UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
June//25//2021
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.
Toxic Leadership. Very interesting article hailing from Fast Company on the topic of Toxic Leadership. The author, Nichole Kelly, not only showcases possible scenarios where these types of occurrences flourish, but also highlights different strategies to deal with this type of event. The strategies she itemizes include Laying out Clear Paths Forward, Clear Agreements on Communication and Accountability and Regular Check Ins and Progress diagnosis. It’s a particularly important topic, not only in Technology and Design, but across any organization, since a disruptive force can have a negative impact that permeates across teams and even the Organization perception itself. Highlight of the article includes:
“If you know you have toxic leaders, fire them. I’m not going to pull any punches, the only solution is to fire them. You need to flag a signal to the leadership team and the rest of the company that change is afoot and it’s time to pay attention. When you have toxicity you need to figure out what leaders are on board with you (your “ride or dies”) and then put the rest under a strategic review. Explain why you took the actions you took, why toxicity must be eliminated and what you want to build moving forward. Explain what the ramifications for toxicity will be moving forward and remember to inspire your ride or dies to be your selected change agents and establish their commitment to creating it.”
2.
Alternative Voice UI to Voice Assistants. Great article and opportunity for reflection from author Ottomatias Peura for Smashing Magazine, on the topic of Voice driven applications, chatbots, and the general limitations of Natural Language Processing. The author identifies issues with these outputs and experiences, and recommends a possible solution, where the UI itself has a voice component interaction accounted for. It’s a fascinating reflection, well worth reading about. Highlight of the article includes:
“Blending voice functionalities into the graphical user interface also offers the potential to harness the power of different modalities. While the user can use voice to operate the application, they have the ability to use the traditional graphical interface, too. This enables the user to switch between touch and voice seamlessly and choose the best option based on their context and task. For example, voice is a very efficient method for inputting rich information. Selecting between a couple of valid alternatives, touch or click is probably better. The user can then replace typing and browsing by saying something like, “Show me flights from London to New York departing tomorrow,” and select the best option from the list by using touch.”
3.
Hybrid Work and Productivity. As working habits have had to be reshaped due to the pandemic, this article from author Scott Dust, identifies the challenges with re-engaging teams that are in hybrid work modes, that is, with a combination of at home and office experiences. While office experiences have always had the default assumption of being able to promote further collaboration between team members, the author disputes that assumption, while also providing mechanisms and strategies to keep remote teams engaged (including more frequent virtual stand ups, virtual lunch meetings, to name but a few). Worth reading. Highlight of the article includes:
“Another assumption is that things will eventually go back to “normal.” Employees now have a taste of remote work, and they won’t soon forget it. Recent research demonstrates that employees not only want flexible work arrangements more than ever, but they are also even willing to give up a higher salary for this heightened flexibility. Companies will soon realize that it will be increasingly harder to attract and retain top talent if they require on-site work or have restrictive hybrid policies. Therefore, organizations that adapt to employee needs will win the ongoing, long-term talent war.”
