Andre van Heerden

✨I'm proud to announce that we have officially launched our new PRECISE. app – the first of its kind, designed to keep brokers in the know, on the go. 📱 It's also the first-ever app that’s been developed in-house by OSB Group 🔹 Real-time Case Updates and Timelines Stay updated with the latest developments and never miss a beat. 🔹 Customizable Push Notifications Tailor your alerts to ensure you get the information you need, when you need it. 🔹 Saveable Criteria Searches and Affordability Calculators Simplify your workflow with tools that make your job easier and more efficient. Find out more ⬇️ *Intermediaries only. #Precise #WeareOSB #Fintech #uxdesign #userexperience

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Designers & Digital Creatives - do you have 3 mins to spare for yours truly? ☝ + ✌ https://lnkd.in/eks_BT_P Last year, our survey revealed trends on motivations for moving on, some home truths about pay disparity vs titles, and helped us help our clients prioritise the things that are important to YOU 👇 Please do have your say #productdesign #UX #UI #digitaldesign #creative As a thank you, you’ll be among the first to receive this year’s insights (might be useful intel if you're looking to negotiation a promotion or thinking about your next step in 2025!) 😎

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Our Figma plugin for FigMayo is looking great, can’t wait to boot this out into the wild. Shout out to Gavin McFarland for doing a smashing job building it. This will let you spin up an all-singing, all-dancing design system reference website in a couple of clicky clicks — like this example from Figma 👇 https://lnkd.in/ePQERyM5

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Google releases their new feature to Google Meets: 'Whose watching me? 👀' - Now you can see who's looking at you on a Google Meet call - get HR involved if they stare too long! Satirical Screens | 07 #uxdesign #uidesign #productdesign #satiricalscreens #productdesigner #uxdesigner #uidesigner #productdesigner #Google #Googlemeets #Zoom #Slack #MicrosoftTeams

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DESIGNERS: There are a lot of designers out of work at the moment. If you are fortunate to be in employment or have a decent contract, why not spend your lunch break today and think "how can I be kind and helpful?' and try to help the reach of a job applicant, or recommend someone for something, or just re-post anyone who has the 'Open to Work' banner on their page. Just one 'like', re-post, recommendation, comment for reach, one phone call, one connection, can be the difference between a designer being in or out of work. Let all help each other fill those roles and spread the kindness.

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OK I wrote another thing. It's called 'Make Product Design Great Again' It has graphs and ranting, also a mild apology to the design recruitment industry https://lnkd.in/eU9FvzvE Enjoy! #productdesign #UX #UI #product #design #designops #designthinking

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Jakobs Law states that users spend most of their time on other websites. What it's really saying is: 'your website shouldn't be too different from other websites'. This is so people don't have to learn new layouts or interaction paradigms every time they go onto a new website, because that would be a nightmare. Could Jakob's Law explain why the companies below have adopted a homogenic approach to branding? They might think: "If other brands are using minimal design language, would standing out mean we've been left behind?" And they might be right. There is a lot of discourse since Jaguar's rebrand talking about how they've abandoned their heritage, and they've severed their brand equity completely. But isn't that the point? Jaguar currently aren't manufacturing any cars. They are setting the stage to become an electric-only car manufacturer. How can they maintain their 'heritage' brand that looks backwards, when they are looking forward at a new future? In my opinion Jaguar needed to adopt the minimalism of the rest of the industry to be seen as adjacent to the new class of brands that will be part of our collective futures. They have clearly defined who they are, and more importantly who they are not for, which is the hallmark of any great brand.

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When is the right time to hire a designer? What does 'practical design' really mean? Do I really walk my cat on a leash? You can find out the answers to all of these questions on the latest episode of the Calling Operator podcast with Laura Nicol! It was wonderful to share my own journey through startups over the last 8 years, talk about what I'm doing now as an independent Product Designer, and also how I approach my work. If you're a founder, a designer or even looking for some movie recommendations, then this is the ideal episode for you! Links to the podcast are in the comments 😊

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😬 Forgot about breaking into design, just staying in the design industry is tough right now. I'm glad I attended the first ever ADPList London event last week. As a mentee and mentor on the platform, it was a evening full of great advice and good conversations. HIGHLIGHTS Ellie Bannerman, shared an interesting tip: adding video to her portfolio to discuss her process and decisions. Her key point? Focus on the value you provide when networking, not just selling yourself. Grace Kisnorbo 🦓💚 broke down the fierce competition in the design industry. Over-hiring and subsequent layoffs have created a talent surplus, pushing experienced designers to apply for lower-level roles, which explains why you might be getting radio silence from roles you're very much qualified for. Josh Wilburne was candid about his portfolio review process: “Tell me in 30-90 seconds what the problem was and how you solved it.” Remya R. emphasized the importance of fundamentals. As you gain experience, build a library of case studies and tailor them to the role you're applying for. FINAL THOUGHTS I’m grateful for the honest stories and insights shared. Between the economy and AI tools, the design industry is changing really fast and it’s important we all have the awareness to carve our own path forward. A huge thanks to the ADPList London Chapter for organizing the great event. Jaspreet T., Mark Opland, Ana Gimeno Muñoz and Shraddha Andani

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Design isn’t just a cost, it’s an advantage. Is showing your value a constant battle? You're definitely not alone. At DesignOps Aligned, we transform that struggle into a triumph. A few months ago, a senior UX designer faced redundancy. Her turning point? Embracing the right processes to showcase her worth. Here's what worked: 1. Align with Objectives Sync your goals with the company's vision. Push growth with every design. 2. Document Everything Chronicle your projects. Prove how designs hit key metrics. 3. Communicate Clearly Share insights often. Use data to back up your decisions. Let design's value shine. 4. Collaborate Connect with cross-functional teams. Build strong ties with developers and PMs. 5. Create KPIs for Designs Pinpoint your design's impact. Measure with precision. Refine your processes and step into your role as a strategic asset. What processes have you embraced to highlight your value? Share below!

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A study found that if every adult in the UK sent one less "thank you" email, it could save 16,433 tonnes of carbon a year — the equivalent to taking 3,334 diesel cars off the road. Did you know that as a UX/UI or product designer you can make a real tangible difference to climate change? Here’s a short list to get you started: - How can you make your digital application more efficient? A simple UI is not only good for the users, it’s good for the planet too! - Can you nudge your users towards more sustainable behaviors? Sending fewer emails, avoiding duplicate work, making more sustainable choices digitally or physically will impact on the environment. - Can you become an advocate for all living systems, not just human users? UX designers became the advocates for users 20 to 30 years ago, making sure their needs and concerns were considered at every step of a design process - now we need to expand and care for ALL living systems. Which living systems do you directly impact? - What are the ethical considerations of your digital application? Who or what is most negatively impacted by it, and what are the opportunities to address that? And with that I’m going to start writing about being a designer in the GreenTech or ClimateTech world. Let me know what you think, is this something you care about? What things do you do to design more climate friendly services? Find the above and a whole lot more on ClimateDesigners https://lnkd.in/etaXcRB6 And make sure to follow me or https://lnkd.in/eaHq5E8d for more like this!

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Designers are being exploited. I've become increasingly concerned with the state of design hiring processes since my first redundancy back in 2021, and I fear we've reached breaking point (at least I have). Today, we're talking about design tasks. It's now commonplace for potential employers to ask jobseekers to complete an unpaid "task" during the selection process. These so-called tasks usually require days of work, and often involve creating designs that the company genuinely needs and could potentially use without payment or permission. This leaves designers in an impossible position: should we leave our dignity at the door, comply, and get used (after all, we're #Desperate for work) - or say no and hope the next company, if there is one, has morals? It's also hard to spend limited time on a task, when you know you're up against other designers who may simply spend longer on it and therefore be selected to move forward, based solely on their "effort" rather than skills. The good news is (unless you sign something to the contrary) any work you create for these tasks belongs to you, even if you use their branding. If you have any legal concerns around IP, speak to Carrie Bradley! I've already made several posts documenting tasks I've been asked to produce in full, so if you're interested in seeing just how much we're being asked for, check out my older content. One company I was a huge fan of ghosted me after I completed a week's worth of work for them. I'm now saying no to tasks, full stop. If none of us comply with their unethical practices, they'll be forced to do something radical: judge us based on our portfolios and CVs that have taken years to curate. Wouldn't that be something?

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🎨 Working with a creative agency? Follow these six simple steps from The Other Hand to write the perfect brief.

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A week until UX London and I'm at the stage where I hate my slides and want to feign an illness that will prevent me from getting on the stage next week. Great timing then to attend a meetup with other female Design leaders on Imposter Syndrome organised by Amy Kelly and Danielle Macdonald! I learnt a lot from the material shared and the great discussions that followed. Reflecting on this as I finalise my slides, take some deep breaths and tell myself, 'You've got this.' #research #researchleadership #designleadership #ux #uxresearch

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When giving design feedback, remember: it’s not going on your fridge. You likely aren’t the user or audience. It doesn’t matter if you don’t like the colour or your wife thinks it needs to be green. Stakeholders: help your designers out by asking what specifically they are looking for feedback on. Keep your feedback objective and in context of the objective and brief. Ask questions. Designers: give context, explain your designs and how they meet the brief or user story. Help your stakeholders to help you. Ask questions.

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I went to my first UX Architect team meeting at BBC UX&D for a few years last week and it inspired me to revisit some information architecture ideas... mainly the idea of 'concurrent information architecture'. I'm still not convinced it's a real thing... maybe it depends on where you draw the boundary of an architecture... but I do think considering the points of overlap, interaction and integration between systems, at the information architecture level, is one way to build better products and services. #informationarchitecture

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Testing a font that's currently in development. I find it hard to critic work sometimes. It's a daily thing we have to do as designers but it never seems to get easier. Today's been a frustrating mix of not being able to work out why functionality of a font isn't being brought through along with staring at letter forms asking myself "are this working, do they relate, is it working how I intended" and the usual "is this good design or is it s**t". I guess it's just the nature of design that nothing you even do will be perfect but maybe we should be content with "close enough" or "that'll do" sometimes. ... #typedesign #font #typography #design #visualcommunication #visualdesign

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Listen, we made a nature documentary for the BBC. Shut up, we did. Well, kinda. This is a mini-mockumentary looking at the very tricky design research the BBC UX&D department need to carry out to truly understand how to create online experiences for the humans. And how do you understand the infinitely unquantifiable needs, wants and desires of the Homo Sapian? It's simple.... you watch this film. Narrated by The Lord God Professor Robert Winston-on-Thames, himself. For Belafonte, this kind of project is our bread and butter… even if you’re selling bread and butter, we can make it work. We’ll help you tell the world why your bread and butter is the best bread and butter. Ultimately, the goal of the explainer video is to engage and educate people, to promote action and to give you and your company a unique voice that helps to raise you above your competition.

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Got questions about getting into the design industry? 💬 We've been blown away by the incredible talent applying for our junior design role. With so many high-quality applicants, it's a tough decision, and it's a shame we can only hire one person at the moment! But... some exciting news - Toby, an AUB alumnus and our junior design hire from two years ago is here to help! Got any questions about getting your first role in the graphic design industry? Drop them in the comments below, and we'll share Toby’s answers in a new series, Toby’s Tips, over the next few weeks, so stay tuned! #SaloCreative #GraphicDesign #CareerTips #TobysTips #DesignIndustry

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