UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
December//7//2018
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.https://www.beyondusers.com/7-things-every-designer-should-know-about-business
Designers and Business Knowledge. On par with the article I’ve written on this subject (https://uxplanet.org/business-tactics-as-a-designers-skill-aa62334f5b62), this article details considerations, and plenty of examples that a designer should be mindful of, and focus on, as product/feature strategies are outlined. It’s a thorough and highly informative article on how Business permeates across all considerations that design does to achieve a successful solution. Highlight of the article includes:
“One of the best classifications of business strategies was introduced by Michael Porter. In essence, the idea is that every business can compete with (1) cost leadership, (2) differentiation or (3) focus. Companies that try to beat competitors by offering lower prices are pursuing a cost leadership strategy (Aldi, Walmart, IKEA, Southwest Airlines, McDonald’s, etc.). On the other side of the spectrum are companies that want to win by being unique. These companies can charge higher prices because they are perceived differently (Apple, Whole Foods Market, BMW, Qatar Airways, Four Seasons Hotels, etc.). The third strategy is focusing on a certain customer segment within the industry. Instead of creating an industry-wide product, a company chooses a certain customer segment and prioritizes all activities to become the best in the category (e.g. Porsche, Pepsi, LinkedIn etc.).”
2.https://ux.shopify.com/redesigning-the-shopify-app-store-ux-challenges-and-learnings-d4907db8752b
Redesigning the Shopify App Store. The Shopify blog typically has great insights into their e-commerce platform, based on detailed studies their teams go through in order to make their products more effective for their clients. This article details the Product Design Process the Shopify design team went through in order to improve the overall experience of their App store. It’s an engaging read, one that showcases what, how and when information is provided to users in a product that is useful, findable, credible and usable. Highlight of the article includes:
“We conducted a series of merchant interviews to find out what information they considered most critical in choosing an app. Using these results, we built a list of must-have content elements which would become required fields in the form. Then, we made sure the listing design accounted for both the minimal and the maximally specified content, and every combination of optional elements.”
3.https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2018/12/elements-ditch-repurpose-mobile/
Mobile Strategies. Interesting article from Smashing Magazine with considerations and strategies to adopt, as web products focus more and more on mobile platforms. The article highlights tactics to adopt, namely with such elements as pop ups/modals, sticky elements on the UI and even sidebars. It makes for an interesting read, and for well thought deliberations. Highlight:
“Although responsive design and minimalism have inched us closer to the desired effect of mobile first I don’t think it’s taken us as far as we can go. And part of that is because we’re reticent to let go of design elements that have been with us for a long time. They might seem essential, but I suspect that many of them can be removed from websites without harming the experience. This is why: On desktop, there’s a lot of room to play with. Even if you don’t populate every inch of the screen with content, you find creative ways to use the space. With mobile, you’ve drastically reduced the real estate. One of the biggest side effects of this is the amount of scrolling that mobile visitors have to do.”
