As I sit in a sun-drenched corner, recharging my borderline introvert batteries, my head is swimming a bit. That’s the sign of a good conference.

Here are some instant insights from day 1 of An Event Apart Seattle. I’ve picked out the most salient point from each talk.

  • From Research to Redesign - Jeffrey Zeldman
    Research needs to be part of every project. We do this at ABN, but can do more.
  • Practical Branding - Sarah Parmenter
    “If you are using a slogan, you haven’t done the design work to tell your story in a better way.” It’s a good reminder that more words can be used to cover up sloppy thinking.
  • Onboarding for Any Situation - Krystal Higgins
    Find your ideal user and then trace the actions they took. Make those actions easier for all users.
  • Obvious Always Wins - Luke Wroblewski
    Navigation helps users determine “what the hell is this?” It sets up a mental model that aids comprehension and encourages usage.
  • Motion in Design Systems - Val Head
    Documentation saves future you time and effort.
  • Design Beyond Our Devices - Ethan Marcotte
    We don’t know the future of the web. Patterns are a way to limit the impact of infinite variability.

Stay tuned for more instant insights tomorrow and Wednesday.

Originally Posted on A Brave New