UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
October//6//2023
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.
Increasing Trust in Consumer Technology. Interesting article from the User Testing blog, harnessing insights from different sources to reach the conclusion that consumers’ trust towards technology is decreasing (various breaches, privacy concerns, anti-trust cases, among many other high profile cases). While this trend is persisting, the User Testing team advocates that in order to navigate this tide and possibly start changing it organizations should focus on these following aspects: opening customer feedback channels, build customer empathy, prioritize consumer privacy, reduce risk, foster transparency and communication and quickly respond to problems. While some of these topics are self explanatory, some may not be quite as practical or evident as it seems, case in point Empathy with Consumers (on the topic of empathy in Design, I always recommend reading this article from Professor Don Norman). Worth reading through nonetheless. Highlight of the article includes:
“To receive their feedback, your organization can leverage solutions where customers can freely express their opinions without repercussions. Online surveys, online reviews, social media channels, email, live events, and human insight platforms are all effective ways for organizations to collect quantitive and qualitative customer feedback. With a robust solution for collecting customer feedback, your team can make confident decisions that address your audience’s pain points. Feedback isn’t just informative for your organization. It also helps your customers feel seen and heard. You’re showing your customers that you value their input and are willing to listen. These gestures can go a long way in rebuilding trust, as they demonstrate a willingness to improve based on their feedback. It’s a sign you’re not just interested in selling a product, but also in ensuring the product meets their needs and expectations.”
2.
Consumers and Marketers on Generative AI in Customer Experiences. Very pertinent article from the Adobe Blog, authored by its content team on the topic of Generative AI in Customer Experiences. The article documents a survey performed early 2023 on the topic of how AI is impacting both personal and professional endeavors, but also customer experiences. Some pertinent findings from this study includes the fact that Marketing and CX professionals indicate they will use this technology in the near future for their work needs, the interviewees believe Generative AI will help boost efficiency and make customer experiences more personal, and also play an impactful role in content creation. The study and its output is well worth parsing through, as its sample was a considerable one (interesting to see the demographic details about the study nonetheless). Highlight of the article includes:
“To understand how generative AI is changing both what customers expect and how brands deliver experiences, Adobe conducted a series of studies between February and May 2023, in each case surveying over 13,000 consumers and 4,000 customer experience and marketing professionals across 14 countries — the United States, United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia. Here are primary takeaways from our research: Many people are bullish on generative AI in their lives as creators and consumers. A majority (57 percent) of all surveyed consumers believe generative AI will enhance their personal creativity, and the number rises as consumers get younger: 75 percent of Gen Z consumers say generative AI will make them more creative. And when it comes to their experiences with brands, 72 percent of global consumers say generative AI will improve their customer experiences, with eight out of ten millennial (80 percent) and Gen Z (83 percent) consumers expressing similar optimism.”
3.
Optimizing Unmoderated Usability Testing Studies. Another article from dScout’s People Nerds blog authored by author Nikki Anderson-Stanier, this time around on Unmoderated Usability Testing studies. The author details why this type of study is important, when to use it (and when not to use it), and how to effectively build and run them. I’m personally a big fan of these types of studies, as they allow for big sample sizes of testers to provide invaluable feedback on product/flows. This article highlights some very pertinent points of view worth considering when tackling them. Please read through. Highlight of the article includes:
“Unmoderated usability sessions are user tests that the participant completes alone. You build a test similar to a moderated user test, with flows, hot spots, and tasks. However, you then send the link to the participant and have no real-time interaction with them. The participant then goes through the flow and tasks whenever they have time, and you get sent the recording. With specific tools, you can email questions to the user after the session. Unmoderated tests are not monitored or guided by a moderator. The participant completes any tasks and answers questions at their own pace, on their own time at location of their choosing.”
