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How to Foster Real-Time Client Engagement During Moderated Research

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:00:00 -0500

When we conduct moderated research, like user interviews or usability tests, for our clients, we encourage them to observe as many sessions as possible. We find when clients see us interview their users, and get real-time responses, they’re able to learn about the needs of their users in real-time and be more active participants in the process. One way we help clients feel engaged with the process during remote sessions is to establish a real-time communication backchannel that empowers clients to flag responses they’d like to dig into further and to share their ideas for follow-up questions.

There are several benefits to establishing a communication backchannel for moderated sessions:

  • Everyone on the team, including both internal and client team members, can be actively involved throughout the data collection process rather than waiting to passively consume findings.
  • Team members can identify follow-up questions in real-time which allows the moderator to incorporate those questions during the current session, rather than just considering them for future sessions.
  • Subject matter experts can identify more detailed and specific follow-up questions that the moderator may not think to ask.
  • Even though the whole team is engaged, a single moderator still maintains control over the conversation which creates a consistent experience for the participant.

If you’re interested in creating your own backchannel, here are some tips to make the process work smoothly:

  • Use the chat tool that is already being used on the project. In most cases, we use a joint Slack workspace for the session backchannel but we’ve also used Microsoft Teams.
  • Create a dedicated channel like #moderated-sessions. Conversation in this channel should be limited to backchannel discussions during sessions. This keeps the communication consolidated and makes it easier for the moderator to stay focused during the session.
  • Keep communication limited. Channel participants should ask basic questions that are easy to consume quickly. Supplemental commentary and analysis should not take place in the dedicated channel.
  • Use emoji responses. The moderator can add a quick thumbs up to indicate that they’ve seen a question.

Introducing backchannels for communication during remote moderated sessions has been a beneficial change to our research process. It not only provides an easy way for clients to stay engaged during the data collection process but also increases the moderator’s ability to focus on the most important topics and to ask the most useful follow-up questions.


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CLI Equivalents for Common MAMP PRO and Sequel Pro Tasks

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Thu, 26 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Working on website front ends I sometimes use MAMP PRO to manage local hosts and Sequel Pro to manage databases. Living primarily in my text editor, a terminal, and a browser window, moving to these click-heavy dedicated apps can feel clunky. Happily, the tasks I have most frequently turned to those apps for —starting and stopping servers, creating new hosts, and importing, exporting, deleting, and creating databases— can be done from the command line.

I still pull up MAMP PRO if I need to change a host's PHP version or work with its other more specialized settings, or Sequel Pro to quickly inspect a database, but for the most part I can stay on the keyboard and in my terminal. Here's how:

Command Line MAMP PRO

You can start and stop MAMP PRO's servers from the command line. You can even do this when the MAMP PRO desktop app isn't open.

Note: MAMP PRO's menu icon will not change color to reflect the running/stopped status when the status is changed via the command line.

  • Start the MAMP PRO servers:
/Applications/MAMP PRO.app/Contents/MacOS/MAMP PRO cmd startServers
  • Stop the MAMP PRO servers:
/Applications/MAMP PRO.app/Contents/MacOS/MAMP PRO cmd stopServers
  • Create a host (replace host_name and root_path):
/Applications/MAMP PRO.app/Contents/MacOS/MAMP PRO cmd createHost host_name root_path

MAMP PRO-friendly Command Line Sequel Pro

Note: if you don't use MAMP PRO, just replace the /Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql with mysql.

In all of the following commands, replace username with your user name (locally this is likely root) and database_name with your database name. The -p (password) flag with no argument will trigger an interactive password prompt. This is more secure than including your password in the command itself (like -pYourPasswordHere). Of course, if you're using the default password root is not particular secure to begin with so you might just do -pYourPasswordHere.

Setting the -h (host) flag to localhost or 127.0.0.1 tells mysql to look at what's on localhost. With the MAMP PRO servers running, that will be the MAMP PRO databases.

# with the MAMP PRO servers running, these are equivalent:
# /Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql -h 127.0.0.1 other_options
# and
# /Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql -h localhost other_options

/Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql mysql_options # enter. opens an interactive mysql session
mysql> some command; # don't forget the semicolon
mysql> exit;
  • Create a local database
# with the MAMP PRO servers running
# replace `username` with your username, which is `root` by default
/Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql -h localhost -u username -p -e "create database database_name"

or

# with the MAMP PRO servers running
# replace `username` (`root` by default) and `database_name`
/Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql -h localhost -u username -p # and then enter
mysql> create database database_name; # don't forget the semicolon
mysql> exit

    MAMP PRO's databases are stored in /Library/Application Support/appsolute/MAMP PRO/db so to confirm that it worked you can

ls /Library/Application Support/appsolute/MAMP PRO/db
# will output the available mysql versions. For example I have
mysql56_2018-11-05_16-25-13     mysql57

# If it isn't clear which one you're after, open the main MAMP PRO and click
# on the MySQL "servers and services" item. In my case it shows "Version: 5.7.26"

# Now look in the relevant MySQL directory
ls /Library/Application Support/appsolute/MAMP PRO/db/mysql57
# the newly created database should be in the list
  • Delete a local database
# with the MAMP PRO servers running
# replace `username` (`root` by default) and `database_name`
/Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql -h localhost -u username -p -e "drop database database_name"
  • Export a dump of a local database. Note that this uses mysqldump not mysql.
# to export an uncompressed file
# replace `username` (`root` by default) and `database_name`
/Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysqldump -h localhost -u username -p database_name > the/output/path.sql

# to export a compressed file
# replace `username` (`root` by default) and `database_name`
/Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysqldump -h localhost -u username -p database_name | gzip -c > the/output/path.gz

  • Export a local dump from an external database over SSH. Note that this uses mysqldump not mysql.

# replace `ssh-user`, `ssh_host`, `mysql_user`, `database_name`, and the output path

# to end up with an uncompressed file
ssh ssh_user@ssh_host "mysqldump -u mysql_user -p database_name | gzip -c" | gunzip > the/output/path.sql

# to end up with a compressed file
ssh ssh_user@ssh_host "mysqldump -u mysql_user -p database_name | gzip -c" > the/output/path.gz
  • Import a local database dump into a local database
# with the MAMP PRO servers running
# replace `username` (`root` by default) and `database_name`
/Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql -h localhost -u username -p database_name < the/dump/path.sql
  • Import a local database dump into a remote database over SSH. Use care with this one. But if you are doing it with Sequel Pro —maybe you are copying a Craft site's database from a production server to a QA server— you might as well be able to do it on the command line.
ssh ssh_user@ssh_host "mysql -u username -p remote_database_name" < the/local/dump/path.sql


For me, using the command line instead of the MAMP PRO and Sequel Pro GUI means less switching between keyboard and mouse, less opening up GUI features that aren't typically visible on my screen, and generally better DX. Give it a try! And while MAMP Pro's CLI is limited to the essentials, command line mysql of course knows no limits. If there's something else you use Sequel Pro for, you may be able to come up with a mysql CLI equivalent you like even better.


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Together We Flourish, Remotely

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Thu, 09 Apr 2020 08:00:00 -0400

Like many other companies, Viget is working through the new challenge of suddenly being a fully-distributed company. We don’t know how long it will last or every challenge that will arise because of these unfortunate circumstances, but we know the health and well-being of our people is paramount. As Employee Engagement Manager, I feel inspired by these new challenges, eager to step up, and committed to seeing what good can come of this.

Now more than ever, we want to maintain the culture that has sustained us over the last 20 years – a culture that I think is best captured by our mantra, “do great work and be a great teammate.” As everyone is adjusting to new work environments, schedules, and distractions, I am adjusting my approach to employee engagement, and the People Team is looking for new ways to nurture and protect the culture we treasure.

The backbone of being a great teammate is knowing each other and caring about each other. For years the People Team has focused on making sure people who work at Viget are known, accepted, and cared about. From onboarding to events to weekly and monthly touchpoints, we invest in coworkers knowing each other. On top of that, we have well-appointed offices where people like to be, and friendships unfold over time. Abruptly becoming fully distributed makes it impossible for some of these connections to happen organically, like they would have around the coffee machine and the lunch tables. These microinteractions between colleagues in the same office, the hellos when you get off the elevator or the “what’d you get up to this weekend” chit chat near the seltzer refrigerator, all add up. We realize more than ever how valuable those moments are, and I know I will feel extra grateful for them when we are all back together.

Until that time, we are working to make sure everyone at Viget feels connected, safe, healthy, and most importantly, together, even when we are physically apart. We are keeping up our weekly staff meetings and monthly team lunches, and we just onboarded a new hire last week as thoroughly as ever. There are some other, new ways we’re sparking connections, too.

New ways we're sparking connections:

Connecting IntentionallyWe are making the most of the tools that we’ve been using for years. New Slack channels have spun up, including #exercise, where folks are sharing how they are making do without a gym, and #igotyou, a place where folks can post where they’ve found supplies in stock as grocery stores are being emptied at an alarming pace.
Remote Lunch TablesWe have teammates in three different time zones, on different project teams, and at different stages of life. We’ve created two virtual lunch tables, one at 12PM EST and one at 12PM MST, where folks can join with or without their lunches and with or without their kids, partners, or pets. There are no rules or structure, just an opportunity to chat and see a friendly face as a touchpoint to your day.
Last Weekend This MorningCatching up Monday morning is a great way to kick off your week. Historically, I’ve done this from my desk over coffee as I greet folks coming off the elevator (I usually have the privilege of sitting at our front desk). I now do this from my desk, at home, over coffee as folks pop in or out of our Zoom call. One upshot of the new normal is I can “greet” anyone who shows up, not just people who work from my same office. Again, no structure, just a way to start our week, together.
Munch MadnessYes, you read that right. Most of the sports world is enjoying an intermission. Since our CEO can’t cheer on his beloved Cavaliers and our VP of Design can’t cheer on his Gators, we’ve created something potentially much better. A definitive snack bracket. There is a minimal time commitment and folks with no sports knowledge can participate. The rules are simple: create and submit your bracket, ranking who you believe will win each snack faceoff. Then as we move through the rounds, vote on your favorite snacks. The competition has already sparked tons of conversation and plenty of snack hot takes. Want to start a munch-off of your own? Check out our bracket as a starting point.
Virtual Happy HoursSigning off for the day and shutting down your machine is incredibly important for maintaining a work-life balance. Casually checking in, unwinding, and being able to chat about your day is also important. We have big, beautiful kitchens in each of our offices, along with casual spaces where at the end of any given day you can find a few Vigets catching up before heading home. This is something we don’t want to miss! So we’re setting up weekly happy hours where folks can hop in and say hi to each other face-to-face. We’ve found Zoom to be a great platform so we can see the maximum number of our teammates possible. Like all of our other events, it’s optional. There is also an understanding that your roommate, kid, significant other, or pet might show up on screen (and are welcome!). No one is shamed for multitasking and we encourage our teammates to join as they can. So far we’ve toasted new teammates, played a song or two, and up next we’ll play trivia.

At the end of the day, we are all here for one reason: to do great work. Our award-winning work is made possible by the trust we’ve built within our teams. Staying focused and accountable to ourselves and our clients is what drives our motivation to continue to show up and do our best. In our new working environment, it is crucial that we can both stay connected and productive; a lot of teammates are stepping up to support one another. Here are a few ways we are continuing to foster our “do great work” mantra.

New ways we're fostering great work:

Staying in TouchThe People Team is actively touching base with every employee. Our focus is on their health, productivity, and connection. These 1:1s have given us a baseline for how we can provide the best support for our team, from making sure they're aware of flexible work options to setting them up with the tools they need to be successful. We’ve delivered chairs, monitors, and helped troubleshoot in-home wifi issues. We are committed to making sure every Viget is set up for success.
Sharing is CaringWe’re no stranger to remote teams. We have four offices across the U.S. and a handful of full-time remote folks, and we’ve leaned on our inside experts to share their expertise on remote work. Most recently, ourData & Analytics Director, who has been working remotely full time for five years, gave a presentation on best practices for working from home. His top tips for working from home include:
  • Minimize other windows in remote meetings.
  • Set a schedule and avoid midday chores.
  • Take breaks away from the screen.
  • Plan your workday on your shared calendar.
  • Be mindful of Slack and social media as a distraction.
  • Use timers.
  • Keep your work area separate from where you relax.
  • Pretend that you’re still working from work.
  • Experiment and figure out what works for you.

Our UX Research Director also stepped up to share her expertise to aid in adjusting to our new working conditions. She led a microclass on remote facilitation where she shared best practices and went over tools that support remote collaboration. Some of the tools she highlighted included Miro, Mural, Whimsical, and Jamboard. During the microclass she demonstrated use of Whimsical’s voting feature, which makes it easy for distributed groups to establish discussion topic priorities.

Always PreparedHaving all of our project materials stored in the Cloud in a consistent, predictable way is a cornerstone of our business continuity plan. It is more important than ever for our team to follow the established best practices and ensure that project files are accessible to the full Viget team in the event of unplanned time off. Our VP of Client Services is leading efforts to ensure everyone is aware of and following our established guidelines with tools like Drive, Slack, Github, and Figma. Our priorities are that clients’ needs are met, quality is high, and timelines are honored.

As the pandemic unfolds, our approach to employee engagement will evolve. We have more things in the works to build and maintain connections while distributed, including trivia and game nights, book clubs, virtual movie nights, and community service opportunities, just to name a few. No matter what we’re doing or what tool we’re using to connect, we’ll be in it together: doing great work, being great teammates, and looking forward.


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What every business must do (and designers even more so)

By traceygrady.com
Published On :: Mon, 20 Jul 2015 05:03:09 +0000

What should all businesses do at least once, and do properly, and (like the title of this blog post suggests) designers need to do repeatedly? The answer is: Understanding the target market they’re catering to. Sure, that makes sense—but why are graphic designers any different? Why do this repeatedly? When you’re in business, you’re in the […]


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Book Review: The Cheese Monkeys

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:33:01 +0000

The Cheese Monkeys is the coming of age story of a teen boy (who we only know by his nickname, “Happy”.) As he enters a midwest state school to study art in the late 50’s. First off, I’ll admit that I’m a fan of coming of age stories. All the good ones usually follow a protagonist who […]


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Neumorphism in Mobile Design Concepts

By design4users.com
Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 04:14:46 PDT

https://design4users.com/neuomorphism-mobile-design/


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Pandemic Creativity: Edible Versions of Famous Artworks

By kottke.org
Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 07:56:00 PDT

https://kottke.org/20/05/pandemic-creativity-edible-versions-of-famous-artworks


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Check Out These Famous Logos Practicing Social Distancing – McDonald’s, Mercedes, and More

By webdesignledger.com
Published On :: Tue, 31 Mar 2020 10:34:51 +0000

We all know about the new coronavirus that has been affecting hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. And while scientists, researchers, and doctors are all working tirelessly to find a cure for this terrible disease, one thing is for sure: staying home is saving lives. The greatest tool that we have right now to help […]

Read More at Check Out These Famous Logos Practicing Social Distancing – McDonald’s, Mercedes, and More


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10 Tools That Will Help Your Remote Design Team Stay On The Same Page

By webdesignledger.com
Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2020 12:20:23 +0000

If you weren’t working on a remote team before, well, chances are that you probably are now! I know that I love working from home, but when you first start working remotely, it can start as a bit of a challenge. Of course, it has its pros and cons, but it’s just a learning curve. […]

Read More at 10 Tools That Will Help Your Remote Design Team Stay On The Same Page


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Coronavirus pandemic could inflict emotional trauma and PTSD on an unprecedented scale, scientists warn

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Mon, 30 Mar 2020 14:41:58 EDT

Researchers are warning that the coronavirus pandemic could inflict long-lasting emotional trauma on an unprecedented global scale. They say it could leave millions wrestling with debilitating psychological disorders while dashing hopes for a swift economic recovery.


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Emilia Clarke to Host Virtual Dinner With Donors Who Pledge Money for Coronavirus Relief

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Wed, 01 Apr 2020 09:54:00 EDT

Today, the Game of Thrones star announced that 12 random people will get to win a virtual dinner with her. She’s asking people to donate money to her charity SameYou, which helps people heal from brain injuries and strokes. Pledges will be used to assist brain injury survivors in recuperating at home, who have been asked to leave hospitals to make room for coronavirus patients.


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When Your Veteran Spouse Battles More Than PTSD

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Thu, 30 Apr 2020 12:19:38 EDT

For many veterans’ spouses, we’ve watched our partners struggle not only with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but with other mental health conditions, as well. Around 80 percent of people with PTSD wrestle with at least one other co-occurring mental health condition in their lifetime.What many people don’t see is the impact PTSD and comorbidity have on vets’ spouses.


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When Your Veteran Spouse Battles More Than PTSD

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Thursday, April 30, 2020 - 12:19pm

For many veterans’ spouses, we’ve watched our partners struggle not only with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but with other mental health conditions, as well. Around 80 percent of people with PTSD wrestle with at least one other co-occurring mental health condition in their lifetime.What many people don’t see is the impact PTSD and comorbidity have on vets’ spouses.


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5 Important Tips When Building Your First Mobile App

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Tue, 07 Apr 2020 07:50:35 +0000

Building a mobile application is a complex process, and mistake can be costly in time and money. To make sure that your mobile app projects are a success, here are a few tips that will be helpful. 1. Plan Ahead When building anything complex, you should never start without a plan. Building a mobile app […]


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How to personalize the mobile experience for app users

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Sun, 03 May 2020 08:42:02 +0000

Mobile user experience somehow ‘imposed itself’ with all the development and improvement of mobile communication devices. In fact, it is the quality of user experience that divides outstanding apps from their less outstanding counterparts. The same factor enables startups to learn from big brands and to improve their products. User experience for mobile applications – […]


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Tips for Working Remotely and Enjoying It!

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Mon, 09 Mar 2020 17:09:10 +0000

With the coronavirus spreading and employers telling employees work from home if possible, there are scores of people getting their first taste of working remotely. Depending on your experience and discipline levels, this could be a welcomed change or a complete culture shock. The amount of freedom your find yourself in can be similar the […]

The post Tips for Working Remotely and Enjoying It! appeared first on David Walsh Blog.


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How to Display Mode-Specific Images

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Mon, 04 May 2020 13:05:43 +0000

Now that we have most of the basics of HTML and CSS in the browser, we’ve begun implementing new features that I would consider “quality of life” improvements, many of which have been inspired by mobile. One great example is the CSS prefers-color-scheme media query, which allows developers to cater their design to system theme […]

The post How to Display Mode-Specific Images appeared first on David Walsh Blog.


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How to Make Money With Photography and How Much Can You Expect

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2020 01:02:40 +0000

Live your passion. That’s what you’d like to do, right? Spend your days doing what you enjoy? Unfortunately, you gotta eat and do adulting things like paying bills. For that, you need money and your passion might not be good enough. Or is it? There are many ways to turn your passion for photography into an income stream. None of Continue Reading

The post How to Make Money With Photography and How Much Can You Expect appeared first on Photodoto.


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How (And Where) To Mount an Action Camera (On Anything!)

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 17:28:28 +0000

Pictures and video from an action camera can be awesome. But how do you get the best shots? It’s all about the mounting of the camera and we’re going to tell you how to do it. How and where do you mount an action camera? The most popular place to mount an action camera is on a helmet using a Continue Reading

The post How (And Where) To Mount an Action Camera (On Anything!) appeared first on Photodoto.


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10 Top Cyber Monday Deals for Web Designers

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Sun, 01 Dec 2019 23:59:52 +0000

Whether you’re skipping Black Friday to concentrate on Cyber Monday or planning for a shopping spree during both days doesn’t matter. The subject here is Cyber Monday Deals, and there are some great ones indeed. Some Cyber Monday deals expire at midnight on Monday December 2nd, others are valid a day or two longer, and […]

The post 10 Top Cyber Monday Deals for Web Designers appeared first on WebAppers.


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Mobile App Website Inspiration: 20 Application Websites and Tips to Help You Design One

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Tue, 10 Dec 2019 00:01:17 +0000

It may seem a bit curious that more than a few app websites are only given a cursory inspection by app owners. It is given before being largely ignored because visitors have gone elsewhere. The reason for a given website may be completely valid in that it addresses a well-established need. It has a poor […]

The post Mobile App Website Inspiration: 20 Application Websites and Tips to Help You Design One appeared first on WebAppers.


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iStock Promo Codes – May 2020

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Fri, 01 May 2020 18:00:25 +0000

The end of this month kicks off the busy summer travel season, which causes many designers to get behind on your design work. But it doesn't have to be that way. Instead, you can use stock graphics to speed up your design work this summer, so you can still enjoy those much-needed getaways and outdoor time. And right now, we have two iStock promo codes that can save you some change...

The post iStock Promo Codes – May 2020 appeared first on Vectips.


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3 Common Photography Mistakes To Avoid

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Fri, 22 Jan 2016 19:13:00 +0000

Image from Wikimedia With photography and image-based social media flourishing, there’s no better time to get into this amazing hobby. Although many people do just fine with little or no guidance, there are certain common mistakes which a lot of rookies run into. To give you a better start in the world of photography, you need to keep a keen eye out for these slip-ups. Here are three of the most widespread. If you want to pursue photography as a career, then one of the worst things you can do is neglect to learn the jargon. I’ve met more than a few photographers who have a natural talent. Without playing with any settings or even glancing at the subject, they get shots which make even the blandest scenes look incredible. With some of these protégés, I’ve been totally shocked at how little technical knowledge they have. A good photographer is ... Read more

The post 3 Common Photography Mistakes To Avoid appeared first on Digital Photography Tutorials.


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Capture that Precious Moment: How to Create a Calm Mood for the Infant

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Fri, 17 Feb 2017 17:30:35 +0000

Babies capture everyone’s heart, and this is the time to cherish in the form of a series of photographs that will remind you of how idyllic your child looked at the newborn stage. Photographing children, especially babies, poses a problem for the image taker, as you cannot simply ask for a pose, rather you have to engineer it. Here is some information to help make the session go smoothly, and get the perfect shots. The Right Age The ideal age to have photos taken of your baby is between 5 and 12 days old, as they tend to sleep most of the time and it is much easier to find the ideal pose and position. Of course, you can wait a little longer, but to be honest, you have lost that newborn look, which is what everyone wants to capture. If you happen to be in Western Australia, and are ... Read more

The post Capture that Precious Moment: How to Create a Calm Mood for the Infant appeared first on Digital Photography Tutorials.


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How to Create Spotify Colorizer Effects With CSS Blend Modes

By webdesignerwall.com
Published On :: Tue, 10 Jan 2017 13:03:27 +0000

When Spotify launched their colorful new brand identity, featuring hip duo-toned imagery, it went hand-in-hand with a new Colorizer tool that allows artists to apply a variety of filters to images. This solved a problem in which Spotify needed a way to present the thousands of images uploaded, all with a different look and feel, […]


The post How to Create Spotify Colorizer Effects With CSS Blend Modes appeared first on Web Designer Wall.


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Four Elements of Truly Mobile-Friendly Responsive Menus

By webdesignerwall.com
Published On :: Wed, 01 Feb 2017 16:00:23 +0000

There are hundreds of ways to create responsive navigation, limited only by your creativity and the boundaries of what CSS can accomplish. Good responsive navigation is a little harder – a responsive menu must become a mobile menu, adhering to the needs and rules of touch-driven devices. Mobile design is rapidly changing, and so the […]


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Common WordPress Errors & How to Fix Them

By webdesignerwall.com
Published On :: Thu, 28 Feb 2019 11:00:47 +0000

WordPress is an amazingly stable platform thanks to the dedication and talent of the hundreds of professionals contributing to it, and the strict code standards they follow. Even so, the huge variety of themes, plugins and server environments out there make it difficult to guarantee nothing will ever go wrong. This guide will help you […]


The post Common WordPress Errors & How to Fix Them appeared first on Web Designer Wall.


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Upper Yosemite Falls & Half Dome Moonbow

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Tue, 16 May 2017 00:01:58 +0000

This past week was the optimal time to photograph moonbows in Yosemite Valley. I revisited photographing the moonbow at Upper Yosemite Falls as I had last year, but this time there was considerable more water and as a result the moonbow (rainbow by moonlight) was more easily seen. It was considerably larger, more vivid in color and wider arching. Conditions were great and at times a little too good as the 3 cameras I set up were completely drenched. If you’d like to read about what it took to get this photo be sure to check out my last blog post, Upper Yosemite Falls Moonbow – Getting The Shot, as it goes into a lot of detail about the hike and the challenges I faced.  If you’re curious about gear and settings this was taken with a Canon 5D Mark IV and Canon 11-24mm f/4 lens. Settings were ISO 640, 15 seconds at f/4.


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Motorola Moto X complete guide

By unlimitedcellphoneplansblog.wordpress.com
Published On :: Mon, 07 Mar 2016 12:09:50 +0000

Got a brand new Motorola Moto X but not sure how to do something on it? Fear not as we’ve put together a comprehensive guide to get your started. Scroll through or navigate using the links below, and if you’ve got a query and we havne’t covered it, let us know. Leave us a comment … Continue reading Motorola Moto X complete guide →


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Motorola Moto G Complete Guide

By unlimitedcellphoneplansblog.wordpress.com
Published On :: Mon, 07 Mar 2016 12:11:22 +0000

Got a Motorola Moto G but not sure how to do something on it? Not to worry as we’ve come up with a comprehensive guide for all the things your handset is capable of doing. Navigate using the links below or download the full guide by clicking on the PDF logo. If you can’t find … Continue reading Motorola Moto G Complete Guide →


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Giant Icebergs Play Key Role in Removing CO2 From the Atmosphere

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Tue, 12 Jan 2016 11:25:29 +0000

By The University of Sheffield Giant icebergs leave trail of carbon sequestration in their wake – a month after they have passed Geographers analysed 175 satellite images of ocean colour which is an indicator of phytoplankton productivity at the ocean’s … Continue reading →


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The Mosquito Gap

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Wed, 28 Mar 2018 20:51:54 +0000

By Sarah Anderson Other Words How poverty, climate change, and bad policy put poor people at greater risk from pest-borne diseases. OK, I admit it, I’m a freeloader. My neighbors asked if I’d go in on a mosquito control service … Continue reading →


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9 Ways To Start Promoting Your Content Now

By justcreative.com
Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2020 04:10:18 +0000

Your ability to create and promote content is critical to your business' success. Here are 9 ways to set up a framework for content promotion immediately.


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Creative Ways To Earn Extra Money In Your Downtime

By icanbecreative.com
Published On :: Wed, 11 Mar 2020 08:31:20 PDT

Many people have regular jobs that they love, and which enable them to use their creative skills to make money. This could be anything from coding video games to being an expert in SEO or designing...


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How The Neumorphism / Skeuomorphism UI Trend Is Getting Shape

By icanbecreative.com
Published On :: Fri, 13 Mar 2020 09:47:53 PDT

The new UI trend known as Neumorphism (with Skeuomorphism roots) has gotten a more consistent shape in the last period, is another beautiful approach to design user interfaces that look soft and is...


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  • Design Roud-up
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Which Programming Language Should Mobile Developers Choose?

By icanbecreative.com
Published On :: Fri, 27 Mar 2020 08:11:50 PDT

When building new apps, the most important thing developers must decide is which language to program in. There are several languages out there, and some are preferred for certain operating...


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Famous Hope Quotes as Charts

By flowingdata.com
Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 07:18:08 +0000

I thought we (i.e. me) could use a break, so I made these abstract charts to represent the most popular quotes about hope.

Tags: ,


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How to Foster Real-Time Client Engagement During Moderated Research

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:00:00 -0500

When we conduct moderated research, like user interviews or usability tests, for our clients, we encourage them to observe as many sessions as possible. We find when clients see us interview their users, and get real-time responses, they’re able to learn about the needs of their users in real-time and be more active participants in the process. One way we help clients feel engaged with the process during remote sessions is to establish a real-time communication backchannel that empowers clients to flag responses they’d like to dig into further and to share their ideas for follow-up questions.

There are several benefits to establishing a communication backchannel for moderated sessions:

  • Everyone on the team, including both internal and client team members, can be actively involved throughout the data collection process rather than waiting to passively consume findings.
  • Team members can identify follow-up questions in real-time which allows the moderator to incorporate those questions during the current session, rather than just considering them for future sessions.
  • Subject matter experts can identify more detailed and specific follow-up questions that the moderator may not think to ask.
  • Even though the whole team is engaged, a single moderator still maintains control over the conversation which creates a consistent experience for the participant.

If you’re interested in creating your own backchannel, here are some tips to make the process work smoothly:

  • Use the chat tool that is already being used on the project. In most cases, we use a joint Slack workspace for the session backchannel but we’ve also used Microsoft Teams.
  • Create a dedicated channel like #moderated-sessions. Conversation in this channel should be limited to backchannel discussions during sessions. This keeps the communication consolidated and makes it easier for the moderator to stay focused during the session.
  • Keep communication limited. Channel participants should ask basic questions that are easy to consume quickly. Supplemental commentary and analysis should not take place in the dedicated channel.
  • Use emoji responses. The moderator can add a quick thumbs up to indicate that they’ve seen a question.

Introducing backchannels for communication during remote moderated sessions has been a beneficial change to our research process. It not only provides an easy way for clients to stay engaged during the data collection process but also increases the moderator’s ability to focus on the most important topics and to ask the most useful follow-up questions.


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CLI Equivalents for Common MAMP PRO and Sequel Pro Tasks

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Thu, 26 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Working on website front ends I sometimes use MAMP PRO to manage local hosts and Sequel Pro to manage databases. Living primarily in my text editor, a terminal, and a browser window, moving to these click-heavy dedicated apps can feel clunky. Happily, the tasks I have most frequently turned to those apps for —starting and stopping servers, creating new hosts, and importing, exporting, deleting, and creating databases— can be done from the command line.

I still pull up MAMP PRO if I need to change a host's PHP version or work with its other more specialized settings, or Sequel Pro to quickly inspect a database, but for the most part I can stay on the keyboard and in my terminal. Here's how:

Command Line MAMP PRO

You can start and stop MAMP PRO's servers from the command line. You can even do this when the MAMP PRO desktop app isn't open.

Note: MAMP PRO's menu icon will not change color to reflect the running/stopped status when the status is changed via the command line.

  • Start the MAMP PRO servers:
/Applications/MAMP PRO.app/Contents/MacOS/MAMP PRO cmd startServers
  • Stop the MAMP PRO servers:
/Applications/MAMP PRO.app/Contents/MacOS/MAMP PRO cmd stopServers
  • Create a host (replace host_name and root_path):
/Applications/MAMP PRO.app/Contents/MacOS/MAMP PRO cmd createHost host_name root_path

MAMP PRO-friendly Command Line Sequel Pro

Note: if you don't use MAMP PRO, just replace the /Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql with mysql.

In all of the following commands, replace username with your user name (locally this is likely root) and database_name with your database name. The -p (password) flag with no argument will trigger an interactive password prompt. This is more secure than including your password in the command itself (like -pYourPasswordHere). Of course, if you're using the default password root is not particular secure to begin with so you might just do -pYourPasswordHere.

Setting the -h (host) flag to localhost or 127.0.0.1 tells mysql to look at what's on localhost. With the MAMP PRO servers running, that will be the MAMP PRO databases.

# with the MAMP PRO servers running, these are equivalent:
# /Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql -h 127.0.0.1 other_options
# and
# /Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql -h localhost other_options

/Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql mysql_options # enter. opens an interactive mysql session
mysql> some command; # don't forget the semicolon
mysql> exit;
  • Create a local database
# with the MAMP PRO servers running
# replace `username` with your username, which is `root` by default
/Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql -h localhost -u username -p -e "create database database_name"

or

# with the MAMP PRO servers running
# replace `username` (`root` by default) and `database_name`
/Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql -h localhost -u username -p # and then enter
mysql> create database database_name; # don't forget the semicolon
mysql> exit

    MAMP PRO's databases are stored in /Library/Application Support/appsolute/MAMP PRO/db so to confirm that it worked you can

ls /Library/Application Support/appsolute/MAMP PRO/db
# will output the available mysql versions. For example I have
mysql56_2018-11-05_16-25-13     mysql57

# If it isn't clear which one you're after, open the main MAMP PRO and click
# on the MySQL "servers and services" item. In my case it shows "Version: 5.7.26"

# Now look in the relevant MySQL directory
ls /Library/Application Support/appsolute/MAMP PRO/db/mysql57
# the newly created database should be in the list
  • Delete a local database
# with the MAMP PRO servers running
# replace `username` (`root` by default) and `database_name`
/Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql -h localhost -u username -p -e "drop database database_name"
  • Export a dump of a local database. Note that this uses mysqldump not mysql.
# to export an uncompressed file
# replace `username` (`root` by default) and `database_name`
/Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysqldump -h localhost -u username -p database_name > the/output/path.sql

# to export a compressed file
# replace `username` (`root` by default) and `database_name`
/Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysqldump -h localhost -u username -p database_name | gzip -c > the/output/path.gz

  • Export a local dump from an external database over SSH. Note that this uses mysqldump not mysql.

# replace `ssh-user`, `ssh_host`, `mysql_user`, `database_name`, and the output path

# to end up with an uncompressed file
ssh ssh_user@ssh_host "mysqldump -u mysql_user -p database_name | gzip -c" | gunzip > the/output/path.sql

# to end up with a compressed file
ssh ssh_user@ssh_host "mysqldump -u mysql_user -p database_name | gzip -c" > the/output/path.gz
  • Import a local database dump into a local database
# with the MAMP PRO servers running
# replace `username` (`root` by default) and `database_name`
/Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql -h localhost -u username -p database_name < the/dump/path.sql
  • Import a local database dump into a remote database over SSH. Use care with this one. But if you are doing it with Sequel Pro —maybe you are copying a Craft site's database from a production server to a QA server— you might as well be able to do it on the command line.
ssh ssh_user@ssh_host "mysql -u username -p remote_database_name" < the/local/dump/path.sql


For me, using the command line instead of the MAMP PRO and Sequel Pro GUI means less switching between keyboard and mouse, less opening up GUI features that aren't typically visible on my screen, and generally better DX. Give it a try! And while MAMP Pro's CLI is limited to the essentials, command line mysql of course knows no limits. If there's something else you use Sequel Pro for, you may be able to come up with a mysql CLI equivalent you like even better.


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  • Front-end Engineering
  • Back-end Engineering
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Together We Flourish, Remotely

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Thu, 09 Apr 2020 08:00:00 -0400

Like many other companies, Viget is working through the new challenge of suddenly being a fully-distributed company. We don’t know how long it will last or every challenge that will arise because of these unfortunate circumstances, but we know the health and well-being of our people is paramount. As Employee Engagement Manager, I feel inspired by these new challenges, eager to step up, and committed to seeing what good can come of this.

Now more than ever, we want to maintain the culture that has sustained us over the last 20 years – a culture that I think is best captured by our mantra, “do great work and be a great teammate.” As everyone is adjusting to new work environments, schedules, and distractions, I am adjusting my approach to employee engagement, and the People Team is looking for new ways to nurture and protect the culture we treasure.

The backbone of being a great teammate is knowing each other and caring about each other. For years the People Team has focused on making sure people who work at Viget are known, accepted, and cared about. From onboarding to events to weekly and monthly touchpoints, we invest in coworkers knowing each other. On top of that, we have well-appointed offices where people like to be, and friendships unfold over time. Abruptly becoming fully distributed makes it impossible for some of these connections to happen organically, like they would have around the coffee machine and the lunch tables. These microinteractions between colleagues in the same office, the hellos when you get off the elevator or the “what’d you get up to this weekend” chit chat near the seltzer refrigerator, all add up. We realize more than ever how valuable those moments are, and I know I will feel extra grateful for them when we are all back together.

Until that time, we are working to make sure everyone at Viget feels connected, safe, healthy, and most importantly, together, even when we are physically apart. We are keeping up our weekly staff meetings and monthly team lunches, and we just onboarded a new hire last week as thoroughly as ever. There are some other, new ways we’re sparking connections, too.

New ways we're sparking connections:

Connecting IntentionallyWe are making the most of the tools that we’ve been using for years. New Slack channels have spun up, including #exercise, where folks are sharing how they are making do without a gym, and #igotyou, a place where folks can post where they’ve found supplies in stock as grocery stores are being emptied at an alarming pace.
Remote Lunch TablesWe have teammates in three different time zones, on different project teams, and at different stages of life. We’ve created two virtual lunch tables, one at 12PM EST and one at 12PM MST, where folks can join with or without their lunches and with or without their kids, partners, or pets. There are no rules or structure, just an opportunity to chat and see a friendly face as a touchpoint to your day.
Last Weekend This MorningCatching up Monday morning is a great way to kick off your week. Historically, I’ve done this from my desk over coffee as I greet folks coming off the elevator (I usually have the privilege of sitting at our front desk). I now do this from my desk, at home, over coffee as folks pop in or out of our Zoom call. One upshot of the new normal is I can “greet” anyone who shows up, not just people who work from my same office. Again, no structure, just a way to start our week, together.
Munch MadnessYes, you read that right. Most of the sports world is enjoying an intermission. Since our CEO can’t cheer on his beloved Cavaliers and our VP of Design can’t cheer on his Gators, we’ve created something potentially much better. A definitive snack bracket. There is a minimal time commitment and folks with no sports knowledge can participate. The rules are simple: create and submit your bracket, ranking who you believe will win each snack faceoff. Then as we move through the rounds, vote on your favorite snacks. The competition has already sparked tons of conversation and plenty of snack hot takes. Want to start a munch-off of your own? Check out our bracket as a starting point.
Virtual Happy HoursSigning off for the day and shutting down your machine is incredibly important for maintaining a work-life balance. Casually checking in, unwinding, and being able to chat about your day is also important. We have big, beautiful kitchens in each of our offices, along with casual spaces where at the end of any given day you can find a few Vigets catching up before heading home. This is something we don’t want to miss! So we’re setting up weekly happy hours where folks can hop in and say hi to each other face-to-face. We’ve found Zoom to be a great platform so we can see the maximum number of our teammates possible. Like all of our other events, it’s optional. There is also an understanding that your roommate, kid, significant other, or pet might show up on screen (and are welcome!). No one is shamed for multitasking and we encourage our teammates to join as they can. So far we’ve toasted new teammates, played a song or two, and up next we’ll play trivia.

At the end of the day, we are all here for one reason: to do great work. Our award-winning work is made possible by the trust we’ve built within our teams. Staying focused and accountable to ourselves and our clients is what drives our motivation to continue to show up and do our best. In our new working environment, it is crucial that we can both stay connected and productive; a lot of teammates are stepping up to support one another. Here are a few ways we are continuing to foster our “do great work” mantra.

New ways we're fostering great work:

Staying in TouchThe People Team is actively touching base with every employee. Our focus is on their health, productivity, and connection. These 1:1s have given us a baseline for how we can provide the best support for our team, from making sure they're aware of flexible work options to setting them up with the tools they need to be successful. We’ve delivered chairs, monitors, and helped troubleshoot in-home wifi issues. We are committed to making sure every Viget is set up for success.
Sharing is CaringWe’re no stranger to remote teams. We have four offices across the U.S. and a handful of full-time remote folks, and we’ve leaned on our inside experts to share their expertise on remote work. Most recently, ourData & Analytics Director, who has been working remotely full time for five years, gave a presentation on best practices for working from home. His top tips for working from home include:
  • Minimize other windows in remote meetings.
  • Set a schedule and avoid midday chores.
  • Take breaks away from the screen.
  • Plan your workday on your shared calendar.
  • Be mindful of Slack and social media as a distraction.
  • Use timers.
  • Keep your work area separate from where you relax.
  • Pretend that you’re still working from work.
  • Experiment and figure out what works for you.

Our UX Research Director also stepped up to share her expertise to aid in adjusting to our new working conditions. She led a microclass on remote facilitation where she shared best practices and went over tools that support remote collaboration. Some of the tools she highlighted included Miro, Mural, Whimsical, and Jamboard. During the microclass she demonstrated use of Whimsical’s voting feature, which makes it easy for distributed groups to establish discussion topic priorities.

Always PreparedHaving all of our project materials stored in the Cloud in a consistent, predictable way is a cornerstone of our business continuity plan. It is more important than ever for our team to follow the established best practices and ensure that project files are accessible to the full Viget team in the event of unplanned time off. Our VP of Client Services is leading efforts to ensure everyone is aware of and following our established guidelines with tools like Drive, Slack, Github, and Figma. Our priorities are that clients’ needs are met, quality is high, and timelines are honored.

As the pandemic unfolds, our approach to employee engagement will evolve. We have more things in the works to build and maintain connections while distributed, including trivia and game nights, book clubs, virtual movie nights, and community service opportunities, just to name a few. No matter what we’re doing or what tool we’re using to connect, we’ll be in it together: doing great work, being great teammates, and looking forward.


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  • News & Culture
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"In conceptual art the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work. When an artist uses..."

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:13:00 -0700

“In conceptual art the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work. When an artist uses a conceptual form of art, it means that all of the planning and decisions are made beforehand and the execution is a perfunctory affair. The idea becomes a machine that makes the art. This kind of art is not theoretical or illustrative of theories; it is intuitive, it is involved with all types of mental processes and it is purposeless. It is usually free from the dependence on the skill of the artist as a craftsman.”

- Artist Sol Lewitt on conceptual art.


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Adobe to forgo Flash plug-in for mobile devices

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Sun, 13 Nov 2011 00:04:13 +0000

Earlier this week, Adobe VP and General Manager Danny Winokur disclosed that the company has concluded that HTML5 is ”the best solution for creating and deploying content in the browser across mobile platforms.” The company said it would stop building Flash to run on mobile browsers. In a blog post on the new focus of Read the rest...


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Mobile Proxies: A New Era Dawns

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Fri, 08 Mar 2013 02:35:14 +0000

This week, Chrome For Android M26 was announced. It has the literally-awesome ability to record video via `getUserMedia()`, but enough about making Skype irrelevant. What’s even more interesting is the new data compression feature. Which, to be clear, is experimental, has to be switched on, doesn’t apply to secure (SSL) sites, and it’s only running Read the rest...


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METAL INJECTION LIVECAST #546 - Grandma Smoothie

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Tue, 17 Dec 2019 01:00:56 +0000

We kick things off talking about annoying holiday commercials. We discuss Christmas music this episode, and why Hanukkah lands on...

The post METAL INJECTION LIVECAST #546 - Grandma Smoothie appeared first on Metal Injection.


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  • Metal Injection Livecast
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The Best Free Zoom Backgrounds to Make Your Video Conferencing More Fun

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Mon, 06 Apr 2020 17:14:51 +0000

If you’re a remote worker, you may have plenty of experience with video conferencing as a way to communicate with clients, team members, or other colleagues. But with millions of additional...

Click through to read the rest of the story on the Vandelay Design Blog.


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Common traps in user needs research and how to avoid them

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Mon, 4 Nov 2019 07:31:22 GMT

Whether you call it a field visit, a contextual inquiry or a customer discovery interview, the goal of early stage research is the same: to uncover users' needs. Here are 5 mistakes I've seen crop up time and again in this kind of research.


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