UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
February//11//2022
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.
A/B Testing. Interesting article hailing from Gapsy on the topic of A/B Testing. This is a type of quantitative research, alongside others such as Metrics and Analytics, Card Sorting, Clustering Qualitative Comments, Tree Testing, Desirability Studies, Surveys, to name but a few, which allows for Product Design teams to get deep insights into how the solution is resonating (or not) with the users. This article looks at what A/B testing should be focusing on, how to perform these types of testing, and some useful tips on how to gather valuable and substantial insights from them.Highlight of the article includes:
“A/B testing is a research method that shows us which of the two proposed options would be more advantageous. The primary purpose of such testing is to make decisions based on facts, not surmise. A/B testing is used when you want to implement a new feature and need to test its effectiveness. For example, we have a site with good traffic, but the designer has decided to add a new widget to subscribe to news. We intuitively assume that everyone will actively use the new feature, then, expect an increase in traffic and readers. But our assumptions can be distinguished from the views of users. So, we run an A/B test to confirm or refute our expectations.”
2.
Learning from Mistakes. Another relevant article from Inc. Magazine, this time around on the topic of learning from mistakes. Designers in particular should be well aware of this topic, since it’s one of the questions that are typically popping up during an interview process. What does one learn from something that didn’t go so well. And chances are, no matter how successful a career path or experience one has turns out to be, there are always challenges/obstacles/failures, that occur, which in hindsight provide the sapience to correct what lies ahead (or at least fall prey to similar issues). This article looks at some quotes from iconic leaders to further cement this observation. Highlight of the article includes:
“As Elon Musk says, “The difference in a startup that is successful and one that is not is the successful one recognizes mistakes and fixes them very quickly, and the unsuccessful one tries to avoid mistakes.” Or as Bill Gates says, “Once you embrace unpleasant news not as negative but as evidence of a need for change, you aren’t defeated by it. You’re learning from it. It’s all in how you approach failures.” That’s why we’re all more likely to learn when we’re given the latitude to make occasional mistakes — and then encouraged to think not just about avoiding that mistake in the future, but to consider what caused us to make it in the first place.”
3.
Interviews and Detecting Toxic Cultures. Not a typical highlight of this newsletter, but one worth sharing nonetheless, particularly now that so many individuals are navigating the job market. As I mentioned in my own article on the topic of interviews, one should always be prepared to ask pertinent questions about the position one is applying for, the organization itself, teams, strategy, and just as importantly, get an understanding of what the culture is like. This article sheds light on some questions to pose, which can potentially help understand more about the environment in which that position resides. This includes questions such as “What is the onboarding process like”, “What are the expectations for the first six months”, “How important is collaboration in your team”, to name but a few. Well worth a read. Highlight of the article includes:
“Listen, we know that everyone wants to work in an exciting job that keeps them motivated and constantly learning. However, in our experience, companies that advertise a “fast-paced environment” are usually understaffed and set unrealistic expectations for their employees. The truth is, if you’re constantly burning the candle at both ends, you’re going to end up hating your job. We all need a bit of rest and relaxation every now and then. Here are some questions you can ask to figure out if a company is going to work you to the bone.”
