UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
July//5//2024
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.
Carvana Fueling Consistency and Scaling. Great case study from the Figma Design Blog “Shortcut” and author Caitlin Lee, focused on the evolution of the Design System at Carvana, and how that endeavor evolved into a well oiled process with the utilization of variables in their components libraries. This process became even more relevant as Carvana has purchased other companies, and therefore the ability to integrate with other product experiences has become even more relevant. Another interesting detail from this article is the clear investment Carvana is making on their Design System, assigning 40 people to that endeavor alone. Worth reading through. Highlight of the article includes:
“For the design team, the ability to define the values of their variables brings a new level of pixel-perfect accuracy and efficiency to the process. And while there was an initial learning curve with setting up variables, Hudson says the gains far outweigh the cost: “We end up with much more polished designs at the end of the day, which means we’re sending fewer things back. In the long term, variables will increase our efficiency because our designers have fewer and fewer revisions to make.””
2.
AI Transformation. This article hailing from The Next Web and author Viesturs Abelis, is one of the most sensible reflections on what AI actually means, its impact, and the considerations to keep in mind when thinking about what it really means at our current juncture. The author divides the article in various chapters, namely Understanding the Technology and acknowledging its Potential, Enabling AI Evangelists, Transforming the Workforce, to name but a few. But the overall sentiment is focused on both not diminishing its impact to what Chat GPT delivers, and simultaneously move in a direction where it becomes a mechanism which enables people to work better. Worth reading and reflecting upon. Highlight of the article includes:
“AI isn’t a passing fad, nor is it a single tool — it’s a transformative technology. Many people continue to associate AI with ChatGPT and their early experiences with generating an email or a disappointing article. But that’s missing the forest for the trees and recognising this is a prerequisite for undertaking comprehensive AI adoption. Even if we confine ourselves to ChatGPT and its many wrappers, AI’s capabilities are extremely broad. You can digitise and automate processes that you couldn’t before. Anyone can analyse massive quantities of data in moments. Tasks that took weeks can now be completed in hours.”
3.
The Redbox Storyline. Another great article from the Verge and author Janko Roettgers, this is a thorough analysis on Redbox’s current situation and what drove their business to where it stands. While this isn’t necessarily a Design related article, it nonetheless speaks volumes on the topic of understanding product and business maturity, understanding trends, customer habits, and how all these factors (to name just a few), have a profound impact on the longevity of an organization. This article perfectly documents how changes in the Economy, on Technology, consumer’s habits, and of course on management itself, can dictate the demise of an organization. Very pertinent and relevant read. Highlight of the article includes:
“Especially in smaller towns, Redbox kiosks represented a valuable lifeline. “A lot of rural areas don’t have the luxury of high-speed internet,” said the first Redbox employee. “Our kiosk is the only theater in town.” Multiple employees told me that they were often greeted on the street, with people asking about new releases or cheering them on when they fixed a kiosk that had been broken. “People [in these areas] really can’t afford four or five different streaming services,” said the second Redbox employee.”
