Since paper receipts aren’t very useful these days, I’ve been choosing recently to have my receipts emailed to me. The other week I filled out my email address on a Square checkout device at my local coffee house (Atomic Cafe) and didn’t think much of it. But when I read the email receipt later I […]

Continue Reading: In detail: Square’s email receipt and feedback flow

The fundamental purpose of an article page is to read the article, not read or click on something else.

Continue Reading: Breaking the fundamentals

There are two things that every designed screen must do well: describe the current step and describe the next step. It’s as simple…and hard…as that.

Continue Reading: Designing for the Next Step

Why the counter-intuitive removal of sign-up actually helps you focus on your user’s goals.

Continue Reading: More on Burying the Sign Up Button

Kind of impossible to separate the skills of interface design and copywriting.

Continue Reading: Interface design is copywriting

The fastest way to improve your interface is to improve your copy-writing.

Continue Reading: Writing Microcopy

Jason Fried on editing interfaces. He says:

“What matters is the editing. Software needs an editor like a writer needs an editor or a museum needs a curator. Someone with a critical eye and the ability to say “No, that doesn’t belong” or “There’s a better way to say this.” Physical constraints create natural limits for books and museums. Books have pages and museums have wall space. Software, on the other hand, is virtual, boundless.”

I completely agree with Jason on this. You need someone pushing back as much as you need someone pushing forward. You need, not necessarily a critical eye, but a concerned eye that isn’t colored with the effort of creation. A creator is almost never equipped to be objective about their creation. (nor should they be)

Continue Reading: Interfaces need editors