UX Design posts

The theory of visual hierarchy is different from its practical application. More advanced concepts of visual perception are worth exploring because their mastery is key for great visual design.

While MVP methodology has been hailed by many as the “best” way to get a product to market quickly, there’s also been pushback—which is where the concept of a Minimum Valuable Product comes in.

The design diva is a disruptive personality type and a destructive force on a design team. How do we deal with this personality trait, and more importantly, how do we avoid becoming one ourselves?

Aspiring designers have more educational opportunities than any time in history. Do the available options provide worthwhile design training, or are they simply clever money-making schemes?

Designers only have a few seconds to catch the attention of mobile users before they abandon an app or site. Following established mobile UX design principles creates a better overall user experience.

Personalization is all about communicating a message aimed directly at the individual user. Emotional design focuses on the overall emotional impact of design choices, including those that involve personalization. Combining the personal and the emotional is where the real magic happens.

User testing, often confused with usability testing, is an overarching term which helps validate the need for a product. When used with prototypes and the right testing tools, it can help save a product from failure.

When is the most appropriate time to do a website redesign? This case study walks us through a website redesign for a high-end auto company and outlines key issues along the way.

What does a UX consultant do? More importantly, what does it take for a UX designer to become a consultant and thrive?

Understanding and implementing visual hierarchy principles gives designers an advantage in creating persuasive designs that convey necessary information while creating a delightful user experience.

Being empathetic is not a selective practice. Designers know how to use empathy to uncover the behaviors and needs of a user. Those same methods and techniques can be used in client relationships.

Since its introduction in 2017, Adobe XD has matured when compared to its rival, Sketch. Looking at Adobe XD vs Sketch, is it time for a change?

Users shouldn’t need insider knowledge to find what they’re looking for on the web. Card sorting lets designers create intuitive UX by organizing content the way customers do in their minds.

Design thinking has become both a buzzword and a useful business tool. It has been hailed as revolutionary while also called a failed experiment as evidenced by increasing criticism.

eCommerce sites and apps that are not mindful of mobile eCommerce best practices will be left in the dust and stand to lose billions. But successful mobile eCommerce experiences can be achieved by following these mobile eCommerce UX design best practices (with infographic).

Designers do not simply decorate, they create an experience of moving through content. There are various strategies available that align the client and team in creating content that will result in better designs.

When dealing with data sets that include hundreds of thousands or millions of data points, automating the process of data visualization makes a designer’s job significantly easier.

74% of businesses believe that UX is important for improving sales, yet billions are lost due to shopping cart and checkout abandonment—when it comes to eCommerce UX, shoppers still tend to be considered last.

Data-driven and generative design are two important design processes that can be exploited at the same time to create better product designs and user experiences.

From personal brands to anti-brands, we’ve entered an age of incessant brand awareness. Branding is everywhere, but is everything branding?

The fundamental purpose of user testing is to better understand and empathize with people who are the core users of a digital product.

Scannability is often an overlooked usability factor, but it is one of the most impactful. These UI design tips make it easy for designers to convert a brief visitor to a long-lasting user.

This week’s guest on Toptal Design Talks is Nick Disabato who discusses value-based design, an expansion of the design process that focuses on specific business needs.

Intuition and experience without UX data lead to a dangerous assumption: Designer knows best. We’re drawing a line in the sand: If it’s not based on user research, it’s not UX design.

While infinite scroll has become a popular and common design pattern, there are some potential pitfalls UI designers should watch out for when designing a site that uses long scrolling.

Design education is often accused of being costly and irrelevant. But with a shift in perspective, universities don’t simply prepare students for a job, they cultivate innovation and ambition.

For decades, a design diploma was the golden ticket to career opportunity. As this path now faces scrutiny, we examine the issues plaguing design institutions and offer radical solutions for change.

Empty states are often overlooked in UX design, but they can be drivers of substantial business benefits, and if done right, contribute to a more compelling user experience.

Every year, hot new UX design trends emerge that provide better user experiences. This retrospective explores some of the most interesting and effective ones from 2018.

Designers who approach minimalist design as being easy are often surprised at the amount of effort, time, and skill required to create a product that can achieve its aims while remaining truly minimalist.

There’s much confusion and hyperbole surrounding chatbots. The tech is promising, but the user experience is lacking. We examine five chatbot fails and share practical tips to improve their UX.

Bringing a digital product to a new market can feel like navigating uncharted territory. Cultural differences are hard to identify but essential to understanding when developing a localized user experience.

Data-driven UI design is both art and science. Understanding how to collect and analyze data and implement designs based on it is an important skill for beginner and expert designers alike.

We can achieve better user experiences with mobile UX design by following best practices, understanding constraints and facilitating a solid working relationship with developers.

Nielsen’s heuristic principles have stood the test of time, and have been revisited to be further integrated with human-centered design for mobile—including clear definitions and design examples.

There’s a lot to consider when choosing a typeface for a digital design. There may not be a formula but designers can use this guide to find and format the right font for a pleasant reading experience.

What makes a winning UX portfolio? More than a showcase of skills, a UX designer’s portfolio is an opportunity for them to create an enjoyable user experience as well as demonstrate their UX mastery.

On this week’s Design Talks we discuss research in action with Caitria O’Neill, a UX researcher at Airbnb. She studies people’s relationships with technology and how they behave with digital products.

Design thinking goes beyond the usual problem-solving focus of most UI and UX designers and adds the aspect of deep empathy for the user to the entire product design lifecycle, increasing the prospect of success.

How do product teams avoid wasting months of valuable time building something no one wants? Apply the iterative validation principles of Lean UX and create products that their end-users actually need.

In the first of our Toptal Design Talks series, futurist Pamela Pavliscak discusses how emotions are deeply integrated into digital experiences and designers are positioned to facilitate genuine relationships through technology.

Human-centered design is about solving problems, not implementing solutions. This guide provides an overview of HCD, a process that ensures optimum user experiences, effortless interaction, and ultimately, business benefits.

How can designers move beyond personal insights to understand the problems users face? We introduce time-tested UX research methods that inspire user empathy and lead to better user experiences.

A vital part of creating an optimal user experience, visual hierarchy determines the order in which people take in and process information on a page, regardless of whether it’s digital or print.

Sound can be easily overlooked in UX design, but it’s an essential element in building impactful user interactions, such as providing feedback for user’s actions and building brand recognition.

Nearly one in four users will abandon a mobile app after using it just once. Good onboarding makes a great first impression, gives users a guided introduction, and can significantly improve user retention.

Well-crafted words improve UX and provide people with decision-making clarity. We explore the true value of UX copy and provide sensible writing tips for greater user engagement.

Billions are lost by businesses due to poor UX. This article outlines key UX statistics and insights that stress the importance of “knowing your user” (with infographic).

UI components are about modularity and reusability. A/B testing can be employed very effectively during a lean product development process to test components that make up an application’s UI.

Conversational user interfaces are a new frontier that requires thoughtful consideration. The design process should include defining the purpose of the chatbot, and other design considerations to create a successful user experience.

Bad B2B UX is everywhere—but the situation is not hopeless. By understanding the pitfalls, and having a strategic user-centered design plan, designers can pave the way to saving enterprise software.

Learn about the evolution of design systems and how designers can adopt a holistic approach to systems thinking.

Learn the value of minimum viable prototypes (MVPr), a quick and affordable way to create, launch, test, and improve digital products based on real-world insights.

Many exciting trends in eCommerce are on the horizon, from AI and AR to chatbots and voice ordering. The future of eCommerce will be shaped by trailblazing tech and savvy UX design (with infographic).

This guide shows UX designers how to craft a brilliant portfolio by examining questions about process and sharing practical design tips.

There are many types of UX projects, and while each tends to have its own unique flavor, there are common challenges. Advance planning can help less experienced teams dodge problems.

When having the right UX tools is the crucial difference between having an effective design workflow and one that’s slow and unproductive, it’s important to stay up to date with the latest tools (with infographic).

An illuminating infographic highlights ten eCommerce pain points that ruin the user experience and lead to shopping cart abandonment.

Color is the master key to compelling design communication, but UI designers must learn to wield its power. This guide simplifies color theory concepts and shows designers how to use color with precision.

A well-thought-out color palette can elevate a design from “good” to “great” while a mediocre palette can detract from a user’s experience and even interfere with their ability to use a site or app.

Just as there are cause and effect relationships, there are the laws of UX: predictable outcomes and human behaviors in UX a designer can use to design superior products. This infographic explains it all.

Designers can brush up on solid fundamentals and be inspired by innovative new ideas by reading the great books and free ebooks about design and creativity on this list.

Gestalt’s guiding principle, that our minds tend to perceive objects as part of a greater whole, is a very useful and powerful design technique [includes infographic].

UI and UX designers must work in tandem in order to create a finished product that delights users both visually and functionally.

In product design, the jobs-to-be-done framework is a well-known approach that is designed to deconstruct the “job” a customer is trying to get done.

Virtual reality is no longer in the realm of science fiction. Immersive technology desperately needs skilled designers to jump in, get involved, take risks, and create something new. Leap into VR/AR!

Even exciting product ideas can flop without an understanding of the user problem to solve. A design problem statement is an essential step in the design process for creating products that truly matter.

Every month, we bring you compelling design news and inspirational content focused on design innovation. Here are six hand-picked pieces of intriguing design news.

A consistent UI leads to a better UX. But with so many moving parts in modern user interfaces, how can UI designers be sure they’re staying true to a digital product’s look and feel?

AI has become an over-hyped buzzword and the design world is no exception. Instead of resisting it, designers will soon be co-creating with AI. It will make them smarter. (Includes infographic)

The ultimate aim of icon design is to enhance the user experience. But what does that look like, and how can UI designers ensure that the icons they make will be easily understood?

Finding inspiration for design projects is one thing. Organizing it into a cohesive base for creating a design that wows clients and users is an entirely different beast. The solution? Mood boards.

If a freshly minted app is getting low ratings, bad reviews, and complaints about its usability, or the website is not generating the expected conversions, it may be time to bring in a UX expert.

UX designers often need to convince company executives on the ROI of a UX redesign initiative. Here are some real-life B2B redesign case studies a UX team identified in order to make a compelling case.

Designing an eCommerce site is not just about building a website to sell products, but designing a pleasant online shopping experience. This comprehensive guide walks us through the best practices.

Data visualization is a coherent way to visually communicate quantitative content. Depending on its attributes, data may be represented in different ways, such as line graphs and scatter plots.

Shopify merchants have achieved over $40 billion in sales, but with poorly executed UX design being one of the biggest contributors to abandoned checkouts, it’s clear that superior UX can boost this statistic even further.

UX designers often need to persuade executives on the ROI of a UX initiative. In this example scenario, the UX team presented the projected ROI of a UX redesign to make a convincing case.

UX design attempts to deliver the right solution, in the right way, at the right time and delight people when they use a product. This comprehensive UX guide walks through the various methods, tools, and techniques that make up the process.

The internet is a primary source of information, entertainment, and communication. Yet, for people with disabilities, there are barriers that make it inaccessible, as many websites don’t consider their needs.

Want to become a phenomenal designer? Take a multidisciplinary design approach and study the methods of other design disciplines.

Every month, we bring you riveting design news and inspiring content focused on design innovation. Here are five hand-picked pieces of design news.

When having the right UX tools is the crucial difference between having a highly effective design workflow, and one that’s slow and unproductive, it’s important to stay up to date with the latest tools.

Following some basic mobile app design best practices and avoiding the most common mistakes will help designers create apps that live past the crucial 90-day mark when 71% are abandoned.

Users form mental models around how products should work through use. In order to design for maximum usability, designers need to understand and leverage users’ mental models.

Creating meaningful designs, capturing customer attention, and influencing their behavior is something that designers and marketers will agree is one of the most difficult things to achieve.

No matter what design discipline you are working in—whether it’s visual design, UX, or traditional print—typefaces are essential elements of virtually every bit of design produced.

The most progressive and interesting designers steer clear of visually stale design solutions and ditch restrictive rules by learning UI design best practices and avoiding common design mistakes.

A design sprint is a methodology used to validate ideas through design, prototyping, user testing, and collaboration in only five days, offering a more structured, effective approach to creative thinking.

Wireframing is a major step in designing any user interface, whether a website, application, or software product. Apps in the Adobe CC suite can be used to create wireframes for an efficient workflow.

In this age of lean startups, designers often find themselves in stretch roles where they are not only in charge of a product’s design but also in charge of coming up with the type of product to build.

Every month, we bring you riveting design news and inspiring content focused on design. Here are five hand-picked pieces of design news.

80% of businesses fail in their first year—a majority of these casualties are due to a lack of customer research. Effective customer development interviews can help validate product ideas before moving forward.

Great emotional design creates a bond between the consumer and the brand—creating an emotional connection to your target market translates into conversions and sales as well as online and offline interactions.

A lion’s share of websites and apps in the online media space are powered by content management systems (CMS). The optimal way to design for these applications is putting content first, style second.

Visual design experiments often become popular design trends and suddenly they are seen everywhere. Here are a number of hot graphic design trends and some of the top tutorials on how to create them.

Conversion optimization doesn’t simply boil down to using trendy colors on CTA buttons. Leverage usability data to improve customer experience that will make a larger, more lasting impact on conversion than any fad.

Gestalt principles are an important set of ideas for any designer to learn and their implementation can greatly improve the aesthetics of a design as well as its functionality and user-friendliness.

UI and UX are two design terms that often get used in the wrong context. Designers who call themselves “UI designers,” or design for trends rather than users, could be harming their reputation.

Every month, we bring you riveting design news and inspiring content focused on design. Here are five hand-picked pieces of design news.

Polished design wireframes are great but don’t reveal the work that goes into research and content organization. See how a thorough approach to early project planning leads to successful website redesign.

UX testing is a crucial step in the design process but is often overlooked for tight budgets or deadlines. You do not need a formal lab to do quality research—just the right tools and a clear plan.

Human cognition is complex, and many factors play into instant impressions. Design psychology is coming to the forefront as more and more companies are using neuroscience to design better user experiences.

The market share for mobile and desktop browsing is about 50/50. For designers, this means responsive design is more important than ever, as users expect a seamless experience across all platforms and screen sizes.

UX designers must understand the needs and goals of potential users, their tasks, and context of use. User research will shape and define the guidelines for creating a product with great user experience.

Effective user research doesn’t have to cost a fortune. In fact, there are many low-cost methods available to designers, all of which will put a designer on the road to designing better products.

Every month, we bring you riveting design news and inspiring content focused on design. Here are five hand-picked pieces of design news.

The wearable technology revolution is shifting our long established patterns of how we utilize data in our daily lives and social interactions. In many ways, it’s a lot more personal.

Successful products and experiences offer more than pure functionality. They are designed to engage human emotions and motivate users to forge ongoing interactions that are both meaningful and memorable.

Learn about information architecture—how designers and product managers build an IA using design principles as well as IA tools and best practices.

Net Promoter Score is a consumer insight method to track customer loyalty, but it falls short in many ways. Applying various user research methods gives a more complete picture of the user experience.

Discover why conversational UIs and voice apps are surging in popularity and learn how to design voice user interfaces (VUIs) for both mobile and smart home speakers.

Some products prove irresistible because they combine psychological design techniques that create an ultimate UX hook: anticipatory, persuasive, and emotional design.

The inaugural issue of Toptal Design World News. Every month, we bring you riveting design news and inspiring content focused on design.

Prototype design is a powerful process detailing how designers do everything required to test, iterate, and develop prototypes, beginning with user flows and ending in functional wireframes.

Redesigning a website is about more than making cosmetic changes; it’s about identifying the real issues that the business is facing and solving them with design.

New design tools are emerging at an incredible rate, but the future promises a vast array of astonishing tools that will forever change the way designers think and work.

Mobile usability isn’t just about scaling a website or app to fit various devices. It’s about understanding how people use mobile devices and that the mobile experience is as unique as the user.

The explosive growth of eCommerce has created a need for online stores to adapt to mobile experiences. This post outlines the many aspects that make a successful mobile eCommerce experience.

Conducting UX analysis as part of an iterative process provides valuable, actionable insights into enhancing and optimizing a product’s user experience.

Product innovation happens at the intersection of desirability, business viability, and technological feasibility. Design thinking—with a proven ROI—integrates all three and delivers business value.

While there can be considerable overlap between user interface (UI) design and user experience (UX) design, they are distinct fields with different skills required for each role.

New fintech apps are changing how we see our investment goals and interact with financial institutions. This article reviews best practices for building trust without sacrificing fun or usability.

Microinteractions are single interactive moments in a product that enhance the workflow and make a product more enjoyable. This article highlights key parts of microinteractions and patterns.

Customer journey maps are a visual storytelling tool used to help designers empathize with users and identify actionable opportunities for providing a better user experience.

Landing pages are powerful tools used to convert visitors into leads and buyers. This post outlines the psychological aspects and design considerations that make up a successful landing page.

Great designers help teams and stakeholders make better decisions by using questions to identify opportunities, reveal underlying needs, and understand user context—all of which lead to better designs.

Web design is changing. Minimalist web design has been the reigning approach for years, but brutalist design is gaining in popularity. Despite its inelegant clutter and raw functionality, brutalist design may be taking over the web.

Dashboards are a unique and powerful way to present data-based intelligence using data visualization techniques. This post looks at the fundamental principles that lie at the heart of every successful dashboard design.

By leveraging new and emerging technologies like AI, AR, VR, and MR, designers have fresh and exciting opportunities ahead in designing future products.

We’ve all picked up design projects that required us to deliver outstanding results under severe time constraints. This branding case study breaks down the process of how to accomplish it effectively.

Despite having many things in common, virtual, augmented, and mixed reality are not the same. Learn the essential differentiators and design considerations for these promising cousin technologies.

What is UX design? This article dispels the myths and lays bare the many misconceptions surrounding the discipline by looking at what UX design is and what it is not.

Many a promising project can be stymied by unyielding personalities, inflexible attitudes, and big egos. Learn to navigate these tricky waters with grace and professionalism.

Designers must frame a problem and identify a solution while also impacting the client’s bottom line. The S.M.A.R.T. framework helps designers stay goal-oriented and increase their success rate.

Prototyping with real data can be compared to building something out of LEGO: Instead of working with imaginary, loose shapes, we can use existing components out of the box and build something real.

White space is an often overlooked and underutilized element in many TV UI designs. However, using white space intentionally improves comprehension and focus, and it enhances the user’s experience.

Why do we still use buttons in our user interfaces? Technology has come so far and offers so many possibilities, there is no longer any reason to force our users to click the tiny rectangles we call “buttons.”

Dark-themed UIs can be dramatic, stylish and elegant. But despite the many benefits, they come with a slew of challenges and potential pitfalls that every designer would be wise to keep in mind.

After years without a dedicated UX tool and the space owned by Sketch, InVision, and Figma, Adobe started developing XD. Let’s look at XD and how it compares with Sketch, the market’s dominant choice.

Digital design and UIs are evolving at an incredible pace and the styling of buttons along with it. The Dribbble Button Timeline shows us how button styles have developed over the past decade.

Regardless of the environment, UX professionals need a set of deliverables to help facilitate communication, document work and provide artifacts. Here are 10 of the most common UX deliverables.

The argument for type design, what it is, and why it should be the next step in the evolution of UI from skeuomorphism and flat design.

Want to improve your page load speeds for your responsive website? Here is a full list of everything you could do to improve your site’s loading times

What is a heuristic analysis? How do you run one effectively by employing a group of usability experts to dramatically improve a product’s UX?

It is now possible to more accurately shape experiences that dynamically personalize content by coupling behavioral design with data science and analytics.

Designing for television has become part of the continuum of devices that require a rethink of how we approach user interfaces and user experiences.

Designing past mobile or desktop interaction boundaries and into the physical world opens up possibilities to create immersive environmental experiences.

A wireframe map is handy as a tool for estimating work at the start of a project and as a checklist to keep you on track throughout the design process.

It’s crucial that designers focus not only on cultivating their abilities with creative tools but also improve their ability to communicate design effectively.

Remote UX workshops call for meticulous preparation and the use of proven techniques as complex details make it a challenge with many potential pitfalls.

These 10 surprising UX books from various disciplines will broaden a designer’s perspective and provide insight into diverse approaches to problem solving.

In this tutorial, we will give a simple breakdown of the steps that you need to create an animated explainer video like the slick masterpieces built by Slack.

Interaction design principles form the bedrock of awesome UX. Truly great interaction design relies on a set of conventions, standards, best practices and rules-of-thumb.

The relationship between art and design is often misunderstood, and although a design outcome can be artful, the process behind it is altogether very different.

The top five reasons why creating a styleguide early is especially important for startups in spite of the inherent challenges.

Reflections on the disappearance of web forms. How mobile biometrics could unlock a personal data vault that provides what’s necessary, killing forms entirely.

In many product design scenarios wireframes may not be necessary and skipping them altogether may cut down on confusion and save a lot of time.

Getting and receiving feedback—without losing one’s cool—is an art. It’s incumbent on designers to encourage others to give them quality feedback on their work that foments constructive discussion.

Blog publishers hope to turn their blog into an effective sales and marketing tool. Here are some useful examples that show how to design a high-conversion funnel for a blog and make it a success.

UX and usability testing analysis is a critical skill. How do you go about collecting data and analyze results? Here’s a way to stay sane during the process.

Two eCommerce sites were losing customers due to poor UX. A small set of UX improvements were made that greatly enhanced the sites’ usability and boosted sales.

Persuasive design isn’t evil. It’s a tool, and like any tool, it can be misused. However, with the right research and thoughtful application, it can be a valuable addition to any designer’s toolkit.

The next wave of IoT will connect millions of devices. The skills needed in this new paradigm will shift from component thinking to whole systems thinking.

User testing is easy and inexpensive and will substantially improve product designs. Insights from observing how people use a digital product are well worth it, as outlined in this six-step process.

A leading eCommerce site was losing customers and asked: How do you build a loyal customer base, boost engagement and reduce app uninstalls? The solution was designing a habit-forming experience.

Some designers make the mistake of designing products for their own vanity, focusing on the veneer instead of designing great UX. But designing for usability and delight brings greater benefits.

We are a throw-away society but there are designs that have stood the test of time. We look at guiding principles that made certain designs successful and explore what made them timeless.

When done well, emotional design increases engagement and can elicit an emotion that will deliver a positive response in users.

Why use the same tired icon sets for every single project? Follow this guide to learn how to add visual depth and intrigue to your icons and make them unique to the product they represent.

Animated UI elements improve the user experience, but how exactly are they made? These short tutorial videos demonstrate the most effective animation techniques using Principle for Mac.

Anticipatory design is the UX technique of simplifying processes and responding to user needs one step before they actually express those needs, simplifying user decisions and leading to magical experiences.

Testimonial pages are a key to increased conversion rates—if they’re done right. Check out this collection of testimonial page inspiration created by different designers from around the world.

Clients want more than pretty designs. They want to convert (aka make money). Learn seven conversion rate optimization (CRO) tips for designing landing pages that sell, sell, sell.

Check out a collection of mobile eCommerce inspirations created by different designers from around the world. Toptal Designer Cai Cardenas curated a selection of designs that each delights their users.

Some of the screens are captured from live products, some are still in development, and some are purely concepts designed to push the bounds of what is even considered possible.

Like all people, designers have biases about the world. Unfortunately, many of these biases can seriously damage our quality of work before it’s too late to notice. In this article, Toptal Design Blog Editor Michael Abehsera tells us what kinds of biases designers unwittingly hold and how they can overcome them.

Check out a collection of brand animation inspirations created by different designers from around the world. Toptal Designer Jason Gonzalez curated a selection of designs that each finds a way to energize its respective brand.

Some of the designs are captured from live products, some are still in development, and some are purely concepts designed to push the bounds of what is even considered possible.

Check out a collection of blog layout design inspirations created by different designers from around the world. Toptal Designer Francesca Gilbert curated a selection of designs that each finds ways to communicate a blog’s unique personality.

Some of the designs are captured from live products, some are still in development, and some are purely concepts designed to push the bounds of what is even considered possible.

Check out a collection of onboarding design inspirations created by different designers from around the world. Toptal Design Blog Lead Editor Michael Abehsera curated a selection of designs that each finds creative ways to retain users.

Some of the designs are captured from live products, some are still in development, and some are purely concepts designed to push the bounds of what is even considered possible.

Although IKEA is one of the world’s most well-known retailers, its online presence doesn’t reflect the same success. Too many users find that the brand’s online presence is cluttered, difficult to navigate, and doesn’t reflect a more modern lifestyle.

In this article, Toptal Lead Design Blog Editor Michael Abehsera leads a redesign of IKEA’s online presence, exploring how the user experience can be overhauled to fix some of its most pressing issues.

Check out a collection of analytics dashboard design inspirations created by different designers from around the world. Toptal Designer Santiago Baigorria curated a selection of designs that each offers insightful analyses.

Some of the designs are captured from live products, some are still in development, and some are purely concepts designed to push the bounds of what is even considered possible.

A brand story is a powerful tool, but trial-and-error is required to use it well. If persistent, you’ll develop a unique voice, and your work will be infused with unexpected strands of meaning and purpose that thrill clients and the people they’re trying to reach.

In this article, Toptal Designer Micah Bowers walks us through one of his own branding projects to show us how to develop an effective brand story. Most of us might know a good story when we see one, but how do we write an engaging one ourselves?

Most designers know that feature creep is a big time problem, but knowing is only half the battle. How do we stop feature creep from smothering our projects?

In this article, Toptal Designer Luciano Vizza guides us through the steps to recognize and dispel feature creep in your next project. One extra feature might not sink the ship. But, it doesn’t take long for one feature to become 20 features, and before you know it, Captain, you are going down with the ship.

Check out a collection of 404 page design inspirations created by different designers from around the world. Toptal Designer Jônatas Vieira curated a selection of designs that offer a unique solution.

Some of the designs are captured from live products, some are still in development, and some are purely concepts designed to push the bounds of what is even considered possible.

Designing across cultural boundaries has broader implications and more challenges than Google Translate can solve. Designers must consider not just language differences, but also cultural tendencies, values, and taboos.

In this article, Toptal designer Jônatas Vieira gives us the tools to navigate cultural boundaries and shows us one of his own projects that taught him the value of cross-cultural design.

Designers too often work for their ego and choose to redesign the next billion-user start-up to boost their career, rather than doing something that will really help them grow. We receive no substantial criticism when publishing portfolio work online, but when we design for reality we put ourselves in a position to learn.

In this article, Toptal Lead Blog Design Editor Michael Abehsera shows us how to kill our egos, design for the small and local, and to always be students.

Check out a collection of payment design inspirations created by different designers from around the world. Toptal Technical Editor Kent Mundle curated a selection of designs that each offer unique UI solutions to the popular platform.

Some of the designs are captured from live products, some are still in development, and some are purely concepts designed to push the bounds of what is even considered possible.

Recent studies have found that in the U.S., 75 percent of children younger than eight have access to a smartphone or tablet, as do 36 percent of kids under the age of one. Although video games and apps have always carried the stigma of being detrimental to youth development, science has proven that some products can actually enhance a child’s cognitive strength. This presents a great opportunity and responsibility to digital designers and developers to influence tomorrow’s generations in a positive way.

In this guide, Toptal Designer Tanya Unger breaks down the differences and similarities between designing for kids and designing for adults. Then she presents a proven framework and offers some additional tips.

Check out a collection of intuitive data visualizations created by different designers from around the world. Toptal Technical Editor Kent Mundle curated a selection of designs that each offer unique UI solutions to data.

Some of the designs are captured from live products, some are still in development, and some are purely concepts designed to push the bounds of what is even considered possible.

The news industry has experienced a lot of turmoil recently, bringing new strategies that put publications’ online experience front and center, creating tons of opportunities for visionary designers.

The state of automotive UI design is widely criticized for being unintuitive, outdated, and unappealing. As a result, designers speculate about how those UI designs will improve in the near future.

UX sketching is a crucial, yet often overlooked, aspect of UX design. It’s a very efficient way of communicating design while allowing designers to iterate multiple ideas before settling on one.

Despite the widespread use and popularity of the start-up tracker, CrunchBase, there are improvements that could be made to the site. Learn how a thorough UX redesign improves user experience.

Should the user experience ever be sacrificed in order to push the boundaries of design? Learn how to balance usability with experimentation using methods such as online portfolios.

With the security concerns surrounding Smart Home technology and the rise of the Internet of Things, has our concept of the home changed forever? Let’s look at what’s next and how it might impact us.

Strategic design thinking is one of the ways freelance designers can leverage their abilities to provide maximum impact on significant projects while having to work on a short-term, impact-limiting basis.

From typewriters to touchscreens and beyond, UI design is evolving to improve user experience and boost productivity. Find out what the next generation of connected devices will bring to the table.

There are many modern web trends which offer a lot of visual appeal, while largely ignoring user experience. Let’s look at some of the most common UX mistakes and discover a more balanced equation.

Despite the advances in displays, increasingly larger smartphones feel like a triumph of cunning marketing over sensible engineering. Meant to improve user experience, the opposite may be happening.

With an ever-growing device landscape, it is becoming increasingly difficult to design consistent user interfaces across all devices. Learn how the web browser can be used to solve such design issues.

Examine how renowned studios such as Ro-Lu use online portfolios to push design boundaries in order to balance both usability and experimentation. Are portfolios an appropriate approach?