Design Huddle

On this episode we talk to Zach Hill about design sprint best practices and how to become a more thoughtful designer. A design sprint is a time-constrained, five-phase process that uses design thinking with the aim of reducing the risk when bringing a new product, service or a feature to the market.

Zach is a passionate design centered strategist that combines an obsession for user experience, product strategy, and process with a foundation in visual communication. Zach uses the experience from the variety of creative disciplines he has been involved in to inform his decisions as a consultant and strategist and inspire his visual solutions as a design communicator. Zachary is currently the head of strategy at Toi, a design and innovation agency that specializes in user experience and digital product design. He has had the opportunity to work with several businesses and brands that include the University of Chicago Medical Center, Verizon, Waste Management, Sennheiser, and Clifton's LA.

A UX design process typically follows something similar to a design thinking approach, which consists of five basic phases: Empathize with the users (learning about the audience) Define the problem (identifying the users' needs) Ideate (generating ideas for design). The UX process is an iterative method that helps you to continuously improve and polish your designs with user feedback. Also, one thing you should know is: A UX process can be different from one UX designer to another, organization to organization, and sometimes depending on the project.

In this episode Ryan discusses practical ways to prepare for jobs of the future. He discusses soft skills that can accelerate your career and jobs of the future.

Ryan and Brandon interview Melinda Livsey. As the founder and brand strategist of Marks and Maker, Melinda unites over ten years of professional design experience with a penchant for thoughtful customer service. Melinda’s experience with notable names like Oakley, Paramount Pictures, and Loot Crate, coupled with her passion for creative thinkers and entrepreneurs, creates the perfect cocktail of impeccable workmanship, exceptional brands, and happy clientele. Not only is Melinda a rockstar entrepreneur she is the works for for The Futur as a Co-host on the Process. If you want to learn to be a better team consultant, strategist, or team member this episode is for you.

Web accessibility is the inclusive practice of ensuring there are no barriers that prevent interaction with, or access to, websites on the World Wide Web by people with disabilities. When sites are correctly designed, developed and edited, generally all users have equal access to information and functionality. Today we help you get closer to crafting a more inclusive web experience.

First impressions matter. Mobile users are very goal-oriented and super impatient. Avoid distracting a user from their goals. Keep your homepage and top landing pages simple. Be sure to have a clear call-to-action and a value proposition above the fold. A user should know what to do and why they should stay on your website in a moment’s glance.

Wireframing is a way to design a website service at the structural level. A wireframe is commonly used to lay out content and functionality on a page which takes into account user needs and user journeys. On today's episode Brandon and Ryan share their wireframing best practices.

User flow is the path taken by a prototypical user on a website or app to complete a task. The user flow takes them from their entry point through a set of steps towards a successful outcome and final action, such as purchasing a product. ★ Join the conversation on Discord : https://discord.gg/XEsKbd9 ★

Creative professionals often find themselves in the middle of everything and everyone. Therefore, you should prepare yourself to convince a room full of people that your design is right.

Consensus decision making is a creative and dynamic way of reaching an agreement between all members of a group. Instead of simply voting for an item and having the majority of the group getting their way, a group using consensus is committed to finding solutions that everyone actively supports, or at least can live with. ★ Join the conversation on Discord : https://discord.gg/XEsKbd9 ★