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Making of a Web App: Part 9 – Why I Hope No One Reads My Use Cases

Making of a Web App is Synap Software’s step-by-step look at designing and developing a web app. In this article I share why, despite best attempts by the anti-paperwork crowd, I like written use cases. Use cases: Contribute directly to the final, deployed app. Expose risks to simplicity. Expose the level of development work required.Continue reading “Making of a Web App: Part 9 – Why I Hope No One Reads My Use Cases”

Is Anyone Else Seeing Duplicates?

I’m asking for some help. If you can help me troubleshoot this, please respond in the comments section of this post. Is anyone else seeing my blog posts duplicated in their reader? Has it been going on for a while? What reader are you using? Have you ever experienced this on your blog and whatContinue reading “Is Anyone Else Seeing Duplicates?”

Why a Big Budget Will Kill Your Software Project

Money, get away. Get a good job with good pay and you’re okay. Money, its a gas. Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash. New car, caviar, four star daydream, Think I’ll buy me a football team. Everyone, sing it with me: New box, database, VP daydream, Think I’ll buy me anContinue reading “Why a Big Budget Will Kill Your Software Project”

Making of a Web App: Part 8 – Styleguide

Making of a Web App is Synap Software’s step-by-step look at designing and developing a web app. In this article we get a little bit ahead of ourselves and talk about styleguides. Early PlaybookIQ Styleguide decisions: Use of the International Style Tab-based navigation Persistent search box A styleguide communicates an application’s look and feel, includingContinue reading “Making of a Web App: Part 8 – Styleguide”

Great Visual of Simplification by Reduction

I love this photo – “Understanding how to use a remote is made easier by a friend” – as an example of the power of reduction to make something easier to understand and give people a better experience. Take away all the stuff people don’t need and suddenly instead of fumbling around feeling stupid, theyContinue reading “Great Visual of Simplification by Reduction”

Making of a Web App: Choose a Name, Part 2 – Update

Making of a Web App follows the design, development and deployment of a web application. This is the seventh article in the series. In this entry we pick a name for Synap Software’s new sales team collaboration application. Here’s the steps we followed: Wrote down the categories, benefits, and differences that describe the app. UsedContinue reading “Making of a Web App: Choose a Name, Part 2 – Update”

Steve Jobs: Mac OS, designed by a bunch of amateurs

Designing Interactions is Bill Moggridge’s collection of interviews with the people behind great product designs. One of those interviewed is Cordell Ratzlaff, senior designer at Apple for five years. Prior to OS X, Apple was an engineering driven company. Steve Jobs turned it around into a design driven company. That change; designing for the userContinue reading “Steve Jobs: Mac OS, designed by a bunch of amateurs”

Making of a Web App: Write User Stories

Cordell: People don’t use a computer to enjoy the operating system; they don’t care about setting their system preferences, nor do they care about choosing what kind of scrollbars they want. They use a computer because they want to create something; they want to communicate with somebody; they want to express their own personality, everythingContinue reading “Making of a Web App: Write User Stories”

Making of a Web App: Choose a Name, Part 1

In this, the sixth entry in the Making of a Web App series, we take a look at choosing a name. There are two steps: pick criteria and then pick a name that meets those criteria. In this entry we look at the first step: what makes a good web application name. Key points: DescriptiveContinue reading “Making of a Web App: Choose a Name, Part 1”

4 Reasons To Simplify

Here is my kids’ school’s mission statement. Acres Green Elementary provides a positive safe environment where best teaching practices are used to educate the whole child while honoring individuality and creativity. Here’s another area school’s mission statement. Copper Mesa Elementary is dedicated to excellence in education and is committed to being an exemplary community ofContinue reading “4 Reasons To Simplify”