DEV Community: Igor Polyakov

How to Conduct a Remote Design Sprint?

Igor Polyakov — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 19:59:35 +0000

How to Conduct a Remote Design Sprint?

How To Conduct A Remote Design Sprint?

Design Sprints have been widely recognized as an essential method to attract the attention of many product developers worldwide. A "sprint" in designers' terminology involves time-limited, 5-phase processes that utilize design thinking to minimize ambiguous features when developing new products. Developed as an approach to product design, it is becoming popular among designers and those who work in product development to solve problems. Tell me the reason. That's working. A design sprint's main objective is identifying a particular issue, creating numerous solutions, building prototypes, and gaining rapid user feedback. This can be an effective strategy that helps businesses develop more effective solutions and accelerate innovation.

How Can I Run Successful Remote Design Sprints?

Remote Design Sprints often pose a big challenge. In an individual Sprint, the participant will be involved in the training sessions and participate in the training sessions following the following schedule: Monday and Tuesday are workshops. During the day, teams write notes and fill out whiteboards. Prototyping takes place Wednesday, and user tests validate ideas Thursday. The week between Monday and Tuesday is the most demanding day, and it demands more effort to organize the event and support the Sprint. Team members expect that they can clear a calendar and synchronize calendars and remain connected for an extended period which could cause fatigue in certain areas.

The Design Sprint Methodology

Throughout the past few months, design sprints were adopted by companies as an approach in the context of their Design Processes and became part of Design Methodologies. Airbnb, Uber, and LEGO are just two of many big players in integrating design sprints into product development workflows. It was my response the first time I read a book called Sprint: How to Solve a Big Problem Using a Simple 5-Day Plan." I'm amazed. If you spend a decade designing products, you know that that same key question always pops into the design process and is a game-changer.

How Can I Successfully Design With Remote Design Sprint Team Members?

Gallup, a global analytics consulting firm, has found only 9% of respondents will return to work after a pandemic. 42% say it's a good choice between working from home and working from home, while 37% prefer to stay completely isolated. It seems that the population enjoys remote jobs. You can also see remote design team workers by checking Eleken's UI & User Interface Agency. Our customers have been contacted remotely from our offices in Buenos Aires for almost two decades, and our staff could not get in touch for two years after the pandemic began.

Prepare for running Remote Work

Even with major challenges, remote design working does not mean it will be a loss for designers. It's possible to keep your design team together anywhere! You have to learn basic Remote working skills first and do everything you need to be successful.

Infrastructure In Place

At this time, everyone needs reliable internet connections. All home networks have their own devices, therefore. A laptop can help you with a lot of creativity. Get a support team in the IT department to assist you in coordinating the equipment and guidelines your team requires, which are different from those of other design team members.

Keep Regular Hours

All workers should have the same remote work day to increase efficiency and decrease confusion. If the team is not staffed by different hours, it must adjust accordingly. Aim to avoid scheduled meetings during the overlap of work days to give everyone an opportunity for lunch!

Mentally Prepared

While it is best to work from home and not commute to work, doing a remote design sprint preparation each morning is best. It aims at stimulating the imagination, staying productive, and being ready for work.

Create Space

Take the time to create a place to work within your house. It helps to have the proper signal for 'working mode' and, if possible, create a desk.

Improve Team Trust & Bonding

Everyone knows that a project or business's success depends on its people. Working in collaboration can improve confidence, allowing better engagement in the workplace. Having a personal relationship with your team is essential. Apart from discussing projects using the mentioned tool, making time to engage in non-project-related relationships is also critical.

Organize Remote Design Sprint Workshops

Alongside your remote work relationships with the designers and our design sprint team, you also require regular contact with your client. Aiming for an effective solution that helps them reduce their workload is essential to ensuring that their team performs well. Meetings about the work progress of a project are one thing, but remote workshops will help ensure seamless business continuity for your team. Running or hosting a workshop remotely can also be an excellent way to ensure your team members are developing professionally.

The Challenges Of Remote Working

Most designers face challenges when building collaborative cultures on remote sites. It could lead to misalignment, especially in response to poorly timed feedback. Often remote designers will believe that if they can design based on the following assumptions, their clients or stakeholders are not satisfied with the result they can expect. Often designers are isolated from the project team, resulting in misunderstandings and chaotic work processes. This becomes even more acute if tasks are not detailed.

The Challenges Of Running Design Sprints Remotely

The idea for design sprints delighted us immensely. We have that genetic link too! I've got to make them merge. We researched possible solutions, experimented wildly, and inevitably made mistakes.

Eventually, it became a good combination of tools and techniques for small development projects. I want to give you some things that will change your life.

Challenge: Replicating Hallway Conversations

Often a remote team works together and has multiple opportunities for informal video and other communication. When you walk into a cafe or go to the desk, you greet the other person and have quick opportunity to talk to them, find design sprint solutions or establish relationships.

Challenge: Receiving Feedback on Designs

Feedback plays an important role during design sprint. A frequent check-in process helps designers avoid going in the wrong direction.

How To Solve

Step One: Overcome Remote Management Challenges

Moving into remote work inevitably results in misinformation regarding tasks and a lack of details. So, you must find and rectify these problems, so things go smoothly.

Step Two: Learn To Handle Remote Design Sprint Feedback

Working remotely booms and subsequent rapid expansion of Collaboration Software tools served design sprint video communication well. It was the worst thing in the past - Remote work requires thinking in mind and a lot of feedback. Imagine that the designer waiting for feedback sees a bubble that says, "Type...". You write a letter, and that sounds like forever. It is just a matter of minutes to think of what you may have missed or something.

Organize Regular Video Feedback Sessions

There is the temptation that designers can hide in their UI Cave with their wireframes and mockups and never appear after they've remotely designed their creations perfectly. This is a wrong approach; it could take years and be costly if a designer makes an unintentional error. Eleken designer Maksyme said the best practice in designing is to receive customer feedback as regularly as possible to improve the efficiency of the process. Sometimes, sometimes even every day. It is only an excellent way to know what to do in that direction.

Use Emojis When Giving Feedback

Designer Triinu says she can no longer trust facial movements when speaking in person. If you get feedback from a colleague on slack, it might not be easy to interpret since you cannot read the words of someone remotely. Does it make sense if she said okay? What's your feedback? Thank you for the help! Triinu recommends using emojis when addressing the emotional differences in written feedback.

Choose A Single Source Of Truth

Occasionally, the designer receives feedback in remote teams from different colleagues. The customer support staff has received a report about a bug after an update. The mixed signals come simultaneously and can make the designer insane until they use an impact/effort matrix to prioritize requests. The following roadmap is organized according to the chosen priority.

Step Three: Replicate Hallway Conversations

When co-located, critical stages emerge organically. You could share your ideas with someone in an elevator or have user personas discussed during lunch to discuss your own story. The remote mode requires some effort. Communication is very important when you collaborate remotely!

Remote Team Working Tools

For optimum productivity, remote team workers should have access to digital tools and be able to work collaboratively. Working remotely with your fellow designers with the right technical support will become easy.

Tools for Realtime Collaboration & Brainstorming for design sprints

You need real-time information when you work in nature with primarily visual elements. The aim is to ensure that all people understand the process. You can be working remotely with colleagues to increase efficiency and improve productivity at your meetings. Miro is a browser tool that enables Design Sprint teams to have meetings, discuss a project, or perform tasks in a digital environment. This simple tool helps you make and schedule video conference calls, share whiteboards, and manage projects simultaneously.

Design team Sprint Progress Tracking Tools

To keep all team members together, it must be available to everyone working remotely on critical briefs. The tools such as Trello, Wrike, or Asana, video conference calls can be used for the technique which have excellent design process and schedule management capabilities. Asana allows you to view the whole Design Sprint project from your perspective while also getting an overview of each task and detail. Similarly, it is helpful if you're using timesheet schedule management software tools like FactoHR or teams time tracking software tools such as Timemetrics for tracking the schedule hours in a Design Sprint team session.

Security Measures

During a working day, there are security risks. Your Design Sprint information is kept confidential and schedule communication is secure throughout the entire process. Therefore it is highly critical that you and your staff check your network is well-protected and that your antivirus software tools has been updated. Consider a trusted backup solution, as system glitches pose human factors and risks, and malware issues are usually unpredictable. You should find ways to keep track of the Design Sprint password for project data access.

Knowledge Management Software

Using knowledge management software tools can reduce the challenges of remote Design Sprint teams, such as a lack of knowledge sharing and the development of knowledge silos. Helpjuice provides software that helps people manage their knowledge base by storing, organizing, and process sharing information. It makes it easier for other designers and Design Sprint members to learn what they want to do and improve productivity.

Virtual Meeting Tools

Video conferencing to replace face-to-face meetings is essential. You can use video communication tools such as Zoom, Slack, Skype for Business, and Google Hangout. Overall, it seems like everyone works well to facilitate remote Design Sprint by videos. Zoom has become an important video communication tool today. It is safe and easy to use and includes voting, breakout room screen share, schedule and much more.

Communication Tools

It takes a reliable messenger app to keep everyone in contact. Pick a communication channel to follow. You have tools such as TELEGRAM, Microsoft Teams, etc. Remember that success depends on clear video communication tool, and it is fundamental to get the right tools to get the Design Sprint team to use them, whether async or wake greetings, in different time zones.

Design Subscription: Creative Stock, Templates & More

Getting an Envato Elements subscription can be helpful for your remote Design Sprint team. Elements offer several right tools that can help your team build a project faster. You can create and share collections and mood boards that will help your Design Sprint team develop their strategy and align with your asset list.

File Sharing Tools

You must have an online storage system that allows tools like Google Drive or Dropbox for the sharing and storage of data between Design Sprint teams and users. The tool can help track what information is shared and who consumes this information.

Shared Calendar Tools

Use calendar software tool to see what the work of the rest of the world team does as an employee.

What Are Remote Teams?

Remote teams are professionals from different time zones around the world who work together in the same design process to achieve a single goal. All teammates worked separately in other countries living in different cities.

What Is The Difference Between Remote And Virtual Teams?

It differs significantly from traditional work-from-home policies that allow employees to work at home a few days or even two times a week. Virtual team members can work in rented office spaces — they work from home, work in any place and utilize coworking.

What Do Design Teams Do?

Who are the Design Teams? A design team can be composed of fewer or greater designers. The common purpose of a website is to build a mobile app. Design teams formed by team members.

Conclusion

Remote Design Sprints have revolutionized Design thinking in design teams allowing makers to create more effective and complex concepts in short time than ever before. Design Sprint Metodology has also been used in UX design, Product design, validating business concepts, making it an increasingly common form of design thinking process. Although it's initially has been used for in-house teams, Remote Design Sprint team can enable many design thinking processes, from product or service blueprints to Branding concepts. With new Design Sprint advances and technologies being developed, Design Sprint will likely continue to be an essential part of Product design and other forms of design.

How the Metaverse is Changing Web Development

Igor Polyakov — Sun, 02 Jan 2022 10:57:44 +0000

The internet is no longer just text and pictures. With the development of new technologies like Virtual Reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality, the future of web development is changing. With these new technologies, we are looking at a world where more than just images will be available on websites. We are looking at a world where people can interact with 3D images. Read on to learn how this new technology is changing the game for web developers.

Web Development in the New World

The next generation of web development is a paradigm shift in the world of online marketing.

3D content, otherwise known as 3D Web Content, is becoming more and more popular. Websites are now able to take advantage of their new capabilities with the help of tools like WebGL, WebVR, and WebAR to create interactive content that really engages viewers.

The future of web development doesn't just mean 3D content — it also means mixed reality and augmented reality. This means that users will be able to interact with virtual objects on websites that have been placed into the real world. For example, companies can create virtual products or virtual installations on websites and then place those objects into physical spaces for people to experience them firsthand.

This opens up so many possibilities for web development in the future. With the addition of these new technologies, we are looking at an entirely different landscape for website design and development than what has come before it.

The Virtual Reality Difference

Virtual Reality is not just a new platform for entertainment, although it has been used for that as well. It has also been used to create business applications and products that provide value to the customer. In other words, VR can be used in a variety of industries from health care, education, real estate and manufacturing.

With the world's first virtual reality headset, Google Cardboard, being released in 2014, there is no doubt that Virtual Reality will continue to change the web development landscape.

Let's take a look at what you can expect from VR in your next website redesign or web application development project:

Increased User Engagement: VR allows users to engage with digital products in a more immersive way than they've ever done before. It also allows them to experience things in a more personal way by having them virtually visit places they might have never seen before.
Clarity: Users are able to see clearly where they're looking because of the lack of blurriness caused by using screens on desktop computers or devices like smartphones. With VR headsets like Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, users are able to see everything without any obstructions--making it easier for them to focus on what they're doing.
Flexibility: Because of the 3D environment, users are able to see objects in different dimensions and angles, which gives them totally new opportunities.

Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality

are changing the future of web development

The rapid increase in developments in augmented reality and mixed reality has changed the way developers approach web development. With these new technologies, we are looking for a more immersive experience online. For example, users will be able to walk into a virtual world and interact with 3D images on websites.

For web developers, this means that they need to design websites that work on this new technology or they won't be as engaging as they should be. If your website doesn't have room for these new technologies, then you are losing out on engaging customers and potential clients.
Because of these changes in the industry, web developers need to get off their butts and start investing in augmented and mixed reality technologies.

How AR and MR are Impacting Design

While the internet is still primarily text and pictures, we are now seeing a lot more than just those two things. With the development of new technologies, like augmented reality and mixed reality, we are seeing a world where more than just images will be available on websites. This has been an especially important development for web design because it opens up our creativity and allows us to create better sites in less time.

With these new technologies, designers can now use imagery that feels real. We can create content that is not only visually stunning but also experiential or interactive. But this doesn't mean that all websites are going to change overnight. In order to utilize these new technologies properly, you need to make sure you have the necessary skillsets and tech knowledge to do so successfully.

Finishing Thoughts.

The future of web development is changing. With the development of new technologies like Virtual Reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality, a world where people can interact with 3D images is on the horizon.

These new technologies are making it possible for developers to create an immersive experience that will allow users to have a more intimate connection with websites.

However, this technology isn't without its problems. For one thing, these types of websites are difficult to build and maintain because they require skills in both traditional and emerging technologies. And while these technologies are still a long way off from becoming mainstream (as evidenced by the lack of any major companies currently using them), we're excited about the possibilities that lie ahead for web developers!

Originally posted at hotsnow.fi

New Version of The Bauhaus Art Geometric Patterns Kit V002

Igor Polyakov — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 16:09:39 +0000

We are very excited to disclose the new version of the Bauhaus Art Geometric Patterns Kit V002!

Designers have a broad spectrum of options for creating geometric patterns. Bauhaus Art is one system that lets you easily create colourful geometric patterns in web or graphic design projects with Figma, which allows you to select the tiles and add your own colours. The kit contains more than 100 unique patterns and is extremely easy to use. There's no need to install software or export individual PNG files in different sizes because they are all pre-rendered.

This release adds many new features, including rethought components and new tiles. As usual, we've simplified the export process so that you can instantly use your designs in your favourite design application.

To find out more about Bauhaus Art Geometric Patterns Kit V002, visit the product page.

What's new: we changed the structure, so the elements now are listed as components, so it's handier to select using thumbnails when you drag them into your design. The components are also sorted by categories. Also, we added a new type of element called "Ornaments" - the features that can be used for accent or as a small detail in the design.

We added more elements to the kit, so it now contains over 100 components. Enjoy! The most important thing for us is your feedback, so if you like it, please leave a review.

We will be thankful for any comments or recommendations!

Beware! New Scam That Targets Web Designers.

Igor Polyakov — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 20:09:09 +0000

Maybe you, my friends-designers, have been in the situation before: you were starring at your inbox and Bingo! You See the quotation request from a prospective customer. That is a minute of thrill and hope. You are starting to communicate with the client. You are going through the quotation process with them; everything is just right, and you're moving towards signing an agreement...

And suddenly, at the very end, when you are agreed about the prepayment, the client says that they can send money only to their checking account in US. They want to pay by check only and their accountant recommends them. And it's a game stopper - you are in Europe or Asia and there is no way for your company to get funds from any other bank than through checks which don't work because of international remittance restrictions due to currency conversion rates. You have no US bank account so who is using checks nowadays?

It's happened. You are disappointed, and all of this deal is over. The disappointment can be in the form of a person or an event that you were looking forward to happening but did not come through as planned. It could also happen because something didn't go according to plan and your expectations weren't met. Either way, it's disappointing when things don’t work out as expected for whatever reason--it makes you feel like nothing will ever turn out right again.

Time runs, and eventually, you are getting a new quotation request. When you read the email, you feel deja vu - you've read this before! Okay, it's not a 100% clone, but the overall structure, tone of voice and some phrases are strongly reminding you of that first email you got before.

Then you realise that this email is probably from one person, and it's time to understand why they're writing the emails. Who knows what happens if you sign up for their terms-you might be authorizing them to take your checking account number. You also realize that in all likelihood, you are happy this has been avoided - whether or not it was a waste of time and money.

So I want to share this new scam technique with you to be protected.

Read the rest on our blog: https://hotsnow.fi/hotsnow-blog-workshtml/tpost/bstcatykv1-beware-new-scam-that-targes-web-designer

Design in minutes.

Igor Polyakov — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 14:59:31 +0000

Geometric Seamless Pattern Constructor is a system for the easy creation of colourful geometric patterns that can be used in web or graphic design projects. With Figma, all you need to do is plug in your colours.

Features:

Design in style

Geometric Seamless Pattern Constructor is a set of patterns made with Figma and it's easy to use. You can customize all colours, sizes and positions of the pattern parts.
A wide selection of colors and styles for your seamless patterns.

One pattern, infinite possibilities.

With the Geometric Seamless Pattern Constructor, you'll have access to a wide selection of colors and styles for your seamless patterns. Perfect for a variety of graphic design projects or web product designs!

Cut costs and save time with one tool.

The Geometric Seamless Pattern Constructor lets you cut costs and save time on your design process. With bright colors, instant design updates, and the ability to export patterns to Adobe Illustrator, Sketch, or Photoshop CC for editing, this tool is perfect for both freelance designers and product teams!

Create endless color combinations

Use your creativity to create a seamless pattern with any colours in the world. The Figma file contains assets and building blocks made as components with variants, that make your design process fast and easy. All colours are in styles and can be fully customized.

Design something beautiful with our system.

Let your creativity start breath!

You can find the file at hotsnow.fi site.

Please share this article to anybody who will find it useful.

Website UX survey questions

Igor Polyakov — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 21:14:27 +0000

By implementing website UX survey questions, website owners can gather valuable insights. Surveys help determine if the users are getting value in using the website.

Survey questions help collect data from users to improve the product or website.

On old websites, surveys are beneficial in determining points of improvement. The surveys should be easy to spot for the user. That means using pop-ups or complete overlays.

By collecting and acting on the data, the website is fine-tuned into a useful product. That makes the user experience memorable.

To avoid being spammy, the survey must be positioned only in relevant areas like:

● Landing pages
● The home page
● Check out pages for eCommerce websites
● Pages that report high exit statistics

For each function, you need a unique set of questions. You will notice that the questions will have an intersection.

For instance, home page surveys will most likely focus on the overall site experience. At the same time, a landing page survey will be dwelling on the purpose of the landing page. You can also measure instances where users exit without proceeding to the next page or step on landing pages.

Check out surveys, measure the buying experience and also identify any areas that need improvement.

Surveys should be guided by the basic UX principles and hence have a common thread of questions.

Let’s make it easier for you by going into specific niches and highlighting questions that will work best on websites for those niches.

10 e-commerce survey questions

While this list is not exhaustive, this set of questions will help gather ample data to help you create a better user experience.

How satisfied did you feel based on your overall experience?
Please let us know how we can improve your experience.
How did you learn about our website?
Who are you shopping for?
Did you get what you were looking for?
How easy was it to navigate through the site?
How satisfied are you with the availability of products?
Did you experience a hassle-free payment experience?
On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to buy from us again?
What other products would you like to see in our online store in the future?

You can tweak the list to fit your needs, but those are the most relevant e-commerce website UX survey questions.

10 UX Survey questions for a website redesign

Website redesigns are necessary when conversions decline. Or when bounce rates are high, indicating a poor user experience.

To narrow down on the issues, you can use the following set of questions. The questions will focus on design, navigation, content, usability, and performance.

What do you like the most about our website?
What would you like to change on our website?
How easy is it to find what you are looking for?
What was your first impression when you entered the website?
Did you like the colors of the website?
Did you like the design of the website?
Were you able to differentiate links easily?
What would you like to change on our existing website?
Did you find this page meaningful?
What do you dislike most about the organization’s website?

While we believe those questions capture the most relevant data, you can go beyond 10 questions and gather enough insights for a solid redesign strategy.

6 website usability questions that must be in your survey

Usability questions are critical in UX design. Here are some of the questions you can include:-

● Is our site easy to navigate?
● What parts of the web/mobile app did you like the most? Why?
● How did you find navigating to [X] page?
● What did you think of the explanations on the page?
● What parts of the web/mobile app did you use the least? Why?
● How likely are you to refer our website or app to a friend? Why or why not?

You can gather more insights by asking more targeted questions.
However, this sums it up on the most critical questions a holistic website UX survey can focus on.

To execute your surveys for success, you need tools to deliver or serve the surveys. Some of your options include:

● Optimonk – a great tool for on-site pop-ups
● TypeForm – for creating longer surveys with logic
● Survey monkey – simple onsite survey tool

In conclusion, it is important to appreciate the value of website UX survey questions. A well-designed website - to you as the site owner or designer - might have glaring gaps.

You gain unfiltered insights from users through surveys.

To get valuable feedback, your questions should be clear. Therefore avoid complex words.

Use open-ended questions that end in ‘why?’ allow the responder to express themselves more freely versus multiple-choice questions.

Keep testing to improve your products and turn users into loyalists.

If you need help in creating valuable UX survey questions, talk to us. We understand UX design to help you transform average products and services to the very best in their niche.

Originally posted on hotsnow.fi

Freebie: Cryptocurrency Icons (Figma)

Igor Polyakov — Wed, 26 May 2021 19:02:09 +0000

467 icons and growing

We offer this cryptocurrency icon pack in Figma format to everyone dealing with building interfaces for crypto exchange and wallet applications. Feel free to grab this file, and don't forget to share it!

Download file in fig. format from our site.

This resource is related to cryptocurrency assets, coins, tokens, logotypes, icons.

Site launch: Halycon Chemicals Limited

Igor Polyakov — Wed, 26 May 2021 13:37:00 +0000

Hotsnow designed and implemented the website for Halycon Chemicals limited. We created the identity and developed the website.

Client: Halycon Chemicals Limited

Site launch: Halycon Chemicals Limited

Hotsnow designed and implemented the website for Halycon Chemicals Limited. Our team created the identity and design of the website. The project's schedule was urgent.

The client needed this website urgently to showcase their services and products. Halycon Chemicals is a midsize trade and consultancy company specializing in chemicals, energy, and food commodities.

The Brief

Halycon was scheduled to launch its products and services on the market with a significant high-end disinfectants brand of Dolomit Oil Pro-Life, distributed in the EU. The market leader's CEO set the design brief to the Board of Directors at the beginning of the year. Our brief was to take a high-end chemicals brand and create a comprehensive website that would stand out in a sea of cookie-cutter, generic e-commerce sites. Our team started working with the Marketing team to make the customer experience. The brief was to create a brand identity that would give the brand a personality and create a dialogue with the customer.

The Process

What did you do in the first 30 days? To fulfill this challenge, we worked in a two-phase approach. First, we worked on identity. The goal was to create the logo and color palette for all the company's visual assets. In the second phase, the team was focused on the company's website. The next task was to create a site's architecture and fill the content for all the website sections. What was the most challenging part of the project? The most difficult part was finding to create the product catalog in a brief timeframe. Due to the short timeframe and the project's urgency, there were very few opportunities to train people to use the tool.

The Outcome

1.The website is vibrant and clear with a lot of life and interactivity. The bold and inspiring identity concept and the unique design language have built a powerful connection with the audience. We successfully got a good amount of coverage for the launch through social media and email communication.

2.Being a new kid in the website world, the site was heavy on content, and we tried to be as informative as possible. This approach made the user experience smoother and faster.

3.The catalog is a phenomenal asset to the site. It is rich with well-designed and relevant content.

Conclusion

The ease of interaction with the project team allowed us to work with individuals with different backgrounds and methods. This communication was constructive. The fact that the project was challenging and demanding made it memorable and fun.

Learn more about our skills in web design and about our other services on our website.

Eight Factors To Consider When Hiring A Web Developer

Igor Polyakov — Wed, 05 May 2021 20:11:15 +0000

In this article, we will be discussing eight factors to consider when hiring a web developer.

Today is the world of digital technology where everything is changing from physical to online mode. The best example in this regard is the businesses. Business people are using online platforms to represent their business and gain traffic from all across the world. The essential thing in this regard is the Website, which can be considered the face of your business. A Website represents all the details of your business. Therefore, it is something that can play a pivotal role in gaining or losing traffic.

While making a website, the most notorious task is to hire a professional. For outsourcing, this task following are the eight factors to consider when hiring a web developer.

An exceptional Portfolio

The portfolio is a collection of the past work of the web developer. The portfolio will give you a glimpse of his skills and what quality you can expect from him. All you need to do is spend enough time on the research and going through the portfolio. Afterward, you can decide if his skills suit you or not.

Also, suppose the web developer hesitates or delays showing the portfolio. In that case, you should instantly back up as any professional and experienced agent will be proud to offer their portfolio like hotsnow. This confidence shows their experience and professionalism.

Experience regarding your work

Experience plays a vital role in determining the quality of your future Website. Therefore, choosing an experienced web developer or firm will help you get what you exactly want. They will also comprehend all your demands and goals easily, thereby customizing the site to suit you the best.

Expected completion time

A business needs to complete its Website as soon as possible to achieve the desired results and reach the vast online market. So, it would help if you had an estimated timeline from a web developer for completing his task with perfection. Moreover, if the individual knows the exact time of completion, there are fewer chances of unnecessary delays.

The total cost of hiring

Discussing the total cost and budget for the project is vital before hiring. This detailed and up-front discussion will save you from misunderstandings and clashes. Besides, if you are on a tight budget, it is better to estimate the cost before proceeding. Also, you should discuss the extra and additional charges for additional services as well.

Customer service

Website design and development is a pretty complicated and time-consuming process. Therefore, you should contact professional firms that offer efficient customer services and shows patience against your problems. Firms with good reputations find an excellent way to bonding with the staff. They are instrumental in having a quality site.

Communication

Before hiring a web developer, you should judge his communication style. His communication should be impeccable and precise. Furthermore, his style should demonstrate a sense of responsibility, confidence, and reliability. His style is an essential factor to consider as you need to interact with the developer for a more extended period, so he should be communicative.

Know-how with latest and trendy technologies

The best candidate should be well equipped with the latest and modern technologies. He should have the know-how of how to operate various website designing tools. Technology is an essential factor to consider as modern technologies will help you compete efficiently in the market.

Contacting firms vs. freelancers

While hiring a web developer, most people face confusion, whether to contact firms or hire a freelancer. Well, this isn't easy to decide. If you want professionalism, you can get a firm with a good reputation. Hiring the company will help you face less risk of poor service. Contrarily, if you are tight on your budget, you can search for freelancers on various online freelancing platforms. Here, you can find many freelancers. Some will be incredible, and others will be worst. All you need to do is spend some time searching for the good ones, have a detailed look at their profiles, portfolios, and reviews. Also, you need to have a detailed interview with them to consider all the factors mentioned earlier for hiring them.

Conclusion

The above article illustrates eight factors to consider when hiring a web developer. These factors will help you build a fantastic website and compete efficiently in the online world. Following are these factors:
An exceptional Portfolio

Experience regarding your work
Expected completion time
The total cost of hiring
Customer service
Contacting firms vs. freelancers
Know how with latest and trendy technologies
Contacting firms vs. freelancers

So, don't forget to consider these factors when hiring a web designer. Moreover, if you are busy and can't deal with this stress, you can contact hotsnow. We will assist you in raising your online business. Additionally, hotsnow makes sure to deliver you fantastic services without any delay.

Best 6 Digital Design Agencies In Eastern Europe

Igor Polyakov — Wed, 05 May 2021 10:38:04 +0000

If you are confused and seeking help, here are the best digital agencies in Eastern Europe that offer efficient and high-quality services in a reasonable price range.
The twenty-first century comes with digital modernization. However, it got more amplified and accelerated with the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic. Digital design agencies play a vital role in providing services regarding digital designs.

Hotsnow (Estonia)

It is a Tallinn-based digital design agency that offers a wide range of services, starting from web designing, graphic designing, etc. This digital agency is seen to respond actively throughout the globe, thereby ensuring a friendly business environment. Their incredible and excellent services attract clients from every corner of the globe—recent ratings on Clutch. Co shows hot snow among the best digital design agencies in Eastern Europe.

Fireart Studio

It is located in Warsaw, Poland. It is a boutique design and software development firm. It is considered one of the most popular product development houses all across Eastern Europe. Moreover, it offers incredible services regarding UX/UI designs for mobile and web brand identity designs. Other services include implementation in code, graphic designing, motion designing, product research, animation, custom digital illustrations, and explainer video production.

Fireart studio is also included in a digital design agency that offers Huawei, Google, Pipedrive, Rolls Royce, Swiss Fin Lab, Bolt, and others. The company holds a 5-star ranking and positive reviews. Therefore, it holds a reputable position in digital design agencies in Eastern Europe.

Habitat (Ukraine)

It is a digital design and branding agency in Ukraine specializing in UX/UI designs for the mobile and web, graphic design, design for keynote presentations, iconography, social media content, front-end development, and product development.

Furthermore, this digital design agency has the expertise and exceptional skills regarding designing SaaS interfaces, especially human-centered designs. It was founded in the year 2016 in Kyiv. Besides, it offered its services to DOGIZ, Little Spoon, FENDI, CGTaders, and Open Channel.

League Design Agency (Ukraine)

It is a product design agency with an office in Kyiv, Ukraine. It was founded in the year 2017 and has completed 76 digital designing projects and 15 brand identity styles for more than 43 clients from 16 different world countries. They achieved 20 local and international awards. They strive to introduce beautiful and innovative designs in the digital market.

Like firms mentioned above, they also deal with website designs, SaaS designs, mobile app designing, and brand identity creation. League Design Agency's clients include GEO Protocol, Pix, Ignilife, Alterra Group, Sherpa Prep, WP2P, Synergy, and Great Place to Work.

Mobee Dick (Poland)

Mobee Dick is another incredible Polish digital design agency. It was founded in Katowice in the year 2012. This digital agency offers extensive services regarding digital strategy creation, product design, UX/UI design, and optimization. They mainly focus on mobile solutions. Mobee Dick dealt previously with the WARTA, Polish Airlines, ITAKA, mBank, Banque Saudi Fransi, EmpikGo, Rainbow Tours, Empik, and RASP.

Furthermore, Mobee Dick enables clients to leverage digital marketing tools to build marketing strategies, build creative teas, and implement production processes efficiently in the companies.

Humbleteam (Czech Republic)

Humbleteam is a digital designing consulting firm emphasizing startups. This firm has its offices in New York in the USA, Praha in the Czech, and Moscow in Russia. Its work was mentioned in the media like TechCrunch, Forbes, The Verge, and VentureBeat. Humbleteam created many designs for many clients worldwide, including 500 firms and Y Combinator startups.

Conclusion

According to Clutch's ranking, the firms mentioned above are the best 6 Digital design agencies in Eastern Europe. So, now, if you are looking for incredible services regarding UX/UI designs, website designs, graphic designs, logo designs, animations, video making, and Mobile app development, then you are at the right place. In the above article, you can get information for the best service providing digital agencies to help you efficiently at a reasonable cost.

Case Study: How The Two-Hour Design Workshop Made The Project Page Better

Igor Polyakov — Sun, 02 May 2021 14:46:23 +0000

Introduction

Client: Reinvest24.com - the investment platform. The problem: the client was concerned about the effectiveness of their project page. The process: we conducted a two-hour design workshop based on the design thinking and design sprint methodology. The solution: after we spent two hours evaluating the common patterns in the industry and done heuristic research, we come up with the set of the essential blocks for the page. We have arranged them in orders of priority using the gestalt methodology and come up with the wireframe.

Design thinking and design sprint

We attended design thinking workshops in the past and did the same exercise with the client. One of the main differences is that we limited the number of participants to one, so it was more of a discussion that helps in decision-making. The exercise is efficient; it teaches the participants to reflect on their thought processes and identify common patterns. We used it as a model to simplify the process further. Using Design Thinking techniques, we broke down the problem into its most essential characteristics: clarity, impact, intention, and action. Based on the key features, we went ahead and explained the user's journey and his need. Finally, we listed out the goals and desired outcomes.

The problem the client was concerned about the effectiveness of their project page.

The process (2 hours):

Explore to validate the requirements and validate that it is possible to build the page based on them. Make multiple hypotheses. Define in-depth and do heuristic research to discover common patterns in the industry and do heuristic research to find standard practices. If possible, create prototypes using real-life circumstances. If it is not possible, with a reasonable risk, try to use a crude design prototype and formulate hypotheses. After you conclude the research, filter out your ideas. Block it into two categories – High and Low priority. It's a good practice to block each type into a separate category and keep them separate for the duration of the workshop. This is the proposed page set.

We conducted a two-hour design workshop based on the design thinking and design sprint methodology.

Our design process is based on the principles of Design Thinking. While Design Thinking is a framework for problem-solving and building solutions, Design sprints are a specific process of solving the answer. A practical solution to a problem demands, among other things, a willingness to change and think differently. Design thinking creates the right conditions for this. For instance, as we were mapping out the solution and to make our process more efficient, we went for small, frequent iterations. One of them focused the problem on smaller subsets to see if there is a problem with specific subgroups. After identifying the problem, we determined how we could solve it.

The solution

After we spent two hours evaluating the common patterns in the industry and done heuristic research, we come up with the set of the essential blocks for the page.

The work in progress state

We came up with our solution from an end product-oriented perspective rather than focusing on the end product. We laid the strategy and called the shots simultaneously, rather than starting a design from scratch. As a result, we had a work-in-progress state which we could touch when needed without causing undue stress to the user.

Key learnings: The experience design process could be extended by doing a staged design process which serves as a working feedback mechanism.

Conclusion

Fully optimized the process has the potential to contribute significantly to the overall product launch. I believe our two-hour designer workshop gave us a new perspective in working with designers and let us do more. Hence, I would like to request all designers, whether freelancers or full-time employees, to learn more about workshops on BlueRoad blog, so that together we can come up with simple yet beautiful ideas for our clients.