Barrel Riot: Crafting a Wine Branding and Visual Identity

Original Source: https://abduzeedo.com/barrel-riot-crafting-wine-branding-and-visual-identity

Barrel Riot: Crafting a Wine Branding and Visual Identity

Barrel Riot: Crafting a Wine Branding and Visual Identity

abduzeedo
07/15 — 2025

Explore how MiresBall crafted Barrel Riot’s unique visual identity, blending tradition with a rule-breaking spirit. Discover innovative branding.

Hey creative peers! Let’s dive into a case study that really pops: the branding for Barrel Riot. This isn’t your typical wine brand. It’s about an unconventional approach to winemaking, using spirit-barrel aging to create an intense, complex character. The team at MiresBall really nailed the visual identity for this one.

The Spark: A Name Born from Process

MiresBall understood that this wine needed a name and look that screamed “rule-breaker.” Their inspiration? The spirit barrel-making process itself. That’s how “Barrel Riot” came to be. It’s a name that instantly communicates the brand’s adventurous spirit.

Visual Identity: Scorched Cork and Bold Colors

The visual elements are key to Barrel Riot’s identity. Take the scorched cork emblem. It’s a smart piece of design. It signals a wine bursting with flavor, but also acts as a consistent identifier across all product variations. You can see this emblem clearly on the corks themselves (Image 1, page 2; Image 2, page 3). It’s a subtle yet powerful detail.

The labels use strong color reads to identify wine varietals. This also amplifies taste appeal. Look at the lineup of bottles (Image 3, page 4). Each color instantly tells you something about the wine inside. For instance, the Bourbon Barrel-Aged Red Wine Blend uses a vibrant red (Image 4, page 5), while the Rum Barrel-Aged Grenache features a deep purple (Image 5, page 6). The Tequila Barrel-Aged Orange Muscat gets a rich gold (Image 6, page 7). This system is flexible, ready to grow as Barrel Riot introduces new wine and spirit barrel combinations.

The Story: A Triumph Over Typical

The brand story is just as compelling as the visuals. It celebrates an adventurous, “try-anything” attitude. The back of the bottle reads, “A triumph over typical. We love a great-tasting wine as much as anybody. Maybe even more. But a well-worn spirit barrel should never go to waste when it’s got so much flavor left to give. That’s why our wines finish their journey inside one of these wooden wonders—just soaking it all in to create a unique, complex character that puts a cork in tradition. So take a sip, but take it slow. And savor the aged-in aromas of this one-of-a-kind liquid celebration.”

Dan Lipsky, owner of Barrel Riot, sums it up perfectly: “Our brand is defined by the dramatic difference between us and other wines. MiresBall understood our message and infused it into a name, logo, and image that set us apart from the competition. I couldn’t be happier.” This partnership highlights the power of a design studio truly understanding a client’s vision.

This project is a fantastic example of how strong branding and visual identity can elevate a product. MiresBall didn’t just design labels; they crafted a whole personality for Barrel Riot. It shows that even in traditional industries, there’s always room to break the mold with smart, impactful design.

Want to see more of their work? Check out MiresBall’s portfolio: https://miresball.com/work/barrel-riot/

Branding and visual identity artifacts

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Exciting New Tools for Designers, July 2025

Original Source: https://webdesignerdepot.com/exciting-new-tools-for-designers-july-2025/

Summer is here, and designers are buzzing about the upcoming Apple release, design changes, and trends that are coming with it. The biggest being a glass effect. You’ll see some new tools for designers in this roundup that reflect that as well as some new AI tools and a few fun design kits. Here’s what’s […]

Understanding Memory Page Sizes on Arm64

Original Source: https://www.sitepoint.com/memory-page-sizes-on-arm64/?utm_source=rss

Optimize ARM64 performance with larger memory page sizes. Learn when 64K pages benefit databases, AI, and I/O workloads plus Linux configuration steps.

Continue reading
Understanding Memory Page Sizes on Arm64
on SitePoint.

Focaccia Elevated: Un Posto's Branding and Visual Identity Story

Original Source: https://abduzeedo.com/focaccia-elevated-un-postos-branding-and-visual-identity-story

Focaccia Elevated: Un Posto’s Branding and Visual Identity Story

Focaccia Elevated: Un Posto's Branding and Visual Identity Story

abduzeedo
07/09 — 2025

Discover Un Posto’s distinctive branding by Velvele Studio. Blending Italian tradition and Turkish warmth for a memorable focaccia experience.

Velvele Studio, based in Milan, helped Un Posto create its unique look. They blended Italian memories with Turkish hospitality. Un Posto is a shop in İzmir that makes Italian focaccia bread special.

Velvele Studio is known for its simple yet strong designs. They work with many different businesses. Their designs always mix classic styles with modern touches.

Making the Brand

Un Posto’s design mixes old Italian styles with a fresh, clear look. The design has four main parts:

Product Names: Italian names tell the story of the food.
Real Slogans: Slogans like “Ricetta Originale” (Original Recipe) and “Buona Per Tradizione” (Good by Tradition) make it feel real. You can see these on the shop.
Simple Graphics: Red and pink stripes are used a little bit. You can see them on the shop’s awning, food wraps, and inside the store.
Old-Style Letters: The letters used in the design look like old Italian signs.

The Look in Detail

Un Posto’s brand is clear everywhere. The main logo is on the shop, food wrappers, and staff clothes. It looks clean and classic. The red and white stripes remind you of Italy. They are on focaccia wraps and shop awnings, making everything look connected.

The staff uniforms also show the brand. Caps say “Il dolce far niente” (the sweetness of doing nothing) and “Un Posto.” Aprons and t-shirts have the Un Posto logo. They also have slogans like “Focaccia Italiana” and the “Original Recipe” stamps. Even the food wraps and coffee sleeves have the special red and white stripes and logo.

Un Posto’s shop space feels welcoming. It perfectly shows the brand’s goal: “a new neighborhood spot with an old soul.” The menu also fits the look, with items like “ITALIAN FOCACCIA” and meat and cheese boards.

Un Posto’s brand doesn’t just look good; it feels good too. It successfully creates a connection with customers.

Explore more of Velvele Studio’s projects at https://velvele.studio/work/un-posto 

Branding and visual identity artifacts

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Unmasking The Magic: The Wizard Of Oz Method For UX Research

Original Source: https://smashingmagazine.com/2025/07/unmasking-magic-wizard-oz-method-ux-research/

New technologies and innovative concepts frequently enter the product development lifecycle, promising to revolutionize user experiences. However, even the most ingenious ideas risk failure without a fundamental grasp of user interaction with these new experiences.

Consider the plight of the Nintendo Power Glove. Despite being a commercial success (selling over 1 million units), its release in late 1989 was followed by its discontinuation less than a full year later in 1990. The two games created solely for the Power Glove sold poorly, and there was little use for the Glove with Nintendo’s already popular traditional console games.

A large part of the failure was due to audience reaction once the product (which allegedly was developed in 8 weeks) was cumbersome and unintuitive. Users found syncing the glove to the moves in specific games to be extremely frustrating, as it required a process of coding the moves into the glove’s preset move buttons and then remembering which buttons would generate which move. With the more modern success of Nintendo’s WII and other movement-based controller consoles and games, we can see the Power Glove was a concept ahead of its time.

If Power Glove’s developers wanted to conduct effective research prior to building it out, they would have needed to look beyond traditional methods, such as surveys and interviews, to understand how a user might truly interact with the Glove. How could this have been done without a functional prototype and slowing down the overall development process?

Enter the Wizard of Oz method, a potent tool for bridging the chasm between abstract concepts and tangible user understanding, as one potential option. This technique simulates a fully functional system, yet a human operator (“the Wizard”) discreetly orchestrates the experience. This allows researchers to gather authentic user reactions and insights without the prerequisite of a fully built product.

The Wizard of Oz (WOZ) method is named in tribute to the similarly named book by Frank L. Baum. In the book, the Wizard is simply a man hidden behind a curtain, manipulating the reality of those who travel the land of Oz. Dorothy, the protagonist, exposes the Wizard for what he is, essentially an illusion or a con who is deceiving those who believe him to be omnipotent. Similarly, WOZ takes technologies that may or may not currently exist and emulates them in a way that should convince a research participant they are using an existing system or tool.

WOZ enables the exploration of user needs, validation of nascent concepts, and mitigation of development risks, particularly with complex or emerging technologies.

The product team in our above example might have used this method to have users simulate the actions of wearing the glove, programming moves into the glove, and playing games without needing a fully functional system. This could have uncovered the illogical situation of asking laypeople to code their hardware to be responsive to a game, show the frustration one encounters when needing to recode the device when changing out games, and also the cumbersome layout of the controls on the physical device (even if they’d used a cardboard glove with simulated controls drawn in crayon on the appropriate locations.

Jeff Kelley credits himself (PDF) with coining the term WOZ method in 1980 to describe the research method he employed in his dissertation. However, Paula Roe credits Don Norman and Allan Munro for using the method as early as 1973 to conduct testing on an airport automated travel assistant. Regardless of who originated the method, both parties agree that it gained prominence when IBM later used it to conduct studies on a speech-to-text tool known as The Listening Typewriter (see Image below).

In this article, I’ll cover the core principles of the WOZ method, explore advanced applications taken from practical experience, and demonstrate its unique value through real-world examples, including its application to the field of agentic AI. UX practitioners can use the WOZ method as another tool to unlock user insights and craft human-centered products and experiences.

The Yellow Brick Road: Core Principles And Mechanics

The WOZ method operates on the premise that users believe they are interacting with an autonomous system while a human wizard manages the system’s responses behind the scenes. This individual, often positioned remotely (or off-screen), interprets user inputs and generates outputs that mimic the anticipated functionality of the experience.

Cast Of Characters

A successful WOZ study involves several key roles:

The User
The participant who engages with what they perceive as the functional system.
The Facilitator
The researcher who guides the user through predefined tasks and observes their behavior and reactions.
The Wizard
The individual manipulates the system’s behavior in real-time, providing responses to user inputs.
The Observer (Optional)
An additional researcher who observes the session without direct interaction, allowing for a secondary perspective on user behavior.

Setting The Stage For Believability: Leaving Kansas Behind

Creating a convincing illusion is key to the success of a WOZ study. This necessitates careful planning of the research environment and the tasks users will undertake. Consider a study evaluating a new voice command system for smart home devices. The research setup might involve a physical mock-up of a smart speaker and predefined scenarios like “Play my favorite music” or “Dim the living room lights.” The wizard, listening remotely, would then trigger the appropriate responses (e.g., playing a song, verbally confirming the lights are dimmed).

Or perhaps it is a screen-based experience testing a new AI-powered chatbot. You have users entering commands into a text box, with another member of the product team providing responses simultaneously using a tool like Figma/Figjam, Miro, Mural, or other cloud-based software that allows multiple users to collaborate simultaneously (the author has no affiliation with any of the mentioned products).

The Art Of Illusion

Maintaining the illusion of a genuine system requires the following:

Timely and Natural Responses
The wizard must react to user inputs with minimal delay and in a manner consistent with expected system behavior. Hesitation or unnatural phrasing can break the illusion.
Consistent System Logic
Responses should adhere to a predefined logic. For instance, if a user asks for the weather in a specific city, the wizard should consistently provide accurate information.
Handling the Unexpected
Users will inevitably deviate from planned paths. The wizard must possess the adaptability to respond plausibly to unforeseen inputs while preserving the perceived functionality.

Ethical Considerations

Transparency is crucial, even in a method that involves a degree of deception. Participants should always be debriefed after the session, with a clear explanation of the Wizard of Oz technique and the reasons for its use. Data privacy must be maintained as with any study, and participants should feel comfortable and respected throughout the process.

Distinguishing The Method

The WOZ method occupies a unique space within the UX research toolkit:

Unlike usability testing, which evaluates existing interfaces, Wizard of Oz explores concepts before significant development.
Distinct from A/B testing, which compares variations of a product’s design, WOZ assesses entirely new functionalities that might otherwise lack context if shown to users.
Compared to traditional prototyping, which often involves static mockups, WOZ offers a dynamic and interactive experience, enabling observation of real-time user behavior with a simulated system.

This method proves particularly valuable when exploring truly novel interactions or complex systems where building a fully functional prototype is premature or resource-intensive. It allows researchers to answer fundamental questions about user needs and expectations before committing significant development efforts.

Let’s move beyond the foundational aspects of the WOZ method and explore some more advanced techniques and critical considerations that can elevate its effectiveness.

Time Savings: WOZ Versus Crude Prototyping

It’s a fair question to ask whether WOZ is truly a time-saver compared to even cruder prototyping methods like paper prototypes or static digital mockups.

While paper prototypes are incredibly fast to create and test for basic flow and layout, they fundamentally lack dynamic responsiveness. Static mockups offer visual fidelity but cannot simulate complex interactions or personalized outputs.

The true time-saving advantage of the WOZ emerges when testing novel, complex, or AI-driven concepts. It allows researchers to evaluate genuine user interactions and mental models in a seemingly live environment, collecting rich behavioral data that simpler prototypes cannot. This fidelity in simulating a dynamic experience, even with a human behind the curtain, often reveals critical usability or conceptual flaws far earlier and more comprehensively than purely static representations, ultimately preventing costly reworks down the development pipeline.

Additional Techniques And Considerations

While the core principle of the WOZ method is straightforward, its true power lies in nuanced application and thoughtful execution. Seasoned practitioners may leverage several advanced techniques to extract richer insights and address more complex research questions.

Iterative Wizardry

The WOZ method isn’t necessarily a one-off endeavor. Employing it in iterative cycles can yield significant benefits. Initial rounds might focus on broad concept validation and identifying fundamental user reactions. Subsequent iterations can then refine the simulated functionality based on previous findings.

For instance, after an initial study reveals user confusion with a particular interaction flow, the simulation can be adjusted, and a follow-up study can assess the impact of those changes. This iterative approach allows for a more agile and user-centered exploration of complex experiences.

Managing Complexity

Simulating complex systems can be difficult for one wizard. Breaking complex interactions into smaller, manageable steps is crucial. Consider researching a multi-step onboarding process for a new software application. Instead of one person trying to simulate the entire flow, different aspects could be handled sequentially or even by multiple team members coordinating their responses.

Clear communication protocols and well-defined responsibilities are essential in such scenarios to maintain a seamless user experience.

Measuring Success Beyond Observation

While qualitative observation is a cornerstone of the WOZ method, defining clear metrics can add a layer of rigor to the findings. These metrics should match research goals. For example, if the goal is to assess the intuitiveness of a new navigation pattern, you might track the number of times users express confusion or the time it takes them to complete specific tasks.

Combining these quantitative measures with qualitative insights provides a more comprehensive understanding of the user experience.

Integrating With Other Methods

The WOZ method isn’t an island. Its effectiveness can be amplified by integrating it with other research techniques. Preceding a WOZ study with user interviews can help establish a deeper understanding of user needs and mental models, informing the design of the simulated experience. Following a WOZ study, surveys can gather broader quantitative feedback on the concepts explored. For example, after observing users interact with a simulated AI-powered scheduling tool, a survey could gauge their overall trust and perceived usefulness of such a system.

When Not To Use WOZ

WOZ, as with all methods, has limitations. A few examples of scenarios where other methods would likely yield more reliable findings would be:

Detailed Usability Testing
Humans acting as wizards cannot perfectly replicate the exact experience a user will encounter. WOZ is often best in the early stages, where prototypes are rough drafts, and your team is looking for guidance on a solution that is up for consideration. Testing on a more detailed wireframe or prototype would be preferable to WOZ when you have entered the detailed design phase.
Evaluating extremely complex systems with unpredictable outputs
If the system’s responses are extremely varied, require sophisticated real-time calculations that exceed human capacity, or are intended to be genuinely unpredictable, a human may struggle to simulate them convincingly and consistently. This can lead to fatigue, errors, or improvisations that don’t reflect the intended system, thereby compromising the validity of the findings.

Training And Preparedness

The wizard’s skill is critical to the method’s success. Training the individual(s) who will be simulating the system is essential. This training should cover:

Understanding the Research Goals
The wizard needs to grasp what the research aims to uncover.
Consistency in Responses
Maintaining consistent behavior throughout the sessions is vital for user believability.
Anticipating User Actions
While improvisation is sometimes necessary, the wizard should be prepared for common user paths and potential deviations.
Remaining Unbiased
The wizard must avoid leading users or injecting their own opinions into the simulation.
Handling Unexpected Inputs
Clear protocols for dealing with unforeseen user actions should be established. This might involve having a set of pre-prepared fallback responses or a mechanism for quickly consulting with the facilitator.

All of this suggests the need for practice in advance of running the actual session. We shouldn’t forget to have a number of dry runs in which we ask our colleagues or those who are willing to assist to not only participate but also think about possible responses that could stump the wizard or throw things off if the user might provide them during a live session.

I suggest having a believable prepared error statement ready to go for when a user throws a curveball. A simple response from the wizard of “I’m sorry, I am unable to perform that task at this time” might be enough to move the session forward while also capturing a potentially unexpected situation your team can address in the final product design.

Was This All A Dream? The Art Of The Debrief

The debriefing session following the WOZ interaction is an additional opportunity to gather rich qualitative data. Beyond asking “What did you think?” effective debriefing involves sharing the purpose of the study and the fact that the experience was simulated.

Researchers should then conduct psychological probing to understand the reasons behind user behavior and reactions. Asking open-ended questions like “Why did you try that?” or “What were you expecting to happen when you clicked that button?” can reveal valuable insights into user mental models and expectations.

Exploring moments of confusion, frustration, or delight in detail can uncover key areas for design improvement. Think about the potential information the Power Gloves’ development team could have uncovered if they’d asked participants what the experience of programming the glove and trying to remember what they’d programmed into which set of keys had been.

Case Studies: Real-World Applications

The value of the WOZ method becomes apparent when examining its application in real-world research scenarios. Here is an in-depth review of one scenario and a quick summary of another study involving WOZ, where this technique proved invaluable in shaping user experiences.

Unraveling Agentic AI: Understanding User Mental Models

A significant challenge in the realm of emerging technologies lies in user comprehension. This was particularly evident when our team began exploring the potential of Agentic AI for enterprise HR software.

Agentic AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that can autonomously pursue goals by making decisions, taking actions, and adapting to changing environments with minimal human intervention. Unlike generative AI that primarily responds to direct commands or generates content, Agentic AI is designed to understand user intent, independently plan and execute multi-step tasks, and learn from its interactions to improve performance over time. These systems often combine multiple AI models and can reason through complex problems. For designers, this signifies a shift towards creating experiences where AI acts more like a proactive collaborator or assistant, capable of anticipating needs and taking the initiative to help users achieve their objectives rather than solely relying on explicit user instructions for every step.

Preliminary research, including surveys and initial interviews, suggested that many HR professionals, while intrigued by the concept of AI assistance, struggled to grasp the potential functionality and practical implications of truly agentic systems — those capable of autonomous action and proactive decision-making. We saw they had no reference point for what agentic AI was, even after we attempted relevant analogies to current examples.

Building a fully functional agentic AI prototype at this exploratory stage was impractical. The underlying algorithms and integrations were complex and time-consuming to develop. Moreover, we risked building a solution based on potentially flawed assumptions about user needs and understanding. The WOZ method offered a solution.

Setup

We designed a scenario where HR employees interacted with what they believed was an intelligent AI assistant capable of autonomously handling certain tasks. The facilitator presented users with a web interface where they could request assistance with tasks like “draft a personalized onboarding plan for a new marketing hire” or “identify employees who might benefit from proactive well-being resources based on recent activity.”

Behind the scenes, a designer acted as the wizard. Based on the user’s request and the (simulated) available data, the designer would craft a response that mimicked the output of an agentic AI. For the onboarding plan, this involved assembling pre-written templates and personalizing them with details provided by the user. For the well-being resource identification, the wizard would select a plausible list of employees based on the general indicators discussed in the scenario.

Crucially, the facilitator encouraged users to interact naturally, asking follow-up questions and exploring the system’s perceived capabilities. For instance, a user might ask, “Can the system also schedule the initial team introductions?” The wizard, guided by pre-defined rules and the overall research goals, would respond accordingly, perhaps with a “Yes, I can automatically propose meeting times based on everyone’s calendars” (again, simulated).

As recommended, we debriefed participants following each session. We began with transparency, explaining the simulation and that we had another live human posting the responses to the queries based on what the participant was saying. Open-ended questions explored initial reactions and envisioned use. Task-specific probing, like “Why did you expect that?” revealed underlying assumptions. We specifically addressed trust and control (“How much trust…? What level of control…?”). To understand mental models, we asked how users thought the “AI” worked. We also solicited improvement suggestions (“What features…?”).

By focusing on the “why” behind user actions and expectations, these debriefings provided rich qualitative data that directly informed subsequent design decisions, particularly around transparency, human oversight, and prioritizing specific, high-value use cases. We also had a research participant who understood agentic AI and could provide additional insight based on that understanding.

Key Insights

This WOZ study yielded several crucial insights into user mental models of agentic AI in an HR context:

Overestimation of Capabilities
Some users initially attributed near-magical abilities to the “AI”, expecting it to understand highly nuanced or ambiguous requests without explicit instruction. This highlighted the need for clear communication about the system’s actual scope and limitations.
Trust and Control
A significant theme revolved around trust and control. Users expressed both excitement about the potential time savings and anxiety about relinquishing control over important HR processes. This indicated a need for design solutions that offered transparency into the AI’s decision-making and allowed for human oversight.
Value in Proactive Assistance
Users reacted positively to the AI proactively identifying potential issues (like burnout risk), but they emphasized the importance of the AI providing clear reasoning and allowing human HR professionals to review and approve any suggested actions.
Need for Tangible Examples
Abstract explanations of agentic AI were insufficient. Users gained a much clearer understanding through these simulated interactions with concrete tasks and outcomes.

Resulting Design Changes

Based on these findings, we made several key design decisions:

Emphasis on Transparency
The user interface would need to clearly show the AI’s reasoning and the data it used to make decisions.
Human Oversight and Review
Built-in approval workflows would be essential for critical actions, ensuring HR professionals retain control.
Focus on Specific, High-Value Use Cases
Instead of trying to build a general-purpose agent, we prioritized specific use cases where agentic capabilities offered clear and demonstrable benefits.
Educational Onboarding
The product onboarding would include clear, tangible examples of the AI’s capabilities in action.

Exploring Voice Interaction for In-Car Systems

In another project, we used the WOZ method to evaluate user interaction with a voice interface for controlling in-car functions. Our research question focused on the naturalness and efficiency of voice commands for tasks like adjusting climate control, navigating to points of interest, and managing media playback.

We set up a car cabin simulator with a microphone and speakers. The wizard, located in an adjacent room, listened to the user’s voice commands and triggered the corresponding actions (simulated through visual changes on a display and audio feedback). This allowed us to identify ambiguous commands, areas of user frustration with voice recognition (even though it was human-powered), and preferences for different phrasing and interaction styles before investing in complex speech recognition technology.

These examples illustrate the versatility and power of the method in addressing a wide range of UX research questions across diverse product types and technological complexities. By simulating functionality, we can gain invaluable insights into user behavior and expectations early in the design process, leading to more user-centered and ultimately more successful products.

The Future of Wizardry: Adapting To Emerging Technologies

The WOZ method, far from being a relic of simpler technological times, retains relevance as we navigate increasingly sophisticated and often opaque emerging technologies.

The WOZ method’s core strength, the ability to simulate complex functionality with human ingenuity, makes it uniquely suited for exploring user interactions with systems that are still in their nascent stages.

WOZ In The Age Of AI

Consider the burgeoning field of AI-powered experiences. Researching user interaction with generative AI, for instance, can be effectively done through WOZ. A wizard could curate and present AI-generated content (text, images, code) in response to user prompts, allowing researchers to assess user perceptions of quality, relevance, and trust without needing a fully trained and integrated AI model.

Similarly, for personalized recommendation systems, a human could simulate the recommendations based on a user’s stated preferences and observed behavior, gathering valuable feedback on the perceived accuracy and helpfulness of such suggestions before algorithmic development.

Even autonomous systems, seemingly the antithesis of human control, can benefit from WOZ studies. By simulating the autonomous behavior in specific scenarios, researchers can explore user comfort levels, identify needs for explainability, and understand how users might want to interact with or override such systems.

Virtual And Augmented Reality

Immersive environments like virtual and augmented reality present new frontiers for user experience research. WOZ can be particularly powerful here.

Imagine testing a novel gesture-based interaction in VR. A researcher tracking the user’s hand movements could trigger corresponding virtual events, allowing for rapid iteration on the intuitiveness and comfort of these interactions without the complexities of fully programmed VR controls. Similarly, in AR, a wizard could remotely trigger the appearance and behavior of virtual objects overlaid onto the real world, gathering user feedback on their placement, relevance, and integration with the physical environment.

The Human Factor Remains Central

Despite the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and immersive technologies, the fundamental principles of human-centered design remain as relevant as ever. Technology should serve human needs and enhance human capabilities.

The WOZ method inherently focuses on understanding user reactions and behaviors and acts as a crucial anchor in ensuring that technological progress aligns with human values and expectations.

It allows us to inject the “human factor” into the design process of even the most advanced technologies. Doing this may help ensure these innovations are not only technically feasible but also truly usable, desirable, and beneficial.

Conclusion

The WOZ method stands as a powerful and versatile tool in the UX researcher’s toolkit. The WOZ method’s ability to bypass limitations of early-stage development and directly elicit user feedback on conceptual experiences offers invaluable advantages. We’ve explored its core mechanics and covered ways of maximizing its impact. We’ve also examined its practical application through real-world case studies, including its crucial role in understanding user interaction with nascent technologies like agentic AI.

The strategic implementation of the WOZ method provides a potent means of de-risking product development. By validating assumptions, uncovering unexpected user behaviors, and identifying potential usability challenges early on, teams can avoid costly rework and build products that truly resonate with their intended audience.

I encourage all UX practitioners, digital product managers, and those who collaborate with research teams to consider incorporating the WOZ method into their research toolkit. Experiment with its application in diverse scenarios, adapt its techniques to your specific needs and don’t be afraid to have fun with it. Scarecrow costume optional.

How to Fix Epson Printer Communication Error on Mac

Original Source: https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/epson-mac-communication-error-fix/

Recently, my Epson printer suddenly stopped working with a frustrating Epson printer communication error. Everything was fine until I tried printing – the printer would attempt to connect but then display a Communication Error message on my Mac.

What made this particularly puzzling was that the printer appeared to be properly connected – there was even a green status light showing in the Mac’s Printers & Scanners settings page.

Epson printer showing connected status in Mac Printers & Scanners settings

When I ran a test print page, it worked perfectly fine.

Successful test page print from Epson printer

The Epson Printer Utility also showed that the printer was connected properly.

Epson Printer Utility showing proper connection status

The issue specifically occurred when trying to print from applications like Notes, Pages, or Chrome. The Epson printer would attempt to connect but then display an Epson printer communication error message in the end.

Epson printer communication error message displayed on Mac when attempting to print from applications

In this article, I’ll walk you through my troubleshooting journey and share what I’ve done to try resolving this frustrating problem. We’ll explore the potential causes of the Epson printer communication error and, most importantly, how to fix each of them.

What Causes the Epson Printer Communication Error?

When your Epson printer displays a communication error, it means your Mac has trouble communicating with the Epson printer and cannot send files to print. Here are the common causes of Epson printer communication errors:

Outdated or missing printer drivers – macOS updates sometimes break compatibility with older drivers.
Wi-Fi or USB connection issues – the printer might be connected to a different network or the cable might be loose.
macOS printer settings glitch – sometimes settings just get corrupted and need to be reset.
Firewall or security software blocking communication – rare but possible if your firewall is strict.
Printer unable to access local area network – this was the cause of my problem.

Now that we’ve covered the “why,” let’s move on to the actual fixes that worked for me (and should work for you too).

Quick Checks Before You Start

Before getting into the more involved fixes, there are a few quick things you should check. These might sound obvious, but trust me – I’ve skipped them before and wasted time troubleshooting something that just needed a simple reboot.

Restart both your Mac and the printer. This clears out temporary glitches and often fixes the connection.
Check all cable connections if you’re using USB. Make sure they’re snug and try a different port if needed.
Make sure the printer and Mac are on the same Wi-Fi network. if printers are connected via wifi, make sure both copmputer and ptinert are on the same network,.
Confirm the printer is powered on and not showing any errors on its screen (like paper jams or low ink).
Try printing a test page from the printer’s control panel to rule out hardware issues.

If everything here checks out and it’s still not working, don’t worry – let’s get into the real fixes next.

Fix #1 – Reset the Printing System for Epson Printer on Mac

This was the first thing I tried, though it didn’t work for me, but it may work for you. Resetting the printing system essentially wipes all printer settings and gives you a fresh start.

Here’s how to do it:

Go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).
Select Printers & Scanners.
Press Control + click (or right-click) in the list of printers on the left side.
Reset printing system option in Mac Printers & Scanners settings
Choose Reset printing system…
Click Reset to confirm.
Once it resets, click the + button to re-add your Epson printer.

Heads-up: This will remove all printers you’ve added. You’ll need to re-add any other printers you use as well.

If this doesn’t work for you, try the next solution.

Fix #2 – Reinstall Your Epson Printer Driver

If resetting didn’t do the trick, it might be a driver issue. Try reinstalling the Epson printer’s driver.

Here’s what I did:

Go to the Epson Support site.
Enter your printer model and download the latest driver for macOS.
On your Mac, open the Applications folder and look for any Epson software. If you see Epson Printer Utility or Epson Scan, uninstall them.
Run the installer you just downloaded and follow the prompts to reinstall the driver.
Once installed, go back to Printers & Scanners and add your Epson printer again using the + button.

Make sure when you re-add the printer, under the “Use” dropdown, it says something like Epson [Model] Series – not “AirPrint.” (Assuming your Epson model supports AirPrint.) If it says “AirPrint,” you’re not using the full driver, and that can cause problems.

After reinstalling, try printing a test page.

Fix #3 – Verify Epson Printer Settings on Mac

If the driver’s installed and it still won’t print, your Mac might be using the wrong settings. Sometimes settings can get unintentionally changed, so this is worth checking.

Check these settings:

Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
Select your Epson printer from the list.
Click Options & Supplies.
Go to the Utility tab and click Open Printer Utility.
Check for any error messages or connection warnings.

Now go back to the main printer list:

If you see multiple Epson printers, remove the ones you’re not using – especially if one says “Idle” or “Offline.”
Make sure the correct driver is being used. Under the printer name, it should say something like “Epson [Model] Series” and not just “Generic PostScript Printer.”

Fix #4 – Reset Network Connection (Wi-Fi Models)

If you’re using a wireless Epson printer and getting the communication error, there’s a good chance it’s a network problem.

Reset the network settings on the printer:

On the printer’s screen, go to Setup or Settings.
Navigate to Network Settings.
Select Reset Network Settings or Restore Default Network Settings.
After it resets, go back and select Wi-Fi Setup.
Choose your Wi-Fi network and enter the password.

Then, on your Mac:

Go to Printers & Scanners.
Remove the Epson printer if it’s already added.
Click the + button to re-add it. Make sure the one you pick says “Bonjour” or “Epson [Model] Series.”

If you’re using a USB connection instead of Wi-Fi, try a different USB cable or port. That’s solved things for me before when I thought the printer was broken.

Once the printer is back on the right network, try a test print to see if it’s working.

Fix #5 – Allow Printer to Access Local Network

And here we are – the fifth fix and the culprit that caused my printer to give that communication error message.

If your Epson printer is connected via Wi-Fi (like mine) but can’t communicate with your Mac, it’s likely blocked from accessing the local network. This typically happens if you accidentally clicked “Do not allow” when prompted about network access.

To check and fix network permissions:

Open System Settings on your Mac
Go to Privacy & Security
Scroll down and select Local Network
Look for any applications starting with “Epson” in the list
Make sure the toggle switch is turned on for all Epson applications

After enabling access, try printing again to see if the communication error is resolved.

Mac Local Network settings for Epson printer permissions

When to Contact Epson Printer Support

If you’ve tried all these fixes and your Epson printer communication error persists, you may need professional help. I researched through printer forums and Reddit for additional Epson printer solutions, though they didn’t resolve my specific issue.

The post How to Fix Epson Printer Communication Error on Mac appeared first on Hongkiat.

Xencelabs Pen Display 16 is the best Wacom alt I’ve tested – now it’s finally on sale

Original Source: https://www.creativebloq.com/art/digital-art/xencelabs-pen-display-16-is-the-best-wacom-alt-ive-tested-now-its-finally-on-sale

A rare discount.

How To Create Kinetic Image Animations with React-Three-Fiber

Original Source: https://tympanus.net/codrops/2025/07/09/how-to-create-kinetic-image-animations-with-react-three-fiber/

Bring static visuals to life with rotating textures, 3D geometry, and smooth motion powered by React Three Fiber.

How to Start a Shopify Store in Spain: Step-by-Step Guide for 2025

Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/how-to-start-a-shopify-store-in-spain

If you’re living in Spain and want to start selling online with Shopify, you’re in the right place.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through every step I followed to set up my Shopify store legally and practically in Spain. I’ll break down the business setup, how I picked a niche, set up payments, complied with Spanish laws, and launched my store.

Whether you’re a Spanish resident or based elsewhere in the EU but selling into Spain, this will cover everything you need to know.

Step 1: Choose Your Business Structure in Spain

The first step was to decide how to legally run my Shopify store. Since I live in Spain, I had two options: register as a freelancer (autónomo) or create a limited company (Sociedad Limitada, or SL).

Here’s the breakdown of both:

OptionIdeal ForCostTax ObligationsNotesAutónomoSolo entrepreneursLowIncome tax + IVAFast setup, lower adminSL (Sociedad Limitada)Growing business or teamsHigherCorporate tax + IVABetter for scaling

I went with Autónomo because I was just getting started. It’s easier to manage and doesn’t require share capital like an SL.

How I Registered as an Autónomo:

Got a DNI/NIE number if you’re not Spanish

Registered with the Agencia Tributaria for tax obligations

Signed up for Social Security (Seguridad Social) to pay monthly autónomo fees

Chose epígrafes (activity codes) for ecommerce

Applied for a VAT number (IVA) if needed

Tip: You don’t always need a Spanish business if you’re already registered in another EU country. Shopify lets you sell cross-border with the right VAT setup.

Step 2: Sign Up for Shopify and Choose a Plan

Once I had my business sorted, I went to shopify.com/es and signed up. Shopify now fully supports Spanish language, EUR currency, and even has localised payment gateways.

Shopify Plans I Compared:

PlanMonthly CostFeaturesWho It’s ForBasic€24/monthStorefront, checkout, reportsBeginnersGrow€69/monthLower transaction feesGrowing storesAdvanced€289/monthAdvanced reportingHigh-volume sellers

I started with the Basic plan. You can always upgrade later.

Setting up my store was simple. I picked a theme, added products, and set up collections. Shopify themes are mobile-friendly, which is key in Spain, since over half of online purchases happen via mobile.

Step 3: Localise Your Store for the Spanish Market

Spanish customers expect certain things from an online store—language, currency, and trust signals.

Here’s what I did to localise my Shopify store:

Language

I used the Translate & Adapt app (Shopify’s native tool) to translate everything to Spanish.

Shopify also lets you edit all page content in Spanish directly.

Currency

I set my store currency to EUR, the standard in Spain.

I made sure all invoices and checkout totals reflected VAT properly.

Trust Elements

I added a reseñas (reviews) widget

Showed shipping times in Spanish

Included badges like “Pago Seguro” and “Devoluciones Gratis” to build trust

⚠️ Note: Spanish shoppers are skeptical of unknown brands. Your store needs to feel local and trustworthy from the first click.

Step 4: Set Up Payments for Spain

Shopify Payments works in Spain, so I used it to accept all major credit and debit cards without needing to use Stripe or another third party.

Payment Methods I Enabled:

Credit/Debit Cards (via Shopify Payments)

PayPal

Bizum (via MONEI, a Spanish payment gateway)

Klarna – for split payments, which is increasingly popular in Spain

I noticed that younger shoppers prefer Bizum or PayPal, while older demographics still use cards.

Step 5: Handle Shipping and Fulfilment

Shipping in Spain is relatively straightforward, and Shopify integrates with several local carriers.

Carriers I Integrated:

CarrierTypeIntegration ToolNotesCorreosNationalPacklink PROBudget-friendly, slowerSEURExpressOutvioFast, reliableMRWExpressManual/CSVUsed often by Spanish storesDHLInternationalShopify ShippingGreat for EU-wide delivery

I used Packlink PRO because it lets me compare carriers and automate shipping labels directly in Shopify.

If you’re doing dropshipping, I’d recommend:

DSers (AliExpress integration)

Spocket (EU-based suppliers for fast delivery in Spain)

Step 6: Configure Legal Pages and Comply with Spanish Laws

Spain is strict with ecommerce regulations, especially around consumer rights and data protection (GDPR).

Here’s what I had to set up to stay compliant:

Legal Requirements:

✅ Cookie Banner (I used GDPR Legal Cookie)

✅ Terms and Conditions

✅ Privacy Policy (in line with GDPR)

✅ Return Policy with 14-day cancellation window

✅ Invoice with VAT breakdown

Shopify makes it easy to add legal pages through its admin panel. I also consulted a Spanish legal template provider to make sure the language was correct.

Step 7: Add Products and Configure VAT

Once the store was ready, I started adding products. I focused on a niche: sustainable home decor, which is growing fast in Spain.

For each product, I made sure to:

Include a Spanish title and description

Upload high-quality images

Add IVA to the price (Shopify lets you include VAT in pricing for EU stores)

Tip: Use HS codes for your products if you’re importing or dropshipping. It helps avoid customs issues.

Step 8: Launch Your Store and Market It in Spain

I set my store live after a few test orders. But launching is only half the game—the real challenge is getting traffic.

My Marketing Stack:

Google Shopping Ads – Best for targeting product searches

Instagram + TikTok Ads – Short videos perform well in Spain

Influencer Campaigns – Partnered with Spanish micro-influencers for shoutouts

WhatsApp Broadcasts – Set up using Shopify apps like Tobi or Recart

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) – Focused on Spanish keywords

I also listed my store on local directories and Facebook Marketplace Spain to gain early traction.

Step 9: Track Your Metrics and Improve

After launching, I checked key metrics weekly:

MetricWhy It MattersToolConversion RateAre people buying?Shopify AnalyticsBounce RateAre visitors leaving too fast?Google AnalyticsSales by RegionTargeted offersShopify ReportsAbandoned CartsRecover lost salesShopify + Email App

I used Klaviyo to send abandoned cart emails and Lucky Orange to watch visitor behaviour.

Bonus: My Lessons Learned

Here are a few key takeaways I’ve learned from running a Shopify store in Spain:

Spanish consumers want fast shipping, easy returns, and localised experiences.

Having your site fully in Spanish—front to back—boosts trust and conversion.

Bizum is growing fast. Add it early if you’re targeting locals.

Avoid long delivery times. EU-based fulfilment is a game changer.

Influencers are cheaper in Spain than in the US and convert well with local audiences.

Ready to Start Your Shopify Store in Spain?

If you follow the steps above, you’ll be up and running in no time.

Starting a Shopify store in Spain isn’t hard—but it does take the right setup. From getting your legal structure sorted to offering local payment methods, these small details make all the difference.

Make sure your store looks and feels Spanish. That means language, currency, delivery times, and payment options. That’s what builds trust.

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel—just localise it properly.

The post How to Start a Shopify Store in Spain: Step-by-Step Guide for 2025 appeared first on Ecommerce-Platforms.com.

Dear Rounded Corners, You Win

Original Source: https://webdesignerdepot.com/dear-rounded-corners-you-win/

Rounded corners didn’t just win—they staged a quiet coup and made our interfaces soft, friendly, and suspiciously comforting. This satirical love-hate letter to border-radius explores how we went from brutalist boxes to UI that feels like a therapy session. If you’ve ever surrendered to a 12px curve, this one’s for you.