The hottest Usability Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Claude Sonnet 3.7 Compared with Previous AI Models

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 13 implied HN points • 25 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI User Experience Web Design Usability Software Development
  1. The new AI model, Claude Sonnet 3.7, performs better than previous versions and outperforms other models, like Grok 3, in explaining key concepts like Jakob's Law.
  2. Jakob's Law highlights that users form their expectations based on their experiences with other websites. This means that following common design patterns is crucial for creating a user-friendly experience.
  3. Interactive demos created by AI can help users see how standard and non-standard designs affect usability, making it easier to understand the importance of sticking to familiar web conventions.

UX Roundup: Film Festival | AI Therapy | AI Radiology | AI Creative Writing | Grok 3

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 13 implied HN points • 24 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI Health tech Creative Writing Film Usability
  1. AI technology has made significant strides in creative fields, like filmmaking, showcasing impressive work at events such as the AI Film Festival. Artists are using AI to create stunning visuals and stories, pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
  2. Research indicates that AI can perform on par with human therapists in couples therapy. Although AI therapy is cheaper and more accessible, many people still prefer human interaction due to trust and emotional connection.
  3. AI has demonstrated higher accuracy than human radiologists in medical diagnoses, particularly in breast cancer detection. This advancement has the potential to reduce workloads for doctors and improve early detection rates, highlighting AI's growing role in healthcare.

AI Hallucinations on the Decline

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 21 implied HN points • 13 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI Usability UX Design Data Analysis
  1. AI models are getting better at reducing false information, called hallucinations. This means they are less likely to make things up over time.
  2. Bigger AI models generally make fewer mistakes. As AI technology improves, we can expect even fewer errors from future models.
  3. While waiting for better AI, improving user experience can help users spot and double-check misleading information, making it easier to trust AI outputs.

AI Scaling Laws 4 & 5: More Engineers and Designers

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 17 implied HN points • 07 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI Engineering Design Usability Productivity
  1. AI will get smarter and better with more talented engineers and designers working on it. The more skilled people we have, the more breakthroughs we'll see in AI technology.
  2. Improving how people interact with AI is crucial. Making AI easier to use will greatly increase its value, so more effort should go into user experience and design.
  3. As AI technology advances, we will likely see more AI systems improving themselves, leading to rapid growth in AI capabilities and applications over the coming decades.

Bitcoin DeFi (Part 2) - Rootstock and Babylon Chain

DeFi Education • 359 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
🔮 Crypto Blockchain DeFi Investment Security Usability
  1. Rootstock and Babylon Chain are important platforms in Bitcoin's decentralized finance (DeFi) space. They enhance usability and security for users dealing with Bitcoin.
  2. Layer 2 chains like Rootstock inherit security from the main Bitcoin network. This allows them to operate safely while expanding the functions available on Bitcoin.
  3. Understanding the potential of these DeFi platforms can help users make smarter investment choices. It's crucial for anyone interested in Bitcoin and DeFi to stay informed about these developments.
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UX Roundup: ElevenLabs Podcast | Usability Guidelines as Figma Plugin | AI Kills Companies | o1 and o1 Pro

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 9 implied HN points • 09 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Design Usability Podcasts Business Models
  1. ElevenLabs has a new podcast feature called GenFM, but it feels less fun to listen to compared to Google's podcast version. While it's informative, it follows more of a Q&A style than a dynamic discussion.
  2. Baymard Institute's new Figma plugin offers usability guidelines for web design, making it easier for designers to access important research while they work. This should help create better websites more efficiently.
  3. AI is significantly disrupting companies like Chegg and Stack Overflow, leading to big drops in their business. As AI technology advances, we can expect more industries to feel its impact and change how they operate.

UX Roundup: World Usability Day | Bits to Atoms | Doing vs. Learning | AI Denial

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 9 implied HN points • 11 Nov 24
🕹 Technology AI UX Robotics Education Usability
  1. World Usability Day is on November 14, and it's a chance to appreciate good design. Instead of only pointing out bad usability, try to share something that has made your experience better.
  2. Humanoid robots like Tesla's Optimus could become a reality within the next 5 to 10 years. These robots are being designed to closely mimic human movements and may handle most physical work.
  3. AI can be a helpful learning tool, but the way you use it matters. Students learn better when AI acts as a teacher rather than doing the work for them, so it’s best to engage with AI for deeper learning.

How I Developed the 10 Usability Heuristics

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 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: AI in Mathematics | Mainstreaming Usability | Sparkles Emoji | Changing E-Commerce Guidelines | SFTechWeek Event

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 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

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 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.

Standardized usability questionnaires: which one to use?

UX Psychology • 79 implied HN points • 16 Dec 21
🕹 Technology Usability User Experience Research Metrics
  1. Standardized usability questionnaires have many advantages like objectivity, reliability, and validity.
  2. There are various post-test standardized usability questionnaires available, such as QUIS, SUMI, PSSUQ, SUS, and SUPR-Q, each with unique features and applications.
  3. Choosing the right questionnaire depends on factors like the nature of the project, stage of research, goals of the study, and budget limitations.

Standardized usability questionnaires: post-task measures

UX Psychology • 59 implied HN points • 23 Dec 21
🕹 Technology Usability Psychometrics User Experience Testing
  1. Post-task questionnaires capture user impressions immediately after a task, offering insights into user experience.
  2. Popular post-task questionnaires include the After-Scenario Questionnaire (ASQ), Subjective Mental Effort Question (SMEQ), and Expectation ratings (ER), each providing valuable usability feedback.
  3. When conducting usability studies, using multiple post-task questionnaires, like ASQ and SEQ, is recommended for a better understanding of user perceptions.

An Ode to Great Gear

From the Desk • 18 implied HN points • 26 Sep 23
🪑 Design Philosophy Acquisition Quality Usability
  1. Gear is an integral part of our lives and can be nostalgic, tied to experiences and memories.
  2. Gear enthusiasts have philosophies in acquiring gear, like brand loyalty or minimalism.
  3. Having a 'Point of Unrecognized Satisfaction' helps assess optimal spending on gear based on usability.

5-second tests: Measuring first impressions

UX Psychology • 39 implied HN points • 29 Nov 21
🕹 Technology Design Usability Research User Experience
  1. The 5-second test is a form of usability testing to measure users' first impressions of a design by showing them a fixed interface for a short time.
  2. Aesthetic elements influence users' first impressions, which form quickly within the first few seconds of viewing a design. Designers have a limited time to make a good first impression.
  3. The 5-second test is effective for assessing perceived usability and initial reactions to an interface, but it does not measure actual usability or comprehension of complex information.

Through Your User's Eyes

Tribal Knowledge • 19 implied HN points • 10 Jan 23
🕹 Technology Usability User Experience Software Development Web3 Customer Feedback
  1. Users don't see products like creators do. They focus on the problem and need the solution to be presented clearly and function well.
  2. Understanding the technical capabilities of users is crucial. Intuitive design is key, as Apple exemplifies in their products.
  3. Building with user experience in mind is essential. Software should be intuitive, especially for everyday consumers, as clunky designs are no longer tolerated.

Using shape of stories for web site analysis

Experiments with NLP and GPT-3 • 0 implied HN points • 07 Oct 24
🕹 Technology AI Web Design Content Strategy Information Architecture Usability
  1. Websites can have a certain flow or structure, similar to stories. This means the way content is organized can affect how users experience the site.
  2. Using AI can help analyze website content to identify strengths and areas for improvement. It can suggest ways to make a site more engaging and comprehensive.
  3. Improving a website involves expanding the topics covered, deepening content on existing topics, and making connections between different parts of the site clearer.

www.tuoitre.com.vn thay đổi cách thiết kế menu

Thái | Hacker | Kỹ sư tin tặc • 0 implied HN points • 30 Jul 07
🕹 Technology Web Design Usability Security
  1. The menu design change on www.tuoitre.com.vn, making menus unclickable, has caused inconvenience and confusion to users.
  2. The new menu design implies restrictions on readers, limiting access to all news in a topic area and forcing them to navigate through submenus.
  3. There is a connection between usability and security in software and websites, where good usability often correlates with better security measures.

Những toilet không cửa hay là tại sao phải biết thiết kế

Thái | Hacker | Kỹ sư tin tặc • 0 implied HN points • 15 Mar 13
🪑 Design Usability Security Software Web Design Books
  1. A well-designed toilet should be touch-free to ensure hygiene and ease of use.
  2. The design of everyday items, like toilets, requires careful consideration to meet user needs and protect their health.
  3. Good design balances security and usability, preventing user frustration and errors. Investing in learning about design principles can greatly benefit various products and services.

designing the obvious

Thái | Hacker | Kỹ sư tin tặc • 0 implied HN points • 17 Jul 07
🪑 Design Website Design Usability Simplicity User Experience Product Design
  1. Designing the Obvious emphasizes creating websites that are intuitive and easy to use, guiding designers to build clear and straightforward interfaces.
  2. The core message is about simplifying products effectively, whether it is a website, a bicycle, or a TV, following Einstein's notion of simplicity.
  3. Avoid making users think unnecessarily by providing clear instructions and uniformity in design elements to enhance usability.

Fight for the Users

Tribal Knowledge • 0 implied HN points • 12 May 22
🕹 Technology Software Development Usability Features User Experience
  1. When developing a tool, it's crucial to balance usability and features for user adoption and retention.
  2. Self-service tools can lead to organic growth and better user understanding, ultimately benefitting the long-term success of the product.
  3. Engineers play a significant role in advocating for usability improvements in tools, which can enhance user experience and overall product success.