UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
May//24//2024
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.
Creating an Inclusion Blueprint. Paul Anderson-Walsh’s article for The Next Web is a compelling exercise on what it means to practice inclusion in an Organization. The article refers statistics from McKinsey which indicates “…companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability”. Additional studies refers even more higher profits for companies with diverse cultural/ethnical boards. The article also provides insights and recommendations on creating an inclusion Blueprint, which includes topics such as: Learning about diversity and inclusion fundamentals, Envisioning your own inclusive workplace, Drafting your own inclusion blueprint, to name but a few. It’s a very relevant topic, one worth reading through. Highlight of the article includes:
“Refine your inclusion blueprint by adding detailed actions and initiatives that will bring your vision of an inclusive workplace to life. This might include specific training programmes, employee resource groups, feedback mechanisms, and policies that ensure equitable treatment and opportunities for all. Label these practices clearly within your blueprint, setting measurable goals aligned with the business strategy to foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within the organisation. Achieving inclusion requires a comprehensive strategy, integrating efforts from the top leadership, through the middle management, to the grassroots level. We illustrate this by talking about how you braid hair.”
2.
10 Most Hated Fonts of All Time. Worth reading through the list Shelley Cooke assembled of the most hated fonts for The Webdesignerdepot. Typography is a very relevant discipline in the Design World, as any Designer will attest to, and the craft of creating effective fonts, is something that involves precision, research, and impeccable execution. The fonts listed, are for some reason or another, fonts that due to their repeated usage, or problematic background, have become associated with less than flattering adjectives and considerations. Worth reading and reflecting on the path that some solutions can take, even when that’s not their original intent. Highlight of the article includes:
“You may be surprised to learn that Arial made the cut for this list, especially as it’s still widely used today. The reason this unassuming typeface is disliked among designers lies in its history. Supposedly, Microsoft made Arial as a knockoff of Helvetica in order to avoid paying royalty fees to Linotype. While this story already sets a bad precedent, the big problem is that Arial is entirely inferior to Helvetica in every single way. It’s nearly identical, sure. But with every change it does make, it does it terribly.”
3.
Best Prototyping Tools for Product Designers. This article (from UserTesting) is more of a “revision of materials everyone knows”, more so than an article that looks into the future and what new tools are providing for Designers (including how AI is imparting some changes in this field as well). Nonetheless, it’s worth reading through, and also reflecting on the footprint some of these tools have on the market, and how much this particular market has changed in the last 10 years or so. Catch Webdesignerdepot’s monthly article on new tools for what’s really upcoming. Highlight of the article includes:
“By definition, a prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built for the purpose of testing a concept or process. Generally, the prototype is used to evaluate a new product or concept design for its usefulness in the real world. Additionally, the main motive behind a prototype is to validate the design early by collecting feedback from your target market that will guide your product development efforts. Would you ever walk into a stakeholder meeting to present your concept without first getting customer feedback? Hopefully not. Doing so could undermine your credibility and your capacity to defend your design. But communicating and justifying the value, look, and feel of your product to stakeholders before it’s been built can be a challenge. Prototyping makes it easier.”
