Visual design takes a lot more work than just making things look pretty, and is a fundamental part of many user's experiences. Our digital design lead, Kelley Gordon, shares some practical tips for both designers and "non-designers" alike to strengthen visual designs and improve working relationships. 
Read more about Kelley Gordon here
Follow us on Instagram @nngux
Full-day courses and 1-Hour Talks referenced in this episode:

 Design Critiques: What, How, and When (1-Hour Talk)
 Web Page UX Design (UXC Course)
  Visual Design Fundamentals (UXC Course)


21. Making Your Visual Designs Work Harder For You (feat. Kelley Gordon, Digital Design Lead at NN/g)

The Nielsen Norman Group (NNg) UX Podcast is a podcast on user experience research, design, strategy, and professions, hosted by Senior User Experience Specialist Therese Fessenden. Join us every month as she interviews industry experts, covering common questions, hot takes on pressing UX topics, and tips for building truly great user experiences. For free UX resources, references, and information on UX Certification opportunities, go to: www.nngroup.com

Technology

Tech News

Podcasting

Gadgets

Software How-To

Expanding into global markets is a key priority for companies in today's interconnected world. While many companies rely on translations for their digital platforms, this is just one aspect of effective global expansion. In this episode, we're joined by Feifei Liu, International UX Researcher at NN/g. She discusses the importance of cross-cultural research and its role in helping organizations effectively expand into international markets while honoring cultural values and practices.
⁠Learn more about Feifei Liu⁠


NN/g Articles & Training Courses
Modify Your Design For Global Audiences: Cross Cultural UX Design 
International Usability Testing: Why You Need It?
Cultural Differences in User Research Facilitation 
Translate User-Generated Content For Global Audiences 
4 Ways to Support International Purchasers 
6 Tips for Improving Language Switchers on Ecommerce Sites


Other Resources
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory


Chapters
(0:00) Intro
(01:15) Cross-cultural UX research: What is it?
(06:57) Importance of cross-cultural UX research
(09:46) Factors designers and researchers need to consider when creating cross-cultural designs
(13:07) Example of a localized design (Australian pharmacy website)
(15:34) Developing a cultural lens
(18:42) Facilitating cross-cultural UX research
(25:19) Keeping up with cultural trends

39. Cross-Cultural UX Research (feat. Feifei Liu, International UX Researcher)

In this episode, we dive into User Interviews with Steve Portigal, discussing their critical role in product development and design research. User interviews, a qualitative method, involve conversations with users to gather insights about their experiences, behaviors, and needs. We discuss the benefits of this approach, such as deep user empathy and informed decision making, alongside common challenges like bias and recruitment. Join us in understanding when to use user interviews and how to get the most out of them.
NN/g Articles & Training Courses
User Interviews (full-day/2 half-day UXC course)
User Interviews 101 (free article)
The 3 Types of User Interviews: Structured, Semi-Structured, and Unstructured (free video)
When to Use Which User-Experience Research Methods (free article)
5 Facilitation Mistakes to Avoid During User Interviews (free article)


⁠Learn more about Steve Portigal
Interviewing Users (2nd Edition)  20% discount code: interviewing

38. User Interviews (feat. Steve Portigal, Research Consultant and Author)

AI is changing faster than we can sometimes process and will likely do so for a while. The recent tech layoffs have also not spared UX professionals, adding to the uncertainty about our future roles in this rapidly changing environment. While there is still much we don't know about AI, Don Norman, co-founder of NN/g, and Sarah Gibbons, VP at NN/g, share their insights on the future roles of designers, encouraging professionals to think big in the wake of AI's advancements.
Related NN/g Articles & Training Courses
Generative UI and Outcome-Oriented Design
AI as a UX Assistant
The 4 Degrees of Anthropomorphism of Generative AI
AI Chat Is Not (Always) the Answer
AI-Powered Tools for UX Research: Issues and Limitations
Prompt Structure in Conversations with Generative AI
Sycophancy in Generative-AI Chatbots
New Course: Practical AI for UX Professionals


Other Related Content
⁠Don Norman’s Website⁠

Chapters
0:00-1:12 - Intro
1:13-18:18 - What will design’s role be as AI expands?
18:18-23:15 - What is going to stay the same as AI expands?
23:16-end - Rapid Fire Questions 

Bonus Episode: Design’s Role as AI Expands (Feat. Don Norman and Sarah Gibbons, VP at NN/g)

Extended reality (XR) experiences hold the potential to transform the way we learn, work, and collaborate. Specifically, it can make educational experiences more interactive, engaging and ultimately drive higher learning outcomes. In this episode, we feature Jan Plass, who discusses the affordances of XR technology, provides examples of XR learning experiences and shares his expectations for its impact on the education landscape. Jan Plass is a Professor at New York University, Paulette Goddard Chair, and Director of CREATE. 

Learn more about Jan Plass:

CREATE Lab
Looking Inside Cells
On the Morning You Wake
Verizon AR/VR Learning Apps (i.e. Visceral Science, Mapper's Delight, UNSUNG, Looking Inside Cells etc.)


NN/g ARTICLES & TRAINING COURSES
Augmented/Virtual Reality vs. Computer Screens
10 Usability Heuristics Applied to Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality and User Experience
Emerging Patterns in Interface Design ⁠ (full-day/2 half-day UXC course)
The Design of Everyday Things


CHAPTERS:
0:00-3:13 - Intro
3:13-5:35 - What is XR?
5:35-8:54 - XR as a Learning Opportunity
8:54-12:19 - Examples of XR for learning 
12:19-15:30 - Evidence of Learning with VR Technology
15:30-18.51 - Can VR features Induce Emotions and Result in Better Learning Outcomes?
18:51-23.45 - Comparing UX in 2D and 3D spaces?
23:45-27:41 - Accessibility and Inclusivity in XR
27:41 - XR Development: The Role of Affordances

37. XR: Improving Learning Outcomes

The surge of AI is currently changing the way we work and live. To avoid feeling left behind, it is important to engage with and understand these tools. This is true for UX designers just as much as almost everybody else. In this episode, we feature Henry Modisett from Perplexity AI and Kate Moran to get two insightful perspectives on the current state of AI and its connection to UX.

Learn more about Henry Modisett
Learn more about Kate Moran

Perplexity.AI

NN/g ARTICLES & TRAINING COURSES

AI for UX: Getting Started (free article)
AI & Machine Learning Will Change UX Research & Design (free video)
AI Improves Employee Productivity by 66% (free article)
AI-Powered Tools for UX Research: Issues and Limitations (free article)
AI: First New UI Paradigm in 60 Years (free article)
Sycophancy in Generative-AI Chatbots (free article)
Information Foraging with Generative AI: A Study of 3 Chatbots (free article)
The ELIZA Effect: Why We Love AI (free article)
Practical AI for UX Professionals (full-day/2 half-day UXC course)


CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
1:43 Perplexity AI: History & Value Proposition
10:30 Perplexity AI: Next Steps & Future Developments
15:04 Making AI User Friendly: Generative Interfaces
24:33 Understanding AI as a Consumer Product
28:28 Mental Models for AI
30:41 An Outlook for AI
35:51 NN/g’s Role in the AI Movement
37:34 Anthropomorphism of AI
40:07 Dealing with the Fear of AI

21. Making Your Visual Designs Work Harder For You (feat. Kelley Gordon, Digital Design Lead at NN/g)

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