Design Tips for Developers

In this episode Wes and Scott dive into designing for developers - tips and tricks for improving your designs, and how to up your game in small ways that will have a big impact on your projects.

Sanity.io - Sponsor

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Mlab - Sponsor

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Show Notes

6:18 - General Design Tips

• Spacing is important

• Using patterns and textures

• Use subtle gradients

  • ColorSpace

• Use subtle drop shadows

  • Multiple shadows on one element can have a nice effect

• Don't use true black and white (e.g. #000 or #fff) - use softer variation of black and white

  • Use CSS Variables for custom blacks and whites
  • CSS default colors are almost always too harsh

• Default browser UI is almost never the best UI

  • Select elements, radio buttons, checkboxes, etc. can all be styled - it's no fun, but way better than it’s ever been

40:22 - UX Design & Animation

• Don't use animations when not necessary
• Subtle scale/transitions on hover can be a nice effect
• Particles.js

• Patagonia's Bears Ears

• CSS transitions vs Physics based

51:30 - How To Get Better

• Follow UI-themed Instagram accounts
• siteInspire
• Dribbble
• UISources

• Follow Steve Schoger

• Find a free mockup and build it out pixel for pixel

• Take time to challenge what you think is possible or doable technically and creatively

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