The time of stock images is over. In our design process, we can't rely on AI's work, but we can use it as inspiration and research tool. Interesting ideas from @erikdkennedy in his recent newsletter Design Hacks (learnui.design/newsletter.html) (very recommended, btw):
– For AI logos, use LogoAI (logoai.com),
– For AI font picking, use ChatGPT,
– For AI image retouching, use Background Remover (icons8.com/bgremover) and Remove Background (remove.bg).
🔖 Design inspiration! Where do you find interesting websites? Below is the list of websites that I frequently visit to explore some unusual designs for inspiration:
– Minimal design (httpster.net/2022/nov/) curated by Dominic Whittle and Tom Fitzgerald at Guvnor,
50 Things To Do Before Leaving For A Trip, with just a few things I always check before leaving house for a trip (except the obvious things):
1. Take a shower in the morning 2. Create a new expenses report 3. Take foreign coins 4. Take foreign charging adapters if needed
5. Take the HDMI cable 6. Charge the tooth brusher 7. Charge the razor, take the blades 8. Charge the headphones 9. Charge the external power bank 10. Charge the Bluetooth keyboard 11. Charge the laptop fully 12. Check weather forecast 13. Check car sharing services (Lyft, Bolt)
14. Check hotel amenities (gym, sauna) where I'm staying 15. Check the distance and directions from airport to hotel 16. Check umbrella 17. Check sunglasses 18. Check the costs of regular expenses abroad (numbeo.com) 19. Save travel guides about the place/country
🔖 Design KPIs. We often think that design is subjective, a matter of taste or preference. It doesn't have to be. We should be able to measure how well a particular design solves a particular problem. That's why recently I started setting up Design KPIs for every project.
These design KPIs inform, shape and restrict design decisions. They also tend to eliminate personal biases and remove personal preferences out of equation. This is what @gerrymcgovern calls “evidence-based design”. We measure and we improve usability, testing over time.
As an example, here's how the KPIs could look like:
– Accuracy of data in forms ≈ 100%
– Time to complete forms < 35s
– Time to relevance in search < 30s
– Frequency of errors < 3 / visit
– Error recovery speed < 7s