Jakob Nielsen on UX

Jakob Nielsen's Substack focuses on user experience (UX) and usability, particularly at the intersection with artificial intelligence (AI). It covers Nielsen's career insights, developments in UX heuristics, AI's impact on UX design, the evolution of user interfaces, and discusses both the opportunities and challenges presented by AI in enhancing user experience.

User Experience (UX) Usability Heuristics Artificial Intelligence in UX Career in UX Interface Design Accessibility User Research AI Tools for UX Ethical Design Cognitive Development and Technology

The hottest Substack posts of Jakob Nielsen on UX

And their main takeaways

How I Developed the 10 Usability Heuristics

75 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🕹 Technology UX Research Usability User Interface Design
  1. Jakob Nielsen's 10 usability heuristics were developed through factor analysis to explain a database of usability problems, with the final list chosen for its explanatory power.
  2. The initial heuristics in 1989 were based on opinion and teaching needs, while the refined 1994 list was derived through systematic research and factor analysis.
  3. The 10 heuristics have remained relevant for 30 years due to their grounding in fundamental mismatches between humans and machines, and their broad, general applicability across different user interfaces.

UX Roundup: OpenAI Canvas | Evaluating AI Video | AI Podcast | AI Translation | AI Adoption & Retention | Flux 1.1

13 implied HN points • 07 Oct 24
🕹 Technology AI User Experience Video Generation Podcasting Translation
  1. OpenAI's new feature, Canvas, lets users interact directly with text in a document instead of just chatting. You can now point at specific text and tell the AI exactly how to change it.
  2. Meta has introduced a video generation model called Movie Gen that rates the quality of videos by having people compare them side by side. This helps to figure out which AI creates better videos.
  3. AI is being adopted quickly, with many people using it regularly for tasks at work. It's even being used at a faster rate than the internet was when it first started.

UX Roundup: AI in Mathematics | Mainstreaming Usability | Sparkles Emoji | Changing E-Commerce Guidelines | SFTechWeek Event

11 implied HN points • 14 Oct 24
🕹 Technology AI Usability E-commerce User Experience Collaboration
  1. AI is changing mathematics by making it easier for researchers to collaborate and generate ideas. This allows larger groups of mathematicians to work together efficiently using AI tools.
  2. Usability concepts like 'use cases' are now widely accepted beyond product design, showing that usability has become a common goal across different fields.
  3. The sparkles emoji has become a popular symbol for AI features in user interfaces, reflecting how people view AI as a magical technology that is becoming more mainstream.

UX Roundup: AI Camera | Web Design Mistakes | UX Job Openings

7 implied HN points • 04 Nov 24
🕹 Technology AI Web Design Job Market Video Production Usability
  1. To create powerful AI-generated videos, human directors still need to guide the AI camera for emotional impact. Learning traditional filmmaking techniques can help enhance the storytelling.
  2. Many web design problems are still the same as they were decades ago. Simple things like clear value propositions and easy navigation are still overlooked by many new websites.
  3. There are roughly equal job openings for both junior and senior UX designers. Many junior designers feel there are only senior positions available, but the data shows that opportunities exist at all experience levels.
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41 Years in UX: A Career Retrospective

60 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🕹 Technology User Experience Academia Inventions Startups Web Design
  1. Jakob Nielsen has had a long career in UX since 1983, with a consistent mission of making computers user-friendly.
  2. He transitioned from academia to real-world UX work, influenced by his experiences with different computers and usability.
  3. Key achievements include pioneering discount usability, writing a popular book on web usability, and raising public awareness about UX.

UX Roundup: AI Metaphors Quiz | Text Fields | Speaking in Oslo | Usability Poster | AI Elo Scores | Cost to Orbit

7 implied HN points • 28 Oct 24
🕹 Technology User Experience Artificial Intelligence Design principles Usability testing Space Technology
  1. Using AI metaphors like 'intern' or 'coach' helps people understand how to work with AI better. Each metaphor highlights different roles AI can play in our tasks.
  2. Traditional text entry fields are crucial for good user experience design. Keeping them simple and clear helps users know exactly where to enter information.
  3. The cost of launching things into space is decreasing rapidly thanks to companies like SpaceX. This could open up new opportunities for research and technology that we can't even imagine yet.

Embrace AI’s Uncertainty in UX

29 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI UX Design User Research
  1. In the age of AI, the design landscape is changing as we embrace the uncertainty of probabilistic systems, leading to a redefinition of traditional design roles and processes.
  2. Using AI in user research introduces new challenges, such as increased variability and a shift towards more qualitative studies over quantitative ones.
  3. Designing for AI means relinquishing control over the final user interface and embracing a design approach focused on creating rules and heuristics for AI-generated content.

10,000 Newsletter Subscribers

36 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
💼 Business Marketing Content Analytics Audience
  1. Exponential growth for newsletters comes from high conversion rates and small starting numbers.
  2. Email newsletters are more impactful than social media for connecting with an audience.
  3. Steady growth and consistent content quality can lead to significant subscriber growth over time.

UX Roundup: Consultants Don’t Work | Apple AI | AI as General-Purpose Technology | Generative UI for the Enterprise

5 implied HN points • 10 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence User Experience Enterprise Software Consulting Innovation
  1. Consultants are not effective for improving productivity with AI. Companies need to experiment with AI internally to find what works best for them.
  2. The upcoming Apple AI is not as advanced as what will be available soon. This could mislead users into thinking they understand how AI can impact their work.
  3. AI is a general-purpose technology that will reshape various industries. It takes time for it to become widely effective, so companies should prepare now for its future capabilities.

UX Roundup: Titan of Human Factors | Long UX Career | AI Articulation Barrier | Design Challenge | Leonardo Text | UX Podcast

32 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
🕹 Technology UX Design Career development AI User Interfaces Podcasts
  1. Jakob Nielsen was named a 'Titan of Human Factors' by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
  2. Consider the longevity and evolution of a UX career over 40 years.
  3. Using AI interfaces raises similar challenges to early computer interfaces like DOS in terms of articulation barriers.

UX Roundup: Portfolio Without Experience | AI-UX Course | Jakob on UX Greece | Test with 5 Users | ImageGen Shootout

23 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🕹 Technology UX Design Artificial Intelligence User Experience AI Tools
  1. When building a UX portfolio without experience, focus on real-world relevance and storytelling to stand out from generic student projects.
  2. Consider volunteering, joining tech apprenticeships, or freelancing for startups to gain practical UX experience and build a compelling portfolio.
  3. Attending courses like 'UX for AI' can enhance your skills and knowledge in the UX field, adding value to your career development.

UX Roundup: Top AI Tools | Fewer UX Firms and Teams | UX Fails in Apple Vision Pro | UX Job

25 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
🕹 Technology UX Design
  1. AI tools play a significant role in UX design, and professionals are encouraged to share their experiences with them for future insights.
  2. The landscape of UX professionals is shifting with fewer specialized firms but more job opportunities overall as UX becomes integrated into all design processes.
  3. Initial user experiences with products like the Apple Vision Pro highlight the importance of balancing technology hype with real usability for successful adoption.

UX Roundup: AI-First Design | Dark Design | Non-Deterministic UX | Jakob Live | User Research Job

27 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🕹 Technology UX Design Artificial Intelligence User Experience Design Patterns UX Research
  1. AI-first products involve retrofitting AI onto existing software for productivity gains, but true advancements come from rethinking work processes and building new AI-first products.
  2. Avoid dark design patterns in UX to create ethical and user-friendly interfaces.
  3. Designing for non-deterministic UX involves adapting to AI systems that generate outcomes dynamically and focusing on ambiguity and dynamism.

UX Roundup: AI Saves Fuel | Checkboxes Must be Square | Good Books | AI Jobs Grow | Perplexity Grows

21 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
🕹 Technology UX Design AI Books Job Market Startups
  1. AI technology is being used to save fuel by optimizing airline routing, showcasing the practical applications of AI in various industries.
  2. Square checkboxes and round radio buttons have been a long-standing UI convention for user interfaces to help users differentiate between selecting multiple or single options.
  3. Reading good books, like those on storytelling and non-UX topics, can enhance communication skills for UX professionals and provide valuable insights.

Directions for the UX Profession

21 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Design AI Professional Growth Problem Solving Ethics
  1. AI is viewed as a valuable tool in UX, enhancing designers' capabilities while keeping core principles intact.
  2. UX design practice is evolving towards decentralization, embracing generalist approaches, and integrating with business strategy.
  3. Continuous learning, adaptation, and leveraging personal strengths are crucial for professional growth in the UX field.

Multi-Craft Specialized Content in the AI Era

17 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Content creation UX Design Authorship
  1. AI in the media world is enhancing human creativity rather than replacing it, providing hyper-targeted content experiences by combining text, music, images, and film seamlessly.
  2. Niche content creation will dominate the future, with highly specialized and targeted content surpassing the traditional mass-market blockbusters in cumulative revenue.
  3. Automation in UI design will streamline the process, with AI editors assisting in creating user interfaces efficiently, though high usability and polished designs may still require human intervention.

A/B Testing Paradox: UX Maturity Reduces Your Gains

15 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🕹 Technology UX Design Analytics ROI Experimentation
  1. In A/B testing, the average uplift from design changes is small, about 0.15%, with 54% of cases showing improvements of 0.5%.
  2. Only 19% of experiments result in statistically significant gains, with an average lift of 1.0% across those cases.
  3. As companies mature in UX, gains from design experimentation may decrease over time due to the nature of tested designs and the diminishing low-hanging fruit.

Infant Screen Use Leads to Reduced Cognitive Skills at Age 9

15 implied HN points • 07 Aug 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Child development Research Studies Cognitive skills Screen Time Parenting
  1. Infant screen use at age 1 can lead to reduced cognitive skills at ages 4 and 9.
  2. Research shows that extended screen time in infancy can have long-term negative effects on cognitive abilities.
  3. Studies suggest limiting screen time for infants and encouraging more physical play for healthy cognitive development.

UX Roundup: Ideogram Big Improvements | UX Apprentice | High School UX | Kindergarten UX | Self-Taught UX Designers

5 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🕹 Technology UX Design AI Tools
  1. Ideogram 1.0 released with significant text rendering and image quality improvements, showcasing AI's potential in visual design.
  2. You don't necessarily need a university degree for a career in UX, practical experience and on-the-job learning can be just as valuable, if not more.
  3. Teaching UX concepts in high school, like in Estonia, can prepare students for a future increasingly dependent on digital media and technology.

UX Roundup: Time Estimates for Quant Projects | LinkedIn Rant | Benchmarking UX | Kazakhstan/Uzbekistan UX | Free AI Courses | New Music Tool

3 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
🕹 Technology UX AI Social media
  1. For quantitative user research projects, default time estimate is one month, divided into planning, data collection, analysis, and final results stages.
  2. LinkedIn algorithm reduces reach for posts with external links, hindering usability and user experience on the platform.
  3. Benchmarking UX quality over time can help track improvements, emphasize UX importance, and guide corrective actions when needed.

AI Is First New UI Paradigm in 60 Years

7 implied HN points • 22 Jun 23
🕹 Technology AI UI Computing Generative AI Artificial Intelligence
  1. AI is introducing the third user-interface paradigm in computing history, shifting from command-based interaction to intent-based outcome specification.
  2. The first UI paradigm was batch processing, where users submitted complete workflows and got results much later, usually with issues in usability.
  3. Command-based interaction, the second UI paradigm, allowed users to assess and modify commands one at a time, with GUIs dominating for about 40 years; AI's intent-based paradigm reverses user control, representing a new era in UI design.