UXperts Weigh In: Designs We Love, February Edition
Happy February! With the year in full swing, it’s time to celebrate the very best design 2017 has to offer. We’ve gathered some UXperts from across the globe to share their favorite websites and apps with us, right now.
Beta Takaki, UX/UI Designer at Mogo
Pick: Houzz
http://blogs.adobe.com/creativecloud/files/2017/02/Beta-Takaki-250.jpeg
As an UX designer with a background in architecture, I am passionate about furniture design and interior design. This hobby brought me to Houzz, a huge home design community where I get inspirations and shop for products.
On the photos section, the content and visual hierarchy are effective and were created in an intuitive way that makes it easy to use. The functionalities I use the most (SAVE and swinging TAGS) behave visually as focal points, while asking questions and finding related images are less prominent, secondary elements.
The consistency of the ‘back’ and ‘close’ functions take you exactly where you would expect, giving a sense of location even if you’ve opened dozens of screens before.
https://blog.adobe.com/media_093cb8a36c681a7ca433c83b3bd79eafe449d8c8.gif
The flat and minimal design works well with the massive amount of content and gives focus to the high quality photos. This makes you want to click on a photo, which leads you keep browsing. It becomes an endless relationship with the website, without feeling overwhelmed by it.
Lorraine Phillips, UX/UI Designer at LP Interactive
_Pick: _Day One
http://blogs.adobe.com/creativecloud/files/2017/02/Lorraine-Phillips-250.jpeg
Day One is the best journaling app I have used primarily because the design is (almost) invisible, exactly how I feel a well-designed app should be. My thoughts are that if I’m trying to accomplish a task then the design should not get in my way.
The main screen uses scale and color to highlight the most important tasks which allows me to quickly add an entry (by using the plus icon), look at pictures already used (by using the camera icon), or easily scroll through the timeline and read my previous entries. The interface is extremely intuitive and upon launch it is easy to know exactly where to start. The app is also finger friendly.
I see secondary functions such as search, settings, and a calendar presented as smaller icons that once again accurately describe functionality without the need for a manual. The overall interface is aesthetically pleasing, uncluttered and very effective in both its communication and execution.
http://blogs.adobe.com/creativecloud/files/2017/02/Day-One-1.jpeg
Day one describes itself as a simple and elegant journal that is well designed and extremely focused to encourage you to write more, and I would definitely have to agree!
Kyle Justice, Digital Designer at Beachbody
Pick:Shazam
http://blogs.adobe.com/creativecloud/files/2017/02/Kyle-Justice-250.jpeg
I’ve been using this app for quite awhile, and it just keeps getting better and better. The crucial part of the experience is the seamless launch you get from the Shazam app directly to Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube to play the music you just discovered. You can also play songs directly from the app. Shazam provides the lyrics to the song (if present in its database). Additionally, you can share any song you Shazam on your preferred social network or text message a link it to a friend.
This app is a very simple and to-the-point experience that doesn’t try to get in your way. The interface has a nice sense of information architecture and visual hierarchy which makes it easy to understand track titles from artists, and categories. The user flow is also simplified to what the end user’s goals are.
https://blog.adobe.com/media_7c437eb5f2568d7ba2a9189989022acd20452f1a.gifIt’s wonderful experience for the everyday music enthusiast, who doesn’t feel like typing in their account every time they want to search songs in the iTunes Store, or Google app (and by the time you launch those apps, the song is over and you forgot the words).
Elaine Chao, Product Manager at Adobe Experience Design CC
Pick: Bullet Journal
http://blogs.adobe.com/creativecloud/files/2017/02/Elaine-Chao-250.jpeg
Bullet journaling is the ultimate UX experience: it’s all about organically growing a process that works for you. For those who aren’t familiar with the system, a ‘bullet journal’ is a physical notebook-based organization system that is a combination of notes, calendaring, and ideas. Some people have taken it to an art form, inserting a number of concepts: organizing via color, habit tracking, personal reflections, doodling and letterforms.
I chose a pattern to follow, implemented it faithfully for a week, reflected on the process, and either continued or changed the process based my experiences the previous week.
After a few weeks, I realized I’d implemented the UX research process: I created a flow, tested it extensively, then analyzed it in order to make changes. Most importantly, my daily transfer of ‘to-dos’ to the next day has made me evaluate and re-evaluate everything on the list in order to prioritize everything.
http://blogs.adobe.com/creativecloud/files/2017/02/Bullet-Journal-1.png
I’m definitely focused on keeping my #BuJo simple, and I still have some ways to go until the system is perfected. I highly recommend it if you’re interested in how UX affects everyday life!
