Writing For Art And Design

𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀: 𝗠𝗩𝗖, 𝗠𝗩𝗣, 𝗠𝗩𝗜, 𝗠𝗩𝗩𝗠, 𝗩𝗜𝗣𝗘𝗥 Design patterns are essential tools for any developer, offering a framework for structuring code in a clean, maintainable, and scalable way. Today, we'll delve into five of the most popular design patterns, exploring their strengths and weaknesses to help you choose the right fit for your next project. 𝗠𝗩𝗖 (𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹-𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄-𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿): - Classic pattern separating code into three layers:     - 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹: Data and business logic     - 𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄: Presentation of data to the user     - 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿: Handles user input and updates model/view - Simple and familiar, but can lead to tightly coupled components in complex applications. 𝗠𝗩𝗣 (𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹-𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄-𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿): - Introduces a Presenter to mediate between view and model. - Improves separation of concerns and testability. - Requires additional boilerplate code compared to MVC. 𝗠𝗩𝗜 (𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹-𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄-𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁): - Built for reactive programming. - View emits intents, handled by the model, updating state and view. - Promotes unidirectional data flow and simplifies UI logic. - May require a steeper learning curve. 𝗠𝗩𝗩𝗠 (𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹-𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄-𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹): - View binds to a ViewModel holding data and display logic. - ViewModel updates by the model, then updates the view. - Well-suited for reactive frameworks and complex UIs. - Requires additional ViewModel setup compared to MVP. 𝗩𝗜𝗣𝗘𝗥 (𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄, 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿, 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗿): - Designed for large and complex applications. - Five layers: View, Interactor (business logic), Presenter (data preparation), Entity (data models), Router (data flow coordination). - Enhances modularity and maintainability for massive projects. - Requires meticulous planning and understanding due to its complexity. 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻: The optimal pattern depends on various factors, including: - 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁𝘆: MVC/MVP for simple apps, MVI/MVVM for reactive apps, VIPER for large projects. - 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Choose a pattern familiar to your team to avoid learning curves. - 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Experiment and find what works best for you and your team. Ultimately, experimenting and finding what works best for you and your team is key. What do you think? Which software architecture pattern is your favorite?

Clean code is nice. But scalable architecture? That’s what makes you irreplaceable. Early in my journey, I thought “writing clean code” was enough… Until systems scaled. Teams grew. Bugs multiplied. That’s when I discovered Design Patterns, and things started making sense. Here’s a simple breakdown that can save you hundreds of hours of confusion. 🔷 Creational Patterns: Master Object Creation These patterns handle how objects are created. Perfect when you want flexibility, reusability, and less tight coupling. 💡 Use these when: You want only one instance (Singleton) You need blueprints to build complex objects step-by-step (Builder) You want to switch object types at runtime (Factory, Abstract Factory) You want to duplicate existing objects efficiently (Prototype) 🔷 Structural Patterns: Organise the Chaos Think of this as the architecture layer. These patterns help you compose and structure code efficiently. 💡 Use these when: You’re bridging mismatched interfaces (Adapter) You want to wrap and enhance existing objects (Decorator) You need to simplify a complex system into one entry point (Facade) You’re building object trees (Composite) You want memory optimization (Flyweight) You want to control access and protection (Proxy, Bridge) 🔷 Behavioural Patterns: Handle Interactions & Responsibilities These deal with how objects interact and share responsibilities. It’s about communication, delegation, and dynamic behavior. 💡 Use these when: You want to notify multiple observers of changes (Observer) You’re navigating through collections (Iterator) You want to encapsulate operations or algorithms (Command, Strategy) You need undo/redo functionality (Memento) You need to manage state transitions (State) You’re passing tasks down a chain (Chain of Responsibility) 📌 Whether you're preparing for interviews or trying to scale your application, understanding these 3 categories is a must: 🔹 Creational → Creating Objects 🔹 Structural → Assembling Objects 🔹 Behavioral → Object Interaction & Responsibilities Mastering these gives you a mental map to write scalable, reusable, and testable code. It’s not about memorising them, it's about knowing when and why to use them. #softwareengineering #systemdesign #linkedintech #sde #connections #networking LinkedIn LinkedIn News 

Freeze Pollution, Taste Change. Water pollution is a silent, insidious threat. Easy to ignore amid the hustle of daily life, but it's everywhere... industrial dyes and chemicals seeping into rivers, lakes turning murky with waste, and ecosystems collapse under the weight of human recklessness. It's not just the wildlife or fragile ecosystems at risk... it's the water we depend on. The stuff of life itself. Three students from the National Taiwan University of the Arts decided to confront this crisis in an out-of-the-box kind of way. What began as a graduation project quickly transformed into a striking environmental campaign that gripped global social media... ice-lollies made from polluted water. Not the kind you'd want to lick on a summer day. Their "in-edible" ice-lollies came in a vibrant array of colours, thanks to the industrial dyes and chemicals contaminating local waterways. Many also came with an additional bonus... cigarette butts, dirt, bugs, and even dead fish sealed inside. The three water-popsicle entrepreneurs then elected to go the conventional marketing route by wrapping their lollies in colourful packaging. Labels displayed the water source and its grim contents, leaving no room to look away. Totally transparent. By turning pollution into something tangible—and repulsive—the campaign forced people to confront the damage caused by carelessness. Made water pollution visible, visceral, and impossible to ignore. We're constantly bombarded with images and messages about the importance of taking care of our environment. It's easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless. Amid a sea of environmental messages, this campaign really stands out by blending creativity with confrontation. The lollies are not just objects, they're a wake-up call. A stark reminder that what we discard into nature doesn't just disappear... it lingers, accumulates, and eventually circles back. Effective campaigning doesn't just deliver a message, it creates a moment, a pause, an unease that demands reflection. These polluted lollies d0 just that. So, what do you think? Can design and shock value truly spark the change we need? Or does the real challenge lie in moving beyond awareness to meaningful action... 📷Yi-chen Hong/Yi-hui Guo/Yu-di Zheng/Peter Parks

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻? Choosing the correct design pattern in software engineering is critical to practical problem-solving. This guide simplifies the process, helping you decide between patterns based on specific needs. It offers concise descriptions and valuable use cases for each pattern, making understanding and applying them in real-world scenarios easier. To select a pattern, we must first go through the problem identification. If the problem is related to:  🔸 Object Creation? → Creational Patterns  🔸 Object Assembly? → Structural Patterns  🔸 Object Interactions? → Behavioral Patterns So, let's dive in. 𝟭. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀  🔹 Singleton: Use when a single instance of a class is needed. Some examples are logging and database connections.   🔹 Factory Method: Decouple object creation from usage. For example, you create different types of database connections based on configuration.  🔹 Abstract Factory: Create families of related objects. For example, I build parsers for different file formats (e.g., JSON, XML, CSV).  🔹 Builder: Constructing complex objects step by step. For example, if you need to create a complex domain object.  🔹 Prototype: Creating duplicate objects and reusing cached objects to reduce database calls. 𝟮. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀  🔹 Adapter: Make incompatible interfaces compatible. For example, it integrates a new logging library into an existing system that expects a different interface.  🔹 Composite: Represent part-whole hierarchies. For example, graphic objects in a drawing application can be grouped and treated uniformly  🔹 Proxy: Control access to objects. For example, lazy loading of a high-resolution image in a web application.  🔹 Decorator: Dynamically add/remove behavior. For example, we are implementing compression or encryption on top of file streams.  🔹 Bridge: Decouple abstraction from implementation. For example, I am separating platform-specific code from core logic. 𝟯. 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀  🔹 Strategy: Define a family of algorithms. These algorithms allow users to choose different sorting or compression algorithms.  🔹 Observer: Maintain a consistent state by being notified of changes and, for example, notifying subscribers of events in a messaging system.  🔹 Command: Encapsulate a request as an object. For example, I implement undo/redo functionality in text or image editor.  🔹 State: Encapsulate state-specific behavior. For example, we are handling different states of a user interface element (e.g., enabled, disabled, selected).  🔹 Template Method: Define the skeleton of an algorithm in operation, deferring some steps to subclasses and implementing a base class for unit testing with customizable setup and teardown steps. Ultimately, we came up with the pattern we needed for our problem. #technology #softwareengineering #programming #techworldwithmilan #softwaredesign

𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 🔥 Here’s why: In the early days of computing, you had to write code to interact with machines. Only specialists knew how. Everyone else was locked out. Then came graphical interfaces. Concepts like windows, icons, menus, and the mouse made computers accessible to everyone. Fast forward to today: We’ve returned to the same core idea, using language to interact with machines. But this time, it’s not code. It’s natural language. And that changes everything. Your words are now the interface. How well you write is how well you build. Bad writing → Poor results. Good writing → 10x better outcomes. This shift changed everything for me as a designer. I used to start in Figma, moving pixels and jamming on components. Now, when I’m designing something new with Lovable, I start with prompts to quickly prototype ideas and explore what I’m really trying to achieve. It’s become one of my biggest productivity hacks. It's helping me clarify structure, logic, and direction before moving too early into the visual layer. So here's my hot take: Great design often starts with great writing. If you can’t explain what you’re trying to build, you probably don’t understand it well enough yet. Taste still matters (it always will). But the real superpower is being able to describe exactly what you want and hold a clear picture in your mind. That’s what design really is: Clear thinking, expressed simply, and brought to life visually. Writing is becoming a critical design skill. If you can express yourself with clarity and intent, you’re unstoppable. That’s also why I started my blog. It helps me sharpen my thinking. And in a world where we design with language, that’s everything. What's your take? Leave a comment below 👇

Your brand has a beautiful story. But is your blog telling it? I am working with the founder of a slow-living Ayurvedic skincare brand. He has the most powerful story, rooted in ritual, healing, and legacy. But for his blog? He was planning generic “10 tips” content that could’ve belonged to anyone. So I planned something different. I am turning his brand story into a full-fledged blog strategy. Last year, when I did this for a hairstylist blog, it resulted in: 💡 2x more returning readers 💡 Blogs that were shared (and bookmarked!) 💡 Emails from customers saying: “It finally feels like you” Here’s how I am doing it and how you can too: 1. Start with your “why” What personal moment sparked your brand’s creation? That story deserves its own post. (It’s your foundation.) 2. Break your origin story into blog themes Founder struggles = mindset content Product journey = behind-the-scenes series Values = opinion pieces and purpose-led posts 3. Identify shared values between your brand and your customers Do they care about slowness? Clean living? Energy healing? Now, map blog content around those emotional anchors. 4. Weave emotion into educational content Turn “How to use face oil” into: “How a nighttime ritual helped me find calm after burnout” Readers remember stories. Google rewards depth. 5. Build blog categories that echo your brand pillars For my hair styling client, we created content around: ✨ Rituals ✨ Ingredients ✨ Customer's hair styling stories ✨ Founder stories ✨ Product education Suddenly, her blog didn’t just inform. It felt like her brand. You don’t need 100 ideas. You need one good story, told in 100 different ways. Want my help turning your story into a blog strategy that builds traffic, trust, and connection? My DMs are Open 💌

Hate how boring and time-consuming documentation feels? Yeah, same. But here’s the thing: the more you avoid it, the more you hurt your future self and miss opportunities to showcase your skills properly. So if you want to make documentation less painful (and actually useful), here are 6 tips I use with my clients to make it faster, clearer, and more impactful: 1. Start with an overview What’s the purpose of your project? What problem did it solve? Just 3–4 lines to set the stage. Make it easy for anyone to understand why it matters. 2. Walk through your process Break down the steps: How did you collect the data? How did you clean, analyze, or model it? What tools or methods did you use? This shows how you think and how you solve real-world problems. 3. Add visuals A clean chart > a wall of text. Use graphs, screenshots, and diagrams to bring your work to life. (And bonus: you’ll understand it faster when you come back later.) 4. Show your problem-solving What roadblocks did you hit? How did you fix them? Don’t hide your struggles, highlight them. This is where your value really shines. 5. Summarize your results What did you find? Why does it matter? What’s next? Answer these three questions clearly and your audience will instantly get the impact of your work. 6.  Use a structure that makes sense Try this flow: Introduction → Objectives → Methods → Results → Conclusion → Future Work Simple. Clean. Effective. P.S: After every milestone, take 5 minutes to update your notes, screenshots, or results. Turn it into a habit. ➕ Follow Jaret André for more data job search, and portfolio tips 🔔 Hit the bell icon to get strategies that actually move the needle.

What if we designed professional master’s courses the way Netflix writes its seasons? There’s growing interest in using story arcs to structure professional master’s programmes—borrowing narrative techniques to make learning more cohesive, engaging, and authentic. I’ve been experimenting with this in BUSDEV 722, our course on product management. Rather than treating each module as a standalone topic, I’ve been exploring ways to cast the student in the role of a decision-maker navigating the messy, ambiguous world of product innovation. Each module becomes a new chapter in that journey. This creates an integrated, experiential learning arc that mimics the real challenges of building and managing products. BUSDEV 722 is being migrated to a new degree platform—one designed to serve a more diverse cohort, including recent graduates and career changers who may have limited or no experience in product roles. In that context, a strong narrative arc helps learners make sense of unfamiliar concepts by placing them in a story where they can inhabit a role, build confidence through practice, and connect the dots between theory and action. What are the benefits? ✔️ Authenticity: Story arcs create vivid scenarios where students face trade-offs, conflicting priorities, and imperfect data—just like real-world product managers. ✔️Cohesion and confidence: For students without industry experience, a well-designed arc provides a clear path through unfamiliar terrain—scaffolded to support progressive skill development. ✔️Assessment with meaning: Instead of bolted-on tasks, assessments can become pivotal moments in the story. They feel like decisions with consequences, not hoops to jump through. ✔️AI-enabled customisation: With generative AI, it’s now possible to scaffold narrative arcs around individual learner contexts, create branching scenarios, or personalise storylines to match different sectors or goals. Of course, there are trade-offs. ✔️Story arc design is resource-intensive and unfamiliar territory for most educators. ✔️Too rigid an arc can crowd out spontaneous, emergent learning moments. ✔️Not all learners respond to narrative structures in the same way—they must feel real, not artificial. Story arcs are a powerful tool in the reinvention of professional education. In BUSDEV 722, I’m learning that when the arc is strong, the decisions matter, and the learner sees themselves in the story, transformation happens. And thanks to AI, we now have the tools to make this kind of learning design scalable and personalised without sacrificing quality. Have you experimented with narrative design in your teaching? What worked—and what didn’t? #LearningDesign #StoryArc #ProfessionalMasters #HighEducation #LearningJourney

I've interviewed 50+ senior designers in the last quarter. Two alarming trends emerged: 𝟭. Portfolio paralysis: They can't showcase their best work. 𝟮. Memory fog: They struggle to recall project details from mere months ago. The result? Panic-induced all-nighters piecing together fragmented case studies. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟬% 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 👇 Implement this habit now: • Dedicate 10% of your week to documenting your design journey. • That's just 4 hours for a standard work week. • The payoff? Weeks of future stress eliminated. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗸𝗶𝘁: 𝟭. Daily Micro-Journaling (5 minutes) • Capture key decisions • Note stakeholder feedback • Record "aha" moments 𝟮. Weekly Summaries (30 minutes) • Outline sprint accomplishments • Highlight major pivots • Archive key artifacts 𝟯. Project Milestones (1 hour) • Synthesize learnings • Curate a "greatest hits" collection • Record quantitative & qualitative impact 𝗣𝗿𝗼 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Set up a Notion template or FigJam board. Make documentation frictionless. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 👇 Imagine this: 6 months from now, you have: • 26 concise weekly summaries • 130+ daily entries • A curated showcase of your best work You're not just prepared for job hunting. You're primed for: • Promotions • Speaking engagements • Mentorship opportunities Remember: Your future self will thank you. Your future hiring manager will be impressed. Don't let your best work fade into memory. Document, curate, and shine. ----- I've posted about this issue recently & had some great feedback & conversations. 💬 ----- #design #tech #ux #productdesign #careers

💡UX writing process within a product design UX writing plays a crucial role in shaping the overall user experience by ensuring that the language and copy in a product are clear, concise, and user-centered. General outline of the UX writing process 1️⃣ Understanding product & its users Before writing any copy, it's essential to understand business goals, user needs, and the product's context within the market. Activities: ✔ User research. Collaborating with UX researchers to understand user personas, pain points, and behaviors. Analyze user data, conducting interviews, or reviewing the results of usability tests to learn how users interact with a product. ✔ Market research. Understand business objectives and the current landscape.  Tools to use: ✔ Empathy map https://lnkd.in/dgbnRJQ9  ✔ Journey map https://lnkd.in/dNzt3NxX  ✔ Business model canvas https://lnkd.in/dHkuVfsj 2️⃣ Defining UX writing strategy Define the scope of work and resources required to achieve UX writing goals. During this step, you also need to define success criteria to measure your progress. Activities: ✔ Creating epics & user stories ✔ Estimate time/resources required to achieve the goals ✔ Defining success criteria (metrics & KPIs) 3️⃣ Ideating solutions Co-create UX writing solutions for a defined scope. During this step, UX writers typically interact with information architects and product owners to determine how to shape experience. Activities: ✔ User flow review & refinement (focus on UX writing) https://lnkd.in/diMXDNhZ  ✔ Content audit (to figure out what changes need to be introduced) 4️⃣ Prototyping Collaboratively design a solution together with a design team. Ensure that copy you write aligns with tone & voice of your product and helps achieve both user & business goals. Ensure your copy aligns with technical requirements related to text, such as UI space constraints or localization needs. Activities: ✔ Sketching & UI design ✔ Pair writing ✔ Design critique sessions (with designers, developers and stakeholders) https://lnkd.in/dwEyvEJF  ✔ Documenting content changes (if necessary) 5️⃣ Validation Test your solution through usability testing, using the success metrics defined in the second step. Create test plans that include tasks for validating copy and use the results of testing to frame the hypotheses for future copy refinement. Activities: ✔ Creating test plans ✔ Running usability testing https://lnkd.in/dZERHuMh 🖼 by Rachel McConnell #UX #UI #uxwriting