As creatives, UI/UX designers work in a world of competing demands: Be imaginative, but follow the stringent conventions of web design. The trick is to develop something that invites human-screen interaction, taking the user on a path that ultimately achieves the site’s business objectives.
These two elements — design and business — are inseparable in their importance. First impressions, engagement, brand perceptions and mobile responsiveness all translate into conversion and meaningful user relationships.
UI/UX is no place for dull design — just ask designers from Morningstar, Everspring and Wipfli Digital. Built In Chicago sat down with them to learn how they find their creative sweet spot and find inspiration in the world around them.
Wipfli Digital strives to offer offers smarter digital solutions that are curious, inventive, perceptive and approachable.
If you feel like your UI/UX design work is becoming stale, where do you turn to for inspiration on the job?
The best inspiration for me is to walk away from the computer and observe the world around me. Most things we are surrounded by have been designed in some way that can unexpectedly inspire us. The basic principles of design include color, typography, hierarchy, white space and rhythm are not specific to UX/UI alone but relate to any object that you hold or interact with.
Most things we are surrounded by have been designed in some way that can unexpectedly inspire us.”
I find myself taking walks and observing such things as how restaurant menus are organized or how the window placement makes a building's façade look dynamic and give it character. Taking what I observe from the world around me makes me a better designer for the users that share these experiences and interact with similar elements in their daily lives. I also believe traveling is crucial to better understanding how people in the city next to us or across the world may differ in their interactions with each other and the environment surrounding them. Similar to user interviews and testing, some of these elements can only be observed by immersion and conversations.
How do your colleagues inspire or encourage you to continue pushing the envelope creatively?
My colleagues are always looking for fun ways to explore and test our design skills. Our entire product team, including engineers, is encouraged to participate and enjoy being vocal when it comes to providing design feedback. They always ensure we think through every possible use case and provide the space for us to try different avenues and modify existing flows to create the most delightful experience for a user.
We often find ourselves asking,"What if we do it this way?"
This allows us the opportunity to try new things and experiment with patterns that push our creative minds. This encouragement also ensures our products are not becoming stale because we are given the freedom to mold them to today's newer paradigms.
Everspring partners with leading educational institutions and industry to design and scale high-quality online programs with an innovative approach.
If you feel like your UI/UX design work is becoming stale, where do you turn to for inspiration on the job?
When my UX/UI work is becoming stale, I have a few different outlets for fresh ideas. One is in design communities such as Dribbble and Behance, which are great real-world resources. These sites showcase unique styles, techniques and upcoming trends that might spark new ideas when building a new product.
Second, social media platforms like Instagram allow me to follow other creatives. I usually bookmark some of my favorite posts to revisit when I need inspiration.
Finally, design conferences like Adobe Max are an incredible opportunity to attend events and workshops that offer new perspectives on cutting-edge designs.
How do your colleagues inspire or encourage you to continue pushing the envelope creatively?
The ability to collaborate on projects and seek feedback can offer fresh perspectives from your peers. To encourage this, our creative team meets once a month to discuss personal work or creative work we have seen in the marketplace. These meetings offer transparent feedback that elevates overall team performance. In my own experience, when I see a colleague create incredible work I ask as many questions as I can to learn from their process. I believe talent is contagious when you offer the space to share ideas and perspectives.
I believe talent is contagious when you offer the space to share ideas.”
Cross-disciplinary collaboration is another way to push the creative envelope. Collaborating with colleagues from different disciplines, such as developers, allows for new perspectives and encourages us to experiment with unconventional design solutions. The cross-pollination of ideas allows for different ways to think and solve problems. Working directly with my developers and marketers has allowed me to grow and experiment with new design solutions.
Morningstar builds products in-house in a highly collaborative, agile environment.
If you feel like your UI/UX design work is becoming stale, where do you turn to for inspiration on the job?
I poke around on the internet a lot. That could include going through Pinterest, clicking around different websites I find interesting, scrolling my Instagram feed or scrolling some downtime on TikTok. Inspiration can come from a lot of different sources. I personally like more non-traditional sources to free my mind from what is expected.
Music helps a lot too. Blasting the new Charlie XCX song, vibing in my apartment or noodling around on a guitar for a few minutes can help get past feeling stale.
Blasting the new Charlie XCX song, vibing in my apartment or noodling around on a guitar for a few minutes can help get past feeling stale.”
How do your colleagues inspire or encourage you to continue pushing the envelope creatively?
There is a big drive to create work my colleagues want to talk about. Talking about their work also helps keep pushing work forward. The community around the work we do is inspiring.
Share an example of a recent project where you broke with typical convention — while still abiding by best practices.
I’ve worked for a lot of different clients and brands over the years, and every team does things differently. Sure there are some crossovers in process, but the nuances in team dynamics are what create great work. Selfishly I want to say I never follow typical conventions. To me, that would breed stale work.
