UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
December//9//2022
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.
Fintech’s Battles. Great article from TechCrunch and author Mary Ann Azevedo focused on the turbulence that is being experienced by FinTech companies and the roster of layoffs that have been occurring in that particular field (with a particular focus going into the startups in this field). The author highlights some key takeaways from this situation, which includes Staying Focused, Hiring Strategically and Essentially, Being Authentic, and needless to say, Being Honest, to name but a few tactics for other leaders to keep in mind as we collectively navigate these uncharted waters. It’s a great account on how rapidly life can change and impact these thriving organizations. Highlight of the article includes:
“Hire responsibly and carefully. No, that does not mean you should have the people on staff doing the work of two to three employyes. It means that each open position should have been thought through carefully. Is it really needed? Can this hire wait until we’re further along? Would it make more sense to hire a contractor for the time being?”
2.
Returnships. Very pertinent read from The Next Web and author Kirstie McDermott on the topic of “Returnships”, essentially programs devised for professionals who have either taken a hiatus or went on a sabbatical and who are now ready to return into the corporate world. The author provides examples of what Amazon, Accenture and Goldman Sachs have done to support team members in this type of circumstances. These include training programs for a certain amount of time, which enables people to slowly but surely get reacquainted with relevant topics, processes and expected outcomes. Highlight of the article includes:
“There are other advantages, too. A relaunch program can offer returners the chance to accelerate their careers by developing new skills or areas of specialization. Some people coming back from a career break may even choose to embark on a returnship as a way of “sense checking” to see if they would enjoy a new industry. Program length is a factor as well. Typically, people aren’t expected to participate in a returners program for the same time it takes to complete a traditional internship. After all, these are experienced professionals, they just need some reintroduction into the workforce.”
3.
Ideas that will change 2023. Interesting article hailing from Linkedin and its news team, which focuses on ideas which will potentially reshape 2023 across a variety of factors. Some of those focus points include Hybrid Work arrangements, the marriage of in-person and online retail experiences, side hustles will continuing to gain prominence in people’s lives, schools going into tutoring as ways to compensate what happened during the pandemic, amongst many other interesting scenarios worth reading through. Highlight of the article includes:
“Tech companies like Meta, Lyft and Salesforce, known for their sprawling and expansive office spaces, are already beginning to downsize. Amazon hit pause on its construction plans in Nashville to reconsider how to successfully design a space suited for hybrid workers. And as lease renewal dates loom, companies will opt for smaller offices, choosing to sublet the extra vacant space. Such changes will leave a dent in the commercial real estate market, and for cities that depend on the in-person jobs and tax revenue that commercial buildings often bring. As remote work continues to stay in favor, researchers predict that the value of office real estate will decline significantly, by as much as $450 billion. Even cities like New York, the largest office market in the United States, will not be immune from the “great downsizing.””
