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          Call to Action buttons are something we often use and implement but, we rarely talk about what exactly makes them effective or ways to improve them. To start off, call to action (or CTA) buttons are buttons that are used on websites, apps, or landing pages that’s goal is to help guide users towards completing the task you have set out for them. CTA buttons are the buttons that your user needs to click in order to take the action you want them to take, whether it be signing up for your newsletter, or completing a purchase.

         A few weeks ago we explored the concept of Design Thinking and how that can be carried out in order to better understand a users pain points and learn how to effectively address them. During the design thinking process, there is a brainstorming phase in which all the ideas surrounding user opinions, user needs, and design issues are brought to light. This can be a pretty overwhelming portion of the design phase, and brainstorming is something that can occur even outside of the design context. However, brainstorming can often become cluttered and overwhelming if there are too many ideas being thrown around. So, how do we organize all the great ideas we have so that we can figure out the best ones?

Experts can be very helpful during initial design efforts for a product, sharing their wealth of knowledge and experience with a development team to guide their understanding of user requirements. After all, they understand everything in the domain so well and know a ton of skills, some of which they can perform without breaking a sweat. But what if we told you that expert influence on early design decisions can also introduce biases if not adequately checked?

     A while ago we explored the difference between design thinking and design feeling, and focused on the ways in which these two differed from each other. To quickly recap, design feelings ultimately differs from design thinking because it emphasizes a design process that is based on emotion and intuition, as opposed to design thinking which relies on thought, logic and strategy. While the two do differ in their understandings and even execution, perhaps there is more in common between the two than one would think. In this article, we are going to dive back into that topic to explore what exactly design thinking is and how it is carried out.

      Good research does not have to be a super in-depth, complicated process. UX research that can garner a great deal of valuable insight can oftentimes be done in a simple, cost-effective manner. As seen through the 5-Second Test, some UX tests can be administered in basically five seconds which then allows for many people to complete the test in a short period of time. The more people who can complete a test or a study automatically means a greater response rate, and therefore, a greater yield of results. Quick and easy UX tests are not only effective in terms of the qualitative and quantitative data they can yield, but they are also cost-effective due to the quick and easy way in which they can be carried out. So, what are some other quick yet effective forms of UX tests that we can easily carry out?

     First impressions have always mattered, and this is no exception for website pages or apps. First impressions help users understand what a site or app is all about, and whether or not they want to continue spending more time on it. There is so much content out there these days; users are quick to decide how and where they wish to spend their time. This is why as researchers it is important to consider the usefulness of the 5-second test when creating new content or designs. This article will explain what the 5-second test is, as well as how to carry it out in three simple steps.

      Technology has created an era of immediacy within our society: users expect their interfaces to give them immediate indicators that they are on the right track or their task has been completed. If users are unable to get that immediate feedback, they can become frustrated or abandon a task. Additionally, users like feeling engaged when they interact with an interface; rather than just interacting with a rigid interface. Creating small moments of interaction between the user and the interface helps to create an overall enjoyable user experience. How can this be accomplished through something so small that it does not take away from the overall interface? This is where microinteractions come into play.

One of the most effective ways to connect with your customer base is using online survey tools. Market research statistics can provide meaningful insight into details about a market, strategies, and customers.

An online survey can help customer relationship representatives gauge customer satisfaction, solicit information from existing or prospective customers, or help human resources professionals learn what matters to employees.

     Many people will look at a UI design and think that the color choice comes from the preference of the designer- what they thought would look the best for the given project. While sometimes this may be the case, colors are often chosen carefully and with intention. Why? Color has been proven to have a great impact on the mood and behaviors of individuals and as a result, the overall success of a product, design or web page can rest on the colors that are chosen.

     One of the big design trends that have been steadily picking up popularity is the idea of going “off grid”- breaking away from harsh grid lines, and paving the way for edgeless screens and borderless designs. Both edgeless screens and borderless designs have a similar goal in mind: doing away with chunky, blocky borders in order to create a more fluid and immersive storytelling experience. But what exactly does going “off grid” mean?