UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
May//17//2024
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.
Evolution of OpenAI. Not a typical highlight from this newsletter, but this is an interesting development from the AI universe. This article from Wes Davis for The Verge is hinting at capabilities OpenAI is bringing which will allow for ChatGPT and its engine to better understand the nuances of languages (and their speakers), and how it can even insert itself into real-time audio and video. This will be an interesting evolution for this product solution. Highlight of the article includes:
“The new model reportedly offers faster, more accurate interpretation of images and audio than what its existing separate transcription and text-to-speech models can do. It would apparently be able to help customer service agents “better understand the intonation of callers’ voices or whether they’re being sarcastic,” and “theoretically,” the model can help students with math or translate real-world signs, writes The Information.”
2.
Marrying Form and Function. This article from the Figma blog, is in reality documenting a conversation between Ms. Katie Dill, Head of Design at Stripe, Mr. Karri Saarinen, CEO of Linear, and Mr. Yuhki Yamashita, Chief Product Officer from Figma, focused on the topic of craft and aesthetics in Product delivery & existence, and how they impart a massive aspect of adoption. The speakers address the Aesthetic Usability Effect, and Ms. Dill in particular provides some examples on how this has translated at Stripe, with the improvement of newsletter send-outs, which translated into more client engagement. She also mentions how the aspect of craft and beautfy, being something that has to be perceived and understood at a core level by the organization itself. It’s a great conversation, and the topics are well worth the read. Highlight of the article includes:
“The multidimensional character of building for craft and beauty means that it’s not just one team’s job to get it right; the whole company contributes. It’s a cultural thing. One way this plays out at Stripe can be seen in our method of friction logging. We have multidisciplinary teams including engineers, product managers, and designers do what we call “walking the store.” They use the product just like a user would, end to end across various surfaces to really experience the quality firsthand. In doing so, it becomes loud and clear how much quality matters in how it works — not just how it looks on the surface.”
3.
Browser Wars in Europe. Great article from The Next Web and author Thomas Macaulay which both provides a succinct history on the most popular browsers’ evolution on the market, but also how the DMA (Digital Markets Act) in Europe has had a profound impact on how users of smartphones for instance are making their choices of which browser to adopt and use. The statistics of the new set of browsers that are being leveraged is staggering, which is also demonstrative of how certain brands have been gatekeeping this part of the experience for users. Very pertinent and relevant article which sheds light on new product experiences and how users can be more in control of their own experiences. Highlight of the article includes:
“Under the DMA, digital giants have to restrict preferential treatment for their own browsers and enhance interoperability with third-party rivals. The rules also loosen Apple and Google’s stranglehold on mobile operating systems. As the owners of iOS and Android, the two tech giants could previously make Safari and Chrome default browsers with peerless integration on billions of devices. The DMA has dismantled that strategy. Overnight, nearly 400 million Europeans gained easier access to alternative browsers, while companies worldwide received new routes to the market.When a device is now set up, iOS and Android must display browser “choice screens” that offer alternatives to Safari and Chrome. Users then select their preferred default browser.”
