It’s not easy to create an online store that is both beautiful and functional, and no one knows that better than Verne Ho . Design Director at Shopify, photographer, Instagram star, wordsmith , and an inspiring guy in every way , Verne has made a name for himself in the design world. Once a freelance creative and founder of his own design studio, today Verne regularly releases thought-provoking pieces for websites like Medium and speaks at a mix of events and conferences throughout the year. But it’s Verne’s day job that brings him to the intersection of eCommerce and design, which is why we’re asking him to be one of our four judges for this year ‘s eCommerce Design Awards . Who better to select visionaries taking ecommerce design to new heights than someone who regularly redefines the way people sell online?
With design inspiration in mind, we sat down with Verne to talk about his methods, muses, and any sage advice he might have for young designers. You may also be interested in: 10 essential books for the web designer When did you decide you wanted to be a designer? I wouldn’t say there was a single point when I made the decision to be a designer. Rather, I started designing Marshall Islands Email List out of a need or desire to create something. Embarrassingly, 13-year-old me was probably trying to create a profile page on AsianAvenue.com. What do you do to stimulate creativity? Lots of browsing and reading, probably not too different from what most people do. But I also find that the exercise of creation fuels greater creativity.
Getting Started With Shopify Scripts
so I like to quickly get down to business with ideas and start experimenting (on paper, on a computer, etc.). What is your process like for bringing ideas to life at work? Most teams at Shopify flow through a standardized set of stages to help bring ideas. And projects to life (we call those stages Idea, Think, Explore, Build. Launch, and Adjust. Each stage typically includes different types of activities for different disciplines and. A list of questions the team should be able to answer before moving on. Of course, we consider this only as a general framework. So individual teams often create their own derivatives to suit their needs. One of the most important artifacts in our process is the project brief. Which helps teams clearly define the project problem, stakeholders, and success metrics.
It’s a critical step to ensure we’re constantly working on the right things, which is increasingly important as the team grows. What tools does your team use to facilitate great design and progress? InVision is a remarkable tool that our design team relies heavily on. We use InVision to facilitate a healthy pace of cross-discipline discussion and review. And also to maintain a level of transparency with all design work being done across the team. Our suite of tools also includes applications and services, such as. Adobe Creative Suite Sketch mailbox GitHub Trello Loose Google Hangouts. While these are all common choices for most teams. We remain very intentional about the tools we choose to use. As they play a critical role in shaping how our team organizes, collaborates, and communicates. .
Shopify’s Design Director talks tools
What design magazines and blogs do you read to stay up to date? These days, I tend to do most of my reading on sites like Medium or on specific personal blogs. I really admire the writing of people like Julie Zhuo and Cap Watkins right now – they’re both amazing at articulating their knowledge of design and leadership into super tangible (and sometimes poetic) ideas. What hobbies and activities do you enjoy during your time away from the office? Photography occupies most of my free time outside the office; usually i’m taking photos or editing photos at home. The rest of my time is usually spent hanging out with friends over good food and drinks, and trying to get in a workout or two. What are your tips for leading a great design team?
