Top 10 Places to Visit in New Zealand

 See the top 10 places to visit in New Zealand, the land made famous by Lord of the Rings. What was once a peaceful country located south of the Pacific Ocean has now become a tourist hotspot, thanks to the filming of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. This Polynesian group of islands is said to be the last human-inhabited landmass. Because it is geographically separated from the rest of the globe, the indigenous Maori culture has been preserved despite the country's fast expansion and development.

Before you buy your aircraft tickets or book your hotel, keep in mind that certain foreigners will need to get a tourist visa before entering the country. Check this list of nations that do not require a short-stay visa to see if you need one. If you have a passport from one of these countries, you can simply fly in and receive a short-stay permit from an immigration officer. If your nation isn't on the list, you'll need to apply for a tourist visa in New Zealand. The following are the requirements:

• A valid passport
• A completed visa application form
• A couple of colored passport-size photos
• Flight itinerary for visa application
• Bank documents
• A current medical certificate
• Visa fees

Top 10 Places to Visit in New Zealand:

Get ready to have the most unexpected adventure of your life! There are far too many places to see in this picturesque country but you need to set your eyes to these top 10 destinations first.

Top 10: Mt. Victoria in Wellington:

Start your New Zealand adventure in Wellington, the country's capital. Water features such as the Cook Strait, Wellington Harbour, Porirua Harbour, and Fitzroy Bay surround this urban center.

You must walk up Mt. Victoria to witness all of these amazing sights. This is essentially merely a hill on the city's east end that can be readily reached by taking a city tour bus. If you really want to make the hike on foot, you can do so by following the marked trail. You can quickly see the harbour, the airport, and the entire metropolis from the summit. This is going to be a fantastic start to your top ten locations to see in New Zealand journey.

Top 9: Cable Car in Wellington:

You must walk up Mt. Victoria to witness all of these amazing sights. This is essentially merely a hill on the city's east end that can be readily reached by taking a city tour bus. If you really want to make the hike on foot, you can do so by following the marked trail. You can quickly see the harbour, the airport, and the entire metropolis from the summit. This is going to be a fantastic start to your top ten locations to see in New Zealand journey.

These red trams will take you to Lambton Quay and up to the Cable Car Museum and the Wellington Garden for a very reasonable fare. View the breathtaking panorama from the top of the hill. Check out the museum and the garden if you have time.

Top 8: Sky Tower in Auckland:

Travel north from Wellington to see Auckland, New Zealand's most populous metropolis. Auckland, like Wellington, is bordered by large bodies of water such as the Shoal Bay and Hauraki Gulf.

Visit the top of the iconic Sky Tower, which is located near the Auckland Bridge, for a great perspective of Auckland. The top five stories of this telecommunications tower are open to the public as viewing decks. A spinning restaurant on one floor provides a full 360-degree perspective of the city. The primary viewing platform is on a different level. The Skywalk and Sky Jump deck, which will allow interested clients to either be strapped to a harness and walk along the glass edge of the tower or be tied to a cord and tumble down the structure from a height of 192 meters, should be the most exciting of the five levels.

Top 7: Waitakere Ranges in Auckland:

The Waitakere Ranges, about 45 kilometers outside of Auckland, is home to a number of natural reserves, including one of the best outdoor activities in the city. The western line train to Swanson or a private automobile can take you to this 16,000-hectare forest and shoreline.

When you get at the Waitakere Ranges, park rangers will direct you and assist you in selecting the appropriate activities. You can have a picnic by the sea, participate in a bird-watching activity, go up the mountain to admire the vista, or journey through the park to witness a couple of waterfalls. The park's numerous activities make it a family-friendly attraction.

Top 6: Rangitoto Island in Auckland:

Make a final visit at Rangitoto Island before departing Auckland. This picturesque reserve is thought to be New Zealand's youngest island and volcano, having only recently risen from the sea 600 years ago. A one-hour ferry voyage from the harbor will take you to the island's wooden dock.

You can easily climb the 259m-high volcano from the dock. The trail to the summit is easily followed by children and even mature adults. You can choose to go spelunking or cave exploring if you want to take the experience to the next level. The best view of Auckland and the gulf is from the volcano's peak.

Top 5: Whangarei Falls in Whangarei City:

If you travel to New Zealand's northernmost city, you will find one of the country's most unspoiled and preserved natural resources. Whangarei Falls is a must-see attraction for visitors to Whangarei. This towering curtain waterfalls, located in the Whangarei Scenic Reserve, is a popular swimming and picnic spot. It's actually quite simple to go to the pool where the cascading water flows.

The trail leading to the waterfalls is well-kept, and most visitors and locals who have visited the reserve marvel about how clean it is. This venue should undoubtedly be included among the top ten places to visit in New Zealand.

Top 4: Lighthouse in Cape Reinga:

Why not take a bus tour to the northernmost tip of New Zealand before you leave? The land journey may take many hours, but the wait will be well worth it once you see the lighthouse at the island's tip.

This site is holy to the indigenous Maoris because it is said that this cape is where the souls of the dead travel before passing on to the afterlife; hence the name "Reinga," which means "underworld." The spirits, according to the Maoris, jump off the cliff once they reach the cape. The view of the meeting of two large bodies of water – the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea – is another must-see from the lighthouse.

Top 3: Farmer’s Market in Christchurch:

Christchurch is a city in New Zealand's Southland region. Despite being devastated by three major earthquakes between 2010 and 2012, Christchurch has slowly rebuilt and has since repaired the majority of its infrastructure. The unpretentious Christchurch Farmer's Market is one of the city's main attractions.

This Farmer's Market, which is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., features local agricultural products as well as regional cuisine. Because New Zealanders take their Saturday brunch seriously, you can anticipate a wide variety of grains, breads, and dairy products. The famed Flat White Coffee, which is an espresso with milk foam, is a must-try.

Top 2: Akaroa Harbour in Canterbury:

The famed Akaroa Harbour is located just outside of Christchurch, in the Canterbury Region. The French conquerors first occupied this place in the 19th century, and the French influence may still be seen in the harbor area today.

Because this is a seaside environment, most outdoor activities revolve around water. Join a 4-wheel-drive tour to the island's most populous tiny penguin colony, which is one of the must-do activities. You can also participate in a water excursion to witness the tiniest species of dolphins.

Top 1: Rakiura National Park in Stewart Island:

Most visitors to New Zealand are aware that the country is made up of only two huge islands, but few are aware that there is a third rather large island located south of the country.

Stewart Island is the only part of the island that is inhabited, and Oban is the only town on the island. Traveling further south to this island to see and experience the "outback" of the New Zealand people is a fantastic experience to have before leaving the nation. Spend the entire day in Rakiura National Park, which is still relatively new. The iconic kiwi birds, as well as the uncommon yellow-eyed penguin, can be seen up close here.

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My Beauty Tips: Everyone Must Know “Beauty Tips”

 

As you may be aware, beauty is readily attained, but some people are born with naturally beautiful skin and prefer not to use any artificial means to get it. It may be difficult to retain beauty in both instances. You must always stay up to date on the current trends and the most effective strategies to enhance and maintain your attractiveness. There is a wealth of information available on the internet, and you may use these beauty tips and tricks on a regular basis.

By removing the liner, you can make your eyes appear larger. When it comes to efficiently creating Big Eyes to assist me, you must follow the steps outlined below. First and foremost, you'll need a smudged black pencil to create a lower Lash line. Next, line the waterline with a nude pencil that is suitable for lining the waterline as long as the black liner is not connected to the corners.

You can also go for a wavy look with a rock and roll edge. It's perhaps the best and simplest hair-twisting trick you can do with your fingertips. To get an excellent look, don't forget to leave the heart and your hair.

-By removing the liner, you can make your eyes appear larger. When it comes to efficiently creating Big Eyes to assist me, you must follow the steps outlined below. First and foremost, you'll need a smudged black pencil to create a lower Lash line. Next, line the waterline with a nude pencil that is suitable for lining the waterline as long as the black liner is not connected to the corners.

You can also go for a wavy look with a rock and roll edge. It's perhaps the best and simplest hair-twisting trick you can do with your fingertips. To get an excellent look, don't forget to leave the heart and your hair.

-Make certain that your pins appear to be invisible. When you're styling your hair using pins, make sure the pins aren't visible. You can also use eye shadow to achieve a beautiful look.

-Carry a ponytail by tilting the head back slightly and tightening the hold on the Nape of the neck to keep a beautiful look all day. The ponytail, on the other hand, looks great all day.

-When it comes to avoiding a frizzy appearance, a wide-tooth comb is preferable to brushes. In freshly curled hair, it creates a nice separation.

-You should also use a lip pencil and a blusher to achieve faultless synchronization. Place the lip pencil on the back of your palm and rub the cheeks with your finger.

All of the Highly Effective methods and strategies described above are extremely useful and result in a fantastic appearance. It goes without saying that it could make things like skin aging more difficult. When you find the greatest anti-aging wrinkle creams, it will save you time as well as money. It provides your skin a refined appearance that lasts a long time.

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The growing plastic waste problem Awakening the society around the world

 

The growing plastic waste problem Awakening the society around the world, various organizations join in tackling the problem of plastic waste by reducing its use. not adding new plastic waste into the system But the plastic waste that exists today create quite a few problems Many agencies therefore have the concept of managing existing plastic waste by using the concept of "Circular Economy".

The European Union (EU) has adopted the “2018 Circular Economy Action Package” covering goals and policies to reduce plastic waste. Reducing landfill and increase the amount of recycling This reflects that the circular economy is being actively driven by both governments and businesses around the world. This may affect Thailand's exports of plastic packaging products to the EU may also be affected. Therefore, entrepreneurs must pay more attention to product quality and change their business according to the circular economy concept.

In Thailand, the Cabinet (Cabinet) has approved the 2018-2030 Plastic Waste Management Roadmap to serve as a policy framework for overall plastic waste management in the country. and is an integrated management of many agencies, defining directions, preventive actions and solve the country's plastic waste disposal problem The goal of action is divided into two phases.

The first aspect is to reduce and stop using plastic. and use environmentally friendly renewable materials Divided into two periods: by 2019, 3 types of plastic will be stopped, comprising plastic caps for drinking water bottles. Plastic mixed with Oxo and plastic mixed with microbeads. The second phase will be phased out of use by 2022. The other four are plastic handles with a thickness of less than 36 microns, foam food containers, plastic straws, with exceptions for children, the elderly and the sick, and disposable plastic cups. single

The second aspect is the recycling of 100 percent of the targeted plastic waste by 2027. There will be studies and targets for the reuse of plastic waste. While the waste will be disposed of properly, the action plan is divided into 3 measures.

1. Measures to reduce the elimination of plastic waste at the source, which will support the design of environmentally friendly products.

2. Measures to reduce the use of plastic at the consumption process by driving reduction Stop using single-use plastics

3. Measures to manage plastic waste after consumption will be promoted Supporting the recycling of plastic waste

There are four management mechanisms:

1. Build knowledge understanding of relevant departments for cooperation in the implementation of

2. Public relations campaign through online media

3. Appropriate tools and mechanisms such as behavior change in all sectors expedite legislation and

4. Preparation of the country's plastic waste database

The results obtained from such roadmaps It is expected to reduce the amount of plastic waste by approximately 0.78 million tons per year and can save approximately 3,900 million baht per year in solid waste management budget.

Relevant government agencies have begun to drive according to the roadmap, such as the Office of Industrial Economics (OIE) in collaboration with the Plastics Institute. Applying the concept of Circular Economy to restructure the plastics industry, taking into account 3 main aspects: economy, society and environment. Focus on the restructuring of production that takes into account the cost-effective and comprehensive use of resources. From the production process, consumption, waste management and reuse of raw materials.

However, the Industrial Transformation Center for the Future (ITC) has been opened in the past for recycling technology and raw material innovation for the plastics industry. To drive recycling entrepreneurs to conduct business according to academic principles and to be environmentally friendly. It also promotes business transformation, creating Circular Enterprises/Startups, such as designing products that are long-lasting and easy to recycle. Reusing materials from biomaterial recycling and all recyclable materials are used as the main raw material in production.

In addition, the Ministry of Industry, together with the Ministry of Finance, has developed tax incentives to promote environmentally friendly packaging. Buyers of biodegradable bioplastic packaging will receive a tax deduction of 1.25 times for a period of 3 years from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021, and together with the Federation of Thai Industries to make a memorandum of cooperation on Industrial development under the Factory 4.0 policy to drive the circular economy concept into practice throughout the value chain of business processes.

while at present Private companies large and small are very keen on handling plastic waste. and adopting the circular economy concept. For example, IRPC recently signed a contract with Teksa Energy Company Limited and VA Energy Company Limited to purchase oil from processed plastic waste. That helps reduce the amount of plastic waste by 560 tons / month.

With the signing, IRPC will receive 300,000 – 400,000 liters/month of processed oil from plastic waste, which is the oil obtained from the pyrolysis process, reducing the amount of plastic waste by 560 tons/month, helping to solve the waste problem. sustainable plastic and supporting a circular economy in another way

For SMEs, divide their business according to economic trends. It will be a model that is both sustainable and able to adapt faster than large businesses. So this trend is not for fun. So you have to adapt and change.

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7 tips for creating interesting infographics

Infographic is another tool for presenting interesting content. By using charts, pictures and colors to help illustrate the presentation. to make it easier to understand Helps to memorize information better Easy to disseminate and save time in studying the information of the recipient Through a summary, compiled to be short, concise, easy to understand, communicate honestly. Yes to informative content, how to, rankings, statistics, surveys, news, research, campaigns, prompts, advertisements and information on products and services.

Infographics have many advantages in content creation. If designed according to key principles Will make infographic presentations able to stop people's thumbs and attract people under these 7 techniques.

1. Focus on a single point The presentation in infographic format is a condensed summary of the major issues. Complete the main idea in one page. Therefore, it is best to use a limited space where only one topic is discussed. To create content that is memorable, accessible, easy to understand and interesting

2. The title is interesting to follow. Sprinkling the topic to be attractive, inviting, focusing on big letters. especially outstanding or eye-catching colors It helps to catch people's eyes and attention at first glance. from the distinctiveness that is immediately noticeable

3. There is a balance between text and pictures. The design of the layout of images and text to balance the entire page. without being too heavy on either the text or the picture. Will make it more interesting, beautiful, inviting than a design that is full of text or only pictures.

4. Access to simplicity simple presentation text alignment and pictures beautifully without having to apply effects to show the superiority of painting It's effective communication. It works more on point than putting everything into it to look flashy.

5. The design work is consistent with the display. In good design, the impression of the designed piece should be taken into account. It must be taken into account that it is a design that is displayed through a Pc, Tablet or smart phone to support the use of the device of the recipient.

6. Presenting directly to the target audience Before drawing a work, you should first draw a picture in your mind that What approach must be presented to be suitable for the target customer group? Because it wouldn't be good if the target audience was a businessman, but the infographic design was only cartoon characters. suitable for communicating with the target audience that is more children

7. There is space in the work area, space or empty space on the page. It's just as important as the content. And the accompanying image is used because the space between the picture and the information sentence will make it comfortable, beautiful, not too heavy. therefore inviting to follow It's easier to stop reading and spread the word. A one page infographic full of information, images clumsy, hard to read, and too cluttered to visit.

with a simple technique organized as such guidelines This will make the presentation of the infographic story look not boring, beautiful, inviting to read and inviting to follow. because of trying to cram everything into one display page Regardless of the key principles of making these infographics, they will make it look no different. unprofessional And unfortunately the goal of using an infographic to communicate.

 

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5 infographic design tips you shouldn't miss

 According to a Google Trends data collection in November of this year, the term “infographic” was 5% more likely to be searched for, so now is the time to start something new. That will help your content to be more potent. This year is the year of video, but infographics are also an interesting presentation format.

For starting an infographic, in addition to having information in hand. You still have to think about doing it yourself. or hire an expert which has a high price for newbies or small brands who do not have enough budget What's the big problem? Fundamentals of design and design, which are the most important steps. Where to choose the right color scheme Easy to read fonts And also have to look at the overview that the Infographic is not too cluttered.

Here are 5 tips to help you easily know the design skills you need to make an infographic.

1. have free space

Having some free space around an object (image or text you want to emphasize) will draw the reader's attention. And also to say that this information is important.

2. Use contrasting colors.

There should not be too much color in each section. If you want to use contrasting colors, it should not be more than 2-4 colors, because if more than that. The reader will not feel eye-catching. Avoid using bright colors. all in one section or if there is a black background Using dark gray or dark colored text would make it difficult to read.

3. Pay attention to font and text style.

In general, you should not use more than 2 fonts or a maximum of 3 fonts and also use fonts that are consistent with the content. Because your readers think of what they're reading based on the font style. which do not forget that the facts Or the information contained in the infographic is important. If you choose to use a teenager font in academic articles People may view that matter. It's not very serious, so you need to pay attention to it.

4. Select an icon.

An important thing that infographic creators must keep in mind is that the icons they use must reflect what they want to say, for example, using a picture of a coffee mug. to convey an overview of the coffee business Because icons are considered universal languages. that connects readers from around the world to your brand

5. Don't forget to think about the image on the web page.

When the work is done You don't want the infographic to be crowded on your web page. You have to keep the whole picture in mind. Most infographics are 816 pixels wide and 1500 pixels tall. Or the picture is not too close to the edge, this is to facilitate the reader.

Source : VENNGAGE

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graphic design techniques to convey meaning and create value

 graphic design techniques to convey meaning and create value

Graphic design work It is a work that is sensitive in different parts of the art transmission through the tools of work called computers. We will be able to see graphics all over the country. whether it is graphic design, print media animation style graphics The graphics of the website, banners, brochures, various but valuable graphics work. What qualities must it have to convey? The beauty of the workpiece alone is not enough.

 

The main principles of working graphics

1. Target audience

Creating graphics for each piece There must be a plan to reach the target audience, i.e. the audience, what type of people, what age, and what interests. to be able to understand what we communicate through pictures and letters

2. Signs and symbols to convey meaning

Signs are the use of objects, things, animals, shapes, tastes, images as variables in communicating the meaning in that work. It is an added gimmick that invites the audience to think accordingly. Get involved with our work It's an essential skill that graphic designers need. It's like having a tactic in design that's beyond. and stand out from the others

3. Characteristics of the use of color

Using color in graphic design Graphic designers should first know the meaning of colors in different castes and apply them to their work. so that the work can clearly convey the meaning The use of color in each work should not exceed 3-5 shades in order to control the color tone. The work will be in the same direction. Do not use too many colors. However, the use of color depends on the form of work, such as wanting a full color. The use of colors must be diverse, flashy, and the colors on the work must be bright.

4. Using the text

The use of text in graphics is the most literal part. Readers must be able to understand easily, not complicated, and the use of text fonts is the same. Fonts should be chosen according to the nature of the job, such as government jobs, semi-formal jobs. Work according to the lifestyle of each organization

5. Characteristics of the layout

before each work can be created The structure must be laid first. To build a house, the structure of the house must be designed. Graphics work, too, needs to be laid out in the Layout that each part will bring something down. For example, in the header, side, bottom, in order to frame the work to prevent the work from falling out of the point that you want to convey. including the placement of the area not to look too cluttered and empty

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Graphic Design is Mental: Tips for looking after your state of mind as a designer

 Ben Longden is the digital design director at The Guardian where he has helped to shape the title’s digital experience, working on some of the biggest news events of recent years, such as Cambridge Analytica and the Paradise Papers. Reflecting on his route through graphic and digital design, he has recently written a book, Graphic Design is Mental, which he is currently funding here.

As someone who is passionate about design, design education and mental health, I wanted to write down my thoughts, which have culminated in a book, Graphic Design is Mental. Below is an extract from this book, reflecting my career experience from my role as digital design director at The Guardian, teaching at Shillington College and running a shop, RoomFifty, with Chris Clarke and Leon Edler.

The result is a sort of self-help guide to being a graphic designer and an exploration of creativity and mental health, which I hope might be useful to someone like me. Someone who is creative but often frustrated, sometimes nervous, but always looking for ways to be better and improve what they do, and what they love.

Be kind to yourself, learning is hard, design is easy

Learning new skills is one of the most satisfying and frustrating things you can do as a designer, but if you give yourself the time and space to do this, design will soon feel like second nature to you. When learning a new skill, like a software or a way of thinking which is new to you, it’s really easy to beat yourself up when things aren’t going the way you think they should.

I guess there are two points here, the first one being that learning is hard. If you are a creative person who needs to learn by doing, there is no linear structure. The best thing you can do is to get stuck in and play, and view learning like playing with a new tool. For me I learned through play, by using my hands to create marks and bringing them into design, or by experimenting with software. The frustrating side to everything will come when you are in this play stage, when your ambition to create and your technical ability doesn’t quite match up. This is where the frustrated creative can rear its head and you often feel as if you can’t do it, or that you aren’t very good. Know this: your ambition and your skills will soon match up, and the thing you see in your head will soon be possible to bring to life.

I remember when I first started designing, I could always see where I wanted to get to from the start (even during the briefing I knew what I wanted to do) but by the end of the project it looked nothing like it. This is partly the process you go through, and partly because my ambition was greater than my skill set, but there was a click, at a certain point, where I felt “yes that’s what I saw when I started thinking about this project”. That’s satisfying and if you stick at it, it will come.

The second point is about the way you think it should go. This is an expectation that should be left at the door; no project will ever be the way you expect. This is where the joy lies in being a creative – your eyes and mind need to be open to looking and thinking about the possibilities, and not setting expectations for yourself or your work. This can be a freeing and liberating approach, and can feel much less stressful. Whenever I was struggling with a brief, either as a student or a junior designer, I would keep saying to myself to trust the process that I know: sketch, write, try, expand and really search around for ideas. They are there and you will find them. You have to trust in the process and not let moments of “this is not going the way I thought it would” creep in. Ideas are there and you just have to catch them.

It’s not about you, it’s about them

Whenever anyone gives you their opinion, know that it’s their opinion of the work, don’t take it personally. Critique is a good thing, and you should always give it too. Don’t say “that looks nice” as it won’t help anyone. Expect the same for your work.

Clients can be mean when things go wrong

You are basically working on their baby, and it’s a precious baby. If a client sees that even a small thing goes wrong, or isn’t quite working (especially on a website), they will probably freak out, and blame you. But it’s really not your fault. Take a breath, know that no one has died and deal with it in a calm and considered way. Everything can be fixed in this way.

Whenever something goes wrong, it always feels like the end of the world but in reality it’s obviously not. Mistakes happen, it’s just the way we are, and mistakes always happen when you are learning. I always remind myself that it’s not what happened, it’s how you deal with it now that matters. You can’t take back past mistakes, all you can do is learn from them and not repeat them.

Confidence comes in many forms

For me confidence comes from the work I do. I get more confidence from showing my work than hiding it, from being open to critique and change. Sharing your ideas and challenging yourself to do something new and different will bring you as much confidence as you let it, as long as you listen and take on board what people are saying to you.

How to deal with the big projects

A big project is just another project, with the same process as the smallest ones. Whether it’s going to be seen by one person or a million people, the route is the same. The only difference is when you launch a big project you will only see the negative comments and never the positive ones. The internet is a horrible place when it wants to be and those with positive opinions generally stay quiet.

In January 2018 we launched the redesign of The Guardian’s website, app and newspaper all at the same time. It was something that, from what we could remember, had not been done in that way ever before. It was the biggest project, and most prominent project, that I had ever worked on and we knew that if we did it in this way, with a big bang, we would cause people to take note. It’s not the way you do things in digital these days – especially with established brands and platforms where you iterate, iterate, iterate so that the change is less dramatic for the audience, and less for the business. But, as we’re The Guardian and it was a big moment for the organisation, it felt right to launch with a big bang. Surprise! Your daily newspaper looks different. This safe zone, of iterating and iterating did not exist and we were putting our proverbial design necks on the line. We had shown it to a select group in user testing and we knew that the design wouldn’t get in the way of their reading experience, in fact it was going to enhance it. But people don’t like change, especially when it comes to a brand that has been by your side and looked familiar for 15 years.

We hit the button to go live at 6am on the morning of 15 January 2018. For the first time, in about three months we had little to do but wait for our Twitter feeds to start chirping, and this is what it said: “This is the worst decision you’ve ever made.” “Bright red heading though. Seriously hun?” “Was it designed by your unpaid intern?”

As I said, the internet can be a horrible place and – if you let it – you could spiral into a whole world of pain thinking that the last three to six months worth of work was a waste, and that you had ruined one of the most loved brands in the world. Forever.

But given less than 24 hours you will see that change can be a positive one. For us, we saw more people reading and for longer, no drop in ad revenue and a positive change for a brand that had been using the same design for a long time. This reader sums it up well with his series of tweets: “Looks a bit messy and cluttered” to “Edit: Changed my mind, just took a small while getting used to it.”

Be yourself

Nuff said. Don’t be shy with your ideas, they are your ideas and no one is judging you. Put them out there and see what happens.

Don’t take on work you can’t do

You will burn out. This for me, as a designer who always wanted to push themselves and be the best at what they do, is the most important lesson I have learned. Throughout my shortish career, this has manifested itself in a couple of ways. The first was when I was starting out and I took on a project outside of my day job which was building a website for a small photography studio. I had built a couple of very simple websites at this point, and so I was feeling confident! But it soon became clear that my knowledge and ambition were misaligned. The stress that it added to me personally was not worth it, not to mention that in the end I had to give it up and tell the client that I couldn’t do it. I don’t beat myself up for trying, and having the ambition to want to do the extra work. Had I taken a step back and said to myself that it was too soon, that wouldn’t have been the worst thing in the world.

Hindsight is wonderful for that, and even though it was a bad decision to take on the project, of course, you learn things, whether it be something about yourself or a new skill. This is not to say you shouldn’t push yourself and find your ‘discomfort-zone’, but don’t merely throw yourself into the deep end unnecessarily. Know that your time will come to be able to take on those challenges and do them well.

The second moment was not too long ago, when I was a fully fledged designer, working at The Guardian but also juggling side projects while teaching, all of which I could do, and do well, for a while. As time went on, and I was stretching myself too thin to the extent of feeling exhausted and it became a chore. The advice to not work too much might sound obvious, but sometimes, if you are in any way inclined to get excited by creative work, it’s really easy to say yes.

I believe that creative work gets inspired by other creative work you are doing, and the work others are doing around you. Although this is a natural cycle, it’s still one to approach with caution. Bear in mind that clients often don’t care too much about the other stuff, and that’s pressure you will feel. I love taking on creative work, but I know that love for the creative work can often take precedent. You have to take care of yourself, and your mind, to make that work the best it can be.

It’s a job for some and not for others

I have worked with some people who think that design is design and it’s just a job, 9-5 and that’s all. That is ok, and it is a job, but for others it is a passion as well as a job. Working with people who don’t share the same energy and passion for what they do can be frustrating as you don’t always feel you can generate ideas and bounce them back and forth. It’s ok that for some that it’s just a job, but find someone you can have those ideas with and share with them. Don’t take it personally, you haven’t lost your edge.

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Wireframes, Mockups, Prototypes: What's the Difference?

 Wireframes. Mockups. Prototypes. We hear and use these three words so very often in the design world, but most of the time they’re said in the wrong context. It’s actually commonly misconstrued to assume that they all mean the same thing, but in fact they all have very specific meanings and use-cases.

Let’s discuss and clarify those use cases, because you never know: you may find that the workflow that suits your style of web design best is the one that you’ve been neglecting to learn about.

Wireframes

So, wireframes. Wireframes are a direct response to user experience research, where we take evidence-based facts about the way that users interact with websites, and we create a layout centered around those facts. Prior to designing wireframes, the designer would have most likely iterated over several ideas and chosen the best ones to appear in the near-final wireframe.

Wireframes are devoid of visual aesthetics, meaning that we shouldn’t concern ourselves with font families, colors, border radiuses and so on. It’s true: visual aesthetics do contribute towards the user experience of a website, but that comes later.

 

Indranil Wireframe by buatoom

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Mockups

Mockups are where the fun happens, and because of that we sometimes like to begin a new design by trying out colours and fancy trends. I do it all the time, and I have to remind myself to take a step back and think about the science behind it all, before conforming to the visual styles I’ve hastily decided upon.

Mocking up is still an important stage in the design operation, but neglecting other areas will surely impact results. Always make sure that you have a solid foundation before moving on to visual aesthetics; anyway, it’ll save you time in the long run!

Aside from mocking up as a concept, mockups can also mean “mockup devices”. Mocked up designs are frequently inserted into mockup devices, usually with Photoshop, to illustrate what a screen would look like in a more realistic setting. Because mockup devices are usually shortened to simply “mockups”, we often confuse the two meanings and forget that there’s more to visual design that “making something look awesome in a real device”.

But that doesn’t mean that we can’t show it off after!

Prototypes

Prototyping is about making static designs interactive. What static designs cannot offer is an accurate example of what transitional states should look like. By that I mean components that can be interacted with, hover states of links and buttons, the user flow from one website to another, and of course the animated transition (if any) that occurs between those states.

Recent years have blissfully awarded us with an abundance of awesome prototyping tools like InVision App, Flinto, Marvel App, Framer and Atomic.io – which means that we can sample interactions and user flows far quicker than ever before, almost to the stage where a design appears to be finished.

Prototyping, in short, is showing how something works even though it isn’t actually built to completion yet. Prototyping is more often than not the final stage before going on to build the real thing, but it still involves a lot of iteration.

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Conclusion

Wireframes. Mockups. Prototypes. Each step in this expedition we call “design” is a chance to explore a different aspect of the user experience – layouts, visuals, interactions. By separating the stages of design we’re acknowledging them and not skipping straight to the fun stage, which is of course choosing font families, colors and coming up with beautiful visual ideas.

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