Visual Design Articles & Videos

  • Design Systems vs. Style Guides

    Design systems are a set of standards (like Google’s Material Design or IBM’s Carbon Design System) needed to manage design at scale. Style guides (like content or visual style guides) are just one piece in a design system.

  • Visual Design: Glossary

    Use this glossary to quickly clarify key terms and concepts related to visual design.

  • Typography Terms: Glossary

    Use this glossary to clarify key definitions related to typography.

  • 7 Tips for Memorable and Easy-to-Understand Imagery

    A few relevant, high-quality visuals placed next to associated text can boost users’ comprehension of your content and its memorability.

  • The Picture-Superiority Effect: Harness the Power of Visuals

    People often remember visuals better than words. Designers can leverage the picture-superiority effect to make their products memorable and learnable.

  • What is Whitespace?

    Whitespace is an effective principle to achieve a balanced design, making it easier for your users to scan and read. Consider using a consistent spacing system and the proximity principle to achieve a balanced use of whitespace.

  • Skeuomorphism

    Skeuomorphism involves designing digital interfaces that imitate physical elements, reducing the learning curve for unfamiliar interactions.

  • 5 Common Mistakes Junior Designers Make

    There are 5 common mistakes junior designers make. They focus on the look instead of usability, commit type crimes, work outside of design systems, lack confidence when presenting their designs, and ask for feedback too often.

  • The Aesthetic-Usability Effect

    Users are more tolerant of minor usability issues when they find an interface visually appealing, and this effect can mask UI problems during usability testing.

  • Squint Test

    Use the squint test to identify elements that catch attention and assess the visual hierarchy in your design. Ensure high-priority content stands out visually.

  • Dark Mode: How Users Think About It and Issues to Avoid

    Dark mode is popular, but not always a critical feature. Users behave similarly without it. They think about it at the system level, not the application level.

  • Visual Design Hacks for the Non-designer

    Make your work look visually compelling by using these visual-design hacks: preexisting color palettes, cohesive icons, and grids for alignment.

  • Balance in UX Design: Symmetry, Asymmetry, and Radial Balance

    The kind of balance you use in your visual depends on what you want to convey. Symmetry is quiet and static. Asymmetry creates energy and movement. Radial balance leads attention to the central point.

  • Visual Design of UX Maps

    Don’t make a UX map pretty for the sake of making it pretty. Invest in creating a visual system for your map then testing it and getting feedback.

  • Visual Treatments that Improve Accessibility

    To design accessible visuals, account for color contrast, don’t rely on color alone, and make interactive elements easy to identify.

  • Clutter-Free Charts

    Clear out chartjunk (unnecessary visual elements) for a more minimalist and understandable data visualization.

  • Using Imagery in Visual Design

    When choosing images for your visual designs, match similar characteristics, balance high quality with adequate file size, prioritize information-carrying images over purely decorative ones, and provide robust alternative text.

  • What is Visual Weight?

    Visual weight measures how much design elements draw attention from the viewer. Objects that are bigger in size, simpler in shape, use dark colors, or have high contrast appear visually heavier.

  • Choosing Chart Types

    Pick a chart type that will help you make your point. In the vast majority of cases, use bar charts, line charts, or scatterplots.

  • Choosing a Color Palette

    Colors in an effective color palette work together, follow your brand’s color guidelines, and avoid overwhelming users.