UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
October//20//2023
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.
Design Research Methodology. Another interesting article from Qualtrics on the topic of what is Design Research, and how to go about pursuing it and applying it to the Design Process itself. While none of the topics brought forth are either particularly insightful or have an in-depth case study to support them, nonetheless serves as a reinvigorating affirmation of the importance Design Research plays in better understanding context in which users/clients live in, their desires, frictions, ambitions, and furthermore, what indeed generates the gap in bringing a solution that delivers on producing a sense of well being. The article details different types of Research methods, alongside the benefits of Design Research in general, before endorsing Qualtrics products to go about delivering on these. It’s a promotional article, but still well worth reading through. Highlight of the article includes:
“Design research focuses on understanding user needs, behaviors and experiences to inform and improve product or service design. Market research, on the other hand, is more concerned with the broader market dynamics, identifying opportunities, and maximizing sales and profitability. Both are essential for the success of a product or service, but cater to different aspects of its lifecycle.”
2.
Effective Executives and Leadership. This is an article dated from 2004, from one my favorite authors during my college years, who has remained a staple for me since then: Peter Drucker. While at first glance this article is focused on how Executives can become better at what they do, and provide a sound leadership for their Organizations and Teams, I actually believe this is applicable to any professional working these days. No Design Professional works as an isolated island, and Design in particular is a highly collaborative discipline, but looking at Mr. Drucker’s insights in this article is a healthy reminder that being self-aware, being able to prioritize tasks, to communicate effectively and efficiently, to name but a few aspects, goes a long way in ensuring the health and longevity of an Organization and teams in general, but also of individual careers in particular. Worth reading through. Highlight of the article includes:
“The answer to the question “What needs to be done?” almost always contains more than one urgent task. But effective executives do not splinter themselves. They concentrate on one task if at all possible. If they are among those people — a sizable minority — who work best with a change of pace in their working day, they pick two tasks. I have never encountered an executive who remains effective while tackling more than two tasks at a time. Hence, after asking what needs to be done, the effective executive sets priorities and sticks to them. For a CEO, the priority task might be redefining the company’s mission. For a unit head, it might be redefining the unit’s relationship with headquarters. Other tasks, no matter how important or appealing, are postponed. However, after completing the original top-priority task, the executive resets priorities rather than moving on to number two from the original list. He asks, “What must be done now?” This generally results in new and different priorities.”
3.
AI Progress. Very pertinent article from Oskars Ozolins for The Next Web on the topic of AI Progress and where possible breaking points lie on the road that is currently being paved. And as the highlight of the article below succinctly identifies, the current digital infrastructure has its limits, and unless it is dealt with head on, chances are the limits to AI will come to a screeching halt, since it does require considerable processing power. As the author enumerates on this insightful article: there are physical constraints, when it comes to data centers and computational capacity. And those need to be handled sooner rather than later. Well worth reading through. Highlight of the article includes:
“… unless that single chip operates at twice the speed. To avoid the capacity crunch, all hopes rest on improving the digital infrastructure, namely, the chips, the switches, the wires, and other components that can improve data speeds and bandwidth while consuming less energy. Let me reiterate — the evolution of AI depends on finding ways to transfer more data, without using more energy. Essentially, this means two things. First, the development of more powerful and AI-centric chips. Second, the enhancement of data transfer speeds.”
