"10 guidelines to consider when using overlays (Neil Turner)

Overlays, dialog boxes, modal windows, light boxes, call them what you want, that little window that pops up in the middle of the screen and demands your attention like a tantrum throwing toddler is a much used (and abused) design pattern. Within apps, on the web and even on mobile overlays are increasingly used to direct the user’s attention to a sub-task, without taking them away from the current screen. Used in moderation overlays can be a very handy and effective design pattern, but like strong Belgian beer or Krispy Kreme doughnuts use them too much and you’ll leave your users feeling decidedly unwell and nauseous. Ensure that your users don’t come down with a bad case of overlay poisoning by considering these 10 overlay guidelines. (uxforthemasses.com)

Strategy Blueprint (James Kalbach)

Strategy is difficult to define precisely. On the one hand, it gets confused with analysis. This includes everything from market size to technical assessments to financial prognosis. The result is often reports that fill up dozens of pages. (experiencinginformation)

What UX Designers can Learn from Architects (Ling Lim)

Every state has its own building code that architects and developers must comply with. In fact, in order to receive a permit for building construction, the architect has to submit a plan with the site’s existing conditions, along with a proposal for future development—not unlike a design proposal. (uxbooth.com)

How to determine when customer feedback is actionable (Naira Musallam, Nis Frome, Michael Williams, Tim Lawton)

One of the riskiest assumptions for any new product or feature is that customers actually want it. Although product leaders can propose numerous ‘lean’ methodologies to experiment inexpensively with new concepts before fully engineering them, anything short of launching a product or feature and monitoring its performance over time in the market is, by definition, not 100% accurate. That leaves us with a dangerously wide spectrum of user research strategies, and an even wider range of opinions for determining when customer feedback is actionable. (boxesandarrows.com)

Spotlight on: Adam Tucker, president, Ogilvy NYC (Mike O'Brien)

When you execute campaigns for some of the most famous brands in the world, there's a certain expectation to continually come up with cutting-edge creative. The same can be said when you're from one of the most famous agencies in the world, which Adam Tucker is. (clickz.com)

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The Art Of UX In MVP (Yona Gidalevitz)

User Experience Designers (UXDs) working on Minimum Viable Product (MVP) builds have it rough. The thought process has to shift ever so slightly in MVP builds, and in such a way that it can disrupt your conception of what “good UX” really is. (usabilitygeek.com)

20 Cognitive Biases that Screw Up Your Decisions (Joel Marsh)

These same cognitive biases can also be useful in your designs. If you know that your users make these mistakes, make features and design content to help them understand better! (thehipperelement.com)

Determining the Real Wants of Your Client (Andra Postolache)

The freelancing world is filled with a great number of complex skill sets and many artists; freelance designers are constantly trying to match their skills and talents to the demands of their clients. While working on a new project can be amazingly satisfying, it can also be stressful and frustrating when your ideas don’t match up with what the client is looking for. (speckyboy.com)

The Unicorn Workflow, Design to Code with Atomic Design Principles and Sketch (Joe Toscano)

Brad Frost, the stunning human being in the video above, is largely responsible for the system this article is about. Atomic Design was developed in response to the responsive, digital world we live in. (medium.com)

Responsive Typography: A Quick Tutorial (Paula Borowska)

Typography is a primary way in which we communicate information. It’s true for print, websites and even TV commercials. You can’t disagree that typography is a powerful design element. However, getting it right can be a bit tricky. Typography is not one-size-fits all, yet that’s often how we approach it on the web. We understand the value of responsive design but seldom do we design responsive typography. (designmodo.com)

The Analog Revolution (Rian van der Merwe)

Paper books and vinyl records: they’re not just for hipsters anymore. I’ve tried to hold back on commenting on this cultural shift toward more analog products, because it’s such an easy target for jokes. But I think it’s time for us to face the inevitable: there’s a very peaceful and quiet revolution happening right under our noses. And those of us who work in software have to start paying attention to it. (alistapart.com)

The Story Behind Medium’s New Logo (Erich Nagler & Karen Jaimes)

Ever since Medium first launched in beta three years ago, we have sported a logo that is a big, bold, black-and-white slab-serif M, from the font Stag. (medium.com)

Everything (Almost) You Need to Know about Material Design (1stwebdesigner.com)

While it is true that Material Design is a reference for a new design language initiated by Google, it is more than just an idea. Without question, it has caused designers to overhaul their concepts for web and app design procedures. In fact, many websites have already applied material design documentation scheme by Google. (1stwebdesigner.com)

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10 Guidelines For Navigation Usability (Preston Pierce )

When it comes to usability, ease-of-navigation should be a top priority for web developers. The number one most annoying feature of a website is improper or confusing navigation, leaving users lost and wondering what to do next. If you’re lucky enough, some users just might scour through the website to accomplish their purpose of visiting the website. However, most users simply pop-out and add more numbers to the website bounce rate — and we all want to avoid that! (usabilitygeek.com)

How to Deal With Overly Opinionated Design Clients (Addison Duvall)

Do you know what a shoemaker is? Well… it’s a person who makes shoes. But it also has another meaning. In the culinary world, a shoemaker is a hack – someone who is typically ill-informed and incompetent, and who uses shortcuts to get around their lack of skill. (speckyboy.com)

3 Exercises to Sharpen Your UX Skills (Jennifer Winter)

Being a great UXer takes a lot of work. You need to be creative, empathetic, articulate, and patient (among many, many, other qualities). And those traits don’t just manifest overnight. Like an athlete, you need to train and exercise your UX muscles as often as possible to stay in top form. To help keep your UX game at its best, we’ve collected a few helpful exercises to keep you in tip-top shape. So put on your legwarmers and headbands, and get to work! (usertesting.com)

Depth Perception In User Interface Design (Matthew Morek)

With the “minimalist design” being thrown around essentially everywhere these days, we seem to be accepting all that it brings to the table, without considering the implications. While minimalist interfaces have their charm, a few significant issues might spoil even a very tasty-looking one. (matthewmorek.com)

Millions of Facebook users have no idea they’re using the internet (Leo Mirani)

Indonesians surveyed by Galpaya told her that they didn’t use the internet. But in focus groups, they would talk enthusiastically about how much time they spent on Facebook. Galpaya, a researcher (and now CEO) with LIRNEasia, a think tank, called Rohan Samarajiva, her boss at the time, to tell him what she had discovered. “It seemed that in their minds, the Internet did not exist; only Facebook,” he concluded. (qz.com)