UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
April//22//2022
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.
Using Push Notifications for Growth. Interesting article from TheNextWeb and author Ebony-Storm Halladay on the topic of Customer Engagement, this time focused on Push Notifications. This is a topic always worth revisiting, since client engagement requires a well mapped strategy, including cadence of communication, how to communicate, and preserving the relationship without being overbearing or intrusive. The author brings up the topic of User Consent, which is a tremendously important topic, since the relationship that is established has to be based on it, and again not veer into overbearing and repetitive. Well worth a read and reflect. Highlight of the article includes:
“Web and desktop push notifications allow brands to grab users’ attention at any time of their choosing. You can direct people to your brand spanking new app, or toot your latest offers on their monitor. Running on the same technology as email, no device is off-limits for the humble push. But, while push notifications have huge potential for your growth marketing strategy, they also come with two major challenges. The first one is actually enticing your audience to opt-in to your notifications. Then, once you gain access to that sacred space, you need to maintain the delicate balance of sending the right messages at the right time, without overwhelming them.”
2.
Low Code, No Code Development. Insightful article from Shaping Design and author Rebecca Strehlow on the topic of Low Code/No Code platforms, what defines them, their story and some of their advantages (including speeding up digital transformation and simplification of prototyping to name but a few). While the article also includes many examples of these types of solutions, it glosses over some of the challenges that they also hold, namely fairly rigid structures, their costly implementation cycles and less than an optimal User Experience that is provided (both for the teams crafting solutions from them and the end users consuming its output). Worth reading through. Highlight of the article includes:
“The origins of the low-code movement can be traced back to fourth-generation programming language, which allowed users to specify what they wanted a computer to do without specifying how it was supposed to do it. This made coding more versatile and user-friendly, allowing non-computer professionals to develop software. In the 1990s and early 2000s, rapid application development tools sped up the low-code revolution. These predecessors used model-driven design, automatic code generation, and visual programming, which inspired the low-code no-code platforms we have today. Low-code and no-code platforms enable programmers and non-programmers alike to create websites, apps, and other software without writing code. In the no-code space, people can create fully functional platforms without any programming knowledge at all. The low-code space is similar, enabling for the creation of more advanced applications with minimal coding.”
3.
Averting a Branding Identity Crisis. Interesting article and reflection from The Fast Company and author Deroy Peraza on the topic of Rebranding and Branding evolution. I’ve mentioned in a few newsletter issues before, that the testament to long lasting brands can be summarized in the following qualities: self awareness, being principled, deliberate, focused and adaptive. This article states that brands have to continue to evolve with time, since users/clients change, as do the people working within the Organizations which sustain those brands. It’s a good reflection on the evolution of Organizations/Brands, and how they essentially have to be cognizant of the society in which they live and operate. Well worth a read. Highlight of the article includes:
“There are moments of dramatic change and periods of subtle, gradual change. Think about how much has changed inside and outside your organization over the last five years alone. You might have a new leader. There are likely new people on your leadership team. More likely than not, half the staff has turned over. Many of them are from another generation, with different values, workplace behaviors, expectations of leadership, and politics. There are new words and phrases blowing up in the public discourse. The party in political power has changed. The country and the world have added a few triumphs of humanity, and a few more painful wounds that have scarred our society. Despite all of this change, you are still the same organization, but your brand needs to reflect your evolution.”
