What goes into building a successful product or service people enjoy using? By enrolling in Quinnipiac University’s Principles of User Experience Design, I was able to gain a deeper appreciation for all of the research and energy brands put into creating a quality product. The class focuses on human-centered design thinking and how empathizing with…

Travisty! Horror! My cat spilled water on my laptop! After quickly drying it off, I called Apple right away for help. My reaction is pretty typical of anyone who has had major damage done to a valuable item that is heavily relied upon. However, it was interesting to work with Apple to get it fixed.…

Some would say the most fun part of Design Thinking is ideating. With rules like ‘no judgment,’ ‘everyone is welcome,’ and ‘the more outlandish an idea, the better,’ it’s hard not to enjoy the process.  On top of these pressure-free rules, the goal is to think up as many ideas as possible.  In my experience…

Designers are challenged every day to solve problems and produce out-of-the-box ideas but that isn’t always easy. There is no bank where you can cash out unique ideas or a tree that grows beautiful solutions. Instead, you need an open mind, inspiration, and a few ideation techniques.  “Ideation is the process of generating a broad…

Developers and designers work hard to create successful apps that people enjoy using. They put tons of research, late nights, blood, sweat, and tears into their projects. Once their ‘baby’ is released into the wild for all to use, the creators’ first reaction is to see how people like it by reading the reviews. The…

While Design Thinking is not a linear process, it does follow a basic structure. At times, steps may repeat, but it is essential to go through each step to produce a well-crafted, meaningful product. The last few weeks, I have spent time learning the various Empathy methods or step 1 of the Design Thinking process;…

Whether you are designing an app, creating a marketing campaign, or writing an article, it’s essential to understand your audience. Recently, I read a blog post about a writer, Kip Langello, who could not get a book published. He decided to create a fictional character to write for. He gave his character a name, job, family, and…

As a designer, often it is challenging to begin. A problem has been laid out in front of you, but how do you start to find the solution?  With Human-Centered design thinking, the best place to start is with empathy. Observe, interview, and immerse yourself in the user’s daily activities. Create an empathy map to…

On his daily commute, inventor and newspaperman Garrett Morgan would drive by multiple car accidents. When the traffic light switched from green to red, he noticed it did not give people the time they needed to react and stop. The intersections were never completely clear, which led to numerous collisions. Through empathy, Morgan observed the…

Feelings are a delicate thing to work with; after all, they can change from day to day. So why is it essential to design for something so fluid? After completing my latest UX challenge, I’ve come to understand the importance of people’s emotional motivators to use it in design.  The Exercise This week I was…