Blog Topics: Design Thinking & UX

Design Thinking Fundamentals

  1. What is Design Thinking? - Origins, d.school, IDEO
  2. The 5 stages explained - Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test
  3. Why developers should learn design thinking - Better apps
  4. Design Thinking vs Agile - Complementary approaches
  5. Apple’s design philosophy - How Apple applies design thinking
  6. Design Thinking for solo developers - Scaled-down approach
  7. Common Design Thinking mistakes - Anti-patterns
  8. Design Thinking workshop format - Running your own
  9. Books every app developer should read - Don Norman, IDEO
  10. Design Thinking in 1 hour - Rapid problem solving

Empathize Phase

  1. User interviews for app developers - Questions to ask
  2. Observation techniques - Watching users in context
  3. Empathy mapping - Understanding user feelings
  4. Customer journey mapping - Touchpoints and pain points
  5. Survey design basics - Google Forms, Typeform tips
  6. Contextual inquiry - Research in the wild
  7. Diary studies for app research - Long-term insights
  8. Competitive user research - Learning from others’ users
  9. Recruiting interview participants - Finding the right users
  10. Synthesizing research findings - Patterns and insights

Define Phase

  1. Creating user personas - Data-driven characters
  2. Problem statements that work - POV format
  3. Jobs to be Done framework - User motivations
  4. “How Might We” questions - Reframing problems
  5. Prioritizing user needs - Impact vs effort
  6. Avoiding solution bias - Stay in problem space
  7. Stakeholder alignment - Getting buy-in
  8. Defining success metrics - Before you build
  9. Scope creep prevention - Staying focused
  10. From research to requirements - Bridging the gap

Ideate Phase

  1. Brainstorming techniques - Quantity over quality
  2. Crazy 8s method - Rapid sketching
  3. Mind mapping for apps - Visual ideation
  4. SCAMPER technique - Systematic creativity
  5. Worst possible idea - Reverse thinking
  6. Competitive analysis - Learning from others
  7. Feature prioritization: MoSCoW - Must, Should, Could, Won’t
  8. MVP definition - Minimum viable product
  9. Value proposition canvas - User-product fit
  10. Lean Canvas for apps - One-page business model

Prototype Phase

  1. Paper prototyping - Fastest feedback
  2. Low-fidelity wireframes - Structure first
  3. Figma basics for developers - Essential skills
  4. Interactive prototypes - Clickable mockups
  5. Prototyping navigation flows - User journeys
  6. Design systems basics - Components and tokens
  7. Prototyping with SwiftUI - Code as prototype
  8. Xcode Previews as prototypes - Rapid iteration
  9. Prototype fidelity levels - When to use each
  10. Collaborative prototyping - Team workflows

Test Phase

  1. Usability testing basics - Running your first test
  2. 5-user testing rule - Nielsen’s insight
  3. Think-aloud protocol - Hearing user thoughts
  4. Remote usability testing - Tools and tips
  5. Moderated vs unmoderated testing - Trade-offs
  6. Task-based testing - Measuring success
  7. A/B testing fundamentals - Data-driven decisions
  8. Analyzing test results - Finding patterns
  9. Iterating after testing - Closing the loop
  10. TestFlight as testing tool - Real-world feedback

Apple Human Interface Guidelines

  1. HIG overview for beginners - Where to start
  2. Apple’s design principles - Clarity, Deference, Depth
  3. iOS navigation patterns - Tabs, Navigation, Modals
  4. When to use which navigation - Decision guide
  5. Typography in iOS apps - SF Pro, Dynamic Type
  6. Color in iOS design - System colors, Dark Mode
  7. SF Symbols mastery - Icons done right
  8. Designing for accessibility - VoiceOver, Dynamic Type
  9. iPad design considerations - Beyond scaled iPhone
  10. visionOS design principles - Spatial computing

UI/UX Best Practices

  1. Mobile-first design - Constraints breed creativity
  2. Thumb-zone design - Reachability matters
  3. Loading states design - Perceived performance
  4. Empty states that delight - First-run experience
  5. Error message UX - Helpful, not frustrating
  6. Onboarding patterns - First impressions
  7. Settings screen design - Organize complexity
  8. Form design for mobile - Input optimization
  9. Gesture design - Swipes, long-press, pinch
  10. Microinteractions - Details that matter

Design to Development

  1. Developer-designer collaboration - Speaking same language
  2. Design handoff best practices - Specs that work
  3. Implementing designs in SwiftUI - Translating Figma
  4. Design tokens in code - Consistent styling
  5. Responsive design in iOS - Size classes, layouts
  6. Animation specifications - Timing, curves, intent
  7. Accessibility in implementation - Not an afterthought
  8. Design QA process - Pixel-perfect or good enough?
  9. Handling design changes - Iteration in code
  10. Design system in Swift - Components library

Design Case Studies

  1. Redesigning a todo app - Before and after
  2. Weather app UX teardown - What works, what doesn’t
  3. Onboarding flow analysis - Popular apps compared
  4. Settings screen patterns - iOS apps reviewed
  5. Navigation pattern analysis - Real-world examples
  6. Dark mode implementation study - Best practices
  7. Accessibility audit walkthrough - Real app analysis
  8. App Store screenshot design - What converts
  9. Icon design principles - Stand out in the grid
  10. App redesign project - Complete walkthrough

High-Traffic Design Searches

  1. “How to design an app without designer” - Solo dev guide
  2. “Figma vs Sketch for iOS” - Tool comparison
  3. “iOS app design templates” - Starting points
  4. “App design inspiration” - Where to look
  5. “User research on a budget” - Free methods
  6. “How to validate app idea” - Before building
  7. “App icon design tips” - Standing out
  8. “Screenshot design for App Store” - Conversion focus
  9. “Dark mode design guidelines” - iOS implementation
  10. “Accessibility checklist iOS” - Complete guide