Design

Tweetbot: The Best Twitter iPhone App

I have played around with a lot of Twitter applications for the iPhone. My least favorite one is Twitter’s official iPhone app and up until recently Osfoora was my favorite. However, Tapbot’s Tweetbot is now my favorite Twitter application for the iPhone, and I believe it is the best one.

The interface is very slick and they actually created a joyful experience using sound effects to enhance the experience vs. ruining it. If you do not like it, you can mute it. However, Tweetbot has a few features that I have not seen done well in other iPhone applications:

Muting

One of the best features on Tweetbot is the mute feature. Do you ever have times when you want to mute someone you’re following because they are in a Twitter chat, watching a show or sport, or (like me sometimes) just tweets too much? Rather than unfollowing, Tweetbot has a mute feature, which you can actually set the duration you would like to mute them. Keep in mind that this only works on the iPhone app itself and you will see those tweeps in your timeline if you view on another app or the web. It is actually a feature that Twitter should implement themself.

Note: I actually did not mute Guy. This is just a screenshot

Lists As Your Timeline

This is probably my favorite feature. I can browse my timeline as different lists I have. If I am not in the mood to read all tweets from the 900 or so people I follow, I can simply select a list. The nice thing is when you dismiss the app, it will default back to that list you selected.

Drafts

Like the Wren app for the Mac, Tweetbot allows you to draft up tweets versus just posting like crazy. As I use Twitter more, I realize that I do not want to just shoot off thoughts out of the blue, but instead prefer to keep it on ice for a bit. The drafts allow you to queue them up.

Notes

Who are we kidding..this is an identical copy of notes for the iPhone. However, it’s great because it’s in app. I use this feature to write responses and jot down ideas of things I want to tweet about later.

Tweetbot overall is worth the few bucks to use or at least try out. I really rely on Tweetbot when I want a lighter viewing experience on Twitter. Sometimes my timeline is a bit overwhelming and I use Tweetbot for a more intimate experience.

You can download it on the app store here.

+ david
P 09/21/2011
t Design
CiPhone, Tweetbot, Twitter
9 No Comments

Inception As User Interface Design

Besides being sympathetic for Ken Watanabe getting his house blown up in every Christopher Nolan movie, the film Inception inspired me to think about the mind, as it relates to design for the web. I’ve always used the Internet as an analogy of this alternate reality or world where possibilities or limitless. This idea really resonated during the scene where Ariadne (Ellen Page) is solutioning the dream. I immediately thought about UI Design—what it took to architect something that would work for Internet users and the strategy of bringing that to them.

Planting the Idea

The initial concept, of course, is planting the idea in the mind. I don’t think it as much as “mind control” but more as “mind inspiration/influence” or user cultivation. I used to think that good UI design was dependent on what the viewer wants. But, is it possible to walk your viewer through your website to convince them that it’s what they want? Yes, but you have to make it believable and so seamless that the user doesn’t have to think about it. Keep in mind that the dream has to work for the target (how technically savvy is the user?).

Tip: Conduct functionality requirements gathering and user analysis.

Be Ready for Unexpected Variables

The picture above might explain it all. There are certainly things that will go wrong: variables that weren’t considered, bugs or changes in the need(s) of the user. It is my opinion that this is inevitable. What you can do is prepare to adapt and come up with new solutions to your ever-changing environment.

Tip: Be ready to adapt to unconsidered variables and make a list of ongoing bugs/issues.

Never build based on things you know

Another mistake people often make. Ever see designs/websites made by the same person that looks exactly like their previous work; as if it was just taken off the cookie cutter? The chances are it was, whether it was intentional or not. I found this trend in my work a few years ago and have tried really hard to adjust that.

In Inception, Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) tells Ariadne to never build dreams based on things you know—creating a separation of dream and reality.

The danger of building based on things you know is that you are creating based on your experiences, not your user experiences. Take time to jump into the mind of your personas and really think about how they would navigate through your architecture. When they built the dream in Inception, it was for their target, not them. This should not be any different in UI design.

Tip: Never have your previous work opened. Go back for reference, but like in the movie, create every instance organically.

Test the Solution, as the Target

The most common mistake designers make is to create something based on how they would use it. A health care company’s in-house Intranet site has many different needs/approaches than a social site. Keep in mind of who your target is.

Tip: Use friends/colleagues you know in the same industry as your personas.

Inception was a brilliant movie and I really enjoyed it. It inspired me and reminded me of “mind architecture,” which is something us designers really need to think of more. Thank you, Inception, for reminding me that we have more control over the mind than we sometimes remember.

+ david
P 09/06/2011
t Design
CInception, User Experience Design, User Interface Design
9 No Comments

Alberto El Mamifero Landing Page

Before you use some CMS for your landing pages or squeeze pages, consider writing it up in HTML/CSS on your own. Landing pages are intended to be quick sites that are quickly deployed for a specific purpose. For my friend Albert, we just needed a quick landing page to throw on there before we built the website. Try to simplify.

+ david
P 08/20/2011
t Design
CAlbert, Alberto El Mamifero, Design, Landing Pages, Web
9 No Comments

I want to build cathedrals

A day where I woke up at 3pm turned out to become one of the most inspiring days ever. I’ve had a really hard time sleeping in Barcelona and usually turn in around 5am each morning…yes, morning. My flexible work schedule and friends back home (timezone difference) are the reasons I think I’m staying up late.

I decided to spend the day in Gracia (which is my favorite neighborhood) to grab some food and walk around. Little did I realize I was so close to Sagrada Familia, arguably Antoni Gaudi’s most famous work. I quickly finished my tapas and worked my way over there.

I didn’t even need my GPS to know where I was…just followed the giant spires over the horizon. When I got there I was blown away. I’ve seen my share of Gothic and Baroque buildings, but never seen a Spanish Modernist church before. It looked like if minimalism and Baroque had a baby!

It took two hours for me to completely experience the structure and I even went up to the top. Here’s the thing I realized…

I want to build cathedrals.

Yes, I realize that Sagrada Familia is actually a basilica, but “I want to build basilicas” is a bit more ambiguous! Just roll with it, k?

This is the analogy I’m telling my colleagues at Xhatch. We need to build web apps as cathedrals. I am now convinced that Gaudi is one of the greatest User Experience Designers ever. Every element has been considered in how it’s made and what the user is supposed to feel in that instance. This is how applications should work too.

The other aspect is the quality and craftsmanship a cathedral takes. Now when I work on code for an app, I’m going to refine and refine, similar to those marble stairs I saw.

Every little detail has been considered.

I have never been so inspired in such a long time, and I will dedicate my life to build cathedrals, whether it is in the form of a web app or some other aspect of my life.

Thank you, Antoni Gaudi.

+ david
P 05/14/2011
t Design, Travel
CBarcelona, Gaudi, Spain
9 No Comments

Thoughts on Jason Fried's "Why the office is the worst place to work"

When I read Jason Fried’s article on CNN about how the office is the worst place to work, I wanted to cry and give him a hug. The 37 Signals Founder nailed it.

I worked remotely for a year before the company I worked for opened an office in Bellevue, WA. For the last five months, I’ve been traveling to work, usually 45 minutes to an hour both ways. In fact, I’ve been doing work emails, reading Jason’s article and writing this blog post while being stuck on a bus on I5 for the last 45 minutes—not even on SR 520 yet. Luckily I have weapons on the bus to get work done, but more often than not I wonder “How much work could I be getting done in my home office while I fight through traffic to just get into one?”

I’m not going to say the office is the worst place to work for everyone, but here’s a few thoughts from a designers perspective:

Sans-distraction
I don’t have cable, a spouse or kids for it to be a distraction. The most distracting thing for me is a 20 pound cat who needs to be fed, but that’s it. I live alone so there’s no distractions from having conversations with people. If I need something, I can reach my colleagues via phone, IM or email. When meetings are called, I simply dial in via Skype to take the call.

For Al Gore!
Let’s face it, working remotely helps the environment. Imagine if 25% of the people in Seattle worked from home and didn’t drive to work. Hell, imagine if 10% more did. Besides the enhanced focus of being at my home office (my setup) I am making a small environmental contribution.

Work the commute, don’t let the commute work me
Anyone who suffers from any condition like a migraine headache can understand how a rough commute can affect them. I usually get in the office after being stuck on a perpetually breaking bus for 45 minutes. Every time I get off the bus, my brain is pounding and I feel like I’m going to throw up. I get into the office and fire up my computer, get my tea or coffee. Yeah, I should sleep more, but man, I would kill for that extra 1.5 hours of sleep by being at home.

I would argue that the concern should be that working away from the office is TOO PRODUCTIVE, to the point where remote employees are actually working more than people at the office. This is contrary to the popular belief that remote employees have it easy.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the people I work with and like having an office to go to for meetings and using the tools provided for us. However, there is something really glamorous about agile collaboration. I am so glad Fried wrote this and gave this talk—very inspiring.

What are your thoughts?

+ david
P 12/07/2010
t Design
9 No Comments

New Twitter GUI Kit

When Twitter launch New Twitter (now just Normal Twitter I suppose) they drastically changed the dimensions of the design. A lot of Twitter users used to utilize the background space to brand themselves and provide contact information.

I didn’t see a GUI Kit for New Twitter, so decided to make one. This PSD is fully customizable in case you need to do a mockup of a Twitter background for yourself or a client, so you can change the tweets, times, colors and avatars if you wish. There are three different screen resolutions included so you can measure what screen size you might want to optimize for.

Download the New Twitter GUI Kit

+ david
P 10/10/2010
t Design
9 No Comments

My design equipment when traveling

When I travel and work, I try to keep things light. It’s less things to lose if the unfortunate happens and less things to carry. However, I still need some firepower to get work done efficiently. These are the things I take with me:

Belkin Mini Surge Protector Dual USB Charger. For about ten bucks, this is the best charger money can buy. With three plugs and two USB chargers, this little guy can charge everything you carry, including letting someone plug into yours as well (that’s what she said).

32 GB iPad. I don’t need the iPad when I travel, but it’s certainly nice to have when I want to kill time on the plane to read, browse on the web or watch a movie. Most of the time I need a fully powered laptop as I land so it’s better to use the iPad battery first before I bust out the big gun.

11″ MacBook Air. I made some tweaks to mine. Well, Damon and I both did—increasing the RAM to 4 GB. The reason I take the Air over the MacBook Pro when traveling is that it’s lighter and has more battery life. In a quick mission, a commando is going to take the MP5, not the heavy M16.

Moleskine Squared Notebook ($17.95). Notice how soldiers still carry a combat knife despite carrying other weapons? The reason is they need something practical and essentially unlimited use. This 240 page notebook is plenty for me to take any notes or draw.

H&M Man Bag Thingy ($20). It’s amazing that a $20 bag can fit everything I need to work without the need to carry everything with me. I absolutely love this bag. The only thing I would suggest is put some padding in there to protect your laptop and other electronic equipment. Another advantage is you can just roll this bag up and put it in another bag for traveling.

Bose IE2 Headphones ($99.95). Hey look, an IE I like! Of course all Bose products are a bit more spendy but these are great to use. I like the headphone volume control so I can use it on my Mac or iPhone for having calls.

+ david
P 05/10/2010
t Design, Travel
9 No Comments