Search the archive

AI PRESENTATIONS

Workppt can create a compelling starting point for presentations in just minutes. It has everything you need to create and refine content with advanced AI quickly and efficiently.

IMPACT STORIES: HOW BLOOM REPOSITIONED GINSTERS (2023)

By 2022, Ginsters faced a perception problem: widely recognized but associated with low quality and outdated imagery, it struggled to attract new customers despite a strong sales history. A strategic rebrand by Bloom in 2023 revitalized the brand through updated design, storytelling, and a more confident tone, resulting in major sales growth, improved brand perception, and successful product innovation aimed at younger audiences.

HOW SEMANTICS AND ARIA ATTRIBUTES SUPPORT ACCESSIBLE DESIGN

Accessibility issues stem from missing semantic meaning rather than visual problems, as elements may look correct but fail to communicate their purpose to assistive technologies. Proper semantics using HTML elements, consistent ARIA design patterns, and appropriate attributes work together to create interfaces that screen readers and keyboard users can navigate effectively. Comprehensive accessibility audits must test beyond visual appearance to ensure semantic roles match user expectations and that interactive elements behave predictably for all users.

DESIGN TOKENS FOR LINKS

Design systems face an architectural challenge when organizing hyperlinks within token structures, as links occupy a unique position between atomic elements that can exist independently or integrate into complex components. Two approaches emerge: treating links as semantic tokens (reusing text category tokens for flexibility and reusability) versus specific tokens (creating dedicated link namespaces for clarity and explicit purpose). The choice depends on system complexity, with semantic tokens being better suited for scalable systems that support multiple themes, while specific tokens work well for simpler systems with clearly differentiated link behaviors.

LUCA BJØRNSTEN REVELS IN THE SUGARINESS OF POP CULTURE IN THESE LUMINOUS PAINTINGS

Luca Bjørnsten, aka Nugget Brain, creates vibrant, nostalgic art that blends vaporwave aesthetics with childhood ephemera, drawing from 90s pop culture, meme formats, and everyday American scenes like gas stations and supermarkets.

WHY MENUS ARE DISAPPEARING IN MODERN UX

Traditional menus are disappearing from modern interfaces as designers shift from instruction-based to intuition-based UX that anticipates user needs.

FIGMA'S DYLAN FIELD WILL CASH OUT ABOUT $60M IN IPO, WITH INDEX, KLEINER, GREYLOCK, SEQUOIA ALL SELLING, TOO

Figma's IPO is unusual in that existing shareholders will sell nearly twice as many shares as the company itself. Founder Dylan Field alone is set to cash out over $62 million while still retaining 74% voting control thanks to supervoting shares. Major investors like Sequoia and Greylock are also selling significant portions, signaling strong expected demand. If the offering prices above the $25–$28 range, it could become 2025's largest IPO to date.

RADICAL NEW IPHONE 17 COLOUR COULD BE A FIRST FOR APPLE

The iPhone 17 is set to introduce Apple's most dramatic design overhaul in years, featuring a new model, the iPhone 17 Air, a redesigned camera for the Pro version, and a striking, light-reactive color inspired by iOS 26's "Liquid Glass" aesthetic. This iridescent finish marks a bold shift from Apple's traditionally conservative color choices, signaling a renewed push to "Think Different" amid recent criticisms.

GOOGLE SOLVES ITS PIXEL 10 LEAKS BY JUST SHOWING US THE PHONE

Google has revealed the official design of the Pixel 10 ahead of its August 20 launch, continuing the company's trend of previewing device designs before their full unveiling. It closely resembles the Pixel 9 but adds a notable third rear camera, likely a telephoto lens.

WE ASKED CREATIVES HOW THEY LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES. HERE'S WHAT THEY SAID

Creatives are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain well-being in the high-pressure 2020s, but many are turning to nature, movement, sleep, creative play, and intentional downtime to avoid burnout. Ahead of International Self-Care Day, artists and designers shared personal strategies—from setting boundaries to prioritizing fun and connection—reminding us that self-care isn't a luxury, but a vital part of sustaining a healthy creative life.

WHY UX DESIGNERS SHOULD CARE ABOUT MODEL CONTEXT PROTOCOL

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) enables AI systems to communicate with external tools and data sources, allowing users to accomplish complex tasks across multiple applications through a single conversation, rather than manually switching between isolated apps. UX designers must evolve from designing individual applications to creating intelligent workflows where AI orchestrates tasks across connected systems, requiring new design patterns like conductor interfaces and intent-based navigation. This shift represents a fundamental change in digital experience design, offering designers who understand MCP-enabled workflows significant career advantages as the industry moves toward more connected, AI-powered user experiences.

THE DEATH OF ACCOUNTABILITY: WHY NO ONE OWNS THEIR MISTAKES ANYMORE

Modern workplaces suffer from an accountability crisis where leaders and team members dodge responsibility, blame others, and prioritize self-preservation over honesty. This culture creates toxic environments where quality people clean up others' mistakes while finger-pointers get promoted, leading to decreased project quality, eroded trust, and organizational dysfunction. Building accountability requires leaders to model ownership of mistakes, establish clear responsibilities, document decisions, and reward honesty while actively discouraging blame-shifting behaviors.

DESIGN YOUR PERFECT SHADCN/UI THEME

Customize shadcn/ui themes by changing colors, typography, and layouts with a real-time preview.

SVELTEPLOT

A Svelte-native visualization framework based on the layered grammar of graphics principles.

RICELY DONE – FIRECACTUS REDESIGNS ORIENTE'S BRAND AND PACKAGING

To boost market share and reposition Oriente as a premium, globally appealing rice brand, Novarroz partnered with agency Firecactus for a bold packaging redesign featuring unified visuals, resealable color-coded tabs, and storytelling illustrations. The refreshed identity helped Oriente rise from sixth to third place in Portugal's rice market. There are plans underway to rebrand other Novarroz lines and expand internationally.

THE ARTIFACTS YOU NEED TO GET HIRED

A four-artifact system helps creative professionals get hired: a website as a digital calling card, a presentation for interviews, a PDF portfolio for follow-up sharing, and a resume as proof of work. Each artifact serves a different moment in the hiring process, working together to tell a cohesive professional story. The approach recognizes that these tools serve as conversation starters, designed to demonstrate thinking and spark interest in collaborative work.

FROM NETWORKS TO INDEPENDENCE: WHY MORE CREATIVES ARE MAKING THE LEAP

A growing number of creative professionals, driven by frustrations with bureaucracy and investor-focused priorities, are leaving traditional network agencies to establish independent studios. Former network employees describe how independence offers greater creative freedom, closer client relationships, and more meaningful work, all without the excessive layers of process. This migration reflects broader industry changes, including economic pressures, evolving client demands, and technology enabling remote collaboration, making independent studios increasingly viable alternatives to established networks.

CANVA CODE REVIEW: VIBE CODING MEETS CREATIVE USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN

Canva Code excels at producing visually stunning front-end designs with polished layouts and aesthetic appeal, outperforming ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude in visual execution during testing.

DESIGNING USER-FRIENDLY VIDEO CHAT INTERFACES: TRENDS AND BEST PRACTICES

Effective video chat interfaces prioritize user comfort and accessibility through minimalist layouts, intuitive controls, and inclusive features like keyboard navigation and captioning support.

APPLE'S TV APP GETS FRESH DESIGN IN IOS 26 AND TVOS 26, HERE'S WHAT'S NEW

Apple has redesigned its TV app for iOS 26 and tvOS 26, introducing a new Liquid Glass aesthetic that enhances buttons, menus, and player controls with a more transparent, immersive look. The update also brings vertical, theatrical-style poster art, improved content density to show more titles on-screen, and a refreshed app icon. These changes aim to improve both the visual appeal and functionality of the app ahead of major Apple TV+ content releases this fall.

THE WORLD ILLUSTRATION AWARDS 2025 SHORTLIST IS HERE, AND IT'S A FEAST FOR THE EYES

The Association of Illustrators has unveiled the World Illustration Awards 2025 shortlist. Featuring 200 standout projects selected from over 4,700 global submissions, the shortlist spans diverse categories including Editorial, Children's Books, Science & Technology, and Site Specific, showcasing contemporary illustration talent with judges praising innovation and technical brilliance. Winners across categories, with recognition for both New Talent and Professional entries, will be announced during a live broadcast on September 16.

UNILEVER OPENS AI-POWERED GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIOS

IPG Studios is establishing over 20 AI-powered graphic design studios called Sketch Pro within Unilever offices globally, aiming for 21 locations by 2026. These studios will create content for Unilever's home care brands using AI tools, such as Adobe Firefly, delivering assets up to three times faster than traditional methods. Unilever emphasizes that AI will work alongside human designers rather than replace them, with Sketch Pro handling execution while external agencies focus on strategic creative work.

UX JOB INTERVIEW HELPERS

Comprehensive resources and strategies for UX job interview preparation include practical guides, templates, and strategic question lists to help candidates prepare effectively. Key recommendations emphasize telling impactful stories about the business value of design work, asking strategic questions about team challenges and company direction, and using the STAR method when presenting examples. Rejection often reflects company circumstances rather than candidate shortcomings, encouraging persistence in the job search process.

TYRANNY OF OPTIONALITY

A 2010 Harvard study found that people experience greater happiness when focusing on current activities rather than letting their minds wander to other possibilities. This principle applies strongly to high-potential tech professionals who suffer from constant career optionality, mentally living in alternate career timelines instead of committing to their present roles. The research suggests that being present and committed to one's current career path generates more satisfaction than continually evaluating imaginary alternatives, even when those alternatives seem more appealing.

GENERALPUBLIC STUDIO DRAWS FROM FRENCH APOTHECARY LEGACY IN ITS BOTANICAL IDENTITY FOR APOTICARI

GeneralPublic Studio crafted a visual identity for Apoticari that blends traditional apothecary aesthetics with a modern sensibility. Drawing on the Hôtel-Dieu's heritage of botanical care for pilgrims, the design combines expressive and neutral typography, custom plant illustrations, disciplined layouts, and natural-toned materials to create packaging that feels both authentic and contemporary.

CREATE INSTANT SITES FOR EVERYTHING

Faces is an instant site generator that replaces plain, rigid formats for decks, invitations, reports, proposals, and more.

FREE COLLECTION OF EDITABLE SVGS

SVG Doodles is a free collection of various editable SVGs to enhance your designs.

IOS 26 APP ICON MOCKUP GENERATOR

A mockup generator that helps designers create beautiful app icon mockups and showcase their app icons on the iPhone 16 Pro with iOS 26 home screen and wallpapers.

HOW TO INTEGRATE AI AGENTS INTO YOUR UX RESEARCH PROCESS

AI agents can enhance UX research by automating time-consuming tasks like participant recruitment, data transcription, and analysis while preserving human insights and quality. These tools support the entire research process, from planning and data collection to generating insights and creating reports, enabling teams to work more efficiently without compromising research integrity. Success requires maintaining human oversight, prioritizing data ethics, and using AI as a collaborative partner rather than a replacement for human researchers.

HOW WILL AI IMPACT THE NEXT GENERATION OF DESIGNERS?

AI models like ChatGPT and Gemini will fundamentally reshape design for future generations who grow up with these tools as standard. Current AI image generators already compete with human artists, while raising concerns about whether new designers will learn fundamental principles of color, typography, and accessibility. The technology may increase productivity, but could reduce creative control, transforming designers into prompt engineers rather than creative professionals who perfect details and guide project direction.

HOW TO DESIGN EXPRESSIVE POSTERS USING ICONS

Icons serve as powerful design tools that can transform basic poster concepts into expressive, dynamic compositions through intentional use and creative layering.

IPHONE 17 PRO COULD GET EXCLUSIVE NEW ANTI-REFLECTIVE DISPLAY

A new rumor suggests the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will feature an exclusive anti-reflective, scratch-resistant display, following successful production yields - this upgrade won't extend to the standard iPhone 17 or 17 Air.

HAPPINESS IS… A STAMP COLLECTION: ROYAL MAIL CELEBRATES 75 YEARS OF PEANUTS

Royal Mail is celebrating Peanuts' 75th anniversary with a nostalgic stamp collection featuring Schulz's beloved characters in British settings, honoring the comic's enduring charm and emotional resonance.

FIGMA NOW SUPPORTS BACKEND INTEGRATION WITH SUPABASE

Supabase has launched a new integration with Figma Make that allows users to build fully functional web applications with backend capabilities directly within Figma. The integration provides authentication, database storage, API access, and secret management features for creating real web apps. Users can connect through AI chat or file settings, with all projects and secrets managed via the Supabase dashboard. The feature is available in open beta to all Figma Make users.

DISCORD'S VIRTUAL REWARD, ‘ORBS,' LAUNCHES OUT OF BETA

Discord has launched a virtual reward system called Orbs to the public after a seven-week beta period. The system, which allows users to earn rewards by completing ad-interaction Quests, generated millions of earned and spent Orbs during testing, resulting in a 16-fold increase in first-time purchases in the Shop, with 79% of participants having never made a purchase before. Discord is positioning Orbs as a scalable advertising model for potential IPO partners while potentially attracting non-subscribers to try Nitro services.

XAI IS HIRING AN ENGINEER TO MAKE ANIME GIRLS

Elon Musk's xAI has begun hiring for a “Fullstack Engineer – Waifus” role, focused on developing AI-powered anime companions like the goth waifu Ani and the violent red panda Bad Rudy. This effort is part of xAI's broader mission to build AI systems that deeply understand the universe—though in this case, that understanding extends to designing virtual girlfriends. While the company has many open roles, the move suggests xAI plans to expand its roster of emotionally engaging AI characters.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ICONOGRAPHY IN UI DESIGN

Icons serve as crucial visual communication tools in UI design, guiding users through interfaces while supporting accessibility and expressing brand identity. Effective iconography requires clarity, simplicity, and consistency to ensure users can quickly understand functions without relying on text explanations. Common pitfalls include ambiguous symbols, inconsistent design systems, and excessive detail that hinders scalability across different screen sizes.

COMMON DESIGN SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION MISTAKES

Design system documentation often fails due to poor organization, outdated content, unclear language, missing examples, and insufficient developer/accessibility guidelines. These issues lead to wasted time, inconsistent implementations, and fragmented user experiences across teams. Strong documentation requires a centralized structure, regular updates, standardized terminology, practical examples with code snippets, and comprehensive technical specifications, including accessibility standards.

AI IS KILLING MUSIC, AND DESIGN CAN'T BE FAR BEHIND

An AI-generated band called “The Velvet Sundown” fooled over a million Spotify listeners with its nostalgic '70s-rock sound, complete with fake backstories and imagery, sparking unease about the future of creative authenticity. The incident highlights a broader disruption across the creative industries, where AI's rapid rise is not only changing how content is made and consumed, but also challenging the very value of human creativity in music, design, and beyond.

gluten, no sugar. Get 20% off

CREATE SLIDES IN SECONDS WITH CHATGPT FOR POWERPOINT

Twistly is the fastest AI add-in for PowerPoint. Create stunning presentations from text, videos, PDFs, or notes directly in PowerPoint.

THE AI RESEARCH AGENT SIMULATING CONSUMERS

Atypica automatically builds personas, conducts interviews, and analyzes patterns to reveal the emotional and cognitive factors behind human choices.

WHY ARE BRANDING STUDIOS STARTING THEIR OWN TYPE FOUNDRIES?

Design agencies are launching their type foundries to meet the growing demand from clients for bespoke typefaces that enhance brand differentiation. Studios like D8's abcD8, Jessica Walsh's Type of Feeling, and Applied Systems Design Studio believe their branding expertise positions them better than traditional foundries for creating brand-specific typography. Some new foundries are simplifying licensing by offering one-off fees instead of complex traditional agreements, though whether this business model will prove sustainable remains uncertain.

IMPROVING DESIGN CRITIQUES

Design critique is often misunderstood or misused across design teams, leading to confusion, misaligned expectations, and ineffective feedback. To fix this, teams should clearly distinguish between four types of feedback meetings—Design Critique, Design Review, Quality Review, and Design Shareout—each with its own purpose, participants, feedback type, and expectations, which helps improve design quality, alignment, and overall collaboration.

PIONEERING CLEAN ENERGY: NUCLEAR THROUGH DESIGN

Pininfarina Architecture collaborated with startup newcleo and Fincantieri to showcase next-generation nuclear technology at Venice Biennale's Corderie dell'Arsenale.

HYPERFOCUS: THE STUDIO BRINGING STRATEGIC DESIGN TO WHERE IT MATTERS MOST

Hyperfocus was founded to challenge the outdated notion that branding is merely visual polish, instead positioning it as a strategic, transformative force from the start of a project.

ANTHROPIC'S CLAUDE CHATBOT CAN NOW MAKE AND EDIT YOUR CANVA DESIGNS

Claude now allows users to create, edit, and manage Canva designs through natural language prompts. The integration utilizes Canva's Model Context Protocol server and requires both paid Canva and Claude accounts, at $15 and $17 per month, respectively. This marks Claude as the first AI assistant that supports Canva workflows through MCP. A new integrations directory is being launched to showcase available third-party tools.

NEXTDOOR REDESIGNS APP WITH AI RECOMMENDATIONS, LOCAL NEWS, AND REAL-TIME EMERGENCY ALERTS

Nextdoor has launched a major redesign of its app, introducing real-time emergency alerts, local news partnerships with over 3,500 publishers, and an AI-powered recommendation tool called "Faves" that draws on 15 years of user conversations. The updates aim to reverse declining engagement by positioning the platform as a practical, hyperlocal utility rather than just a social network. CEO Nirav Tolia emphasized that Nextdoor's value lies in its ability to deliver personalized, neighborhood-specific information that can't be found on broader platforms like Google or ChatGPT.

UNLOCK GSAP-POWERED MOTION — VISUALLY IN WEBFLOW

Webflow launched a new version of Interactions, powered by GSAP, which enables users to create sophisticated animations without coding through a horizontal timeline interface. The update includes features like SplitText, staggers, and ScrollTrigger, plus the ability to reuse interactions across sites for improved workflow efficiency. The initial release will be rolled out to all Webflow users by the end of July at no additional cost. More GSAP features have been planned for future updates.