The hottest User Experience Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Don't trust the (design) process

The faintest idea • 2 HN points • 30 Jun 24
🪑 Design Graphic design User Experience Product Design
  1. Don't rely too much on the design process. It can make you follow rules that might not lead to the best outcomes.
  2. Focusing too much on user research and processes can distract from actual design work. It's important to make something people will enjoy using.
  3. Embrace a flexible approach to design. Sometimes skipping steps or being messy can lead to better results and creativity.

"Algorithmic entombment", explore-exploit trade-offs, and serendipity

The Counterfactual • 59 implied HN points • 04 Oct 22
🕹 Technology Algorithms Media Recommendations User Experience Data science
  1. Recommendation systems can help us find new favorites but also risk making our choices repetitive. If we're only shown what we already like, we might miss out on discovering exciting new things.
  2. There's a balance between exploring new options and sticking to what we know. Too much of either can lead to boredom or discomfort, so it’s important to mix both approaches in our choices.
  3. Serendipity, or those happy accidents that lead to great moments, can be lost with strict recommendation systems. Sometimes the best experiences come from unexpected encounters, not just from things we already enjoy.

The most valuable MVP

Better After a Nap • 19 implied HN points • 22 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Product Development User Experience Digital Technologies Tech industry Research
  1. The initial product or feature is not static; teams always have plans to iterate and improve after launch.
  2. User contexts, expectations, and external factors like technology evolution, legislation, and resource constraints require continuous refinement of products.
  3. The true MVP in product development is the customer, who expects fully formed, functional products, not works in progress.

OpenAI in Crisis

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 19 implied HN points • 10 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Software Development User Experience Tech industry Data Analytics
  1. OpenAI is facing serious challenges, including high losses, dropping user numbers, and increasing legal issues. This creates uncertainty about the company’s future.
  2. In July, the number of users on ChatGPT decreased by 12%, dropping from 1.7 billion to 1.5 billion. This decline raises concerns about the platform's popularity.
  3. If these problems continue, there's a chance that OpenAI might go bankrupt. The situation looks tough for the company right now.
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Why Mastodon?

Digital Epidemiology • 19 implied HN points • 04 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Social media Open Source Decentralization User Experience Engagement
  1. Mastodon is like Twitter but open source and decentralized, making it the future of social media.
  2. Mastodon's open-source nature allows for enormous creativity with various apps and user experiences.
  3. Being decentralized, Mastodon offers users choice, control, and a niche platform with a more engaging and pleasant tone compared to mainstream social media.

The Problem with Chat

Maximum Tinkering • 19 implied HN points • 04 May 23
🕹 Technology User Experience Artificial Intelligence Design Product Development
  1. Chat interfaces offer a user-friendly way to interact with computer systems, making tasks easier than traditional forms.
  2. As chat interfaces become more common in software products, the challenge of providing guidance amidst endless possibilities arises.
  3. Innovations like starting conversations with pre-set questions and providing a menu of interactive options help address the issue of choice overload in chat interfaces.

Finalizing design and eye gazing

Splattern • 19 implied HN points • 27 Sep 23
🪑 Design Graphic design User Experience Product Design Team Collaboration
  1. Clear communication and a concise agenda improve meeting efficiency. It helps keep discussions on track and reduces confusion among team members.
  2. Maintaining calm and focus is important when facing tight deadlines. Asking the right questions and taking a moment to breathe can lead to more productive conversations.
  3. Building personal connections, like participating in eye gazing, can foster a sense of unity and support, enhancing emotional well-being.

#3 - The benefits of white space

A Good Interface • 19 implied HN points • 23 Aug 23
🪑 Design UX Graphic design User Experience
  1. White space is crucial in design, existing between elements to enhance clarity and organization.
  2. White space is not wasted space; it guides users, showcases important information, and brings a sense of calmness to interfaces.
  3. Effective use of white space improves user experience, leads users through logical grouping, focuses attention on key elements, and reflects a game's branding and tone of voice.

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.

Let's add a whole bunch of simplicity

Sunday Letters • 119 implied HN points • 15 Nov 21
🕹 Technology Software Design User Experience Code Quality Product Development
  1. Simplicity is about removing complexity, not adding it. We often think we can just make things easier, but the reality is that we have to eliminate the complicated parts.
  2. To create simplicity, we should clearly define our goals. Understanding exactly what we need to do helps us focus and decide what to avoid.
  3. Finding the simplest version of a project may mean letting go of features you like. It's important to be disciplined and recognize that simplifying can sometimes feel uncomfortable.

No Success Among Excess - The Banal of Discovery

The Electric Circus • 2 HN points • 25 Jun 24
🕹 Technology Streaming User Experience Digital Platforms Online shopping
  1. Discovering content on streaming platforms can feel mundane and lacking excitement, leading to endless scrolling and resigned choices.
  2. Streamers could improve by creating visually engaging and theme-focused browsing experiences like the colorful and meaningful approach of MAX, offering a more theatrical and exciting selection process.
  3. Comparison with Amazon shows that enhancing the presentation and depth of information during content discovery can significantly improve user engagement and confidence in their choices.

I want Apple's Vision Pro

SatPost by Trung Phan • 47 implied HN points • 16 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Hardware Software User Experience Virtual reality Productivity
  1. Apple's Vision Pro headset is priced at $3,500 and focuses on creating the ideal workspace experience.
  2. Vision Pro offers a unique spatial computing experience, differentiating it from VR and AR technologies.
  3. The headset's potential lies in transforming work productivity, offering advanced hardware, and enhancing creativity through virtual spaces.

The abstraction trap

Sunday Letters • 79 implied HN points • 08 May 22
🕹 Technology Software Design User Experience Accessibility Programming Abstraction
  1. Abstraction helps make complex things simpler, but not everyone understands it like tech people do. It's essential to remember that what seems easy to us can be quite confusing for others.
  2. When designing software, we should think about how users perceive it. Not all users will understand the technical thinking behind it, so we need to create a user-friendly experience.
  3. We have to be aware of our biases and design for those who find abstraction difficult. Gathering user feedback and constantly improving is key to making software accessible.

How to optimize button microcopy

UX Psychology • 79 implied HN points • 04 Nov 21
🕹 Technology UX Design User Experience
  1. Microcopy plays three main roles: motivate a user to take action, help guide the user, provide feedback on the actions taken
  2. Effective button microcopy uses action verbs instead of generic words to clearly describe the user action, matches the button copy with the action, and maintains consistency in writing
  3. Good microcopy should be transparent, avoid jargon, pay attention to capitalization, and be user-centered with testing and understanding user needs

Undeveloping conviction

Sunday Letters • 59 implied HN points • 05 Sep 22
🕹 Technology Innovation Engineering Problem Solving User Experience Programming
  1. New ideas offer fresh perspectives because you come in without much attachment. This freedom helps in finding solutions to complex problems, whether in life or work.
  2. As you invest time and energy into a solution, it can create a heavy inertia that makes it hard to change courses, even if the solution isn't ideal.
  3. It's important to allow some doubt and explore different options. This can lead to better solutions, as trying new approaches helps you discover alternatives you might not have considered.

Paradox of Personal Productivity Software

trydeepwork • 6 implied HN points • 21 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Productivity Software Tools Self-Improvement User Experience
  1. Personal productivity tools mostly help those who are already motivated. If you're not driven, these tools won't do much for you.
  2. Expecting software to make you productive is unrealistic. You need to have your own drive and commitment to get work done.
  3. The effectiveness of productivity tools decreases as your drive increases. When you're really focused, you can achieve a lot with just basic tools.

Level Up Your Video Meetings: The Game-Like Magic of Virtual Frosted Glass App

MeetingGlass Substack • 1 HN point • 22 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Software Communication Remote work Innovation User Experience
  1. The MeetingGlass app makes video meetings feel more real and engaging. Its frosted glass design adds elegance and privacy, making discussions more comfortable.
  2. It includes fun, game-like features that liven up long meetings. This makes it easier to stay focused and enjoy conversations with teammates.
  3. The app is easy to use for everyone, regardless of tech skills. It helps improve communication and creativity in remote work settings.

Using calc() to create responsive typography

Perspectiv | LAB • 1 HN point • 22 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Web Design CSS User Experience
  1. The `calc()` function in CSS helps you do math for styling, making it easier to set font sizes for different screens.
  2. By using something like `font-size: calc(1.5rem + 1vw)`, the text size grows with the screen size, creating a more adaptable design.
  3. You can also use `calc()` to set limits on font size, ensuring your text doesn't get too big or too small on any device.

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.

Psychological time and UX

UX Psychology • 59 implied HN points • 07 Oct 21
🕹 Technology UX Psychology Design User Experience
  1. Psychological time, influenced by factors like anxiety and cultural background, affects how we perceive waiting time.
  2. Changing passive wait time to active engagement can significantly improve user experience in various scenarios.
  3. To enhance user experience, minimizing traditional wait times and engaging users with activities can create a more enjoyable waiting experience.

Goal versus Process

Sunday Letters • 39 implied HN points • 02 Oct 22
💼 Business Management Strategy Product Design Development User Experience
  1. Focusing on goals helps teams and users create better outcomes. It's important to understand what problem we're solving instead of just following a strict process.
  2. Being adaptable is key. Just like driving, we can make adjustments along the way, which leads to a more effective journey toward our goals.
  3. Users care more about reaching their goals quickly than about the steps involved. Designing with their goals in mind makes them happier and more productive.

People don't want to think more than they have to

UX Psychology • 39 implied HN points • 04 Mar 22
🔬 Science Psychology User Experience Decision-making Human behavior
  1. People prefer to take the path of least resistance and avoid thinking too much, unless necessary.
  2. The principle of least effort influences decision-making and problem-solving by favoring easier, quicker Type 1 thinking over more effortful Type 2 thinking.
  3. In UX design, creating seamless and effortless experiences that align with users' preferences for Type 1 thinking can enhance user satisfaction and engagement.

#50 Can we make social media kinder?

Design Lobster • 99 implied HN points • 11 Jan 21
🪑 Design Social media Product Design User Experience Technology
  1. Designing social media for kindness involves features like allowing users to easily admit mistakes, offer apologies, and forgive one another.
  2. Emphasize on usability and functionality in design processes to avoid overlooking critical issues, like the interference problems faced by the 1930's Radio Nurse baby monitor.
  3. Focus on how people use a designed product rather than just its appearance, as prioritizing usability can prevent unintended consequences and improve overall user experience.

Build a Product that the User Wants - Hard Learnt Unsaid rules of User Interviews

Build Startup In Public • 4 HN points • 22 Jul 24
💼 Business Startup User Experience Product Management Market research Entrepreneurship
  1. Always ask questions, even if you think you know the answers. It helps you understand the user's perspective better.
  2. Building a good relationship with the interviewee makes them more comfortable to share valuable insights.
  3. It's important to identify your target user base clearly. This helps you gather more relevant data during interviews.

Week 74 - E2- Basics of Large Language Models for Product Managers 🤖

The Product Channel By Sid Saladi • 13 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Product Management Natural Language Processing Innovation User Experience
  1. Large language models (LLMs) are transforming industries with diverse applications like automated article generation, conversational product recommendations, intelligent chatbots, and code generation.
  2. LLMs play a crucial role in product innovation by assisting in rapid ideation, prototyping, concept validation, and continuous enhancement of offerings.
  3. Understanding the costs and data requirements to develop LLMs is essential, as it involves significant investment in computational resources, data training, and cloud infrastructure.

Heuristic evaluation vs. user testing

UX Psychology • 39 implied HN points • 20 Jan 22
🕹 Technology UX Design Usability testing User Experience Software Development Research Studies
  1. Heuristic Evaluation involves experts examining an interface to find good and bad points, following specific industry standards for evaluation.
  2. User Testing is a more effective method since real users perform tasks on the interface, detecting major usability issues and providing valuable insights.
  3. While Heuristic Evaluation is quicker and cheaper, User Testing offers better performance estimates and detects more significant problems that affect user experience.

Week 50 - 🙇‍♂️Unpacking the Power of Product Thinking: A Deep Dive

The Product Channel By Sid Saladi • 23 implied HN points • 30 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Product Development User Experience Innovation User engagement Frameworks
  1. Product thinking focuses on understanding user needs and crafting solutions that enrich lives.
  2. Product thinking drives innovation by questioning the status quo and creating user engagement through tailored solutions.
  3. Key principles of product thinking include deeply understanding user needs, challenging assumptions, envisioning future states, and promoting user engagement through great experiences.

Trust is a design issue

Sunday Letters • 59 implied HN points • 06 Dec 21
🕹 Technology Software User Experience Design Privacy Performance
  1. When creating software, you're making promises to users about reliability and performance. If users can't trust your software to work well, they feel let down.
  2. Over time, adding too many features can slow down software and make it complicated. It's important for teams to keep user experience and performance in mind as they grow.
  3. Strong teams think carefully about the promises they make with each new feature. They aim to keep users happy and avoid feeling like they've broken that trust.

Worse is better

Sunday Letters • 59 implied HN points • 31 Oct 21
🕹 Technology Software Design Engineering User Experience Simplicity Innovation
  1. Simplicity in software design is really important. When software is simple, it’s often easier for users to understand and use.
  2. Many engineers feel pressure to add more features, which can make software more complex. This push for complexity can lead to better options for users who prefer easier solutions.
  3. Sometimes, simpler software can outperform more complex systems. Users appreciate clear and easy-to-use options, leading to the idea that 'worse is better'.

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.

What’s the best way to display dates to international users?

UX Psychology • 19 implied HN points • 10 Aug 22
🕹 Technology Design User Experience UX Design
  1. Date formatting should consider international users as different cultures have varying ways of expressing dates.
  2. ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DD) can help avoid confusion in international date communication.
  3. Design date-entry fields with user familiarity and comfort in mind, using intuitive formats, labels, and separators to prevent errors.

A preview of Offline's mission & positioning

Offline: dating that works • 1 HN point • 21 Jun 24
🕹 Technology Dating Apps User Experience Marketing Design
  1. Offline aims to facilitate meaningful, lasting relationships by focusing on authentic connections rather than swiping.
  2. They prioritize long-form profiles and compatibility testing to help users find genuine matches and filter through potential partners.
  3. Offline is designed for unconventionally attractive daters and those who are intentional about what they want in a relationship.