Right now we’re in the midst of a digital renaissance. With the rise of startups and transformative tech companies like Apple and Google, the user’s experience has never been more important. That means that the humble designer is suddenly essential to the experiences of billions of people. And we designers have risen to the challenge. As a young designer, I delighted in exploring new tools, developing my processes, and working with cohesive design teams. I spent hours crafting my skills, from wireframing to sketching, and even attempting to master Photoshop’s innumerable keyboard shortcuts. I figured the more skills I had, the more techniques I knew, the better designer I’d become, right? Wrong. As I got older and gained experience, I realized that none of these things were the main contributing factors to great UX design. Despite the rapid rise of fancy new tools, it became more and more clear to me that the secret to creating great user experiences lies in something more fundamental: the ability to listen. After all, the foundation of great design doesn’t start on an art board; it starts with a problem.

Usability testing is sometimes one of those things that designers conveniently ‘forget’ about. Why? Well do a search for it. Usability testing, as it is generally practiced, costs money. There are interviews to perform, a variety of tests to create for each and every project, services to pay for… and what if your client’s in another country? Or what if they’re a small business with a small budget, or a brand-new startup? What if the only reason you learned web design in the first place was to build your own site? Check your wallet. Can you pay for classic usability testing? It’s not uncommon for advice written about usability testing to assume that you’re working on a “big project” for a client that can afford the fancy stuff. Even the articles that talk about testing on a budget will often refer you to paid services. Simply put, there are times when any kind of paid service, on top of every other expense, is not an option. This, is usability testing for the rest of us…

Developing your logo is an essential part of your company brand. It works together with elements such as your website, collateral, brand promise, and marketing efforts to set the tone for your company as a whole in the public arena. And while this sounds simple enough, many logos tend to overshoot or fall short. Let’s see if your logo makes the grade and consider four essential rules for successful logo design. Before sharing the rules of logo design, let’s start out by grading the latest logo you’ve created. Spend a minute and answer the 14 questions below (you can do it in your head):

I’ve traveled to many art schools, being asked to review senior student portfolios, and speak on professional practices in the design business, and the one thing I always notice is the lack of direction in student portfolios. Even with professionals, there is often no idea what, or even how to present work to a client. Without senior level courses on portfolio preparation, or classes taught by those who have been out of the field too long to know current trends, it is confusing, and students are left with their own thoughts on what a client wants to see. The biggest misconception is you need printed, or live web pieces to show a client. To this end, as many professionals complain, students will do free, or lower paying work just to garner a few “professional” samples to say, “SEE! Someone has actually hired me.”  If you think about this practice, what students are actually doing is chipping away at their own future and the industry itself.

Having so many new websites and start-ups springing up every day, a high-quality, professional web site is no longer optional — if it ever was. If you want your company to be taken seriously, let alone stand out, you need to have a design that is both memorable and professional. However, getting to that point can be difficult. With the exception of start-ups focused on design, most new companies are not founded by people who are naturals at Web design and few have much in the way of resources to throw at the problem. This can create a major dilemma for a startup, causing some to either push a non-designer into the role of Web developer or simply ignore the problem until they have more money and time down the road. However, if you want your company to thrive online, neither option is acceptable. So how can you get your new start up a professional web design that will get it recognized? There is no real secret to it, it is just a matter of hard work and making design a priority, but there are a few ways you can save both time and money getting to your end design goal.