UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
October//28//2022
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.
Switching from Diversity and Inclusion to Balance and Belonging. Great article hailing from the Marvel Blog and author Kelsey Traher on how Marvel decided to move away from the traditional definitions of inclusion and diversity towards more encompassing terms and philosophies such as Belonging and Balance. As the author explains this is a trend that other organizations such as Atlassian have also embraced, since essentially Belonging aims to cast a wider net than what inclusion seems to suggest, the same going for Balance, which similarly proposes a wider range than what diversity suggests. It’s a somewhat subtle change in terminology, but it underlies the fact that most Design teams should continue to privilege the integration and participation of many, and making sure everyone has an opportunity to feel as if though they’re part of the solutions that are created and of the process itself. Well worth the read. Highlight of the article includes:
“Balance also does a good job of conveying the continual, ongoing work necessary to balance multiple voices and perspectives. Rather than “diversity” which we felt sounded more like a hashtag or box ticking exercise where you consider that you’ve achieved it. Balance implies constant checks and tweaks to become and then remain balanced as our work is not short term but a continual process.”
2.
A Design Process with Clients. Another great article from Shaping Design and author Lilly Smith. This article is actually an interview and a case study, which takes a closer look at how Act One Media, a Chicago based Consulting and Design firm, worked closely with their client Better World Collaborative, to simultaneously better understand their needs, but also polish the output of what the intended product solution was going to be. It once again represents the collaborative aspect of problem solving, and ultimately delivering outputs that meet the needs of its users. Worth reading through this brief article. Highlight of the article includes:
“One of the fun things about this site was that the decision-making process was really collaborative. Becca and [Better World Collaborative co-founder] Crispin Torres wanted a site that was rooted in LGBTQ values and could be familiar as a classic queer identity system, but they didn’t want it to be cliché in an overly rainbow-y sort of way, and look like a lot of other websites that share the same touchpoints. The goal was to bring something loud and proud and demanding equity and involvement and make sure that when it came to a corporate reader, they would also be struck by the professionalism and intention of the digital experience.”
3.
Salary Transparency. Another extremely pertinent article from Kirstie McDermott for The Next Web on the topic of Salary Transparency, and how that momentum is being brought forth by newer generations coming into the workforce. The article uncovers what is currently happening in Europe on this front, in terms of regulations, but also providing specific examples in the shape of companies such as Aranja and Glitch. Once again, a very pertinent topic worth reading through. Highlight of the article includes:
“Now, things are changing. In the EU, work is underway on the Pay Transparency Directive. Among its aims are that EU companies with at least 50 employees should be fully transparent regarding pay, and the European Parliament want them to tackle any potential gender pay gap. Because not talking about money often penalizes women (working women in the EU earn on average 13% less than men when doing the same job), companies will be obliged to expose any existing gender pay gap in their organization.”
