Software Design Patterns

🌎 Designing Cross-Cultural And Multi-Lingual UX. Guidelines on how to stress test our designs, how to define a localization strategy and how to deal with currencies, dates, word order, pluralization, colors and gender pronouns. ⦿ Translation: “We adapt our message to resonate in other markets”. ⦿ Localization: “We adapt user experience to local expectations”. ⦿ Internationalization: “We adapt our codebase to work in other markets”. ✅ English-language users make up about 26% of users. ✅ Top written languages: Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese. ✅ Most users prefer content in their native language(s). ✅ French texts are on average 20% longer than English ones. ✅ Japanese texts are on average 30–60% shorter. 🚫 Flags aren’t languages: avoid them for language selection. 🚫 Language direction ≠ design direction (“F” vs. Zig-Zag pattern). 🚫 Not everybody has first/middle names: “Full name” is better. ✅ Always reserve at least 30% room for longer translations. ✅ Stress test your UI for translation with pseudolocalization. ✅ Plan for line wrap, truncation, very short and very long labels. ✅ Adjust numbers, dates, times, formats, units, addresses. ✅ Adjust currency, spelling, input masks, placeholders. ✅ Always conduct UX research with local users. When localizing an interface, we need to work beyond translation. We need to be respectful of cultural differences. E.g. in Arabic we would often need to increase the spacing between lines. For Chinese market, we need to increase the density of information. German sites require a vast amount of detail to communicate that a topic is well-thought-out. Stress test your design. Avoid assumptions. Work with local content designers. Spend time in the country to better understand the market. Have local help on the ground. And test repeatedly with local users as an ongoing part of the design process. You’ll be surprised by some findings, but you’ll also learn to adapt and scale to be effective — whatever market is going to come up next. Useful resources: UX Design Across Different Cultures, by Jenny Shen https://lnkd.in/eNiyVqiH UX Localization Handbook, by Phrase https://lnkd.in/eKN7usSA A Complete Guide To UX Localization, by Michal Kessel Shitrit 🎗️ https://lnkd.in/eaQJt-bU Designing Multi-Lingual UX, by yours truly https://lnkd.in/eR3GnwXQ Flags Are Not Languages, by James Offer https://lnkd.in/eaySNFGa IBM Globalization Checklists https://lnkd.in/ewNzysqv Books: ⦿ Cross-Cultural Design (https://lnkd.in/e8KswErf) by Senongo Akpem ⦿ The Culture Map (https://lnkd.in/edfyMqhN) by Erin Meyer ⦿ UX Writing & Microcopy (https://lnkd.in/e_ZFu374) by Kinneret Yifrah

AI Prototyping 101: If I had to teach someone how to actually build usable products with AI, this is where I’d start. Here's the step-by-step workflow that feels like magic: — ONE - THE UNIVERSAL AI PROTOTYPING WORKFLOW No matter which tool you’re using — v0, Bolt, Replit, or Lovable — this is the backbone of a solid AI build process: 1. Start with Context AI works way better when it knows what you're working with. Figma files are ideal, they give structure and design language. If you don’t have those, use screenshots of your product. Worst case? A hand-drawn wireframe is still better than nothing. Without visual context, AI makes blind guesses. And you’ll spend more time correcting its “creativity” than building useful stuff. 2. Write a PRD (Yes, Even for AI) A simple .md file with a few bullet points on what you’re building goes a long way. Include: - What the customers want - What the feature does - Key user flows - Must-have functionality You can even ask Claude or GPT to write the first draft. But the better your input, the stronger your first output. 3. Get to Building Now open up your tool of choice. Start with a big-picture command. Then zoom in. Don’t say “Build me a dashboard.” Say: “Build a dashboard with 3 sections: recent activity, user goals, and notifications. Each should have X, Y, and Z.” Also, AI can handle technical stuff. So don’t hold back. Use real terms: auth flow, API call, state logic, it gets it. 4. Iterate Like a Builder, Not a Perfectionist Make one change at a time. Test it fast. Roll it back if it doesn’t work. This isn’t “prompt once and ship.” This is real prototyping. AI is just helping you move 100x faster. — TWO - TOOL-BY-TOOL BREAKDOWN (Complete walkthrough of the tools with screenshots, real examples, and tool setups is linked at the end.) So, let’s talk interfaces here. Here’s what each platform does best: 1. v0 - Figma import is seamless - Template gallery = instant jumpstart - Chat interface bottom left, live preview on right - Exports clean code and deploys fast 2. Bolt - Same vibe as v0, but more technical - Built-in Supabase integration with a terminal access - Deploys to Netlify in one click 3. Replit - This one feels like a real IDE - You get an “AI agent” to plan everything - Built-in chat, live console, multiplayer mode - Ships to a live URL, complete with CDN 4. Lovable - The most design-friendly of the bunch - Visual editing > code editing - Figma support, Supabase, live preview, it’s all there - Great for teams who want to stay out of code — I broke it all down - with screenshots, working examples, and use cases - in this full walkthrough: https://lnkd.in/eJujDhBV — All of these tools are powerful. But none of them matter if you don’t understand the workflow behind how to use them. Once you’ve got that down, you can ship real products in hours, not weeks.

🚀 Why Great UI Design Should Be Self-Explanatory "A user interface is like a joke—if you have to explain it, it's not that good." This quote humorously captures a crucial aspect of UI design, but its implications run deep. As designers, our primary goal is to craft interfaces that are not just visually appealing but also intuitive and effortless for users to navigate. Why This Matters: First Impressions Are Everything: The average user spends only a few seconds deciding whether they will engage with an interface or abandon it. A well-designed UI communicates functionality at a glance, reducing cognitive load and increasing user engagement. Intuitive Design Builds Trust: When users can interact with your design seamlessly without confusion or second-guessing, it builds trust. They feel confident in the experience, which translates to higher satisfaction and loyalty. Simplicity is Powerful: In UI design, less is often more. Overloading users with too many options or complex navigation can overwhelm them. Instead, focus on simplicity—prioritize the essential actions, and remove any elements that don't serve a clear purpose. The Role of Consistency: Consistency in design elements (like buttons, fonts, and icons) helps users form a mental model of how the interface works. This predictability allows users to navigate and interact with ease, reducing friction in their experience. Practical Tips for Creating Self-Explanatory UI: Conduct Usability Testing: Regularly test your designs with real users. Observing where they struggle can provide invaluable insights that help you refine the interface to be more intuitive. Leverage Familiar Patterns: Don’t reinvent the wheel unnecessarily. Users are accustomed to certain design patterns and conventions. Leveraging these can make your interface more intuitive. Provide Feedback: Ensure that the UI gives clear feedback after every user interaction. Whether it’s a button click or a form submission, users should instantly know the result of their actions. Empathize with the User: Always put yourself in the user's shoes. Consider their needs, goals, and potential frustrations. This empathy will guide you in designing interfaces that feel natural and easy to use. Remember, a great UI design isn't just about avoiding mistakes—it's about creating an experience so smooth and intuitive that users don’t even notice the design. It’s invisible in its efficiency. For aspiring designers: Mastering this balance between creativity and usability is key to creating interfaces that not only meet user needs but also delight them. Created By: Mumin Wani Follow me for more information: Ali Ahmed JavaScript Mastery W3Schools.com #UXDesign #UIDesign #UserExperience #DesignThinking #MadDots #DesignTips #Usability #InterfaceDesign #CreativeProcess #DesignInsights

When Apple Inc. launched the original iPhone nearly two decades ago, the concept behind the software interface was fairly straightforward: mimicking the real world. That design ethos, known as skeuomorphism, meant the Notes app looked like an old school yellow notepad and the Maps software resembled the paper versions you may have kept in your car before GPS devices. Over time, Apple took this idea further. It made its Game Center app look like a blackjack table, complete with green felt, and its Podcasts interface was a tape recorder from the 1960s. The iPhone and iPad were some of the world’s first mainstream touch-screen devices, and using old-fashioned objects in software design helped people learn how to operate them. But customers soon grew accustomed to touch screens, and referencing ideas from 50 years earlier no longer made sense. https://lnkd.in/gw6tdWyu

Design for thumbs, not just for eyes. When designing mobile interfaces, I always ask myself: Can users actually reach this… with one hand? Here’s the thing: 📈 49% of users navigate one-handed 📉 Only 15% use two hands That top-right corner? It might look clean on your artboard — but it’s a pain to reach in real life. So here are 3 quick rules I follow: 1️⃣ Primary actions → bottom right 2️⃣ Cancel/secondary actions → lower left 3️⃣ Important content → never buried in red zones Beautiful design should feel easy, not just look good. Have you ever tapped “delete” by mistake because of poor button placement? Let’s talk about intentional mobile UX. #uxuidesign #mobileux #usability #interactiondesign #uxprinciples #uxstrategy

Power BI Tip of the Day: Use Tooltips Pages to provide detailed context without cluttering your visuals. Tooltip pages allow you to design custom layouts for additional information displayed when users hover over a visual. 3 Use Cases for Tooltip Pages in Power BI: 1. Detailed Metrics View: Show a breakdown of sales performance by region or product when hovering over a summary bar chart, providing deeper insights without adding extra visuals. 2. Comparative Insights: Highlight year-over-year growth, forecast vs. actuals, or other comparisons in a tooltip when users hover over specific data points. 3. Data Storytelling: Create tooltips that include descriptive text, supporting visuals, and KPIs to narrate key insights effectively. Question: How do you use tooltip pages to enhance storytelling in your Power BI reports? #PowerBI

Did you know 75% of smartphone interactions come down to just scrolling your thumb on a touch screen? This means people don’t want to need both hands to navigate a mobile site. They want everything to be a thumb tap away. If your site is a hassle to use on mobile, people just won’t use it. As you think about designing your site, consider what thumb-only navigation, or "Thumb Zones," might look like. “Thumb Zones” are where users are most comfortable and likely to take action on a mobile device. You can see this in the diagram below (courtesy of Branding Brand), and includes the following: → Primary CTAs (like "shop now") in the primary zone. → Essential information and secondary CTAs (like “learn more” instead of “shop now”) in the secondary zone. → Controls to change the mode or initiate different tasks (including search, privacy policies, and navigation menus) in the tertiary zone. This reduces friction by establishing a hierarchy, keeping the subconscious engaged and it maximizes the “tappability” of your content. Now think about your current post-click landing pages and checkouts, would you change anything?

Good onboarding feels like a dialogue. Bad onboarding feels like bureaucracy. Like filling forms at the dentist 👀 I did a teardown of Attio and found 6 design choices that can make long onboarding feel more like a two-way street. And ultimately, more delightful, more fun 🤸🏼 : ✅ Breathing space, whitespace + hierarchy so steps feel light ✅ Chunking to MAX 1–3 inputs per screen ✅ Smart defaults: pre-fills, dropdowns, autofill, location ✅ Personalisation: reflect user data back (in fun places) ✅ Reassurance; explain why you’re asking for info, show control ✅ Reward: visible progress, seeded data, alive workspace at the end The result is that you can have (almost) any length of onboarding, and still make it feel like a breeze. Steps are outlined in this one-pager - enjoy! (I know the irony of me not using enough whitespace in this visual, there was just too much to say 🫠) #product #growth

Inclusive form design isn’t a luxury, it's a civil right. Most registration processes are forms based. Without accessible forms, people who use assistive technology can't get through the door. When we talk about submit buttons, the choice to make them active all the time isn’t about “just making things easier” — it’s about removing real accessibility barriers. An active submit button means users who rely on screen readers or keyboard navigation can always finish what they started. But most designers/UX folks talk about submit vs in-line field validation as an "or." I propose we look at them as an "and." Just like the little girl in the meme says, "why not both?" If you have an active submit button and ALSO add in-line validation, which flags issues as they arise, you are creating an experience that sets the standard for a best practice. You aren't just following the guidelines to achieve compliance, you are making sure that people with disabilities have the best chance of becoming customers as anyone else. Real-time feedback reduces stress for those who may struggle to go back and forth in a form, helping everyone complete it without hassle. Active submit combined with user-friendly error message means users don't get stuck looking through a long form trying to figure out which required field they missed. Companies like #Amazon have it right — they combine both. When we prioritize both an always-active button and in-line validation, we’re making digital spaces accessible, user-centered, and, most importantly, equitable. Alt: first image is a female child seated in an office with the caption: "Submit Button always active" on the left side and "in-line field validation" on the right side. Beneath it is a question: "why don't we have both? " second image shows group of persons lifting the female child up in celebration. #AccessibilityMemeMonday #InclusiveDesign #AccessibleForms #DigitalEquity #Disability #Inclusion #UserCenteredAccessibility https://lnkd.in/ecX_YG93

UI Principles Mini-Series, 2 of 5: The Law of Similarity Why do some interfaces feel instantly organised? Because our brains group things that look alike. When elements are visually similar, we perceive them as related. Use similarity on purpose:

 🔹Colour is the strongest cue. Reserve your highlight colour for interactive elements like links and buttons, not for decorative headlines.
 🔹Size signals hierarchy and relatedness. Keep comparable items the same size, and differentiate intentionally.
 🔹Shape creates family ties. A consistent button shape reads as one group and sets the expectation of clickability.
 🔹You can combine cues. Orientation, behaviour, and movement also reinforce grouping. Aligned items, shared hover states, or matching micro-interactions feel like one set. Build it into your system:
 Create a clear style guide. Define a colour palette with neutrals, highlight, and action colours. Set type styles for headings, body, links, buttons etc. Apply the same tokens and rules inside components so users get consistent signals.

 Watch out for traps:
 If everything looks clickable, nothing is clear. Do not rely on colour alone for meaning. Pair colour with size, shape, labels, or underlines. Check contrast and test with real users so visual polish does not mask usability issues. 💡 Takeaways
 • Visually similar items are perceived as related
 • Start with a system: colour roles, type scales, and component rules
 • Use similarity to guide, not to decorate
 • Pair colour with size and shape for clarity and accessibility
 • Validate with testing so appearance does not overrule reality
 In short: make related things look related, and make interactive things look interactive.
 Next up in the series: another favourite principle to sharpen your design eye. Make sure to follow. 📚 → Full UI Principles course: https://lnkd.in/dyAHJdU3
 📚 → All my courses: moonlearning.io/store
 ✉️ → Newsletter (free): moonlearning.io/newsletter