UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
January//28//2022
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.
Transparent Job Postings. Another pertinent and very relevant case study, originating from Gusto, that is simultaneously a testament to their Operational proficiency, Customer Centric Perspective and a promotional tool for one of their new Products. What is always so refreshing about these articles, is the fact that, promotional stance aside, the authors typically lift the veil (with as much candor as permitted) of what actually takes place in an organization, when it comes to crafting product solutions. This allows for Designers, Product Owners, Development professionals, and generally speaking, people interested in Product Design and Design Led initiatives, to understand the diversity of processes, relationships that are and can be crafted in order to achieve product solutions which resonate with diverse audiences. Well worth a read. Highlight of the article includes:
“It’s hard to know if being customer-centric led to design thinking or the other way around at Gusto. What is clear is that customers’ needs and pain points drive everything. Everyone, no matter their role, cares about customers, and there is an expectation that designers and product managers speak to customers directly. There’s a culture of bringing people from different functions in to participate in design sprints and workshops. Everyone is excited about participating in the creative, generative process, and team members are inspired to speak to customers directly.”
2.
Guide to Website Security. Very pertinent article from author Rebecca Strehlow on the topic of Website security, particularly as cyber crime, as the article documents, has risen 600%. One doesn’t have to look very far, to witness Instagram accounts being hacked consistently and frequently, since these phishing processes have become sophisticated and at times almost impossible to detect. This article documents attacks such as Cross-site Scripting, SQL Injection, Clickjacking, among many others, all of which have tremendous consequences in terms of operations, brand perception (& fidelity), and even the sustaining of businesses themselves. The article advocates for preventative measures to avoid these issues, documenting tactics such as installing SLL, choosing trusted web hosts, using https, among others well worth reading through. Please read thoroughly. Highlight of the article includes:
“Getting your website hacked isn’t just a rare stroke of bad luck, like getting hit by lightning. Attacks have become increasingly common over the years. In fact, cyber crime rose by 600% during the COVID-19 pandemic, in large part due to an uptick in phishing scams. Why should you care about these rising numbers? When it comes to your website, an attack is one of the worst things that can happen for SEO. A compromised site may crash as a result of a hack, or may be suspended if a threat is detected. Suspicious activity can cause a host to suspend your site or Google to place you on an SEO blacklist. This means that Google, web browsers, and anti-virus software will mark your website as not secure to visit, resulting in a huge decrease in traffic. Even more dire is the ripple effect a hacked website can have on your business overall. The time, effort, and resources a company must pour into resolving a cyber attack is a huge loss of investment. Every minute, $2.9 million is lost to cyber crime, with top businesses losing $25 per minute. Not only is there the actual theft of money and information, but there’s also the cost of getting company systems up and running again.”
3.
Leading with Authenticity. This succinct article from Inc. Magazine packs an emotional punch. It focuses on the challenges Mr. Niren Chaudhary, CEO of Panera Bread, experienced in his personal life, in particular in regards to his daughter’s health issues, and sad demise, and how that had a profound impact on his life (and his family’s of course), including his leadership stance. This article is an important reminder, that while people should be professional, respectful and focused, that doesn’t deter them from being humane, candid, authentic in how they relate to their peers and people in general. Worth reading and reflecting upon. Highlight of the article includes:
“Some of us understand the power of authentic leadership because we’ve had a chance to work under managers or observe mentors with this kind of sensibility — we know first-hand its power to unleash performance in others. But life comes at us fast, and we can lose touch with ourselves and our past. Niren’s story nudges us with a gentle reminder to think about who we are and what really matters. It inspires us to look at adversity as a valuable opportunity to reconnect with a higher purpose and suggests that authentic leadership ultimately is inseparable from purpose — the two go firmly hand in hand.”
