Quite the collection of design-related goodness this week. Everything from a site that just looks great to a talk that undermines some of the things that we hold so dear. Let's kick it off with a site that I found to be particularly enlightening, as well as a pleasure to read.
The psychology that explains how people interact with digital interfaces
I'll be the first to admit that I don't have much of a scientific background to my design practice. I do, however, understand that designers aren't the first group to study and be interested in what drives people. I really like how the content on this site breaks down psychology principles and directly related them to design patterns. I'm willing to be that there's something here for most designers.
Kleinschmidt site
Sometimes you just have to appreciate a nice site design. To be completely honest, I have no idea what this company really does, but I like what they have going on. They also made the excellent choice of working with the talented folks at One Design to bring it all to life. The site is a fantastic embodiment of good type, a dialed layout, and a brilliant mix of textures and imagery.
The End of Navel Gazing: a talk by Paul Adams
This talk may be called, "The End of Navel Gazing" but honestly it feels more like a punch in the gut. Mr. Adams really cuts to the quick, and calls out user experience designers on their bullshit. He questions how much designers really represent the voice of the user, and talks about the value of a less-than-viable product. Essential watching.
Wrap-up
Last month I mentioned a sign-up for a newsletter version of this post. Well here it is. I'm not going to send anything out this month, but if you sign up you'll get next month's links delivered right to your inbox.