402 Pages of Interface Design Questions, Free
Smashing Magazine has released a free, 402-page PDF compiled from Vitaly Friedman's years of research into desktop and mobile interface patterns. The collection is based on observations from usability tests and user interviews, capturing what actually works in real-world applications.
The PDF contains over 150 questions to ask yourself when building common interface components: accordions, drop-downs, carousels, timelines, tables, sliders, configurators, maps, seat selectors, and onboarding flows. The questions are designed for teams to use as a starting point when planning a component or debugging a specific design problem.
Example questions tackle the fine details of interaction design: the right size for a hamburger icon to avoid rage clicks, whether accordion sections should collapse automatically when the user moves to a new section, and whether a user can tap the same spot to undo an action after zooming or filtering.
The content is intended as a springboard, not a list of golden rules. It reflects lessons learned from years of working on real projects with real users, and encourages teams to consider all design angles without having to discover usability pitfalls through trial and error.
How to Get the Checklist
The PDF is available for free in exchange for subscribing to the Smashing newsletter. Subscribers receive the checklist PDF, the bi-monthly newsletter, and occasional notices about new books or events. Smashing states that it does not spam and will not share your email address with any third parties.
