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A UX Research Journey: Analyzing VisitMexico.com
If there is one thing you should know about Costa Rica, it is that it is a tourist paradise. As a native Costa Rican, or “Tico” as we call ourselves, I can attest firsthand how important tourism is to the country. When I lived there and asked tourists how they decided to visit, many of…
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Usability Testing to the rescue
When we use a website, we rarely consider the design choices behind each button, label, and filter. We simply expect things to work as we assume they will, but sometimes they don’t, and frustration quickly takes over curiosity. A key part of the development process that can prevent this is usability testing. In this blog,…
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A vs B: The ultimate showdown
Jeff Grobb, a famous American author, once said, “When given a choice between two, choose the third.” I think that in the design world, especially with the endless options of apps and websites, there are fourths, fifths, and many more possibilities. The process of narrowing them down is not easy and becomes even harder as…
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Navigating the Fine Line: Balancing User and Business requirements
As a child, shopping at the local grocery store was simple. My mom gave me a specific, itemized list, and I followed it strictly. No deviations, no distractions, and no chocolates or candies. Today, with the rise of online platforms, I tremendously miss that strict mom-like shopping method. With all the promos, bundles, and reviews,…
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Unfolding Insights: The Power of Business Origami in UX Research
Traditionally, user experience research employs methods like interviews, surveys, and observations. Although these can offer valuable insights into user needs and behaviors, they may not capture the full complexity of the system being studied. To address this gap, participatory techniques have become more popular, with Business Origami emerging as an engaging, collaborative way to explore,…
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Cereal box storytelling
Cereal boxes are among the most familiar objects in everyday consumer culture, yet they are also some of the most strategically designed storytelling platforms in retail environments. Within a highly constrained physical space, cereal packaging must communicate brand identity, product properties, emotional cues, and persuasive messages. What appears to be a simple cardboard carton is,…
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The last nine months: Photo Essay
There are many ways to tell the story of my newborn’s journey into the world. Doing it visually, avoiding the endless textual details, allows for a more emotional and authentic vibe. Sharing the story of my last nine months through a series of photos was quite challenging and required a thorough understanding of visual storytelling…
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Behavioral Economics in Streaming Platforms
Have you ever wondered why you tend to choose the advanced plan over the basic one on streaming services? This default, often more expensive, plan was already carefully selected for you by the service developers, without you giving it much thought. This path was pre-designed. In the sign-up process, rapidly clicking “next” without changing the…
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Experience Economy
In 1966, Yoko Ono presented a conceptual art piece—a simple apple. She challenged viewers to consider whether the object was just itself or something more. Specifically, the latter symbolizes the cycle of life, death, and decay, as the apple naturally rots over time. The design of the apple, placed on a pedestal in a gallery,…
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The diameter of the cone
Abraham Lincoln once said, “The most reliable way to predict the future is to create it.” As storytellers, we do this all the time. We often encounter crossroads and have the potential to move forward in many directions. While exploring story possibilities may be overwhelming, some tools help us find clarity and choose the best…