
UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
June//8//2018
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2018/06/ethics-of-persuasion/
Ethics of Persuasion. Very interesting article from Smashing Magazine, focused on the tactics behind persuasion. The article goes into detail on relevant factors such as Reciprocity, Scarcity, Authority, Consistency, Liking and Consensus. Highlight of the article includes:
“One of the key responsibilities of a designer during any design process is to be an advocate for the user. This role becomes even more crucial when persuasion techniques are intentionally used in design, since users may be unaware of the persuasion tactics. Even worse, some users may not be capable to detect these tactics, as may be the case with children, seniors or other vulnerable users.”
2.https://shakuro.com/blog/downplaying-empty-states-in-design/
Empty States. Very relevant article on the importance of the definition of impactful blank/empty states. As I can attest from professional experience, these are states that open the canvas to build relationships with the user, ones that extend the experience and can lead to retention and more reflective relationships with the user. Highlight of the article includes:
“Empty states are commonly known as first use states, user cleared fields and panes, 404s, and error messages. Typically, they do not carry a lot of meaning through what they showcase visually, but they serve as shells for the meaning behind those states. These states are parts of the user journey which makes them fully functional elements that can also be designed in a better way so that the UI could benefit from them. Empty states can boost engagement, build consent, educate, delight, and entertain users.”
3.https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2018/06/reference-guide-typography-mobile-web-design/
Typography in Mobile Design. Another impeccable article from Smashing Magazine, shedding attention and focus on the importance of typography in Mobile Design, but really this is something that can be extrapolated to the discipline of Product Design. Highlight:
“Scanning or glancing (which I’ll talk about shortly) is becoming more and more common as people engage with the web on their smart devices. Because of this, we need ways to format text to improve scannability and this usually involves lots of headers, pull quotes and in-line lists (bulleted, numbered, etc.). There is a lot to be done in order to design for accessibility. Your choice of font plays a big part in that, especially as the mobile experience has to rely less on big, bold designs and swatches of color and more on how quickly and well you can get visitors to your message.”