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Product Design Insights: Seven Great Reads for July

We’re back with another edition of Product Design Insights. Over the last month, our experts have been learning about upcoming design trends, security, and making products and services more equitable. We hope you find these helpful and inspirational. Happy reading!

6 ways you can make your design more inclusive and equitable

Recommended by: JP Holecka, CEO, Founder, Product Strategist

Creating equitable products and services is more top of mind for designers than it has ever been. As companies learn about racial and cultural biases, most are pledging or are actively shifting their internal processes to eliminate blind spots. InVision sat down with Jahan Mantin and Boyuan Goa, creators of the codified methodology, Designing for Diversity (D4D), to discuss the framework. The first of six tips from the experts is to pick a low-hanging-fruit type task as your starting point. Jahan says, “For things to shift, people need to believe that they can solve it.”

Putting security at the heart of program development

Recommended by: Cary Newfeldt, Director of Technology

Agile development has become commonplace among software engineering teams over the last decade. While some understand that DevSecOps and Agile development are two distinct concepts, others view the approaches as extensions of one another or the same. This breakdown leads to confusion around who is responsible for security, and at what point during development, it should be considered. This article looks at the key differences between Agile development and DevSecOps and how each compliments each other to help teams make more informed decisions around security.

Web design myths busted: old ideas & modern best practices

Recommended by: Gord Brown, Designer

With the rapid digitization of products and services, it’s no secret that good web design is critical in today’s digital age. When it comes to design, is it really all about looks? Does simple equal minimalism? Do CTAs and all important information need to be placed above the fold? This article debunks eight web design myths and provides best practices to help you update (or validate) your digital presence.

The lost art of injecting humanity into product design

Recommended by: Priscilla Ho, Lead UX Designer

Companies have long relied on product releases that tout new and exciting features to attract and retain customers. While incremental releases have been beneficial for companies, they don’t provide a lot of value for customers. In a society that champions customer experience, brands who prioritize minimal changes above real value will fall behind. As proof, the author quotes Gartner that nine in 10 adults say they publicly complain and stop buying from a company if they have a bad brand experience. This article discusses the problem with incremental updates and explains how companies can embrace purposeful design to become true partners in their customer’s lives.

Design trend: a new generation of image sliders

Recommended by: Gord Brown, Designer

Image sliders have been around for quite some time. There are mixed sentiments on the UX, UI, and general likability—merely Googling 'image sliders' returns some pretty contentious results:

  • "Image Carousels and Sliders? Don't Use Them."
  • "6 Reasons Why Image Sliders Are Bad for Conversions"
  • "Importance Of Homepage Sliders And How To Create Beautiful Sliders"
  • "5 SEO Benefits of HTML Slideshow"

This article highlights a new take on the traditional feature and will leave you feeling inspired to resurrect the element in your next web project.

What can designers learn from IOS 14 and macOS Big Sur?

Recommended: JP Holecka, CEO, Founder, Product Strategist

Apple recently launched iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur, and there are some significant (and exciting) changes. This article surfaces seven features to watch out for in the new upgrade that will undoubtedly influence UI design well into the future. One of our favourites is the shadows, textures, and 3d shapes that have been incorporated into the minimalistic design.

Are CMOs a dying breed?

Recommended by: Trevor Westerlund, Senior Business Development Director

As we move into an era where customer experience is of utmost importance, companies are beginning to rethink the purpose of chief marketing officers. At its core, marketing is brand management, which encompasses product innovation, pricing, distribution, and promotion. But as digital touchpoints with customers expand, there is a greater need for a more comprehensive strategy. Among the top replacements for the position are chief growth officers, and other titles, such as chief customer officer.

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