UI/UX Articles and Interesting Tidbits of the Week
December//24//2021
Here are some interesting finds on UI/UX of the week!
1.
Designing Human-Machine Interfaces for Vehicles. Very interesting article courtesy of Smashing Magazine and authors Nick Babich and Gleb Kuznetsov on the topic of crafting HMI for vehicles. The thorough article looks at aspects pertaining to the integration of AI in this type of experiences (AI in general impacts aspects such as, predicting and personalizing features, new interfaces, understanding users at a scale, identifying opportunities and optimizing permutations). The article also looks at aspects as enhancing security, improving navigation experiences, and generally speaking, enhancing the easiness and relatability of frequent tasks for drivers to interact with their vehicles. Highlight of the article includes:
“HMI should serve as a complete replacement for your mobile phone while you’re driving. You shouldn’t have any reason to glance at your phone because HMI should be capable of doing the same things your mobile phone is doing. You might argue that the large display of the HMI system will attract a lot of attention and have a similar impact as mobile phones have now. In reality, the way we design a system matters. I believe that voice — not touch — should be the primary medium of interaction with the system. The goal is to define a core set of tasks that a user might want to complete with the system (i.e. changing radio stations, updating climate preferences, sending a message to a friend, and so on) and design scenarios where users can do that with voice alone, to satisfy this need.”
2.
Trends Shaping Fintech. Though this article focuses on Fintech and what lies ahead for this segment of the economy, it’s interesting to read this article and assess how much of it transposes this particular segment and also represents the shift of Product Solutions and Strategies for many other industries and segments in general. The article highlights aspects such as Digital Banking (with the inclusion of video solutions), Security Threats, Crypto vs. Fiat currencies (fiat currencies, just to clarify and according to wikipedia consists of “a type of money that is not backed by any commodity such as gold or silver, and typically declared by a decree from the government to be legal tender”), to name but a few. Highlight of the article includes:
“Before the pandemic, nearly half of financial executives said that scaling down digital costs was their top priority. In October 2020, 90% of surveyed executives stated they were focused on modernizing their capabilities, investing in technology solutions, and refocusing their entire business around digital technology. One key investment is video banking, which is now going mainstream. Another strategic move is for banks to partner with fintechs. Traditional institutions are often seen as inflexible and slower to innovate, but fintech startups face a high risk of failure. Combining the two entities helps each one to overcome these barriers. Hugo Bongers, Head of ABN Amro Ventures, knows these partnerships are not always easy, but they are mutually beneficial.”
3.
Investing in Employee Training and Boosting Retention. Very pertinent article from Inc. Magazine and the Young Entrepeneur Council, focused as the title indicates, in the general topic of investing in employee training. Continuous training serves multiple purposes, namely making sure know-how is persistently being updated and reinvigorated, while simultaneously advocating and reinforcing the importance that investing in people’s skills actually has for the success of the organization. The article looks at aspects such as Learning what Motivates your Team, Investing in Courses on Behavioral Change, providing team members with the Title and Pay they deserve, to name but a few, as ways to focus on empowering and solidifying teams within an organization. Worth reading. Highlight of the article includes:
“Marjorie Adams, president and CEO of Fourlane, noted that for smaller or growing companies, it can be hard to have good titles for a position. That’s why she tells employees to research the title they believe they should have.“I say this is crucial because if an employee ever chooses to leave, I want the title to translate to any future employers,” Adams explains. “Knowing I’m thinking of their future, even if it isn’t here, brings great loyalty.”
When training her team to excel in everything, Daisy Jing, founder of Banish, says she takes good care of them so they know exactly how to take care of their own colleagues and customers.“You can only give what you have,” says Jing. “If they stay, it’s just a bonus we get for committing to their self-growth.””
