Category Archives: Articles

  • May 15

    How To Start A Kickass Startup In Only 5 Steps

    “How To Start A Kickass Startup In Only 5 Steps” slide deck cuts through the rubbish, breaks down confusion and gets straight to the important areas of focus when building a great startup.

    Transcript: How To Start A Kickass Startup In Only 5 Steps

    1. Write down 30 things that annoy the shit out of you.
    2. Find a way to solve any of those problems with tech.
    3. Tell anyone the problem and your solution, then listen.
    4. Build it or rinse & repeat, depending on feedback.
    5. BONUS ROUND: If people give you money to build it, you win.

  • May 04

    Why We’re Closing Barkles

    Today I sent out one of the hardest emails I’ve ever had to write. In short, Barkles is closing down on June 1st. Here is the email in full:

    ——————————————————

    Hello,

    Today we bring you some unfortunate news and our last email.

    We have decided to close down Barkles on the 1st of June.

    To some, this may come as a shock, and for that we apologise.

    For over 6 months Jay and I (Diesel) have been working behind the scenes on Barkles to build it to where it is. We have gone through many ups and downs and have learnt a huge amount about the way startups operate. In all honesty, there are a few main reasons that we would like to share with you as to why we are shutting up shop. Hopefully, others can learn from our mistakes.

    1. What’s The Problem?

    One of the main rules about starting a new startup is locking down the problem you are solving. Without a strong problem, you will have less people needing/wanting your product which will result in low traction/return rate. In many cases, Barkles was a cool solution looking for a problem – a reason for people to use it if you will. Had we of nailed down our problem before building the solution we probably wouldn’t have built Barkles in the first place.

    2. Passion

    Jay is very passionate about development. I am very passionate about design. Over time however we lost our joint passion for continually building Barkles when we started realising we had built a solution looking for a problem. We still enjoyed watching the debates come in and people using it on occasion – however for us to move forward and get that passion back it would require a big overhaul to the product, with the likely chance we would be pivoting far away from the product it is today. This pivot would have taken us 3-6 months to fully realise and even then we would not be any closer to working on a problem that people want solved.

    3. Financially Viable

    Building a freemium product is hard to do if you have low traction and have lost passion in the product itself. Often what results is the founders redirect focus onto paying work (hey, we’ve all got to live!) which pushes the freemium product into the background of their minds. For others in this situation we recommend financially securing a ‘runway’ (a bunch of cash you live off for a set amount of months) to give yourself that focus and dedication that is needed when building a long term freemium product.

    It’s Not All Doom And Gloom

    This process of creating a startup, getting members on board and iterating the product has been the most incredible experience. Jay and I look at the closing of Barkles as a “succesful failure“, a journey we have learnt a lot from. We have enjoyed over 1400 debates, met countless people who inspired us and now know what it’s like to run a startup.  We would like to thank our advisors, mentors and other entrepreneurs who have helped up learn and grow througout this journey.

    What’s Next?

    Barkles.com will be closed on the 1st of June.
    Jay and I will continue freelancing in the areas of development and design and see where the road takes us. We will still both be actively involved in the Melbourne/Perth startup scene.If you would like to contact Jay (I can attest to his great development skills) you can get in touch: Jay’s email and you can contact me via my email.

    Thank you for your involvement with Barkles,

    Sincerely,

    Jay Whiting & Diesel Laws

  • Apr 21

    Hacker News Clean Redesign

    One of the greatest things for a designer is the challenge of redesigning something well-known – just for the hell of it. Here is my take of a redesigned Hacker News. Please note: This redesign was just for fun, based upon various points of discussion from another redesign.

    Here’s the details:

    • Everything fits on the one line which helps reduce the clutter and would allow more articles above the fold (in this design I have kept the standard 30).
    • The darkest items are now the titles taking the focus off the header and straight to the content.
    • Font used is Droid Sans (Google Webfont)
    • Secondary links (in header and next to titles) have been dulled slightly to be easier on the eyes.
    • Background has been lightened.
    • SUBTLE: Removed the dots from the position numbers (trust me, it makes a difference!).
    • SUBTLE: The More link is now orange. Yep, awesome.

    Full size version here: http://diesellaws.com/HN.png
    (Open this link in a New Tab to avoid the popup)

    HackerNews Redesign by Diesel Laws

  • Apr 17

    Why I Love Helping Startups

    For the last 6 months I have been surrounding myself with incredibly passionate entrepreneurs. Throughout this time I have come to know many of them (and their startups) intimately.  It’s with this constant connection to the startup community that I have been able to grow my own self (and my startup) and really connect with what makes me tick.

    One of the big things that has become evident to me is the love I have for helping other startups. Being able to offer advice when applicable, help in design when requested and offer a supporting shoulder when needed has inspired me in so many ways.

    Throughout that time I have been fortunate enough to get to know Andrew Birt, Adrian Stone & Nathan Sampimon (the powerhouse team behind AngelCube) and have recently been mentoring their 2012 startup teams in UI/UX design at Inspire9. Although it has only been 1 week with the teams, I can already say that the collection of entrepreneurs in this years program are going to be powerful players in this industry to come.

    You see, when you offer advice to someone, you get to know what makes them tick. You hear what drives them forward and watch as they implement their various strategies to do what needs to be done. Witnessing this passion close up is infectious. It forces you to look at yourself and ask the same questions you do them. It’s in those moments that you realise they are helping you immensely.

    Whether they listen and action your advice or disagree and persevere on their own path is irrelevant – it’s all learning.

    That’s the most important part.

    Being able to learn from the people you teach.

    And that’s why I love helping startups.

     

  • Apr 14

  • Apr 12

  • Apr 11

    UI/UX and the Importance of First Impressions [Deck & Video]

    UI/UX and the Importance of First Impressions [Deck & Video] is an overview of User Interface and User Experience presented to the teams of AngelCube 2012.

    Transcript:

    UI/UX and the Importance of First Impressions
    Presented to the teams of AngelCube 2012
    Diesel Laws, Designer & Co-founder of barkles.com
    Ask the world questions and get opinions in realtime.

    I’m here to mentor & help you with UI/UX design.
    angelcube all the way baby.

    UX is how a user experiences your product.
    UI is what interface they're interacting with.
    UX is the intangible feel, flow & simplicity.
    UI is the tangible buttons, forms and images.

    Path, Apple, Clear, Facebook (Timeline)
    Path - UI is consistent theme, cute animations & simple layout.
    UX is intimate, fun & inviting.
    Clear - UI is heatmap gradient, interactive animations & clean layout.
    UX is easy, unique & clear.

    Good products sell.
    Gorgeous products sell faster.
    How can non-designers create gorgeous products?
    TIP: A doctor doesn’t have to break every bone in their body to know how to fix one.

    1. UX is everyone’s role.
    When a user visits your website, downloads your app and uses your product they are following your direction. Every day you are crafting someones experience.

    2. Think like a user.
    iPhone message from mum: Hi were having a great time in bali the weather is warm and the shopping is great miss you
    My brain corrected it: Hi, we’re having a great time in Bali. The weather is warm and the shopping is great. We miss you.
    Y U NO USE PUNCTUATION!
    No one explains what these buttons do.
    I completely forgot to think like a first time user.

    3. Break down every page to the most important elements.
    Ask yourself, what one thing does this page need to do?
    Then remove everything else.*
    *I’m serious.

    4. 3 clicks to get anywhere.
    As a general guide, a user should be able to reach any page within 3 clicks from their home screen.

    Edit Company Page on Facebook:
    1. Search for company.
    2. Click on Company name.
    3. Click Manage button.

    Edit Bio on Facebook:
    1. Click profile name.
    2. Click Update Info.
    3. Click Edit button.

    5. Consistency is powerful.
    Font: Sansation Bold
    Cyan, Grey, Yellow, White
    Consistency builds credibility

    6. Realise that great UI/UX can keep users happy.
    What do users think when your product has a problem?
    Great UI/UX + Problem = “Annoying, but I’ll get used to it.” “Support were really helpful.”
    Mediocre UI/UX + Problem = “Crap product, I’m not using it again.” “I’m not recommending it to friends.”

    7. Everyone judges a book by the cover.
    Most users believe that your website, logo or app is the whole product.

    8. STEAL. Most things you’re building have been built before.
    E.g. Profiles. Same same but different.

    9. Design can sell a product before it’s built.
    Yay, landing pages! And screenshots, mockups, templates & videos.

    10. They come for the UI, they stay for the UX.
    Check out this, you can _____
    upload photos, watch videos, download music...
    I love using this, it’s ______
    fun, easy, quick, simple...

    1. UX is everyone’s role.
    2. Think like a user.
    3. Break down every page to the most important elements.
    4. 3 clicks to get anywhere.
    5. Consistency is powerful.
    6. Realise that great UI/UX can keep users happy.
    7. Everyone judges a book by the cover.
    8. STEAL. Most things you’re building have been built before.
    9. Design can sell a product before it’s built.
    10. They come for the UI, they stay for the UX.

    Lets get simple.
    Investors love traction. Traction comes from users. Users love great products.
    Products that have great UI/UX appeal to both.
    It’s as simple as that.

  • Apr 10

  • Apr 09

  • Mar 30

    Your Startup Idea Is So Awesome

    Transcript:
    OMG, Your startup idea is so awesome.
    OK, it's shit.
    Tip: It's not because of the idea.
    It's because your idea needs execution.
    Execution will unwrap your idea.
    Execution will rip apart your idea.
    Execution will prove your idea.
    Your friends opinion of your idea means nothing.
    Your mums opinion of your idea means nothing.
    Your dogs opinion of your idea means nothing.
    No, I will not sign and NDA to hear your idea.
    There is no perfect idea.
    Your idea is not unique.
    But your execution may be.
    Here's an idea: A drawing game amongst friends.
    Pictionary did it.
    Pictionary sold for $29 million after 16 years.
    Draw Something did it.
    Draw Something sold for $210 million after 5 weeks.
    Same idea, different execution.
    Stop Idearating. 'Iterating your idea'.
    Start executing.
    How? MVP.
    Go Lean Startup.
    Just build something. Please, I beg you.
    Then you can tell me about your startup.
    OMG, your startup idea is so awesome.
    OMG, your startup is so awesome.

  • Mar 21

    The Roller Coaster Threshold

    So right now, if you’re wondering what to do next – take action. Work out your options quickly, choose the one that feels right (physically and mentally) and just get on with it. Even if you should fail you have one less piece of confusion in your life and a win on the board for starting something.

    This post was inspired by my Facebook update (thanks Will for the extra nudge).

    Every day I get to read about, talk to and watch entrepreneurs go through the motions of building their various startups. Over the couple of years I have been working in this field I have been able to learn just as much about success as failure. In most parts, failing is an extremely important result in our daily activities but is often avoided like the plague, so much so that people stop taking action towards certain tasks. The problem this creates is a never-ending loop of self-sacrifice, low results and lack of excitement.

    Failure Is Very Important

    With what I have witnessed, I believe that failure has been a very important outcome of the various startups I’ve seen operating. This is as simple as failing to deliver on time, failing to communicate, failing to focus on the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) or even failing to actually build something of value to users. Everyone seems to handle these various failures in different ways but they all end up in the same place by learning from what went wrong.

    The Roller Coaster Threshold

    What’s a harder lesson than failure? The roller coaster ride from failure to success, back to failure and so on. The constant up and downs of working on a startup are extremely challenging and can happen just as fast as the actual ride. In many cases, the fear of the ‘Roller Coaster Threshold’ is actually more debilitating than failure.

    When I first started Barkles, it was built on top of WordPress. At the time, Rhys and I were running the show (I was designing the front end interface and he was working on the back-end development) and we had just heard about our acceptance into the Angel Cube shortlist (more details here), basically proving that the initial concept and networking we had done was paying off.

    That moment of extreme excitement was shattered when Rhys made a decision to leave the company on that day after hearing the news. While I respected his decision and we parted amicably, it still hit me like a truck. I had gone from extreme excitement to complete freak out in a matter of minutes. However, I knew that this was a great thing. Barkles had succeeded (validation, albeit early stages) and failed (The only developer quits) in such a rapid time-frame right before the pitch.

    Later that day I called Jay (who was only a contracted developer at the time) and told him the news. I openly asked if he wanted to keep going with Barkles and he quickly jumped at the chance to be further involved. Jay stepped forward and said that he would be able to take our demo app and turn it into a Rails app. This took me from a low point of failure back up to a level ground knowing that we could still move forward as initially planned.

    That extreme roller coaster happened in the space of a few hours. Entrepreneurs will experience this at least once in a day in some form and more often than not, the success will match the failures.

    This leads me back to the original message that started this post: Take action. Don’t avoid making a decision because you fear an outcome. If you have a variety of options in front of you, take the risk and actually choose one path. Make the call from your gut and be prepared for high points of success and low points of failure.

    Take action by following me on Twitter.

     

  • Feb 20

    Barkles Detail: Box Shadow & Opacity

    Opinions are real. They reflect who we are and give us context for which to live between.

    With the latest Barkles design, I set about demonstrating this as best I could. I focused on what it means to be real – to be transparent in one’s self. By being real people can spend time seeing the real you, often pushing past the mask you choose may wear with others.

    The default Barkles background is a blurred green bokeh effect representing the human spirit. Our opinions float through like light particles, sometimes becoming lighter the closer they move to the surface. The opaque box is solid, yet somewhat transparent to let opinions be seen underneath.

     

  • Feb 06

    How To Value Yourself

    I recently had a discussion with someone close to me about how we value ourselves. The complexity through valuing yourself in a clear light is astronomical. It’s often the case that we in fact have to bring ourselves back to reality by using Simplicity Points.

    Simplicity Points refer to 3 points in our lives: Our Past, Present and Future. They cut out the bullshit and force us to focus on the simple details: What we have done, what we’re doing now and where we’re going.

    Past Simplicity Point: Take a moment to think back to your big past achievements remembering to keep it simple. Think about 3-5 of your big life achievements and add them to the Past Simplicity Point. More often than not, these are 3 things that define a large part of your past.

    Present Simplicity Point: With the Present Simplicity Point, focus on what you currently do. Where you work, what you own and what you do (charity, sport, hobbies etc). With most choices these should speak volumes about who you are right now.

    Future Simplicity Point: With the Future Simplicity Point have a look at the items from your past and compare them to your present. Have you made massive steps towards something you started in the past? Did you redefine who you were as you grew up? Are you on a path to achieving something for the future?

     Next? Stop. Just keep to the basics. All of these points combined should give you an overview of where you are heading. You can’t change your past but you can alter your present for the future. In all, this will provide you a sense of value for yourself. Let your points define you as you learn and grow from them. After all, others will see value you in much the same way: What you have done, what you’re doing now and where you’re heading.

  • Dec 29

    Do You Still Use Physical Business Cards?

    A while back I wrote a piece titled Pros and Cons Of Digital Business Cards. In it I listed a few of the benefits for digital business cards (e.g. creating an edge when meeting new clients) and reasons against.

    But one thing I forgot to consider was the ratio of sharing. For a digital business card, the ratio is usually 1-1, and I imagine it would be quite rare for that person to forward it on. Yet with one physical card, it can sit on a bench and be seen by multiple people passing by. The ratio could be anywhere from 1-2 to 1-Unlimited depending on where it’s placed. It’s like a mini-billboard until it’s collected, often promoting your name/business to more people in one go.

    The great thing about this for my freelancing is that I can promote my UX/UI and design work with physical business cards (see below), while promoting my startup (http://barkles.com) in person/digitally. Even though I look forward to the day when we don’t ‘need’ to use physical business cards, it’s worth making the most of both avenues now.

    Do you still use physical business cards? Let me know in the comments.



  • Dec 22

    Great Design Is Now The Currency

    With the likes of Google, Facebook, Twitter and Path taking big steps towards ‘great’ design we are starting to see the era of design come to light. It may seem biased from a designers point of view, but it only takes a moment for anyone to look at all the old/new services being represented with incredible user interfaces, solid user experience flow and gorgeous branding throughout. Great design is now the currency.

    Many of us should be thankful to the behemoth that is Apple – who played the underdog for many years until finally finding its feet with the ‘iRange’. Companies have since replicated the simplicity, elegance and beauty that is the Apple products as Apple moved to become the most valuable company worldwide. Their push into top position sparked the adoption of gorgeous design across the web and mobile alike. Of course, it’s not just Apple that pushed the envelope. Many companies had already started shifting their focus towards a cleaner look, sexier user interfaces and a focus on seemingly irrelevant design details that even Steve Jobs would have appreciated.

    There was a time recently where designers were an afterthought, an addon to an already existing product. Now designers are leading services with their unique vision, giving their products the edge needed in an over-saturated market. This big push into design has spurred on a flurry of activity in terms of new hires, incredible apps, designer co-founders and more. But what will the currency of design look like as the year rolls on?

    Late 2011: Designers create new vision & push the boundaries in various areas of the tech landscape

    As we’ve witnessed, Google+ has brought their UI/UX into line across multiple products (Youtube, Gmail, Reader, Google+) while Twitter pushed a completely new interface for its mobile market (to be later rolled into their core product). Many other companies have developed into new fields and led the way with new designs that have inspired many.

    Early 2012: Customers/Sales define the leading designs – Companies start redeveloping to utilise the most popular design aspects

    In a matter of months we are likely to see duplications of previous designs, layouts, buttons and other UI components at play. Naturally, this will alter the user experience and effect how websites and apps are used. Customers will request (design) features from other successful products and companies will adopt elements to suit.

    Mid 2012: Many products become visually aligned – Interfaces are continually tweaked with small updates vs large redesigns or redefining concepts

    Websites and apps will be at a stage where the functionality of their products will only slightly differ in the way of design. Animations, icons, flow and overall styling will have a familiar feel as customers jump between different platforms. In light of this, many companies will begin to alter their focus away from design, leaving only small tweaks in the spotlight.

    Late 2012: Design hits a peak of awareness and alignment – Design begins to take a sidestep to the next focus area of the tech landscape

    Design as a currency will funnel into a merge point. At this time, many companies will already be focused on the next big ‘edge’ for their products and stepping up to put that into motion. Design will not disappear – it will become an important element of a product but not nearly as powerful as the months prior.

    Do you believe great design is now the currency? Share your opinion in the comments.

    If you enjoyed this please follow me on Twitter.