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Michael Gaigg
@michaelgaigg.bsky.social
360 followers 340 following 340 posts
Group UI Engineer Manager & UX/UI Tech Center Lead at #Esri • Author • Speaker • Doer • Husband • Dad • Soccer coach • #UX #UI #Apps #Maps #Design #California #Austria
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michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Michael Gaigg @michaelgaigg.bsky.social · Oct 7
VERY excited to announce the release of my latest book "The Hitchhiker's Guide to Design" - a witty field guide to the world of #UX methaphors. It's part reference, part survival guide, a LOT of FUN, and a must-have for designers and product folks. #Design #books #DontPanic
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Keep your face always toward the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you. - Walt Whitman #uplifting
#poetry
December 1, 2025 at 5:24 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Cyber Monday: FREE #ebook "The Hitchhiker's Guide to Design" hitchhikersguidetodesign.com/book/shop/eb... #ux #ui #design #books
LIMITED TIME DEAL (name your own price): “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Design” eBook (164 pages, instant download)
Instant download of the eBook, 164 pages including all 36 design idioms describing their origins, pitfalls, and possible solutions
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:50 AM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Mount Shasta #photography #California
December 1, 2025 at 3:46 AM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Lake Shasta #photography #California
December 1, 2025 at 3:46 AM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
I had the pleasure to talk about #GIS at Arrowhead Christian Academy today. I got so many great questions and it's amazing to see how our next generation applies critical thinking. 👏🙏🌎
November 19, 2025 at 9:00 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Ok folks, now get your free PDF download of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to Design" while it lasts - and let your friends know too.
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com #UXDesign #free #books #UX #UI #Design
The Hitchhiker's Guide to Design
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com
November 13, 2025 at 5:34 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Today, 70 years ago, lightning strikes the Hill Valley clock tower #BackToTheFuture #movie
November 13, 2025 at 12:51 AM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Hicks Law: cluttered interfaces and excessive options slow users down.
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com/book/hicks-l...
#UX #Design #UI #UXDesign #ProductDesign #DesignThinking #books #DontPanic #UXFails #DesignHumor
36 • Hick’s Law - Hitchhikers Guide to Design
Hick’s Law describes how the time it takes a user to decide increases with the number (and complexity) of choices presented. In UX, it’s a reminder that clut...
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:16 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Recency Bias: End strong, that’s what users remember.
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com/book/recency...
#UX #Design #UI #UXDesign #ProductDesign #DesignThinking #books #DontPanic #UXFails #DesignHumor
35 • Recency Bias - Hitchhikers Guide to Design
Recency bias is the tendency for people to weigh the most recent information or experience more heavily than earlier ones, sometimes even disproportionately....
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:29 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Really? $145 for parking at the FIFA World Cup 2026? Do we agree?
November 11, 2025 at 1:22 AM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Primacy Bias: First impressions count, design them well.
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com/book/primacy...
#UX #Design #UI #UXDesign #ProductDesign #DesignThinking #books #DontPanic #UXFails #DesignHumor
34 • Primacy Bias - Hitchhikers Guide to Design
Primacy bias describes how people tend to remember and be influenced more by the first items in a sequence than by those that come later. In UX, it shows up ...
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:59 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Don't rely on the first piece of information you see #AnchoringBias
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com/book/anchori...
#UX #Design #UI #UXDesign #ProductDesign #DesignThinking #books #DontPanic #UXFails #DesignHumor
33 • Anchoring Bias - Hitchhikers Guide to Design
Anchoring bias happens when people rely too heavily on the first piece of information they see, the “anchor”, when making decisions. In UX, it shows up when ...
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:59 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Friends, also follow me on x.com/MichaelGaigg
Michael Gaigg (@MichaelGaigg) / X
Michael Gaigg (@MichaelGaigg) / X
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November 6, 2025 at 9:14 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Confirmation Bias: Seek disproof, not just validation
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com/book/confirm...
#bias #UX #Design #UI #UXDesign #ProductDesign #DesignThinking #books #DontPanic #UXFails #DesignHumor
32 • Confirmation Bias - Hitchhikers Guide to Design
Confirmation bias is the tendency to favor information that confirms what we already believe, while ignoring or discounting evidence that challenges our assu...
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:13 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Sunk cost fallacy: Realize when something just isn't working.
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com/book/sunk-co...
#UX #Design #UI #UXDesign #ProductDesign #DesignThinking #books #DontPanic #UXFails #DesignHumor
31 • Sunk Cost Fallacy - Hitchhikers Guide to Design
Sunk cost fallacy is the tendency to keep investing time, effort, or money into something, just because you’ve already invested so much, even when it’s clear...
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:00 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Fix the cracks, users notice the small stuff. #BrokenWindowsUX
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com/book/broken-... #UX #Design #UI #UXDesign #ProductDesign #DesignThinking #books #DontPanic #UXFails #DesignHumor
30 • Broken Windows UX - Hitchhikers Guide to Design
Broken Windows UX happens when small, visible flaws in an interface, like typos, misaligned elements, or inconsistent colors, create a perception that the en...
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com
November 4, 2025 at 4:00 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Are you ruled by the Highest Paid Person’s Opinion? Learn strategies on how to avoid the #HiPPO
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com/book/hippo/
#UX #Design #UI #UXDesign #ProductDesign #DesignThinking #books #DontPanic #UXFails #DesignHumor
29 • HiPPO - Hitchhikers Guide to Design
HiPPO stands for Highest Paid Person’s Opinion. It describes the all-too-common situation where decisions about design, product, or strategy are driven not b...
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com
November 3, 2025 at 10:20 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Test before you launch, send in the cavalry (eh, canary). #CanaryRelease
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com/book/canary-...
#UX #Design #UI #UXDesign #ProductDesign #DesignThinking #books #DontPanic #UXFails #DesignHumor
28 • Canary Release - Hitchhikers Guide to Design
A canary release is a deployment strategy where you roll out a new feature or version to a small subset of users first, like sending a canary into a coal min...
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com
October 31, 2025 at 3:35 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
UX Theater = Design Thinking without impact.
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com/book/ux-thea...
#UX #Design #UI #UXDesign #ProductDesign #books #DontPanic #UXFails #DesignHumor #DesignThinking
27 • UX Theater - Hitchhikers Guide to Design
UX Theater is when a team goes through the motions of doing user experience work, but without improving the experience. It’s the performance of design thinki...
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com
October 30, 2025 at 3:21 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
#AI is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get. Right or wrong?
October 29, 2025 at 4:20 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
#Design isn't a #UX potluck, avoid #DesignByCommittee
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com/book/design-... #UI #UXDesign #ProductDesign #DesignThinking #books #ebook #DontPanic #UXFails #DesignHumor
26 • Design by Committee - Hitchhikers Guide to Design
“Design by committee” happens when too many voices get equal weight in the design process, and instead of a clear vision, you end up with a safe, bland compr...
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com
October 29, 2025 at 3:13 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Remember that not everyone thinks like you. #FalseConsensusEffect
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com/book/false-c...
#UX #Design #UI #UXDesign #ProductDesign #DesignThinking #books #ebook #DontPanic #UXFails #DesignHumor
25 • False Consensus Effect - Hitchhikers Guide to Design
The false consensus effect is the tendency to assume that others share your opinions, beliefs, and preferences more than they do. In UX research, it shows up...
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com
October 28, 2025 at 3:21 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
I saw those the other day. Great reminder that good #GraphicDesign requires time and effort (and costs money). #design
October 28, 2025 at 5:15 AM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Errors happen, design for them #SadPath
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com/book/sad-path/
#UX #Design #UI #UXDesign #ProductDesign #DesignThinking #books #ebook #DontPanic #UXFails #DesignHumor
24 • Sad Path - Hitchhikers Guide to Design
A sad path is the scenario where something goes wrong in a user’s journey, whether it’s an error, invalid input, unexpected behavior, or a dead end. In UX, d...
hitchhikersguidetodesign.com
October 27, 2025 at 10:39 PM
michaelgaigg.bsky.social
Hello #ArcGIS #ExperienceBuilder team: Could you simplify this input to "https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=" plus an input field for the font name?
October 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM