KEMAND TECH

What is the difference between Graphic Design and UI/UX Design (

Yasmeen Souffrant — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 14:44:40 +0000

Introduction

Ever wondered what the difference is between a UI/UX designer and a Graphics designer ? In most cases, they both have the same fundamental skill sets and their difference is mainly in where and how they use their skills. This article helps explain the different things they do.

What does a UI/UX designer do ?

UX / UI designers most often work with interfaces and the digital space. That is to say they are sort of “graphic designers” who work mostly with technologies for the web and mobile applications. They must have notions of information architecture, ergonomics, web design (sometimes even web development, therefore notions of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JAVA, PHP, Python), behavioral psychology theory and research (for user interviews, user testing such as A/B testing or surveys) and interactive design (IxD). They use specific tools for the creation of interfaces, prototypes and wireframes such as Figma, Sketch and Adode XD. UX designers are very concern with how users interact with a product. Some designers focus only on UI design (user interface design, front-end development and visual design), others work only as UX designer (UX research, information architecture, interaction design, UX writer, UX content strategist) . Those who are doing both UX and UI design are named Product designer.

What does a Graphic designer do ?

Graphic designers on the other hand work with digital technology, but very often with print (although it tends to disappear in certain areas). The product of their work is often more physical, that is to say it can be touched directly with your hands ( business cards, books, brochures, flyers, posters, banners, promotional articles etc.). Note that some of them work exclusively with print media. Graphic design theory and skills are however very useful and present in UX / UI design, such as : color theory, grids, ergonomics, graphic charts and the use of graphics software such as Illustrator, Indesign and Photoshop (which also allow prototypes and wireframes to be produced).

Conclusion

In a nutshell, there is not a clear cut difference between a graphics designer and a UI/UX designer. Graphic designer is more of a specialize and pixel focus role and UI/UX designer is a more multidisciplinary and user focus role. Who you hire should depend on the task at hand. However, as a rule of thumb if you planing to build something like a website or mobile app and you need things like mock ups, wireframes, designs, and images then a UI/UX designer might suit the task. But if you are looking for something like a logo, flyers, business cards and other promotional materials graphic designer might be best suited for your needs.

What Is Cloud Computing

admin — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 14:45:17 +0000

Introduction

The word “cloud” has probably been one of the most used words in the tech world for the past decade.Despite its popularity, a lot of tech newbies have a hard time understanding what cloud computing really means.This article will provide a brief introduction to the cloud.It will look at the cloud from the perspective of a remote data center and from the perspective a remote pay as you go tech services provider. It is meant to provide a baseline for people without a strong tech background though people with a strong tech background might also see find it useful.

What is the cloud ?

First of all there is nothing in the sky. The word cloud in tech is meant to signify that something is far away not that it is in the sky. Cloud computing is basically moving or keeping your data in a remote data center instead of on premises.Think about it as renting a house instead of buying a house. The most popular cloud data center providers as of the writing of this article Amazon web services(AWS) from Amazon inc,Azure from Microsoft and Google cloud from Google. So for a company looking to save money on their data center that’s a way to look at the cloud but what about software or web developers that are thinking of building and hosting software on the cloud. The best way to think about the cloud in this terms will be to look at as pay as you go service providers.

Cloud providers are more than data centers

It is crucial to note that current day cloud providers are more than just remote data centers. These cloud infrastructure providers are also cloud service providers. So for a software developer or data analyst without an in house data center to manage, the cloud could still be useful to you through its cloud services.

Cloud Services

There are literally thousands of cloud services provided by both small and big players in the space. Most of the services provided fall into the categories of compute, storage, database, networking, tools, and security. For compute, a common compute service will be provisioning of cloud based web servers to host websites. Storage on the other hand will entail the storage, archival and retrieval of data in the cloud. Services like Dropbox, and Google Drive are good examples. While a common networking service will be the provisioning of a content delivery network(CDN) ; used to speed up the load time for websites.

Conclusion

To conclude, the best way to understand the cloud is to think about it in two ways. One as a secure scalable remote data center to house data and two as IT services provided by third party companies on pay as you use bases. There is no clear cut definition of the cloud but the commonality for most things cloud is that it is highly scalable,remote, and payment is done on pay as you use bases.

Meet Yasmeen Souffrant

admin — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 11:31:33 +0000

Introduction

In this article, we take a dive into the world of Yasmeen Souffrant ; Design and communication consultant for KemAnd Tech. Yasmeen has in depth knowledge in graphic design, UI/UX, and communications. She has done great work for renowned institutions like Amnesty International, and the Federal Government of Canada. She consults with KemAnd Tech through her company Creative Sekence.

What do you do at KemAnd Tech?

I work in partnership with Kemand Tech, which allows both of us to align our actions, in order to offer a wide range of competitive services to our clients. Our skill sets are complementary to each other.

How did you find yourself in design?

From a young age I have always been surrounded by creativity. I have always had a natural talent for drawing and the creative arts. Design allows me to explore many of my interests. Graphic design can be transposed into things like communication, advertising, public relations, new technologies, arts, and many more. Design allows me to renew myself every day and to constantly innovate and evolve. So I began my graduate studies in graphic design and since then I have continued to develop my skills.

What are the challenges you face working with KemAnd Tech ?

The challenges I face at Kemand Tech are : being able to produce quality work while meeting short deadlines. Fortunately, the company shows a lot of flexibility, understanding and adaptation (excellent leadership and support from management).

What is your take on the future of technology ?

I strongly believe that technology will take up more space than now. I also believe that to be part of decision-making in the future and to be able to fully understand the challenges that lie ahead, we will all need to show some interest in new technologies, to learn how they work and what will be their impact on the world we see today.

In your opinion, what makes a good graphics designer ?

I think good graphic designers are the ones who observe and listen a lot. Good graphic designers must, yes, have talent and good creative ideas (being able to simplify information, demonstrate good time management and having knowledge of graphic tools), but must also demonstrate patience, flexibility, curiosity, in addition to knowing how to innovate and explore new horizons.

In your opinion, what is the difference between UI/UX and Graphics design ?

UX / UI designers most often work with interfaces and the digital space. That is to say that they are sort of “graphic designers” who work mostly with technologies for the web and mobile applications. They must have notions of information architecture, ergonomics, web design (sometimes even web development, therefore notions of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JAVA, PHP, Python), psychology theory and research (when they run user interviews or surveys for example) and interactive design. They use specific tools for the creation of interfaces, prototypes and wireframes such as Figma, Sketch and Adode XD.

Graphic designers on the other hand work with digital technology, but very often with print (although it tends to disappear in certain areas). The product of their work is often more physical, that is to say it can be touched directly with your hands ( business cards, books, brochures, flyers, posters, banners, promotional articles etc.). Graphic design theory and skills are however very useful and present in UX / UI design, such as : color theory, grids, ergonomics, graphic charts and the use of graphics software such as Illustrator, Indesign and Photoshop (which also allow prototypes and wireframes to be produced).

What do you like to do in your spare time ?

I enjoy spending quality time with friends and colleagues and having rich and in-depth discussions on all kinds of topics. I like traveling and visiting museums or art galleries. I also like to draw.

What is the one thing a lot of people do not know about you ?

Even though I have always been an artist at heart, I first started studying nursing before getting into graphic design studies. I have always cared for other people and their well being, but I ended up discovering that nursing was not my path. I was very young and early in my career decision, so the change was not difficult for me. Thanks to the fact that I had a lot of introspection capacity even at that age, to be able to redirect my path and trust myself.

What is the one piece of advice that has helped you the most since you started working in this industry ?

I would tell anyone who is just starting out to focus on themselves and their personal goals. Do not compare yourself and your work with others. Be aware of new design trends, and explore diverse areas (not just design). Be open to volunteer experiences to build your portfolio, but quickly demand to be paid after a few times. Also, know how to analyze the opportunities available to you and accept those that align with your values and what you believe in. I will also say break the ice. Collaborate with other people and build your network as soon as possible. This could help you to get a job or contracts in the future. Also keep going and trust your intuitions.Visua

The Basics Of A Website

admin — Mon, 25 May 2020 14:44:57 +0000

Introduction

If you are a new to the world of website development and programming, then you might have heard of HTML,CSS,Javascript and PHP. The presence of so many web focused languages might be overwhelming and you might probably be wondering how they all come together to create a website.The goal of this article is to help to demystify this mystery for you.

Like every seemingly complex scientific phenomenon, the best way to understand it is to break it down into little parts.So let us break down a website into two main parts; the Front and the Back end. Think of the Front end as what the user of a website sees or can see and the Back end as what the user can not see or have access to. Within the tech community, the Front end is also commonly known as Client side while the Back end is commonly known as the Server side.

Front-end (Client Side)

The best way to understand the Front end or client side is to think one thing; the browser. If you have ever viewed a website with a computer or phone then you have used a browser. The most common web browsers are Google Chrome, Safari and Internet Explorer. When you type the name of a website (for example kemand.com) into the address bar of a web browser like chrome, the website that is delivered to you is a combination of HTML, CSS and Javascript.

In the most simplistic view, HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) is the language that your browsers uses to display your website. Then CSS (cascading style sheet) is the language that the browser uses to decorate your website. It is what makes the texts, images, pictures and many other website components to look white, green or what ever colour and dimensions the programmer choses. You can think of HTML as the house while CSS is the paint.

Javascript is the last piece of the front end.Javascript is what is executed by the browser to give additional functionality to the website. Javascript is used by the browser to do things like form validation, slideshows, animations and many more. So basically Javascript is used to make a website carry out actions.

Back-end (Server side)

The Back-end or server side is basically everything that happens behind the scenes.In this case, behind the scenes means everything that executed by the web server and not the web browser.Think of a server as another machine or computer that is keeping your website for you. PHP is a language that runs on the server. Just like Javascript, It is used to do things like form validation, animations, cookies, and many more.However, the fundamental difference is that PHP is executed on the server and not the browser. PHP is used to build a lot of web applications, and e-commerce sites. Its popularity in the world websites is mainly due to how well it mixes with HTML and Database systems.

Summary

So in a nutshell, if a website is to be built from scratch this will be the steps. Firstly, HTML will be used to build the website and then CSS will be used to decorate it. Finally, Javascript and PHP will be used to give it additional functionality.

Please note that this article is for beginners, newbies and possibly non-programmers. It is a very simplistic overview meant to provide a high level understanding.

Meet Jeremy Andrews

admin — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 04:11:13 +0000

Introduction

In this article, we catch up with the ever busy Jeremy Andrews; Co-founder and lead developer of KemAnd Tech.

What do you do at KemAnd Tech?

I am a co-owner of KemAnd and lead developer. As a 12-year veteran of PHP programming I am always excited to find ways in which we can customize websites and web applications for our clients. I am passionate about bringing the advantages of cloud computing to businesses and organizations of all sizes.

Where do you do see KemAnd Tech in the future?

Every day at KemAnd Tech we are increasing our experience with web development and cloud computing, and thus increasing the value of our services. Over time I envision our company being a leader in providing the latest cloud-backed technologies to our customers.

What are the challenges KemAnd Tech is currently facing?

I would say our biggest challenge right now is finding new talent to support our growing customer base. For example, we are currently looking for partners who specialize in UX design so we can offer a more complete solution, but it can be challenging to find a partner who shares our forward-looking perfectionist requirements.

What is your take on the future of technology?

I am very optimistic about where technology is going. Tools that were once available only to the enterprise and government sector are now accessible even to small businesses, and this is all made possible by the cloud. I believe this trend will continue, and we will also see brand new technologies which allow companies to maximize the value of their online presence.

In your opinion, what makes a good developer?

A good developer is someone who cares about the underlying program logic and about the business objectives rather than the specific code. For example, at KemAnd we have specialist knowledge of certain technologies, but ultimately our goal is to help your company meet your digital objectives, and we are always prepared to use the best tool for the job. We care about providing the most efficient and appropriate solution for the customer’s situation.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Much of my spare time is spent keeping up on the latest technology trends by reading the news and listening to podcasts. I like to read books which enhance both my technical and general knowledge. One of my non-tech hobbies is studying transportation networks, because I find in some ways transportation networks can be quite similar to computer networks.

What is the one thing a lot of people do not know about you?

One thing many people don’t know is that I have a dual education background in both computer science and public policy. Public policy is a discipline which includes business, economics, politics, finance, and formal logic. Bringing these two subjects together allow me greater insight into our clients’ objectives, and ultimately allows me to offer holistic solutions.

What is the one piece of advice that has helped you the most since you started working in this industry?

The best advice I heard is that a programmer’s job isn’t writing programs, it’s solving problems. Writing programs is the easy part, the bulk of our time should be spent thinking about the most appropriate, efficient, and elegant solutions to the problems we’re given.