Think you need to be a Pro motion designer to create incredible UI animations, micro-interactions and website transitions? Think again! All you need to know are the basic principles of UI animation and motion design and the latest modern tools that make it easy for any designer to do it! https://medium.com/media/c5a306d5d96f8015cb7e5bbc205bb70a/href UI animations like these are eye-catching and impressive! But more than that, adding the right animations can make for a more delightful, functional or informative user experience in our UI designs. In this complete guide, I’ll walk you ..read more

What I was taught in design school and what professional progression should be from a mentor’s point-of-view. Credit: Kari Bjorn “You’re all mediocre.” My lecturer pointed his nostrils at us and heaved a sigh of frustration. Atelier reviews didn’t go according to his plan and weak instruction, so unsurprisingly, he was put in a mad mood that day and decided to take it out on us. Being called ‘mediocre’; there is no bigger insult you can give to a group of young adults who choose, in our own free right, to pursue design as a craft knowing it’s an underpaid venture in a crippling expen ..read more

“The Chopsticks Dilemma” in Generative Images AI For the last few years I’ve been trying to develop my understanding of AI, taking courses on transformer models and exploring the depths of chatGPT and Midjourney prompts. However, on my journey, I’ve come across an interesting phenomenon which I’d like to coin as “The Chopsticks Dilemma”. But first, here’s a funny gag showing the dilemma. https://youtu.be/VaADDSuQqYE?si=cSPNotngNk3KznJB The Chopsticks Dilemma comes from the struggle for AI models to generate a realistic bowl of ramen, without a pair of chopsticks in the photo. Here are som ..read more

Stories from a seasoned job-hopper; amidst layoffs, challenging hiring conditions, and the pursuit of professional purpose Credit: Unsplash If there is one thing I have yet to master but strongly desire to, it’s flipping a pen between my fingers. There is nothing cooler (to me, anyway) than a creative who can do pen-hand tricks at their desk. Like wow, they must spend a lot of time with the contraption that dispenses ink on paper. If they do, it means they design a lot. If they design a lot, it means they’re good at it. While I do use a pen a lot, it’s mostly to jot down my to-dos on ..read more

In September of 2023, a multidisciplinary team of researchers from Harvard Business School released a paper about the effects of AI on knowledge, productivity and quality of outcomes. In this study, the researchers examined the performance implications of AI on realistic, complex, and knowledge-focused tasks with over 700 participants. In short, the study had two groups doing different tasks, these were classified as follows: Inside the Frontier of AI Capabilities Inside the Frontier: This group was tasked with working for a shoe company, creating a new product and plan. They used AI fo ..read more

Credit: Dave Herring Hello, Tinder. I’m here, inspired to write another UX article. This time, it’s out of spite. I was chatting to someone. The exchange was going quite well. They appeared genuinely interested in my hobbies. I was optimistic! Until right as I was about to send my next message… You permanently BANNED me. ??‍♀️ Poor communication Leaving me in the dark, you didn’t give me a reason as to why I was banned. After days of confusion I revisited your rules, spotting my infringement: I included my Instagram handle in my bio. I guess you thought that because I ..read more

The great resignation strikes once again, with some damage. Credit: Unsplash I went back to Singapore for the Lunar New Year with the intention of catching up with friends and loved ones, and did just that. So if you’re wondering why I was on hiatus (on top of my already busy schedule), it wasn’t because I got depressed or got into some sort of trouble. It’s because I was having fun stuffing my face with pineapple tarts. I wish my life were more dramatic. (Not really) Anyway, I was out collecting stories, listening to people, playing a journalist if you will. Now, I am not a sen ..read more

And how can we fix it. Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash In the current landscape of design and tech industries, the process of hiring designers is fraught with inefficiencies, opaque practices, and more often than not, a lack of respect for candidates’ time and effort. Generally, as I explain what I personally see as the complexities of this broken system, I want to emphasize that it’s crucial to understand not just the implications for potential hires but also the broader impact on the industry’s culture and creativity. Endless Waiting to Start the Process The journey oft ..read more

Want richer conversations? Discover quick tips to transform your talks! Photo by Hrant Khachatryan on Unsplash Ever felt hesitant to answer a phone call, preferring the comfort of texting? With the rise of smartphones and messaging apps, voice conversations have become less popular, leading us to neglect this vital social and professional skill. As someone who once struggled with effective communication and learned from numerous missteps, I continuously aim to improve by observing, engaging, and questioning to uncover valuable insights. Even with accolades for my improved commun ..read more

AI & Design AI is going to reduce the demand for designers. Which areas will be affected? Which will survive? In recent months, designers have observed significant changes in the industry. On one hand, the recession is impacting many companies’ budgets, leading to rounds of layoffs. On the other hand, promising technological advancements, such as AI and spatial computing, are going to boost the industry. With tools that utilize artificial intelligence, the market is evolving and will continue to disrupt even more in the near future. A common question I often hear is: Can AI ..read more