This isn't really a blog.
Every week we get together as a team and share articles we’ve been reading for our own enrichment. Topics include challenges our clients are facing, new industry developments, awesome work by others, or just pieces too funny NOT to share.
Below you’ll find those articles, plus a few of our own, that we’ve put together based on insights we’ve gained throughout our time in the industry.
Why it’s worth checking out:
Mockups exist to show your designs in action, but too often they’re shown in a perfect world. In reality, your designs will face lots of challenges: wind, rain, time, graffiti, or even failing information carriers. Those unfortunate real-life situations are collected in Fockups, aka the funniest, most realistic design mockups you’ll ever see.
Why it’s worth checking out:
There is a lot of coverage on browser devtools just exclusively focused on Chrome. This attempts to fix that by comparing and contrasting devtool features across major browsers.
There are many CMS options out there, but our go-to was, is, and will (probably) always be WordPress. Here’s why.
Why it’s worth checking out:
Created by Alvaro Trigo, this awesome resource generates easy CSS shadow gradients. Select your colors and spreads and copy the code with a click – all that’s left is to enjoy the beauty these snazzy shadows bring to your site.
Why it’s worth checking out:
Summer is fast approaching, making it the perfect time to finish out your (digital) spring cleaning! From auditing your site for outdated content to analyzing and optimizing your page views, here are three easy ways to brush up your website.
Feel like you’re seeing cartoony brand imagery everywhere you look? You’re not alone. Learn more about the differences between raster and vector images and why you may choose one or another for your brand.
Why it’s worth checking out:
Upgrade your company’s About page with these easy tips and tricks. Gill Andrews outlines things to avoid, tips to keep in mind when differentiating yourself, and even provides actionable examples to show you how to write it right.
Why it’s worth checking out:
Not even well-established best practices are immune from falling by the wayside. You’ll want to learn what Unbounce discovered when they explored whether or not including a video on your landing page boosts your conversion rate. Turns out, videos do not boost your landing page conversion rates—and in some cases, they might even harm them.
Why it’s worth checking out:
Doing keyword research before publishing a page, blog, or post is not a one-size-fits-all situation. The folks at SparkToro broke down the basics of KWR—and their tips for social definitely made us stop and #thinkaboutit.
Why it’s worth checking out:
Sure, triangles and hexagons are cool, but what about a more custom approach to your background design elements? CSS-TRICKS has (you guessed it) great CSS and SVG tricks to make awesome elements that are 100% one-of-a-kind.
We’ve found that when we embrace diversity, we build more usable and holistic solutions. Check out our guide on why inclusive design is always worth the effort.
Why it’s worth checking out:
“Exclusionary designs are often the result of ignorance and neglect, rather than intentional choices,” and it’s something we as an industry need to consciously work to overcome. This discussion with Kat Holmes, leading authority on inclusive design, lays out what happens if we don’t create inclusively and how to start to overcome this design deficit.