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This week is all about usability, including four basics of user measurement, the importance of conducting your own research, and a behind the scenes look at A/B testing from 37signals. Also, if you want to meet some cool designers, come to the Designer Fair.

Have a great weekend.

StartupDigest Design is curated by:
Jeremy Merle – Creative Director, Brightcove
Enrique Allen - Founding designer, 500 Startups

What You Need to Read This Week

The Four Corners Of Usability Measurement
By Jeff Sauro, Measuring Usability

Nice summary of the basic elements of usability testing and research.

Outsourcing Your User Research Is Like Outsourcing Your Vacation
By Jared Spool, User Interface Engineering

User research is obviously valuable for identifying and preventing usability issues, however, conducting your own research is equally as valuable for directly exposing your team to the process and results.

Behind the Scenes: Highrise marketing site A/B testing part 1
By Jason Leister, 37signals.com

Interesting overview of 37signals A/B testing process, including some surprising results.

Behind the Scenes: Highrise marketing site A/B testing part 2
By Another AC, 37signals.com

Interesting overview of 37signals A/B testing process, including some surprising results.

Come to the Designer Fair

Designers are building cool things all over Silicon Valley – it’s about time for show and tell to learn from each other.

Site of the Week

Reinvigorate

Simple way to track your users behavior with heatmaps.

Happy Friday!

This week I’m excited to announce that Enrique Allen, founding designer at 500 Startups and The Designer Fund will be joining me as the co-curator of the StartupDigest Design. Enrique brings a tremendous amount of design knowledge and experience in the tech startup space. Follow him @EnriqueAllen.

Now to the articles. This week’s edition focuses on the value of persuasive design, a new VC model focused on entrepreneurial designers, why design principles are valuable for your team including examples, and useful resources for every designer.

Also, make sure to check out the “Site of the Week” for some inspiration.

Have a great weekend!

- Jeremy

StartupDigest Design is curated by:
Jeremy Merle – Creative Director, Brightcove
Enrique Allen - Founding designer, 500 Startups

What You Need to Read This Week

Why Persuasive Design Should Be Your Next Skill Set
By Loren Baxter, UX Magazine

Persuasive design leverages psychology to influence design behavior. Great article on the basic principles of persuasive design and how to apply this type of thinking to your product.

A New VC Model That Turns Designers, Not Techies, Into Startup CEOs
By John Pavlus, Co.Design

The Designer Fund is helping entrepreneurial designers get their ideas off the ground by providing mentors and angel-funding. As a designer who came from the agency world before finding my passion working with startups, I think this is a great opportunity for designers to become an established part of the founding team alongside MBA’s and engineers.

Disclosure: Enrique Allen is new the co-curator of StartupDigest Design.

Design Principles You’re Not Going To Do
By Jared Spool, User Interface Engineering

“Innovation isn’t about saying YES to 100 ideas. It’s about saying NO to 1000 ideas.” – Steve Jobs. Establishing design principles provides valuable guidelines that assist with making critical design decisions and, most importantly, help you decide what not to do.

Design Principle Examples
From principles.adactio.com

Here are some great examples of design principles in practice from Facebook to Foodspotting.

Useful Resources, Tools And Services For Web Designers
By Smashing Editorial, Smashing Magazine

Awesome resource for designers. I especially like the blog ‘Little Big Details’ that highlights the little details that make digital experiences delightful to use.

Site of the Week

Union Station Neighborhood Co.

Simple and engaging experience for the Denver neighborhood. Check out the seamless scrolling in the timeline section and how it leads you into each section.