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Release Notes

Stay up to date with the latest features, improvements, and fixes in Pragmatic UX Design.

Version 2.1.0 (Current Release)

Release Date: December 22, 2025

Overview

Version 2.1 adds a comprehensive Books Recommendations page with 33 curated UX design books, expanding the learning resources available on the Pragmatic UX Design framework website.

New Features

Books Recommendations Page

  • New Route: /books - Complete overview of 33 curated UX design books
  • Category Filtering: Filter books by Usability, Fundamentals, Interaction Design, Process & Methods, Psychology, Research
  • Level Filtering: Filter by Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, or All levels
  • Book Details: Each book includes description, why it's recommended, key takeaways, Amazon link, and cover image
  • Cover Images: 32 book cover images automatically downloaded from Goodreads API
  • Responsive Design: Optimized card layouts with gradient backgrounds matching the design system

    • Content Expansion

  • 33 UX Books - Curated selection of essential UX design books from multiple sources
  • Book Sources: Books curated from Interaction Design Foundation, UXfolio, UX Planet, and internal library
  • Automated Image Management: Script to download book cover images from Goodreads API

    • Technical Improvements

  • New Component: BooksOverview - Complete books browsing interface with filtering and modals
  • New Scripts: download-book-covers.js - Automated script to download book cover images
  • Image Management: Book cover images stored locally in public/images/books/
  • Type Safety: Expanded TypeScript interfaces for books data

    • Documentation Updates

  • README.md: Comprehensive feature overview including Books page, setup instructions, and new scripts
  • arc42.md: Complete architecture documentation with new BooksOverview component
  • public/images/books/README.md: Documentation for book cover image management

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    Version 2.0.0

    Release Date: December 17, 2025

    Overview

    Version 2.0 brings major enhancements to the Pragmatic UX Design framework website, including a comprehensive Methods Overview, enhanced Decision Helper with project phase awareness, and significant UI/UX improvements with modern glassmorphism design.

    New Features

    Methods Overview Page

  • New Route: /methods - Complete overview of all UX methods
  • Category Filtering: Filter methods by Research, Design, Testing, Implementation, Strategy, Optimization
  • Interactive Cards: Click any method to view detailed instructions and contact options
  • Responsive Design: Optimized for all screen sizes

    • Enhanced Decision Helper

  • 5 Questions Instead of 4: Added project phase question
  • Project Phase Awareness: Choose from "Project start", "Middle of development", "Near release"
  • Phase-Specific Recommendations: Methods tailored to your project stage
  • Prioritized Results: Project phase methods guaranteed to appear in results

    • Improved User Experience

  • Glassmorphism Design: Modern glass effects on all interactive elements
  • Unified Card Layouts: Consistent heights and spacing across all method cards
  • Responsive Chips: Category indicators with hover effects and proper truncation
  • Mobile Optimization: Improved touch targets and compact layouts

    • Content Expansion

  • 51 UX Methods - Comprehensive collection across 6 categories
  • New Methods Added:
    • - Design Studio (Design & Creation) - Analytics Audit (Research & Analysis) - Conversion Funnel Analysis (Research & Analysis) - User Segmentation Analysis (Research & Analysis)
  • Method Renaming: "Field Studies" → "Contextual Inquiry" for industry standards

    • Technical Improvements

    Architecture Updates

  • New Components: MethodsOverview, Modal, CookieBanner
  • Enhanced State Management: Improved localStorage persistence
  • Better Type Safety: Expanded TypeScript interfaces
  • Performance: Optimized rendering and reduced bundle size

    • Design System

  • Consistent Styling: Unified color schemes and spacing
  • Glassmorphism Effects: backdrop-blur and semi-transparent backgrounds
  • Improved Accessibility: Better keyboard navigation and ARIA labels
  • Cross-Device Compatibility: Enhanced responsive breakpoints

    • Data Quality

  • Duplicate Removal: Cleaned up categorization data across all methods
  • Consistent Naming: Standardized terminology throughout
  • Enhanced Rule Engine: More sophisticated decision matching logic

    • Bug Fixes

  • Hydration Mismatches: Fixed Next.js SSR/client-side rendering issues
  • Card Height Inconsistencies: Unified card heights with flex layouts
  • Chip Text Wrapping: Prevented text overflow with proper truncation
  • Navigation Ordering: Updated menu structure for better UX flow
  • Modal Functionality: Restored modal opening/closing across all contexts

    • Documentation Updates

  • README.md: Comprehensive feature overview and setup instructions
  • arc42.md: Complete architecture documentation with new components
  • decision-logic.md: Updated rule engine documentation (19 rules total)

    • Migration Notes

    For Existing Users

  • Cache Clearing Required: Clear browser cache to see new 5-question Decision Helper
  • Navigation Changes: Methods now appear before Decision Helper in menu
  • Enhanced Persistence: Decision Helper state now includes project phase

    • Breaking Changes

  • API Changes: Decision Tree now includes 5 questions (was 4)
  • Component Interfaces: Some internal component props updated for consistency
  • Styling: Updated class names for glassmorphism effects

    • Impact Assessment

    User Benefits

  • Better Discovery: Methods Overview makes finding relevant methods easier
  • Contextual Recommendations: Project phase integration provides more relevant suggestions
  • Improved Usability: Glassmorphism and unified layouts enhance visual appeal
  • Mobile Experience: Significantly improved mobile interaction quality

    • Performance Metrics

  • Page Load: Maintained fast loading times despite content expansion
  • Bundle Size: Optimized to prevent significant increases
  • Accessibility Score: Improved with better semantic markup and ARIA labels

    • Previous Versions

    Version 1.0.0 (Initial Release)

    Release Date: Initial Launch

    Features:
  • Core Framework: Eight UX Design principles with detailed explanations
  • Basic Decision Helper: 4-question interactive flow for principle recommendations
  • Responsive Design: Mobile-optimized layouts and interactions
  • State Persistence: localStorage-based progress saving
  • Email Integration: Share results via pre-filled email templates

    • Acknowledgments

    Special thanks to the UX community for feedback and inspiration. This release represents a significant step toward making pragmatic UX practices more accessible and actionable.

    Support

  • Documentation: Check updated README.md and arc42.md
  • Issues: Report bugs via GitHub Issues
  • Contact: Use the contact form or email for support

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    Version: 2.1.0 Release Date: December 22, 2025 Previous Version: 2.0.0