Zach Waugh

Heilmeier's Catechism

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:52:15 -0400

I can’t remember where I first came across this, but just found it again, and it’s worth sharing. Some useful guidance for anyone involved in building a product.

Heilmeier’s Catechism is “A set of questions credited to Heilmeier that anyone proposing a research project or product development effort should be able to answer.”

Directly from the Wikipedia page:

What are you trying to do? Articulate your objectives using absolutely no jargon.
How is it done today, and what are the limits of current practice?
What’s new in your approach and why do you think it will be successful?
Who cares?
If you’re successful, what difference will it make?
What are the risks and the payoffs?
How much will it cost?
How long will it take?
What are the midterm and final “exams” to check for success?

Most of the best advice seems obvious, because it’s about the things that are so easily overlooked. This is especially true in the middle of building product, where you can get so wrapped up in the details, you can even forget why you started in the first place.

Slicy

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:53:59 -0500

Rarely does a new app come about that makes it into my workflow, but I’ve been using Slicy (previously called Layer Cake) for about 6 months now and it’s indispensable. Slicy is a Mac app that’s made just for exporting assets from a Photoshop PSD.

The app is deceptively simple by looking at a screenshot, so it might be hard to see the utility:

You drag in your PSD and it automatically finds all the tagged layers, and gives you the ability to export all of them or just drag out the ones you need. The tags are based on photoshop layers or groups and can give Slicy instructions about how to name and export the file. When you have a group named “button.png+@2x” for example, it would automatically create a scaled 2x version of your image, and name them “button.png” and “button@2x.png”, respectively. Slicy will even automatically figure out the bounds of the image so you don’t have to specify it yourself, but of course it also gives you that ability if you need more control. When you save a Photoshop document that is open in Slicy, it will automatically update all the assets.

You can’t tell from the screenshot, but the @2x version is exactly twice the size of the @1x version, and scaled up correctly.

Now, you might think you don’t need a separate app just for exporting images from Photoshop, but you’d be wrong. Photoshop has always had built-in slicing and exporting tools, but I’ve never found them to be intuitive to use. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had large Photoshop files where I wanted to slightly change the layer style on a bunch of layers, and dreaded it since I knew it would be a pain to re-export them all, but Slicy has made that a non-issue.

So, if you use Photoshop, go buy Slicy.

What do you actually do?

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 14:31:00 -0500

Robin Wood, a traditional turner:

My kids can understand what I do. Many people can’t even tell a layman in the street what it is they actually do. They have a funny name for their job that sounds important, but they have no idea …I make wooden bowls that people eat from, pretty simple really.

There’s not many people that can describe exactly what it is they do so succinctly.

Making Simple Wallpapers

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 17:12:51 -0400

I like simple, abstract desktop backgrounds, but I also like to change it up regularly, so I recently started creating my own. This is a super simple method, but produces great results.

First, choose a photo with a lot of different colors in it. I used this one I took on a recent trip to London.

Open in Photoshop, and apply a Gaussian Blur (Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur). You’ll have to play with the radius, but I found around 250-500 is a good range. I used 300 for this image.

Next, add some Noise, just enough reduce some of the banding that can occur. I used 1.3%/Uniform/Monochromatic.

The result:

Downloads

If you like this one, feel free to download it:

Using Apps for OAuth

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 11:27:00 -0400

I’ve been using Scratch (great app by the way), and noticed this when I linked it to my Dropbox. The usual flow for this type of OAuth is to show a webview — either in the app or in Safari — where the user has to log in and allow access, which then redirects back to the app.

Scratch has a similar flow, but instead directs the user to the Dropbox app where they can allow or deny access:

This may seem like a minor difference, but it’s a much nicer experience. Having to enter your username and password can be a huge pain on iOS, especially if you have a really complex password. Skipping that is a big win.

A Possible Solution to Twitter's Revenue and Spam Problems

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:13:39 -0400

That’s probably a bit hyperbolic. They’ve been working on solving this for years, and I had the idea last night when I couldn’t sleep. I’m sure it’s fraught with problems I haven’t considered, but here it goes:

Anyone can use Twitter for free. They will see promoted tweets/trends/accounts, and everything will work just like it does now. Users will also have the option of paying a nominal fee ($5-$10/year) for a premium account. This removes the advertising but also has one more key feature: a premium user can’t be mentioned by a free user. Hopefully, this restriction would completely eliminate spam for premium users, which would provide an incentive for free users to pay. There would be some finer implementation details, such as if the premium user follows the free user, or if the premium user mentions the free user first, but that’s the gist of it.

This of course hinges on the assumption that a spammer wouldn’t pay for the premium account. I can’t say for certain that this is the case. I assume they wouldn’t link a valid credit card to a spam account, which could be traced to a real person. Even if they did, I doubt it would be worth the money based on the return they get from a single account. Maybe these spam operators also have thousands of stolen credit cards they could use, but for the sake of discussion, I’m going to assume they spam because it’s easy and free, and they most likely don’t want to be involved in international credit card fraud.

Having users pay for the service is the simplest solution, and it’s the whole idea behind other services like App.net. But I don’t see them achieving critical mass if every user has to pay, especially not $50/year. To be successful, I think they’ll always need free users, and paying should be an option, not a requirement.

Could this work? I haven’t thought everything through¹, but I think it’s possible. As of March, Twitter said they had a 140 million active users. Would 1% of those users pay $10/year for premium features, generating $14 million/year in revenue? I think it seems plausible. I would pay $10/year no question for the current state of things. I would certainly pay even more to have no ads and no spam. I have no clue what Twitter’s operating costs are, so it’s hard to gauge if that amount would have a meaningful impact. It certainly couldn’t hurt, but if it was closer to $25/year and 2-3%, I’d bet you’d be in the ballpark of providing the bulk of their revenue.

¹ For one, something doesn’t feel quite right to me about separating the “free” users vs the “premium” users, feels a bit elitist.

The Increasingly Frustrating World of Digital Content

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 15:18:37 -0400

Yesterday, Amazon released their Amazon Instant Video app for iPad, which allows you to instantly watch any video available on their catalog. Much to my — and many others — dismay, it doesn’t allow you to watch the videos over AirPlay. The same exact video you paid for can be watched on your lap, but not on the TV. You may be able to tape the iPad to the wall and watch it that way, but you should read the full terms of service to be sure.

You can read the New York Times on the web and on your iPhone for $15/month. If you also want to access those articles on your iPad, it will cost you an extra $20/month. Reading the same exact words ranges from $15-$35/month, depending on which device you use to read it. Oh look, here comes the iPad Mini, that will be another $15/month…

I can pay $5/month for unlimited streaming from Rdio on the web or desktop app. If I also want to listen to it on my iPad while I’m in the kitchen making dinner, I have to pay $10/month. For the privilege of streaming the same exact bits to my iPad, it costs $5 more per month. If I carry my laptop into the kitchen, I can save $60/year.

I could go on, but in all these cases, I’m paying for the content itself, yet I also need to pay based on how I consume it. I’m sure there are a multitude of business reasons for this — such as archaic licensing restrictions — but as a consumer, I don’t really care. All I know is it’s frustrating and feels like I’m being nickel and dimed. I just want to pay for content without arbitrary restrictions. If you don’t want my money, that’s no problem, I’m sure a more progressive company will come along that will.

That reminds me, isn’t Netflix is producing original content now?

Easiest way to get books onto your iPad

Wed, 02 May 2012 12:14:13 -0400

iBooks supports loading of books that weren’t bought in the iBooks Store, but the standard way is to connect to iTunes, and drag the book into iBooks using the File Sharing feature. That’s a huge pain, especially if you’re away from the computer you sync with. Luckily, there is a better way.

You’re already using Dropbox, right? Of course you are. The next time you buy a book, download and unzip the files somewhere in your Dropbox account. I keep a folder just for ebooks. Then, open the file in Dropbox on your iPad. It will first have to download the entire file, so may take a few minutes depending on the size.

Once the book has been downloaded, Dropbox will tell you it doesn’t know how to open it, but Dropbox supports opening files with other apps. Tap the icon in the top right corner, and it will give you options to open the file in another app that support the file type.

Choose iBooks, and it will automatically be imported into your library.

Paper and in-app purchases

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:10:30 -0400

The iPad drawing app Paper has gotten a lot of attention in the past week. One of the interesting bits about Paper is that the app is free, and gives you access to one of the 5 available drawing tools. To access the others, you have to buy them for $1.99 each. So to get the full functionality of the app, it costs $8.

This doesn’t bother me, in fact I kind of like this model. You can try out the app for free, which is nice since there are no trials on the app store, and is preferable to me than having Paper Free or Paper Lite. If you don’t use the watercolor brush, you don’t pay for it, so the app is cheaper than it would be otherwise. This all makes sense to me as a user and developer, and seems like a good approach.

But there is a reason we don’t see this model more, and it’s because most users seem to hate this. They feel like they’re being ripped off, nickel and dimed for each piece of functionality.

A post on Macdrifter sums this up nicely:

I would have simply preferred an honest version of the app with all of the tools for a single price. Yes, through IAP, I can get all of the “essential” tools for one price. It feels sneaky to me though…

Here’s the rub with IAP: I’m left wondering if cut-and-paste as well as zoom were omitted only to be added as additional purchases. When an App is dependent on IAP, I’m doubtful that much attention will be given to updating the core functionality.

It’s a valid criticism, and I can see why it would make some users uneasy. Next time they release a new tool, I may have to cough up another $2. This free app might cost $50 after a while. If you look at the app store reviews, you’ll find the majority of the negative reviews of the app are really about the business model, which is a shame.

I’m a bit torn on this, between a better experience for the user and making things sustainable for the developer. Releasing a $0.99 app and supporting it for free forever is not feasible. Maybe the solution is in-app purchases or maybe paid upgrades or maybe built-in support for free trials. Regardless, it’s good to see developers experimenting, and hopefully we’ll find a nice middle ground.

Why twitter is awesome

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:08:00 -0500

The other day, Austin Kleon tweeted:

I’m in the mood to do something stupid: retweet this link to #StealLikeAnArtist, & I’ll tweet a mini-blackout at you: bit.ly/snvIu4
— Austin Kleon (@austinkleon) February 28, 2012

This was a promotion for his new book Steal Like An Artist, which is great by the way. So I retweeted, and a few days later I have a personalized¹newspaper blackout:

Amazing. It’s pretty incredible to me that I can buy a book, and a few days later get a piece of personalized art from the author. I can’t think of a time it’s been so easy to connect with the people whose work you admire.

¹I use personalize loosely here. Austin doesn’t know me, and wasn’t thinking about who I am as a person when he made it. Though I did think “getting there” felt strangely appropriate.

Direct link to redeem a Mac App Store promo code

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:45:00 -0500

I saw a blog post by tap tap tap a while back with a way to create user friendly links for redeeming iOS app promo codes. This is so much easier for the user than sending them a code and giving them precise instructions on the way to redeem it, especially if they’ve never done it before. You can send a link and they can get a free version of your app with one-click.

I hadn’t come across a way to do the same thing for the Mac App Store until yesterday, when I was downloading the Mountain Lion preview and saw how Apple did it. You can use the following format to send out promo code links for your MAS apps:

macappstores://buy.itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZFinance.woa/wa/redeemLandingPage?code=YOUR_PROMO_CODE

Obviously, replace YOUR_PROMO_CODE with your promo code. If you don’t include the “?code=” portion, it will just open the redeem code landing page, which is pretty handy as well. Digging a little deeper, it seems the Mac App Store has two different URL schemes: “macappstore:” and “macappstores:”. The latter—with a trailing s—is for secure URLs. If you’re trying to direct link to something in the Mac App Store, and you get a “Cannot Connect to the App Store” error, try it with “macappstores:” instead.

Rethinking the calendar

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:33:00 -0500

Jason Fried, giving a preview of the all-new calendar in Basecamp Next:

There is one thing in particular I love about this calendar. Instead of the standard month-at-a-time view, it shows the next 6 weeks. You can see the current week and 5 weeks into the future. It’s one of those things that is so incredibly obvious once you see it. Why doesn’t every calendar do this?

Calendars are primarily future-oriented. We care about what is scheduled to occur, or what is happening now. You may on occasion need to find the date of something in the past, but that is relatively rare. Yet, at the end of the month, we have to deal with the noise of over three weeks of past events.

Unlike their paper predecessors, computer calendars aren’t static, pre-printed a year at at time. They should take advantage of the fact they can dynamically update the interface based on the current date, and adapt to our needs. There is no reason they need be stuck on rigid day/week/month boundaries.

Selling open source apps

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:22:00 -0500

I’ve been thinking for a while that the app store – both Mac and iOS – might be the perfect way to make money creating open source apps. For the average user, they don’t care about the code. They don’t know what open source is, and couldn’t care if it’s written in Cocoa or Flash or Java¹. They buy an app that solves a problem, and that’s it. Other developers can dig a little deeper, and look at the source, either to learn from, or customize the app for their own purposes.

It looks like LiveReload is currently proving this model can be successful. It’s available for $9.99 in the Mac App Store, and also open source. Over the weekend, it was the #1 paid app in developer tools, and currently #3.

So, why open source it?

That’s a good question, and LiveReload’s developer, Andrey Tarantsov, gives the following reason:

Why? Because curiosity is the most basic and important quality of good developers. I believe that everyone benefits from being able to study and tinker with other people’s software.

There is no formal license attached. You are free to tinker with it and share the results with your friends, but please don’t distribute binaries publicly without my permission. I still expect every user to pay for a license, unless you have a good reason not to.

Sounds like a good enough reason to me. I would love to be able to see the source of all the apps I use. I’m sure there is a lot I could learn, and maybe there is one little thing I need the app to do, and with the source, I can make that change. Plus, purchasing the app from the store gives me a way to easily and directly support the developer.

Licensing

The only downside is licensing. It seems like there a lot of potential issues there. What if I fork the app, make some UI changes, and release under a new name, though it’s essentially LiveReload? What if I add a big feature, create a pull request, and the change gets merged into the app? Am I then entitled to some portion of the revenue?

I’m not a lawyer, so I honestly don’t know the answer. But after seeing Clear get completely ripped off before even being released. I can only imagine how many Clear clones would be out there if it was open source. Regardless, I’d like to see more of this.

¹ Assuming the app actually works well, which is a big assumption.

Chrome and the blank new tab button

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:51:52 -0500

I noticed yesterday that Chrome no longer displays a “+” inside of the new tab button.

Above: the new tab button for the previous versions of Chrome on the left and the new tab button on the right.

At first, I thought it was a bug. I quit and restarted Chrome with the same results. I tweeted about it and quickly got a few confirmations that it’s not an issue just on my computer, but a recent change in Chrome, and a few other people thought it was a bug as well.

I’m all for continually refining and simplifying your user interface, but this change makes no sense to me. For a new user, there is no context or hints as to the purpose of the button, not even a tooltip. For existing users, it looks like something is broken. No space was saved as the button is the same size, and I don’t even think it’s a visual improvement as the button is now just leaf-like blob floating there. I can’t think of another interface where there is a button that is completely devoid of any text or icons to give some clues to its function.

Luckily, since Chrome is open-source, we can gain at least a little insight into the decision behind this change. I dug up this fairly long thread, in which almost every commenter explains they thought it was a bug or glitch. Almost everyone also preferred the old button, and wanted the change reverted. I couldn’t find a real reason the change was made, but we do get what seems like a very Google justification from someone on the Chromium team:

User experience research on our end seems to have confirmed that this change does not decrease usability and in fact can lead to an overall improvement in people’s perceptions of the UI (some participants described the change as “cleaner” or “neater”). (link)

Later on in the thread, from someone else on the Chromium team reporting user feedback:

The “+” button to open a new tab is not showing up in Chrome browser. Users are requesting to restore the plus sign as a visual aid to its purpose, which also does not have a tool-tip…

10+ reports were submitted in GoogleFeedback in last two days about this issue. (link)

I’m baffled by this change. It seems like a minor issue, but it’s also completely arbitrary, and I think it could have some real usability issues. I have a feeling we’ll see the plus sign return in a future version of Chrome.

Why I'm excited for Clear

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:34:00 -0500

Everyone has probably already watched the video and read about the yet to be released to do app Clear. There has been a lot of buzz for the app because of the innovative and well-considered interaction design. If you haven’t seen it already, I’ve embedded it below:

Now, I’m really interested in this app as a designer and developer of software, and I’ll write more about that in another post. But, I’m equally as intrigued as someone who has never managed to use a to do list for any length of time, and I’m hoping Clear changes that. There are few reasons for that.

No checkboxes

The one thing I’ve always hated about to do apps is also the thing that is most synonymous with a “to do” app — the checkbox. It has never made sense to me. To do lists are literally about things to be done. Once it’s done, it should no longer exist in the realm of my to do list. I don’t want to see a list of my to do items with checked box and striked through text. From the video, it looks like Clear does away with this notion. There are only tasks, and tasks can be deleted or completed. I’ll be sincerely disappointed if there is a way to see completed items or mark an item as “undone”.

Fun

To do lists are fucking boring. All work and no play. Clear adds a sense of delight to the tedium, and I think that’s what people are really responding to. How do you add a task? With a pinch, and a satisfying pop. To complete? Swipe right with a nice animation, and a friendly chime. It actually looks fun to add and remove items from your to do list.

Clear is now “Waiting for Review”, so I guess we’ll know soon enough whether or not it lives up to expectations.

Commoditize your complements

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:41:00 -0500

A complement is a product that you usually buy together with another product. Gas and cars are complements. Computer hardware is a classic complement of computer operating systems…

All else being equal, demand for a product increases when the prices of its complements decrease.
– Joel Spolsky

I definitely recommend reading the whole article. It’s 10 years old, but still just as interesting and relevant. Decisions start to make a lot more sense when looking at a company’s strategic moves through this lens, especially for a company like Google. They’re commoditizing everything from browsers to operating systems to increase web usage so they can increase ad revenue.

I’m not sure how exactly to take advantage of this as an app developer, but my first thought is this line from Rounders:

If you can’t spot the sucker in the first half hour at the table, then you are the sucker.

If you’re not doing the commoditizing, then most likely you are the commodity. Apps are a complement to Apple’s hardware. Driving the cost of apps towards $0 increases the demand for iPhones and iPads. Not sure if this is an intentional strategy on Apple’s part, but certainly seems to fit.

A better mousetrap

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:16:36 -0500

Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door.

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

I don’t really love any of the apps I use. Some are ok, some are great, but none of them are perfect (my apps included). Maybe it’s because I’m a developer, or maybe I have high standards, or maybe it’s just because you really can’t please everyone. So it’s interesting to me when a new app comes out in an already crowded space. To do apps, unit converters, tip calculators, and note taking apps are all a dime a dozen on the app store. Yet, developers keep making new and better apps in these categories. Why?

Because no app is perfect. No category of app is a solved problem — there is always a better solution. Yes, always. That’s why year after year, Apple makes new iPhones, new computers, and new operating systems. There is never an end. As much as I love to see exciting, new innovations in brand new markets, I’m also happy to know people aren’t satisfied with the status quo. From cars to refrigerators to tooth brushes, we keep iterating, making them better little by little. I love the big leaps, but I’m just as happy to see the small improvements.

I wouldn’t necessarily set out to create an app for a crowded market, but if you’re unhappy with the existing options and have a better way, then don’t let it stop you. If you don’t like what’s out there, there is a good chance other people feel the same. And this doesn’t apply just to apps, but to every product, from iPhone docks to thermostats.

Google as a time machine

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:45:00 -0500

I had the thought last night that if Google sticks around for the next 50-100 years, and maintains Google Maps, then it could actually turn into a time machine. Load up maps, choose your place and your time, zoom around in street view. I can’t imagine how amazing it would be to check out what San Francisco in the late 1960’s. Plus, Google will have gathered much more information over the years. They will show photos and YouTube videos taken near that time and location. They might show relevant news stories or tweets they’ve cached.

Google’s stated mission is:

“Organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”

That’s a pretty ambitious statement, but so far it seems like they’re achieving that. If they can continue to do it for the long term, they might become the most valuable source of information we have about our recent history. That sounds extreme, but if you take a recent event like the pepper spraying at UC Davis, you can imagine students of the future watching dozens of first-hand accounts from multiple angles on YouTube instead of reading about it in a textbook.

Update: I just found out just after writing this that you can already display historic images on Google Earth, so they’re on their way (thanks @ahmattox)

Top gear of 2011

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:41:04 -0500

These are a few of my favorite pieces of gear that I’ve acquired in 2011:

MacBook Air

I retired my aging 15” MacBook Pro this year, and bought a 13” MacBook Air. Definitely the best computer I’ve ever owned. Having something lightweight, powerful, and with a long battery life has changed how I use a laptop. It’s even surprisingly fast for its size, and I haven’t had any issues with performance.

Ristretto Bag

After I got the MacBook Air, I wanted to get a laptop bag that was small enough to take with me everywhere. The Ristretto by Tom Bihn is a little more expensive than I wanted to spend, but was exactly what I was looking for and had good reviews. It has a padded sleeve for the Air, and just enough room to fit the charger, my iPad, a notebook, and some pens. It’s the first laptop bag I’ve owned that is vertical, and I like the smaller footprint. My only minor complaint with this bag is that pens placed loosely in the front pocket could slide out if the bag is laid flat, but it’s a not a big issue. Also, it’s completely made in the USA, if that’s your thing.

Behance Dot Grid Journal

I’m quite particular about my notebooks. I’ve tried a bunch this year, and I think I’ve finally found the perfect one for my daily, take it with me everywhere sketchbook. This is dot grid, which is my preferred style for sketching, lays flat, and has a nice quality paper. Plus, it’s just the right size. Anything smaller is a pain to write in, and anything larger is too awkward to carry around.

Muji ballpoint pen

I hate most pens. I find one I like, buy a bunch of them, and use them exclusively. These are my current favorites. Comfortable to hold, and smooth to write with. I have both the 0.5mm and 0.38mm. At $1.50 a piece, not the cheapest pens, but won’t be the end of the world if (when) you lose one.

Encouraging feedback from your users

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:15:49 -0500

I love hearing feedback from my users. I would love to hear every detail about what they love, hate, or want in my apps. But that’s not always so easy to come by. The users that really care about the app, or are really opinionated, will find a way to express their opinion to you.

But there is a large number of users that would probably give you feedback if it was simple and immediate right when they’re experiencing an issue, or have a suggestion for improvement. You might assume that a user will dig through your site to find your contact form or email address, and take the time to write a thoughtful email, but you’d be wrong.

Here’s two examples of apps that do it right in my opinion. I’ve sent both of them feedback 2 or 3 times, where most sites I never do.

Gimmebar

Gimmebar is one of my favorite new apps. I’ve been using to save design inspiration for the last month or so. They use what is now a bit of a standard for getting feedback — a tab fixed to the left, right, or bottom of the window. What they do differently is using a custom form for feedback that only has a text box, that’s it.

I want the least resistance as possible, and Gimmebar nails it. You really can’t make it any simpler than that. The GetSatisfaction/UserVoice style feedback boxes feel like too much work to me. A bunch of fields and options, to get my feedback into a system to be rated and commented upon. For the most part, I’m not looking to participate in your product’s development, I just want to send feedback, what you do with it after is up to you.

Gaug.es

I’ve just recently started using Gaug.es, but so far it’s a really nice product. They have a fairly standard feedback box, simple and well designed.

Though I’d prefer they ditch the “I’m Feeling” drop down, as I’ve never been a fan of that idea. Feels more like a chore to sort out my emotional state on a minor display bug. If a user can’t find their emotion, they’re likely just to give up.

What they get right is that the feedback link is in their main navigation. That tells me it’s important to them, and not something they just threw in there at the last minute. They put thought into where it should go, and decided to put in front and center.

The most important thing

What they both get right is the most important thing. Both sites responded, and quickly, to everything I’ve submitted. It doesn’t matter how nice your feedback process is if it goes into a black hole.

It’s a little harder to get feedback in a desktop app, but I’m working on taking my own advice and finding an easier way to get feedback in my Mac apps.