UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
March//29//2019
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.https://www.mobilespoon.net/2018/11/ux-writing-comprehensive-guide-for.html
UX Writing. Comprehensive and detailed set of tips on how to be effective in UX Writing, marrying different requirements, including credibility, branding, consistency and clarity, to name but a few. It’s an article that also deftly illustrates the impact of these choices, versus some that may be deemed less successful. Highlight of the article includes:
“Think about localization from day one. For example, German words can get 200% longer than English ones — make sure your design can host significantly longer words by maintaining spare spaces whenever possible.
Avoid long blocks of text: remember that users don’t read, they scan (research: users read 20%-28% of your text).
Keep your distance! Don’t let any of your texts get too close to standard margins (left/right) or top/bottom elements — spacing is your #1 friend if you want your text to be noticeable.”
2.https://www.nngroup.com/articles/better-link-labels/
Link Labels. Another great article from the Nielsen Norman Group. It also comes right at the heels of the previous article, since it tackles UI Copy, specifically link labels. It’s crucial that these abide to what NNG defines as the 4Ss: specific/sincere/substantial/succinct. One thing to always keep in mind, is the fact that users skim through content, therefore showcasing information in a concise manner is of adamant important. Highlight of the article includes:
“Remember that users scan rather than reading the UI in its entirety. We know from eyetracking research that people tend to pay more attention to salient elements — links that are styled differently (as they should be) from the static text surrounding them are likely to draw eyes. In our eyetracking studies, we often observe users who look at links without reading any surrounding text. That behavior is even more likely on routing pages (SERPs, landings pages, category pages, etc.), when users are trying to move forward to achieve a goal or answer a question. As a consequence, links must be able to stand alone. Imagine your users might read only the link label, and none of the surrounding text.”
3.https://www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/whats-a-pwa/
Progressive Web Applications. Another article detailing what PWAs are, what they entail from a Product Experience standpoint, as well how users/clients/customers experience them. It’s another great article shedding light on this very relevant topic, also including some insights into elements such as push notifications, searchability and linkability, to name but a few. Highlight of the article includes:
“When a PWA is running in full-screen mode, there are no browser functionalities to help the user along. This makes it look good but also poses UX risks. Without a browser, there’s no safety net: no address bar, progress indicators, SSL icon, or navigation buttons. Adding your own back button or designing your own navigation bar is the solution here: replicating the browser’s familiar navigation cues will make your PWA easier for your user to understand — and use.”
