UI/UX Articles And Interesting Tidbits Of The Week
October//23//2020
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.
Usability. Another pertinent and always worth reading article from the Nielsen Norman Group. This in particular focuses on the topic of Usability, and how that is measured in Digital Products (websites, applications). The article details elements that are fundamental when assessing usability, namely Learnability, Satisfaction, Efficiency, Memorability and Errors. It’s an article that is well worth revisiting from time to time, as it forces everyone to really focus on what is essential when devising product solutions. Highlight of the article includes:
“On the Web, usability is a necessary condition for survival. If a website is difficult to use, people leave. If the homepage fails to clearly state what a company offers and what users can do on the site, people leave. If users get lost on a website, they leave. If a website’s information is hard to read or doesn’t answer users’ key questions, they leave. Note a pattern here? There’s no such thing as a user reading a website manual or otherwise spending much time trying to figure out an interface. There are plenty of other websites available; leaving is the first line of defense when users encounter a difficulty.”
2.
Writing for Global Audiences. Very pertinent and relevant article on the topic of writing UI copy for global audiences. These days, with the globalization of products, it’s important that the text/copy that underlines all these experiences, gallops across multiple cultures and references. Much like hyperlinks which should abide to the rules of the 4S (succinct, substantial, sincere and specific), when it comes to UI copy, this article provides plenty of good examples on what to focus, and considerations to have when approaching the tone to be utilized across different product experiences. Highlight of the article includes:
“When you reference examples in UI text, try to use global examples (information that’s understood by people around the world) when possible. Certain references, like local places and holidays, won’t always work for global audiences. If it doesn’t make sense to use a global example, be sure to explain the reference to your translator or localization team so that the translator can substitute a locale-specific example.”
3.
Leadership in Times of Crisis. Publication The Fast Company keeps releasing insightful articles on how to cope with challenges within Organizations, particularly in these times of volatility and unrest, which are somewhat unprecedented for us all. This article in particular looks at what Leaders can do, in order to keep their teams engaged, and just as equally important, provide a sense of direction. The article highlights topics such as Flexibility, Communication with Empathy, Leading with Purpose, to name but a few. Well worth a read. Highlight of the article includes:
“For Lawson, whose company Twilio develops corporate cloud communication systems, he finds that “creative work is really enabled when employees can feel an intrinsic motivation,” as opposed to extrinsic motivation such as quarterly bonuses or head-patting. “That intrinsic drive really comes from the sense that the work that you do is helping you have autonomy, mastery, purpose,” he says. As he describes it, autonomy is the sense that you are trusted to get something done, mastery is getting better at your craft, and purpose is feeling like you’re making a difference — for the company, for the consumer, or for the world as a whole.”
