rethink.fm

Sometimes, product teams or clients can be too focused on output or features. This is a problem, because you can end up becoming a feature factory, without knowing if the user really benefits from these new features.

If you want to avoid endless iterations of a design with clients or developers, it’s time to start focusing on outcome instead of output. In this episode, we discuss our experience with clients or teams focusing too much on output.

In this episode, we discuss our learnings and experience from working as a team, after decades of working solo. What are the pro’s & cons? What tools do we use to collaborate online and remote?

In episode 31, Cathi, Jackie & Monique talk about user-centered design practices. This podcast is based on the talk Cathi did for the GoDaddy online event Expand 2021. Listen in and learn from our mistakes.

YouTube recording of Cathi’s talk for GoDaddy’s online event Expand 2021

In episode 30, Cathi, Jackie & Monique discuss designer-isms. As designers, we tend to use too much jargon. This episode is based on the article we wrote for UXATT (link below), where we wrote about 15 design terms. We talk about why you should avoid jargon. And give suggestions on how you could speak about the same thing in plain language. And yes, we need to get better at it too.

In episode 29, Cathi, Jackie & Monique discuss the value of UX research. Many designers, including larger agencies, have difficulties ‘squeezing’ user research into a project, because clients prefer to immediately jump to the visual part of design. But what is the value of UX research?

In episode 28, Cathi, Jackie & Monique talk about how you can approach usability on digital products in a systematic way. We also introduce and explain our usability model, a pyramid that is based on the foundation of performance, accessibility and security. Listen now or read the transcript in the show notes to learn more.

In episode 27, Cathi, Jackie & Monique talk about Web Stories for WordPress. Google recently released this plugin in Beta. With Web Stories, you can create visually immersive and engaging content. In this podcast, we look at the plugin from a design perspective. Who can benefit from this way of publishing content? What does it mean for accessibility? How is the overall editing experience? And why should you use this open source alternative, rather than use what’s already out there, like Instagram Stories? We answer all these questions and more in this episode of the Rethink.fm podcast.

Other ways to publish stories in the include: Web Stories, Tapable HQ, Make Stories, Ampstor, Visual Stories

In episode 26, Cathi, Jackie & Monique discuss: What is good digital design? We take you back to the 80s and talk design for print. From there we touch on some design changes over the years and discuss how we work now. We also talk about the design of lawnmowers and Monique will tell you why she thinks Apple products like the magic mouse and the iPhone 11 are examples of bad design.  Listen now through your favorite podcast software, or read the transcript at the bottom.

In this episode, Jackie D’Elia introduces the new co-hosts for the rethink.fm podcast: Cathi Bosco and Monique Dubbelman. The podcast continues in a new format, focusing more on design and user experience, both in and outside the WordPress ecosystem. Please find the transcript of the podcast at the bottom of this post.

While we’re redesigning this website to fit our new branding, please learn more about the new co-hosts for rethink.fm.

I’m Cathi and I’m a Connecticut based UX Architect. I’m really excited to be part of this! Since we all bake, it’s also a baking support group!

Cathi’s Business Website

Hi I’m Jackie, the founder of this podcast. In another life, I could have been Rizzo from Grease.

Jackie’s Personal Website

Hi, I’m Monique and I’m one of the inventors of Dutch Directness! (Or is it in our dna?).

Monique’s Business Website

Or contact us via UXATT.com

In this episode, Diane Kinney and I are talking about Page Builders and Advanced Custom Fields Pro. There are a variety of tools available when it comes to building a WordPress website – and choosing the right tool for the job — can sometimes leave you feeling overwhelmed. No worries, Diane puts it all in perspective and provides some useful tips on choosing a page builder.

Yes, I’m a mega WordPress nerd and I’d love to share the things I’ve learned in the last 17 years of building both simple and complex sites.

Diane’s Business Website: The Versatility Group

Advanced Custom Fields Pro

Beaver Builder

Page Builder Critical Review by Pippin Williamson