UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
November//5//2021
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.
Eye-Tracking in Mobile UX Research. Great and thorough article hailing from Smashing Magazine and author Mariana Macedo on the topic of Eye Tracking, and how that technique greatly enhances research findings, therefore potentiating more fruitful iterations from product/feature solutions. While this has traditionally been an expensive research method, it has improved in the recent years, with new software packages coming into the market, including options for mobile tracking as well (for instance, check the videos on SmartGaze). Worth reading through. Highlight of the article includes:
“By visualizing the gaze path on video recordings or heatmaps, you can see where the person is looking, for how long, and get actionable data. For example, a long time for the user to first fixate on the AOI (more than 0.15 seconds) can indicate that the AOI should be positioned elsewhere. Or conversely, a long time looking at an AOI can suggest that either it was not clear for the user what to do with that information or simply that the AOI was engaging enough to get the user’s attention for a long time. The data needs to be analyzed in context so that it can be interpreted correctly. That is why eye-tracking can and should be combined with other methodologies such as surveys, Thinking Aloud (when users verbalize what goes through their mind while performing a task during a usability test), and click rate to provide valuable insights for the researcher.”
2.
Lessons of Expanding a Startup to New Markets. Not a typical highlight for this newsletter, this article however showcases some considerations to have when it comes to scalability of endeavors. The author focuses on three factors, namely Hiring, Expansion and Results. All three are sensical, and in particular when it comes to results, as Maciej Walczewski states, they may not be immediate, and there may be quite a few topics to address upon release of a product/feature. The lesson is, be ready to understand the bigger picture, the strategy underlying the expansion, and what needs to keep the product/feature initiative evolving and resonating with clients. Highlight of the article includes:
“Dedicate a person to own business expansion. This expansion should be the person’s number one priority at any given time. Moreover, this ‘Head of Expansion’ should be separate from the core business. Secondly, plan for expansion business-wise, meaning: create a dedicated budget, include in revenue forecasts, create specific revenue targets and KPIs, and create roles within core teams for your expansion needs. Don’t go deep with stuff you can’t plan for, but be specific with things you do know already. But the most important thing is to over-communicate! Ensure that everyone knows what the plan is, what needs to be done, and if anything changes. And regularly remind them of these things. Otherwise, things will go wrong, timelines will be missed, and people will not complete tasks as per your expectations.”
3.
Multi-Language Product Strategies and Customer Retention. Great article from Inc Magazine on the topic of multi-language product strategies and how those also percolate towards customer experience. Localization, multiple language inclusion, is a requirement ever more prevailing, as globalization and multi-cultural populations, demand their voices be heard and understood, particularly in technology products which should properly acknowledge the language diversity and thrive to include them. This comes across in diverse techniques, which include email and chatbots/messaging hubs. Also important considerations on this experience includes understanding what your client’s preferred method of communication is. Well worth reading and reflecting upon. Highlight of the article includes:
“Your business has probably always thought that employing native or fluent customer support staff will help non-English speakers with their support tickets. However, a more realistic solution is to prioritize customer support channels that rely on email or chat to remove any staff members’ potential biases and preconceived notions about non-English-speaking customers’ accents and word choices. Less than a quarter of the world speaks English. By diversifying language offerings, businesses can accept more business globally. Let customer chat groups in various languages become an asset, and use technology to listen to their messages, communicate empathetically, and find trends. For example, if all your Brazilian-based customers have one particular question, other markets likely will too. Allowing your customers to speak their native language can help you uncover problems sooner. Use global learning to educate local customer service agents.”
