We've seen some great design portfolios here at Creative Bloq, but every so often we still come across clever, attention grabbing ways to present work. One of our favourites right now is from the new UX design company UXIXD, which is highlighting work from its portfolio, or 'gifolio', through a 100 Days of UX and IXD Gifs campaign.
Founder Tim Smith is adding a new gif from a UX or IXD project (user interface design and interaction design) each day. And while he's not yet halfway through, the collection already includes a hugely diverse range of work (see our pick of the best portfolios for more inspiration).
Smith, previously of ustwo and NewTerritory, recently set out alone after 20 years in the sector, launching his new business UXIXD with the tagline "Make the right thing. Make the thing right". To showcase his work, his 100 Days of UX & IXD Gifs campaign is presenting a wide array of highlights, from digital apps and AR experiences to physical packaging.
Smith says part of his aim is to raise awareness of interaction design. He says that while there's now a wide understanding of UX, IXD is still not well understood and therefore not well practised or delivered. "I believe that the two are intrinsically linked," he says. "The UX covers the user journey while the IXD delivers on that essential, immaculate interaction with the product or service, the 'handshake' with the brand as I call it. I thought starting from scratch and practising UX and IXD (UXIXD) with my own business was the best way to bring that vision to life and make meaningful products and services."
And he sees increasing demand for IXD across almost all types of brands, from the automotive sector to consumer electronics, FMCG and health. "They all engage and interact with their customers through technology, and increasingly so," Smith says. "It might be an app, a metaverse experience or even a generative AI service. Design for technology does not always come easily to these, but it is now a must. UX and IXD are essential for creating good experiences with brands through technology, you want the handshake to be right. Make the right thing - Make the thing right."
As for which project's he's enjoyed most from those presented in the 100 Days campaign so far, Smith finds it hard to pick out a favourite but settles on the autonomous vehicle he designed with ustwo (day 008 of the campaign). "We took a pure user-centred design approach to every detail," he says. "Some may tut at the engineering difficulties, or the prohibitive cost implications of some design decisions, but we wanted to design a truly user first product that was free from some of the automotive baggage.
"It was designed in such a way that is both functionally and emotionally accessible. It also uses neat ink technology to change from a commuter vehicle, to a delivery vehicle, even to an emergency vehicle in which its emergency rights of the road are automatically and instantly triggered if an occupant falls ill. This helps ensure the utilisation of the vehicle on any given day is optimal and viable. But there's plenty more to come! This may be my favourite because it demonstrates both UX and IXD well and therefore it serves the user well, while also giving consideration to the city and viability as a real product for the future."
You can see more on the UXIXD website and Instagram.
To learn more about UX, check out our online UX design course. We also have a pick of the best UI design tools.
