UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
December//30//2022
The last newsletter of 2022 is also a recap of some of the articles that most resonated with me during the entire year. There was quite a bit to look through, but these are some examples of how authors pierced through the problem statement they were addressing, while also providing some recommendations/elements of reflection for us all. Here’s to a great 2023.
1.
Middle-Aged Entrepeneurs. At a time when ageism is an issue to address (particularly considering that the percentage of global population from their 40th year of age onwards amounts to 2.8 billion people as of 2020), this article from The Next Web and author The Collective, originally published in January of 2022, makes a healthy case for more mature entrepeneurs, and how their success is a welcomed balm which demonstrates the value of maturity. Highlight of the article includes:
“Our research involved surveying more than 1,000 mature entrepreneurs and correlating the results to other studies on entrepreneurs. Our findings indicate older entrepreneurs have accumulated business and life experience, knowledge and skills, social networks, and resources that better equip them for success. They tend to have better social skills and are better able to regulate their emotions, than those younger.”
2.
Atomic Research. While this article from Daniel Pidcock published on the Marvel Design Blog isn’t from 2022, it was a very interesting read and provided some fruitful perceptions on the topic of research. Leveraging a process which includes the sequence “Experiments/Facts/Insights/Conclusions”, this article once more demonstrates the power of research as a means to effectively understand and comprehend what users are saying (demystifying the whole concept of “Designers trusting their instincts to make decisions”, which is a topic of one of my future articles). Highlight of the article includes:
“Because what we discovered is linked to, but not reliant on, how we discovered it — And that is linked to but not reliant on what we did next — it gives us the opportunity to use facts from several experiments to support a single insight. We can take insights from anywhere to create a conclusion. We can spot patterns of results from anywhere in an organisation to guide us in to the future.”
3.
Spotting Toxic Work Cultures. Great article from The Next Web and author Rebecca O’Keeffe on the topic of asking the right questions when attempting to uncover the culture of an Organization. 2022 was an odd year, where we had mass resignations followed by massive layoffs. This article however is an accurate barometer for people who go through interview processes and want to understand whom they’re addressing, and potentially what they’re walking into. Highlight of the article includes:
“Listen, we know that everyone wants to work in an exciting job that keeps them motivated and constantly learning. However, in our experience, companies that advertise a “fast-paced environment” are usually understaffed and set unrealistic expectations for their employees. The truth is, if you’re constantly burning the candle at both ends, you’re going to end up hating your job. We all need a bit of rest and relaxation every now and then. Here are some questions you can ask to figure out if a company is going to work you to the bone.”
4.
Salary Transparency. One of my favorite articles of the year, hailing from The Next Web and author Kirstie McDermott. As the title indicates, the article focuses on the strides that have been made for salary transparency, particularly pushed forth by Gen Z. At a time when transparency is so needed, across Organizations, teams, performance expectations, it’s commendable that this is happening with discussions surrounding salaries & compensation. Highlight of the article includes:
“Now, things are changing. In the EU, work is underway on the Pay Transparency Directive. Among its aims are that EU companies with at least 50 employees should be fully transparent regarding pay, and the European Parlament want them to tackle any potential gender pay gap. Because not talking about money often penalizes women (working women in the EU earn on average 13% less than men when doing the same job), companies will be obliged to expose any existing gender pay gap in their organization.”
5.
2023 Predictions from Professor Scott Galloway. I enjoy Professor Galloway’s writing quite a lot, and have become a subscriber of his newsletter. His predictions for 2023 are sobering and also an opportunity to reflect what has happened before that has led to these current and potential future situations. Well worth reading and reflecting through. Highlight of the article includes:
“The past decade in streaming has been a nonstop champagne-and-cocaine party where the numerical direction of content budgets, deal sizes, and stock prices was up and to the right. Until this year. Since December 2021, Netflix’s stock price is off 60%, bringing the rest of the streaming market down with it. For consumers, there are too many choices — both in terms of platforms (the average U.S. household now uses five streaming services) and programming (the average Netflix user spends 18 minutes searching for something new to watch). The space has gotten too crowded, and it will tighten.”
