Design Critiques

What makes some designs good and others bad? Why do some designs work while others don’t? Posts in this category offer thoughtful design critiques of modern digital interfaces, with commentary inspired by Don Norman’s “The Design of Everyday Things.”

Image depicting the use of assistive touch on Apple watch

Assistive Technology: Apple Watch

The Apple watch is a wearable technology marvel that not only is a timepiece but a companion, a personal trainer, a communication hub, all wrapped around the wrist. It offers a wealth of features like a built-in screen reader, the ability to enable grayscale, adjust text size, increase contrast of elements on the screen, and many more that empower individuals of all abilities.

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Apple’s Assistive Technology and disability model: VoiceOver in focus

VoiceOver is currently available in 36 languages. Designed primarily for blind or visually impaired people, VoiceOver allows users to interact with their devices using gesture-based commands and feedback. This paper will reflect the design of VoiceOver in the context of different disability models

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A hand holds and iPhone 15 which displays the Precision Finding feature. The screen is green with a white arrow pointing straight ahead.

Assistive Technology: Precision Finding on Apple’s iPhone 15

Precision Finding is a new feature on the iPhone 15 that uses ultra-wideband technology to allow users to guide themselves to other users who share their location. Although the application is new in terms of Apple’s assistive technology features, and it could be especially useful for people with varying visual, hearing, and cognitive related disabilities.

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Assistive Technology: Dyslexia-Friendly Fonts

Dyslexia-friendly fonts are typographies that can increase the legibility of written materials for people with dyslexia to read and comprehend better. Dyslexia-friendly fonts can be specially designed with thicker bottoms and different shapes. Some common sans serif fonts from our daily usage, such as Arial, Calibri, and Open Sans, can also be considered as dyslexia-friendly

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Design Critique: SkyScanner (Android Mobile App)

INTRODUCTION: Skyscanner is a leading online platform renowned for simplifying travel planning and making it hassle-free for globetrotters around the world. The Skyscanner mobile application complements their online platform, providing users with a convenient way to plan and manage their journeys using their smartphones and tablets. In this analysis, we’ll delve into the Skyscanner app,

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Assistive Technology: Amazon Echo

Introduction to Amazon’s Echo Echo is a voice-controlled product that has the combined functions of a smart speaker and virtual assistant through Amazon’s Alexa. Without screens or physical toggles, Echo can play music, answer questions, and control smart devices like lights, locks, and other digital devices supported by Alexa. Accessibility Review of Echo’s features Smart

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OpenDyslexic Font cover image by Abbie Gonzalez

Assistive Technology: OpenDyslexic Font

Dyslexia – a lifelong condition that affects reading, writing, spelling, and speaking. It is estimated that approximately one in five people are impacted by this disorder. It is crucial to ensure that individuals with dyslexia have access to assistive technology that enhances their accessibility and OpenDyslexic- by Abbie Gonzalez does just that. In this blog post, we will explore the OpenDyslexic Font, a typography innovation designed with dyslexic individuals in mind.

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