July 24, 2013 — For those of us who design and build apps, websites and software, a great product means one that delights its users. But digital product development is complex. What can designers do to increase the overall quality and success rate of the products we craft and to elevate our team’s batting average? An answer lies in the way artists and composers have worked for centuries to create paintings and music — by focusing on a singular element: a motif. Read more…

July 23, 2013 — Help! The Internet is gone! In this article, Paul Tero explores the infrastructure of the Internet and the make-up of a Web server, imparting lots of little tips and commands along the way, opening up a new perspective on how websites can stop working — and be fixed. Read more…

July 22, 2013 — There’s an easy, straightforward way to deliver responsive images that’s supported by all of today’s Web browsers: A CSS background image. However, the approach has some limitations, and it doesn’t work in all cases. But if your requirements aren’t complicated, and if you’re willing to make an extra effort to ensure your images are accessible, CSS background images may be all you need! Read more…

July 19, 2013 — Unlike other industries, the web design and development community are all about sharing knowledge and experience. We are very lucky to be part of such a great and useful learning environment, and it is up to us to embrace it — to embrace our learning experiences, and also to embrace our ability to share. Read more…

July 18, 2013 — A digital strategy is not as intimidating as it sounds. It is just a document outlining how your client should handle the different aspects of digital from the website and mobile to email. It doesn’t need to cover everything in huge depth, but instead should establish some general approaches to these different areas. This post will provide you with a crash course on where to start and what kinds of things to include. I hope it proves useful. Read more…

July 16, 2013 — The flat interface style is the manifestation of a desire for greater authenticity in design. The Modern design movement curbed the ornamental excess of the 19th century, making design fit the age of mass production. Today, we’re seeing the same desire for authenticity manifest itself in the “flat” trend, which rejects skeuomorphism and excessive visuals for simpler, cleaner, content-focused design. Read more…

July 15, 2013 — In her career as a freelance illustrator, map-making has become a favorite specialty of Laura Coyle. With each map assignment, she virtually travels across the globe, visiting places she’ve never been. Her maps (created in Adobe Illustrator), are designed to appear next to magazine stories about trips to faraway places, or about the best restaurants in a nearby neighborhood. Read more…

July 12, 2013 — Part two of our journey is all about marketing. Even the coolest app in the world is doomed to swiftly descend into the abyss of obscurity if no one knows about it, but it turns out that you don’t need a huge marketing budget to get into the top 10 in the App Store. Get out there and build something great! Read more…

July 11, 2013 — When people visit your website, you want it to stand out from the crowd, to be memorable. It is a reflection of the person or organization behind it. You want people to come back and use your website or get in touch with you. It has to be innovative yet functional. Ask yourself, what would make life easier for your user? Read more…

July 9, 2013 — As creators of products that will be consumed on Retina devices, we have to optimize our design and development workflow accordingly. Upon failing to find a tool that fits my design team’s workflow, Artiom Dashinsky created a set of two time-saving Photoshop actions for slicing graphics for Retina and standard displays. The great feedback from his team inspired him to share it with other designers. Read more…