Design Newsletter - 6 (October, 2024)
Hello! 👋🏻 Welcome to my monthly "Design Newsletter", where I compile the latest information, trends, and inspiration from the dynamic world of design. I am excited to share my discoveries with you!
Design, Technology, and Art News
We, Robot (Tesla)
This month, Tesla’s “We, Robot” event introduced the Cybercab robotaxi Robovan and Optimus household robot, showcasing advancements in autonomy and robotics. The Cybercab offers a cost-effective autonomous transport solution, Robovan is autonomous transport for groups or goods, and Optimus provides household assistance, reflecting a future of increased robotic reliance.
These technological shifts will likely reshape user behavior, mobility, and home automation expectations. For instance, the Cybercab driver screen prioritizes video streaming over trip visualization. Tesla seems to think people would rather watch movies than be assured their driverless cars can see other cars and pedestrians.
If you’d like to read more, you can these sources: The Verge and Not a Tesla App
Introducing the Innovation Workspace (Miro)
Miro's biggest event of the year, Canvas '24, introduced Miro’s Innovation Workspace. It is designed to enhance collaborative processes, offering tools that support brainstorming, strategy development, and project planning. This workspace includes AI-powered features, templates, and integrations that streamline workflows, foster creativity, and support teams in transforming ideas into actionable plans.
I’ve already started using AI within my Miro boards, which has been incredibly helpful in saving time and improving efficiency. 🤩 The AI tools help generate ideas, organize content, and keep projects on track, making collaborative work smoother and more productive. 🫶🏻
Airbnb 2024 Winter Release (Airbnb)
Airbnb’s Winter 2024 Release introduces the Co-Host Network, which allows hosts to connect directly with experienced local hosts through the app. The feature aims to help hosts with tasks like listing setup, reservation management, and guest communication. Additionally, Airbnb has implemented over 50 guest-focused upgrades to personalize the user experience, including suggested destinations, suggested search filters, and personalized listing highlights based on individual travel history.
As someone who always gets excited when reading Airbnb’s release notes, these improvements promise to make hosting more manageable and guest experiences more personalized. 🏨
Interface Insights
What’s happened to Spotify? (Rosie Hoggmascall)
The article criticizes Spotify’s shift from a music-centric platform to a profit-focused platform, resulting in a cluttered user experience that favors Spotify-curated playlists and podcasts over direct access to albums and artists. The author notes that the homepage is overloaded with recommendations and playlists that create an “echo chamber” effect, making it difficult to find specific artists or songs. This focus on revenue from podcasts and playlists is seen as prioritizing business goals over user satisfaction, pushing users toward passive listening and discouraging music discovery. 🙁 This experience has led some users to explore alternative platforms to rediscover their music preferences.
Yes, design can save you millions (Ivan Sipilov)
The article highlights the critical role of design in complex systems like FinTech, where poor design can lead to costly errors and user frustration. Highlighting a case study, it shows how a new “canvas-based node system” for payment routing replaces error-prone list formats with an interactive, visual interface that reduces errors and increases efficiency. I found this case study truly inspirational—you should definitely check it out, as it demonstrates how design can save companies millions by aligning business goals with user needs. 🤓
17 AI-powered Features That Will Revolutionize Banking UX
The article examines advanced AI applications in banking to improve the user experience. These features range from automated expense management and personalized financial advice to enhanced security and voice-activated assistance, making banking more intuitive and user-centric. Each feature is designed to simplify complex financial interactions, improve accessibility, and foster trust.
This article is a great resource for anyone interested in the transformative potential of AI in banking UX, providing insights into how design and technology come together to meet evolving user needs. You should definitely check it out for a deeper dive into the topic. 🤩 🤖
Knowledge Drops
Why Figma CEO Dylan Field is optimistic about AI and the future of design (The Verge)
I came across a Decoder podcast episode featuring Figma CEO Dylan Field, who discussed Figma’s journey since the Adobe merger, the expansion of collaborative design tools, and the role of AI in creative work. Field shared how Figma, now focused on independence, is using AI to increase productivity without sacrificing human creativity. He also emphasized the importance of Figma’s web-based model for future digital experiences, despite the challenges of app-centric platforms. It’s a great listen to get insights into Figma’s direction and the evolving role of AI in design. 🎧
How To Make A Strong Case For Accessibility (Smashing Magazine)
In his article, Vitaly Friedman offers strategies for building support for accessibility by addressing common objections and demonstrating its value beyond compliance. He suggests starting with small usability tests to highlight real user challenges and using inclusive design as a broader framework. The Booking.com case study is highlighted as an insightful example of how accessibility can improve usability and profit. The article is full of useful resources and templates to debunk myths about accessibility, making it a valuable guide to advocating for inclusive design.
New WCAG 2.2 Accessibility Guidelines, a poster by fine folks at Intopia. (Large preview) How distraction-driven products lead to failures and promote unsafe behaviors (UX Collective)
The article highlights the transformative power of UX design in critical environments, showing how deliberate design can improve focus and prevent errors. As technology expands into high-stakes areas such as health, safety, and manufacturing, the role of UX design in maintaining user attention and well-being will be vital. The future of design lies in these areas, where thoughtful, ethical decisions can directly impact lives. Designers are encouraged to shift from consumer-focused spaces to these critical sectors, prioritizing designs that align with user values rather than interaction-focused manipulation.
Tool & Source Time
UI3 Is Now Available For Everyone (Figma)
Figma has released UI3, a redesigned interface for all users. This update features several improvements based on user feedback, including streamlined controls for cropping, inline constraints, and blend modes in the properties panel, visible pixel values in auto layout, and more accessible component library information. UI3 also introduces navigation and property panels on either side of the canvas for easier access.
New Ways of Working Playbook (Notion)
The New Ways of Working Playbook is a curated guide exploring modern organizational practices. It provides sections on key topics such as Meetings, roles, conflict, feedback, decision-making, and team agreement.
Skill Sharpeners
George Labs’ UX Conference will take place on November 5, 2024, and is a must-attend event for anyone passionate about user experience and design innovation. You have the flexibility to attend in two formats: attend in person for the full networking experience or join online from anywhere in the world.
I attended last year, and it was incredibly insightful—packed with valuable sessions, networking, and inspiring speakers. You can check out my notes from last year here, which cover some of the key takeaways and highlights. ✨
How to measure UX and your design impact (Vitaly Friedman)
Vitaly Friedman’s course teaches UX professionals how to measure and communicate the value of their work. It covers key UX metrics, design KPIs, and provides practical techniques for data-driven decisions by aligning them with business goals. Ideal for designers looking to showcase the impact of their UX efforts. You can check the course content here.
New Books For UX & Interface Designers (Vitaly Friedman)
Recently published books and eBooks on design systems, data visualization, design patterns, and UX. 📚😍
Looking forward to connecting again next month! 🫶🏻 Many thanks for being a part of this journey! ☺️
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