[new] | 2020 Software Design

And software? Software had to catch up. Fast.

Dark patterns started to look ugly. Accessible design started to look sexy . Companies realized that building for the edge cases actually builds a better product for everyone. 4. The "Zoom Backdrop" School of UI Let’s talk about visual design. In 2020, nobody saw your beautiful, minimalist dashboard because it was competing with a cat walking across the keyboard. 2020 software design

Suddenly, users were on 3G connections in their backyard. They had a toddler screaming in one ear and a dog barking in the other. They were using a trackpad with one hand while holding a coffee in the other. And software

In 2020, that fantasy exploded.

In the span of a few weeks, the world went remote. The kitchen table became the boardroom. The living room became the kindergarten. The bathroom became a private sanctuary for Zoom calls you prayed nobody would notice. Dark patterns started to look ugly

When every meeting went virtual, captioning became mandatory—not just for the hearing impaired, but for the person whose kids were playing drums upstairs. Keyboard navigation became critical—not just for motor disabilities, but for the user whose mouse battery died and they couldn't find a AA battery anywhere.