (written by Walter Isaacson) and, like most people, I was inspired by his story. I raved about the book to all my friends and family and recommended it to as many people as I could whenever I…

Steve Jobs

6 min read

The Most Important Steve Jobs Quote That No One Ever Talks About
The Most Important Steve Jobs Quote That No One Ever Talks About
Steve Jobs

6 min read

Yazin Akkawi

Yazin Akkawi

3.8K Followers

Designed and launched 50+ digital products | Founder of MSTQ (www.mstq.io)

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