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The tech giant is reportedly considering incorporating generative AI functionality into the much-beloved drawing program. No, God. Please no!

Midjourney has long been at the forefront of generative-AI technology. Now, they’ve released a new tool. This one could be a game-changer for designers and artists.

The world of post-modern web design is one where the light doesn’t cast many shadows. That doesn’t mean CSS shadows are going away. On the contrary, they’ve become more adaptive. Shadows are an incredibly useful design element. We know they add depth to an otherwise two-dimensional web design, but did you know we can stack, animate, and manipulate them in ways that go beyond that?

I’ve been experimenting with shadows. In this article, I’m going to share several “tricks” I’ve discovered along the way and how they can be used to create interesting effects that have little to do with their primary role of adding depth. We’ll look at an effect that works by stacking layers of shadows that transition on hover. After that, I will show you how to make a shadow of a shadow. Lastly, we’ll play with shadows on text as an alternative to color.

Ready for some fun? Let’s start with an interesting hover effect.

The Introspective Shadow Hover Effect

Most of us are familiar with the inset keyword. It’s an optional value of the CSS box-shadow property.

When inset is specified, the shadow is cast inside the element, directed inward. It’s commonly used to make it look as if an element has been stamped into the surface of the web page. We are going to push that shadow further, both metaphorically and literally, to create an overlay hover effect for image transitions.

Just as we can control the shadow’s blur radius — how far the shadow spreads outward — we can choose to apply no blur at all to the shadow. We can combine that with the fact that inset shadows are painted over an element’s background (unlike default shadows that are cast beneath the element) to create what I call a “veil” that sits on top of an element.

Let’s start with a single div in the HTML:

<div class="item"></div>

There’s nothing to see yet. So, let’s add some dimensions, a background color, and a border radius to make a green circle.

.item {
  width: 250px;
  height: 250px;
  background: green;
  border-radius: 50%;
}

This is nothing fancy so far. I merely want to demonstrate that we can essentially cover the green background with a red inset box-shadow:

.item {
  width: 250px;
  height: 250px;
  background: green;
  border-radius: 50%;
  box-shadow: inset 250px 250px 0 red;
}

Now we have a red circle with a green background beneath it. We can remove the red inset shadow on hover to reveal the green background:

.item:hover {
  box-shadow: none;
}

See the Pen Inward Shadow Pt. 1 [forked] by Preethi Sam.

Since shadows can be layered and are supported by CSS transitions, let’s incorporate that for a more fluid design. First, I’m going to update the HTML a bit by adding a span inside the .item:

    <div class="item">
      <span>The New York Times</span>
    </div>
    <!-- more items -->

For the CSS, it’s the same idea as before. We want a circle with an inset shadow and a background:

.item {
  width: 300px;
  height: 300px;
  background-image: url('nytimes.svg');
  border-radius: 50%;
  box-shadow: inset -300px -300px 0 black,
}

The difference so far is that I am using a background-image instead of a background-color. They are absolutely interchangeable for the hover effect we’re working on.

Next, I’m going to do two things. First, I’m going to stack more inset shadows inside the .item. Then I’m changing the text color to white, but only for a moment so the background image shows all the way through.

.item {
  width: 300px;
  height: 300px;
  background-image: url('nytimes.svg');
  border-radius: 50%;
  box-shadow:
    inset -300px -300px 0 black,
    inset 300px -300px 0 green,
    inset -300px 300px 0 blue,
    inset 300px 300px 0 yellow,
    0 0 20px silver; /* standard outset shadow */
  color: white;
  }

Even after we add those four extra shadows, we still are left with only a black circle that says “The New York Times” on it in white. The trick is to remove those shadows on hover, change the color of the text to transparent, and reveal the logo beneath our stack of inset shadows.

.item:hover {
  box-shadow:
    inset 0 0 0 transparent,
    inset 0 0 0 transparent,
    inset 0 0 0 transparent,
    inset 0 0 0 transparent,
    0 0 20px silver; /* retain the outset shadow */
  color: transparent;
}

That works! But perhaps we should add a little transition in there to smooth it out:

.item {
  width: 300px;
  height: 300px;
  background-image: url('nytimes.svg');
  border-radius: 50%;
  box-shadow:
    inset -300px -300px 0 black,
    inset 300px -300px 0 green,
    inset -300px 300px 0 blue,
    inset 300px 300px 0 yellow,
    0 0 20px silver; /* standard outset shadow */
  color: white;
  transition:
    box-shadow ease-in-out .6s,
    color ease-in-out .5s;
  }

.item:hover {
  box-shadow:
    inset 0 0 0 transparent,
    inset 0 0 0 transparent,
    inset 0 0 0 transparent,
    inset 0 0 0 transparent,
    0 0 20px silver; /* keeping the outset shadow */
  color: transparent;
}

The only other thing I think that’s worth calling out is that the outward shadow in the stack is not removed when the .item is hovered. I only want to remove the inset shadows.

Here’s the final result:

See the Pen Inward Shadow Pt. 2 [forked] by Preethi Sam.

I used CSS variables throughout so you can change the colors of the shadows and the size of the element.

Casting A Shadow Of A Shadow

If we learned anything from that last example, it’s that shadows are visually interesting: they can bend, fade, intersect, and transition. But what about a shadow casting another shadow? Can we create a shadow of an element’s shadow?

This is not the same as stacking layers of shadows as we did earlier. Rather, we will be making a silhouette of a shadow. And because we have a second way to add shadows to elements with the CSS drop-shadow() filter, we can do exactly that.

A drop-shadow() is a little different than a box-shadow. Where a box-shadow casts a shadow along the physical edges of the element’s bounding box, a drop-shadow() ignores the box and casts a shadow along the element’s shape.

When drop-shadow() is given to an element with a box-shadow, the shadow from the box-shadow will cast a shadow of its own. We can combine these to make interesting effects, like a Venn diagram shape.

.item {
  box-shadow: 0 0 20px black ;
  filter: drop-shadow(-30px 0 0 blue);
}

See the Pen Shadow of a Shadow Pt. 1 [forked] by Preethi Sam.

This simple combination of box and drop shadows can lead to interesting designs, like shadows that cast shadows. Let’s start with some HTML that includes the same .item element we used in the last section. This time, we’ll place two child elements inside it, another div and an img:

<div class="item">
  <div class="background"></div>
  <img src="image.jpeg" />
</div>

<!-- more items -->

The .item is merely serving as a container this time. The real work happens on the .background child element. The image is purely there for decoration. We’re going to set a box-shadow on the .background element, then add a stack of three drop-shadow() layers to it:

/* third circle in the following demo */
.item > .background {
    box-shadow: 0 0 40px rgb(255 0 0 / .5);
    filter:
      drop-shadow(-20px 0 0 rgb(255 0 0 / .5))
      drop-shadow(20px 0 0 rgb(255 0 0 / .5))
      drop-shadow(20px 0 0 rgb(255 0 0 / .5));
}

We can also use transitions with these effects (as in the middle circle below).

See the Pen Shadow of a Shadow Pt. 2 [forked] by Preethi Sam.

The Textual Shadow

The last effect we’re going to look at involves the CSS text-shadow property. It’s actually less of a complicated “trick” than it is a demonstration of using and showing just the shadow of a text element for color purposes.

Specifically, I’m talking about transparent text with a shadow on it:

/* second column in the below demo */
p {
  color: transparent;
  text-shadow: 1px 1px 0 black;
}

See the Pen Textual Shadow Pt. 2 [forked] by Preethi Sam.

Notice the emoji? Instead of the full-color deal, we normally get, this emoji is more like an icon filled with a solid color. This is one way to make a quick and dirty icon system without drawing them or working with files.

We could have also pulled this off with background-clip: text to clip around the shape of the emoji or apply a drop-shadow(). However, that affects the background, limiting where it can be used. Plus, I like the idea of using text-shadow with text elements since that’s what it’s used for, and emoji are part of the text.

You might think there’s a “gotcha” with underlines. For example, text-shadow ignores the text decoration of links.

See the Pen Text Shadow No Likey Link Underlines [forked] by Geoff Graham.

No big deal. If you need to support underlines, we can reach for the CSS text-decoration and text-underline-offset properties:

p {
  color: transparent;
  text-shadow: 1px 1px 0 black;
  text-decoration-line: underline;
  text-decoration color: black;
  text-underline-offset: 3px;
}

See the Pen Shadow-Only Link With Underline [forked] by Geoff Graham.

Conclusion

That’s a look at three interesting ways to use CSS shadows as more than that thing you use to add depth. We looked at one way that uses inset shadows to hide the contents of an element’s background for a neat hover effect. Then there was the idea of combining box-shadow and drop-shadow() to cast a shadow of another shadow. We capped things off with a quick way to manipulate text and emoji with text-shadow.

I hope these experiments give you the inspiration to do some CSS shadow experiments of your own. Shadows and gradients are perhaps the two most important CSS features for “drawing” with CSS, like many of the examples you’ll see on Lynn Fisher’s A Single Div project. Shadows have incredible browser support, so the options are plentiful as far as what we can do with them.

Further Reading On SmashingMag

• “Lesser-Known And Underused CSS Features In 2022,” Adrian Bece
• “Fluid Sizing Instead Of Multiple Media Queries?,” Ruslan Yevych
• “CSS Generators,” Iris Lješnjanin
• “Creating A High-Contrast Design System With CSS Custom Properties,” Brecht De Ruyte

UX writing is a critical component of user experience design. It’s the voice that guides users through a product, making interactions intuitive and efficient. But how do you master this craft?

Product Information Management (PIM) is critical in businesses with a wide range of products. PIM solutions effectively manage data, improve customer satisfaction, and drive sales through various platforms. As technology continues to evolve, the PIM industry will experience significant transformations. 

This article will discuss upcoming enterprise product data management trends and benefits and how it’s transforming the future of business.

Benefits of Product Information Management (PIM):

Improved Data Accuracy

PIM solutions provide accurate and consistent product data across all channels. By effectively eliminating errors and discrepancies, they greatly enhance customer trust and help minimize returns or complaints.

Enhanced Productivity

The PIM systems significantly enhance data management processes, allowing teams to manage extensive and varied product catalogs effectively. They automate data entry, content generation, and updates, saving significant time and resources.

Omnichannel Consistency

This system facilitates consistent product information dissemination across various channels, including websites, mobile apps, social media, and physical stores. It ensures a seamless shopping experience for customers.

Faster Time-to-Market

With organized and accessible product data, businesses can quickly bring new products to market, staying ahead of competitors and capitalizing on emerging trends.

Improved Customer Experience

Personalized product information and targeted recommendations contribute to enhanced customer experiences, increased engagement, and a heightened sense of customer loyalty.

Future Trends in PIM 

AI and Machine Learning Integration

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies are shaping the future of PIM. AI-driven PIM solutions can automate data cleansing, product categorization, attribute extraction, and content generation. Through natural language processing, these systems can better understand and update product descriptions, saving time and reducing the risk of errors. ML algorithms can analyze customer behavior and preferences, allowing businesses to optimize product offerings.

Omnichannel PIM Solutions

Customers expect seamless shopping experiences across multiple channels, so the demand for Omnichannel PIM solutions is rising. Future PIM platforms must support traditional channels like e-commerce websites and physical stores and emerging channels like social media, mobile apps, voice assistants, and IoT devices. An effective Omnichannel PIM strategy ensures consistent and accurate product information across all touchpoints, enhancing customer trust and loyalty.

Cloud-Based PIM Adoption

Cloud computing has revolutionized various business processes, and PIM is no exception. The future of PIM lies in cloud-based solutions that offer scalability, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness. Cloud-based PIM allows real-time data updates, easy collaboration among teams, and the ability to integrate with other cloud-based applications seamlessly. This shift from on-premises to cloud-based PIM systems will enable enterprises to stay agile in a rapidly changing business environment.

Data Governance and Security

As the volume and complexity of product data grow, data governance and security will be critical concerns for enterprises. Future PIM solutions must ensure data integrity, compliance with data regulations, and protection against cyber threats. Robust access controls, data encryption, and advanced authentication measures will be essential features of PIM platforms, safeguarding sensitive information and maintaining customer trust.

Personalization and Customer Experience

The future of PIM will be customer-centric, with a strong focus on personalization and enhancing customer experience. PIM solutions will leverage customer data to create targeted product recommendations, personalized content, and relevant marketing messages. By understanding customer preferences and behaviors, businesses can deliver more engaging shopping experiences, increasing conversion rates and customer satisfaction.

Integration with the Internet of Things (IoT)

PIM systems must adapt and integrate with IoT devices, including those offered by a grocery delivery app development company. IoT integration enables real-time monitoring of product usage, performance, and feedback. PIM platforms can leverage this data to make data-driven decisions, identify product improvements, and support customer support. IoT integration can facilitate automatic updates of product information across channels, keeping customers informed.

PIM is Transforming the Future of Business 

Product Information Management (PIM) is set to transform the future of business in profound ways. As technology advances and consumer expectations evolve, the role of PIM will become even more critical in driving success for enterprises.

Enhanced Customer Experience

PIM enables businesses to provide consistent, accurate, personalized product information across all channels. It improves customer experience as shoppers receive relevant, engaging content tailored to their preferences. With the rising importance of customer-centric strategies, PIM will be instrumental in building brand loyalty and satisfaction.

Data-Driven Decision Making

PIM systems capture and analyze vast amounts of product data. By leveraging AI and Machine Learning, businesses can gain valuable insights into customer behavior, market trends, and product performance. Data-driven decision-making will empower organizations to identify growth opportunities, optimize product offerings, and stay ahead of the competition.

Agility and Innovation

PIM facilitates faster time-to-market for new products, allowing businesses to respond swiftly to changing market demands and trends. The ability to quickly update product information and adapt to new marketing channels, such as IoT devices and voice commerce, will drive innovation and agility in the marketplace.

Seamless Omnichannel Presence

As consumers increasingly expect a seamless shopping experience across various touchpoints, PIM will play a vital role in ensuring consistency across all channels. Businesses can deliver coherent messaging, pricing, and product information, fostering a unified brand presence.

Efficiency and Cost Savings

 PIM streamlines data management processes, reducing manual efforts and errors. Businesses can achieve operational efficiency and cost savings by centralizing product data and automating content creation and updates.

Compliance and Sustainability

With the rising focus on sustainability and regulatory compliance, PIM will enable businesses to manage eco-friendly product attributes and ensure adherence to relevant standards. This transparency will resonate with socially responsible consumers.

Collaboration and Workflow Optimization

PIM fosters collaboration among teams, suppliers, and partners by providing a single source of truth for product data. Improved workflows and communication will result in streamlined operations and faster decision-making processes.

Conclusion

The future of Product Information Management is dynamic, driven by technological advancements and changing customer expectations. AI and ML integration, Omnichannel support, cloud-based solutions, robust data governance, and a focus on customer experience are some of the key trends that will shape the evolving landscape of PIM. Product Information Management is poised to become a pivotal force in shaping the future of business. By delivering exceptional customer experiences, driving data-driven decisions, enabling innovation, and ensuring omnichannel consistency, PIM will be a transformative tool for enterprises aiming to stay competitive and thrive in the ever-evolving marketplace. To stay ahead in the competitive market, enterprises must embrace these trends and consider adopting the best-suited PIM solutions for their specific business needs.

Featured image by Zan on Unsplash

The post Future Trends in Product Information Management: Insights into the Evolving Landscape appeared first on noupe.

After almost two decades of sharp right-angled edges, YouTube is unveiling a new screen layout featuring rounded corners for videos and thumbnails.

Oh God, make it stop. EmbodyMe’s Xpression Chat lets you talk to anyone you like, dead or alive. Has AI finally gone too far?

Animation is a good web designer’s secret weapon. To animate means to bring to life, and a few little animated touches can liven up even the dullest content.

AWS stands for Amazon Web Services. AWS is the leading cloud infrastructure service maintaining 32 percent of the the market in the 2nd quarter of 2023. The top competitors of AWS is Microsoft and Google with their own cloud service platforms.

A subsidiary of Amazon, Amazon Web Services, Inc. offers pay-as-you-go on-demand cloud services architecture, consisting of platforms and APIs for individuals, businesses, and governments. These services include:

• Hosting Applications (mobile and web)
• Content Delivery
• Database Storage
• API Gateways
• and many other services

A Cloud service architecture comprises of the front end platform, back end platform, and a cloud based delivery over a network.

What is an AWS Solutions Architect?

An AWS solution architect is one of the most sought after careers in the cloud domain as many large corporations and even small businesses are running on the AWS cloud platform.

Companies are always on the lookout for professionals with competence in AWS Cloud architecture or the ones who have done an AWS Developer Associate Certification Course. So, if you are looking for a lucrative career as an AWS solutions architect, the prospects are promising.

You will require to design a technical and practical application using the cloud platform for your business problems as an AWS associate. One example could be to build the most cost efficient systems based on cloud architecture. Global Companies like Siemens and Shell have efficiently leveraged the AWS platform to beef up their cyber security against viruses, malware and other malicious threats. This is most exciting part of becoming an AWS- associate developer. You get to creatively solve business problems by using your expertise in cloud technology.

Your skills become valuable to a business when you give them value by generating efficiencies to it. A competent AWS solutions architect can earn a maiden salary of 1 lakh dollars on an average in United States of America and Canada.

What skills do you need to become an AWS solutions architect?

Business Acumen

Understanding the needs and problems faced by your business is the first skill you need if you want to work as an AWS solutions architect. A commercial sense more or less serves you well in any career.

Great communication and interpersonal skills

AWS solution architects work within teams so having great people’s skills is of utmost importance. The secret to getting projects done lies in your ability to communicate effectively with the team and managing your time properly.

Understanding customer needs and aligning them with business goals is also crucial. Therefore one needs to be very good with customer interactions and communicating objectively.

You must be adaptable in switching between tasks that may involve writing scripts, troubleshooting, and taking care of migrations amongst other things throughout the day.

Technical expertise

You need to have a working knowledge of one operating system at least. The most preferable is Linux. Prior knowledge of specific programming languages along with understanding of network security will make the path of becoming AWS professional potentially sound.

You need to pass the AWS solutions architect certification to become a certified AWS solutions architect.

Don’t worry; it is possible to become an AWS solutions architect even if you don’t have a prior any prior experience of AWS. In any career, learning the core concepts, getting certified or passing an exam and honing your skills through practical exposure is the most standard way to becoming a professional.

So, you can divide your journey to become a AWS solutions architect into 3 steps as follows:

1. Learn the fundamentals of cloud computing with deep knowledge of the AWS cloud platform

You need to learn all the cloud computing concepts to know the nitty gritties of a career in cloud computing industry. There are plenty of free and paid learning resources available online to get you started with learning the theoretical aspects for the right building cloud solutions on a AWS platform.

Cloud technology is in a state of flux. It is a constantly evolving field. Make sure you choose the right learning resources that focus on a case study based learning environment to help you understand the practical application and implications of the cloud computing concepts and AWS fundamentals.

It is very important to keep yourself abreast with the latest developments in the field of cloud technology. Learn why companies are using the AWS enabled cloud platform to solve business

problems. What kind of benefits it offers to businesses. Make knowledge of cloud technology your forte to proceed on acquiring the technical skills and competencies to become an AWS solutions architect.

2. Ace the AWS solution architect certification Exam

AWS certifications stand out as they lay emphasis on hands on experience and best practices. The evaluation is a testimony of candidate’s thoroughness in working with AWS cloud platform. There are different certifications under the AWS certification umbrella. AWS solution architect-associate certification is the most sought after one for a fresher looking to venture in the cloud solutions industry.

The test is conducted in an MCQ format and lasts for 130 minutes. it tests a candidate’s knowledge on using AWS cloud architecture for application based project implementation using best practices and design principles to address customer needs and solve business problems.

You have already done your ground work in the first step by acquiring the fundamental knowledge of how cloud technology works. Now you need to focus on acquiring niche skills and practical knowledge to get a thorough understanding of how cloud computing works in AWS enabled environment. The step may look a little challenging but it is definitely the most rewarding for starting out your developer journey in this field.

If you are looking for online courses to prepare yourself for the exam, make sure you choose the courses which blend practical hands on training along with learning the concepts. You must make it a point to cover each module included in the certification. A pro tip would be to take a one year free trial with AWS and play around with as many AWS services as possible with the trial version.

Look for resources that provide mock tests to help you practice in a real time simulation before taking the certification exam. Finding the right mentorship and learning will help you in clearing the certification exam with ease and confidence.

3. Make practical experience your priority when you start

It is advisable to get hands on experience with the AWS cloud service platform. Look out for entry level positions in the cloud architecture domain as soon as you decide to take the AWS certification.

Even Amazon recommends a desirable one year experience for taking the exam. An AWS certification can give you an added advantage at the pre screening stage of a job interview but bear in mind that it is your practical experience that takes you forward towards your dream 6 figure career from the interview cubicle.

Even after clearing the AWS certification exam, you must strive to find the right opportunities in the job market. Take the initial few months of your job as an extension of your learning. Look for training opportunities under senior solutions architect who have experience of handling a lot of projects and will give you opportunities to learn and grow.

The cloud computing field is always moving and you will always have something new to learn. It brings tremendous opportunities to grow as a professional. You can move ahead and take up the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional module after working as an associate for atleast 2 years with multi application based hands on experience of designing and deploying cloud architecture on AWS.

You should always know the pulse of the industry. Learning about other platforms like Microsoft Azure or Google cloud will help you getting a broader perspective and streamline your knowledge as an AWS solutions architect.

Final Thoughts

Now that you have a good understanding of what AWS is along with the career options as a Solutions Architect, it’s time to decide if this cloud infrastructure platform is where you’d like to pursue a career. We hope you found this blog post helpful and please comment below!

The post What is AWS & A Solutions Architect? first appeared on WebDesignDev.

The post What is AWS & A Solutions Architect? appeared first on WebDesignDev.

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What is AWS & A Solutions Architect? was first posted on August 21, 2023 at 1:51 pm.
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Intel One Mono, an open-source typeface designed for developers, just received a new update. Version 1.3.0 promises several small improvements to make the typeface easier to use.