UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
September//10//2021
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.
The Next Century of Design Education. Hailing from the Marvel Design Blog, this article is an interesting reflection from author Albert Shum, CVP of Design at Microsoft, on what the future of Design holds, particularly from an educational standpoint. Some of the topics he highlights and advocates for, are essentially elements that have been discussed previously, namely expanding the myopic views of the Design discipline, focusing on enhancing notions of Psychology, Business Acumen, Research, among other fields, since they essentially allow for Designers to have a more dimensional view of the world in which they operate. And this of course also includes understanding sociological aspects such as Demographics Dynamics, tendencies (life expectancy, economical and racial inequalities, among many other aspects), and influential factors hailing from the fields of Economy and Politics. Highlight of the article includes:
“Diversity and inclusion are top of mind in the industry, yet we often hold a local view of diversity. In doing so, we are bypassing a critical consideration of the heritage of indigenous societies and a global perspective that informs more inclusive design. We need to recognize that the majority of digital experiences are designed with a Western lens. Back to the definition of “good design” — what does that mean in the context of scale? How can we embrace the diversity of cultures to uphold their values?”
2.
Behaviors that make Effective Leaders. The Fast Company keeps its tradition of releasing articles which focus on emotionally educated professionals, or as the term gets tossed around, soft skills. This time around the article focuses on Leadership skills one should have in order to be effective. These skills or behaviors include resisting the allure of micro-management, valuing different perspectives, sharing relevant information, having meaningful discussions with team members on career development, to name but a few. It’s a very pertinent article, one that can be complimented with a good read of the book “Radical Candor” from Kim Scott. Highlight of the article includes:
“Good leaders also work with their team to establish the rules of engagement for working together day-to-day. Obviously, you expect high-quality work delivered on time and on budget. What else? Do you have a zero-interrupting policy in meetings? Do “headphones on” mean “I’m in deep work mode, please don’t disturb?” Do you need a minimum amount of notice before taking a vacation day? The most effective way to communicate this flavor of expectation is to brainstorm and agree on them with your team. Then, reflect on them one to two times a year and adapt as needed.”
3.
Tips on Collaboration. Having written an article on the topic of collaboration myself, this article hailing from Editor X, provides some useful tips on how to effectively promote it, with actionable items to consider. The article highlights aspects such as Embracing Feedback & Design Critique, Terminology Alignment and Streamlining Communication, Picking the most pertinent tools, Scheduling regular check-ins, to name but a few. At a time when so many workers are embracing a new remote stance, which comes with a set of challenges and also opportunities, this is a well thought article on how to capture a collaborative streak in Organizations. Highlight of the article includes:
“Holding regular feedback sessions and critiques can help us produce better work and become better designers. The key is knowing that your collaborators will have different, at times better ideas on certain things. When we spend time pouring over the details of our work, it can be easy to miss something obvious. A fresh perspective can also help ensure that our ideas are expressed clearly, and that the design makes sense for users. Plus, whenever we think our work is good as it is, feedback can help push us to create something even better. When we set aside our egos, we can use these suggestions to improve ourselves, personally and professionally.”
