UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
March//3//2023
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.
Non-Linear Work Days. Very interesting article hailing from “The Next Web” and author Aoibhinn McBride, focused on a distinct variation for remote or even hybrid work arrangements, something aptly titled Non-Linear Work. This type of arrangement focuses on outcomes, more so than dates or time. The consideration pivots from being in the office on specific days for specific times, focusing instead on making sure that certain milestones and outputs are achieved according to pre-defined timelines. This puts the focus on productivity and deliverability, and not necessarily on the in-office policy, which many companies are advocating for. The article also showcases some positions that are actively considering this type of work arrangement. Highlight of the article includes:
“The premise of a non-linear workflow is simple: remote employees focus on outcomes rather than the tasks they must complete by a certain date or time, for example hitting weekly or even monthly targets, or driving revenue per quarter instead of focussing on projects or a daily workflow.
The benefits of non-linear work are manifold: not only does it empower employees to work when they’re most productive, it gives team members the autonomy to do so. And while some employers might baulk at the idea of giving their staff free rein, non-linear work can make teams more efficient, allow employees to thrive and frequently show more dedication and discipline towards their work.”
2.
Product Reviews and Ratings. Another thorough article from Vitaly Friedman and The Smashing Magazine, this time around on the topic of Product Reviews and Ratings. The article focuses on how to accurately showcase them, in parallel while documenting why these are so important (and as I have mentioned in the past, these are actually a very important source of data when it comes to the Product Design journey, alongside Metrics, Customer Support Data, Usability Testing and Market Research). Well worth reading through. Highlight of the article includes:
“Not every negative review is negative, though. It’s worth repeating that customers tend to seek customer feedback from people like themselves on issues that are relevant to them. If negative reviews mostly focus on poor packaging for shipping overseas or low brightness outdoors, it might be less of an issue for a customer ordering in the same country with the intent to use a device at home. These issues are definitely less critical than any notion of “extremely buggy,” “horrible customer support,” “major refund troubles,” or “severe cancellation issues.””
3.
Google Reviews. This week the newsletter features a couple of highlights on the topic of reviews. This one, hailing from author Will McCarthy details the emergence of Google Reviews, how influential this feature has become, and even more so, how much of a paradigm it has actually instilled in users’ behaviors. It’s a great article, peppered with humorous observations, but also filled with hints as to what prompts some of the outputs that can be witnessed in some of these reviews. The author takes us on a great journey, one that is well worth reading, since it provides an in depth view of the world of Google reviews. Highlight of the article includes:
“Born out of early product reviews of the ’90s and early 2000s like RateItAll and eBay, Google Reviews is a digital marketing tool that allows businesses to collect testimonials about their services. The idea behind Google Reviews was to digitize a service that previously existed through the Yellow Pages, word of mouth, or specialized product guides (like the Michelin Guide). The concept was simple: People wanted to know which products were good, and the easiest way to achieve that was to crowdsource reviews. In 2001, Google purchased the intellectual property rights of Deja, one of the leading review sites. Yelp popped up on the scene several years later. By the mid-2000s, there were at least half a dozen websites that offered reviews and recommendations for nearly everything. So began the slow march toward today’s era of ubiquitous online reviews, and an internet that influences all the decisions we make, the places we go, and the experiences we have. Eventually, Google Reviews began to dominate the industry.”
