Invitations are helpful tips that are displayed the first time a user opens an application or arrives at a new place. They suggest actions and guide the user to the intended functionality. A simple invitation can turn an otherwise discouraging first time experience into a satisfying one.
via decodering.
In particular, this passage does a fantastic job at articulating the hardest part of my job:
Removing dark patterns from any site involves a leap of faith. A company has to shift from a short-term quantitative measurement mindset to one that values relatively slow, steady growth of “warm fuzzy” qualitative things like brand image, credibility, and trust.
If you’re considering any sort of gadget for a loved one this holiday season, here’s a good place to start.
“I typically argue that it’s okay to diverge from conventions so long as the experience is intuitive and polished. If it improves things, even better.”
Code Cards, by Matt Raw
The Egg Nog Arrays pack, $14, shown above, actually comes with one card each for Python, Ruby, PHP, and JavaScript. I’m notoriously bad at giving cards with my gifts, but I think I will be breaking that habit this year.
Side note: Interesting to see how many sites are starting to use Twitter’s Bootstrap framework.
Seriously?! I just watched this movie last night.
Newly Found Alien Planet Could Host Life
The newly confirmed planet, Kepler-22b, orbits smack in the middle of the habitable zone of a star similar to our own.
Linus Dean’s hand-crafted typographic rugs are enough to make any type-loving designer swoon.
While Paul makes a powerful commentary on the balance of choice and simplicity, and its role in your success, his evaluation of In ‘N Out vs. Wendy’s burgers is downright deplorable.
“I was there because I just wanted to read something. Words. Black text on a white background, more-or-less. And what I saw — at a professional publication, a site with the purpose of giving people something good to read — was just about the farthest thing from readable.”
