The hottest Visual Design Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Technology Topics

#141 Very superstitious

Design Lobster • 619 implied HN points • 13 Nov 23
🪑 Design Visual Design Product Design User Experience Industrial Design Graphic design
  1. Designers are superstitious about alignment because it signals care and attention to detail in the design process.
  2. Small design choices, like the shape of an iron fish, can have a big impact on user behavior and address practical issues, like iron deficiency.
  3. Designing for human beings is not a formula - the most effective designs often emerge from understanding human behavior, even if it seems irrational.

What we don't talk about when we talk about quality...

The faintest idea • 319 implied HN points • 24 Dec 23
🪑 Design User Experience Visual Design Product Design Software Quality Branding
  1. Quality really matters in software because it makes products more valuable and worth paying for. Just like with clothes or furniture, better quality provides a better experience.
  2. Software isn't always compared just by quality since functionality plays a big role too. It's important to fix the small details that make a big difference for users.
  3. People will feel the difference in quality when using software, even if it doesn't show up in simple success metrics. That feeling can influence their choices and how much they are willing to pay.

Please let your readers read?

Disaffected Newsletter • 779 implied HN points • 13 Jan 23
🪑 Design Readability Visual Design User Experience Color Theory Blogging
  1. Use high-contrast colors for your text and background to make reading easier. Low contrast can make it hard to read and push people away from your content.
  2. Many readers won't tell you your text is hard to read, and they might leave without saying anything. It's better to get feedback than to lose potential readers.
  3. Remember that your main goal is to share words that people want to read. Avoid trendy designs that harm readability, as they can hurt your audience and support.

What is a good designer?

Elizabeth Laraki • 219 implied HN points • 04 Dec 23
🪑 Design Product Design User Experience Visual Design Collaboration Design process
  1. A good designer focuses on understanding the product's goals, audience, and use cases. They clarify what the product should achieve and for whom it’s meant.
  2. User experience is key for a designer, ensuring the product is easy and natural to use. They organize content and tasks logically, making navigation simple for everyone.
  3. Visual design is about making the product look polished and high quality. Good designers pay attention to details like colors, fonts, and alignment to connect with users effectively.

#9 - Creating an intuitive in-game menu

A Good Interface • 59 implied HN points • 16 Nov 23
🕹 Technology UI Design User Experience Game Development Visual Design Gaming
  1. Understanding player expectations is crucial for designing intuitive in-game menus. Players have certain expectations for content and structure, deviating from which can lead to frustration.
  2. Menu navigation and flow are essential in creating a user-friendly experience. Design clear paths, group similar items, and prioritize important actions for quick and easy navigation.
  3. Consistency in iconography, terminology, and design elements, as well as testing with real players, feedback, and iteration, are key to crafting a well-crafted in-game menu that enhances the player experience.
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Portfolio secrets for product designer

A Generalist newsletter • 8 implied HN points • 04 Jan 25
🪑 Design Product Design Visual Design User Experience Branding
  1. Have your own website instead of just using platforms like Behance. It makes you stand out and shows you're serious about your brand.
  2. Show only a few of your best projects in your portfolio. Focus on what you did in each project so employers can see your skills clearly.
  3. Let your personality shine in your portfolio. Share interesting things about yourself that make you unique and memorable.

Behind the scene: This is a teenager

Big Charts • 2 HN points • 09 Apr 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Visual Design Video Editing
  1. Keeping a diary of daily work on a project can provide valuable insights into the process and help in understanding project timelines and challenges.
  2. Working with complex data can be intimidating, but once you grasp how to access and interpret data, it can offer a wealth of information for analysis and visualization.
  3. Confronting challenges in a project, such as dealing with 'The Desert' phase where doubts and uncertainties arise, is a normal part of the creative process, leading to eventual breakthroughs and refinements.

UX is more than just usability or look and feel

A Better Designed World • 7 implied HN points • 16 Feb 23
🕹 Technology UX Design Product Development Visual Design User Experience E-commerce
  1. UX is composed of five key areas that include usability, utility, functional integrity, visual design, and persuasiveness.
  2. Good UX balances all five areas; a product might excel in one but lacking in others.
  3. Usability is crucial for a product to be easily learnable and memorable; utility determines the value; functional integrity focuses on reliability; visual design impacts appeal and perception; persuasiveness drives conversions and user engagement.