Code: Front-End Development

Front-end development tools have become incredibly popular in recent years. Through their advances, designers and developers can improve their workflows and access better Web-site design options. These tools let developers deal with a range of technologies. They also enable quicker and less expensive mobile-app development.

However, given the exponential growth in the number of front-end development tools, it is essential that you carefully consider your needs to determine what would be the best tool for you. In this article, I’ll cover some excellent front-end development tools to make your job of choosing the right tool easier. Read More

“Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it’s really how it works.”—Steve Jobs

With the emergence of Node-based technologies such as React and Angular have come new opportunities for both UX designers and developers to leverage design systems to enhance their application user experiences. This article aims to help those of you who are weighing the advantages and disadvantages of using design systems and component libraries for your application.

Consider the scenario of a Web application that is being designed using a Material Design style, which could be built to specifications for one device, serving one operation, or could perform significantly differently under other conditions, in another context. When you consider the variances in how user interactions function, the value of leveraging a design system starts to pay returns as front-end development teams build out component libraries at scale, yet performance teams may also find variances in the user experience that are worth researching. Read More

Voice-first user experiences are now ubiquitous. Smart-speaker sales are up, as is their usage. Older adults are benefiting from the use of voice assistants. However, a large percentage of users still find the experience of talking to voice assistants unnatural. So how can we make voice experiences better?

While understanding conversation design–best practices is necessary, it’s not enough to make these conversations feel natural. To take your voice user interface (VUI) to the next level, you must add polish—in the form of pacing, sound effects, and diverse phrasings. Let’s take a look at each of these in turn. Read More