UX/UI Links of April 2020
Given the state of things, you might expect a dearth of good articles, but this month was the best crop I’ve seen in a long time. It was very hard to choose just 5. Thanks to all the authors writing great content to help rid the world of bad software.
The Pragmatic Design Manifesto

A design isn’t the product or website itself — it’s a way to communicate a user experience to those who will build it.
- Dave Feldman, VP of Product Design
I love pragmatic design. The Pragmatic Design Manifesto makes it actionable by providing 5 principles to abide by to prioritize delivery and user experience.
Product Manager + Product Designer: An Impactful Yet Hard to Define Tandem

They both have to understand business, technology and user experience.
- Nicolas El Azzi, UX Designer
What I love most about Product Manager + Product Designer: An Impactful Yet Hard to Define Tandem is that it shows the specific areas of overlap and non-overlap between design and PM roles. In a healthy organization, both should have one foot in the others’ world, without stepping on their toes.
How to Overcome Design by Committee

The fundamental problem hidden behind a design by committee situation is cultural.
- Jessica Gantier, Product Designer
It’s hard to find a middle ground between designing alone and including everybody. How to Overcome Design by Committee defines a clear path to it by focusing on evidence and design culture.
Why Friction Is Not the Enemy of Good UX

While friction can be seen as a road-block in some journeys, for others it provides a change of pace that is needed.
- Chelsea Thrupp, UX Lead
Reducing friction in UX design can have a powerful impact on usability, but sometimes it can go too far. Why Friction Is Not the Enemy of Good UX shows where friction points are actually a good thing.
Designing for a Crisis

Usually a scenario like, oh you know…a global pandemic might be considered an edge case.
- Paul Micheli, Product Manager
Designing for a Crisis is a unique story from a designer who worked on tools for outbreak treatment and also suffered the effects of COVID-19. It contains pragmatic advice on how to design for worst-case scenarios.
For more great UX and UI articles, check out the archives.
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