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           As we get further and further into the 2019 year, we are seeing more user interface design trends begin to solidify within the world of UX. One of those user interface trends that we see solidifying is the application of motion based-design. Motion-based design is the process of applying graphic design principles to a typical digital interface. Motion-based design elements can be manifested in various ways- from the use of films or videos to animations, animated texts, or the use of 3D depth. Motion-based design is an important and innovative addition to a typical user interface which can help to improve the overall user experience, all while making the UI engaging and dynamic.

       How confident are you in moderating conversations and discussions with research participants? In my experience, there is nothing worse than a participant speaking to a researcher for an hour that is monotone and deadpan. It only makes for frustrated and fatigued participants. During a session, the user’s shut down emotionally and become unwilling to share details because they just want the interview to be over. Effective moderating is the art of building rapport instantaneously with a user, resulting in a more holistic and robust data-driven story for your stakeholders.

          Last week, we discussed the importance of applying UX research and principles to the design process of RPA’s. To quickly recap, RPA’s are the use of “software robot”, or other specialized computer programs that can carry out various different kinds of repeatable processes that previously required humans to do. Many believe that the implementation of software robotics will do away with the need to include UX research or processes. However, as discussed last week, applying UX research and design processes are more critical than ever in order to prevent a world takeover at the hands of the robots. But what exactly does this application look like?

       More and more the world of banking and investing is moving into the online and technological world. Terms like “cryptocurrency” and “bitcoin” have steadily been gaining popularity as user’s are finding ways to handle their finances in a way that matches today’s fast-paced, digital world.  In relation to online financial going ons, another term that is gaining a lot of recent attention is “blockchain”. Blockchain is not a new term, but it is generating increasing buzz since they will have a massive impact on the future of online banking, investing, digital identity, and more. While blockchain is not a new concept, it is still in its exploration stage in terms of how exactly it will be designed and applied.

     One of the big buzzwords circling UX and tech circles lately is “robotics process automation” or RPA for short. Robotic process automation is a big fancy way of talking about the process of using “software robots” or other specialized computer programs as a way to have repeatable business processes become automated, standardized, and ultimately, something that no longer has to take up actual human bandwidth. If you are reading this and thinking to yourself that this sounds like the beginning stages of allowing the robots to take over, have no fear. This is where user experience research and design comes in to save the day.

      With the prevalence of Agile, Scrum, and Lean, software development cycles have been shortened dramatically, compared to the Waterfall development cycle. As a result, user research has to fit into the same cadence, from study design, data collection, to presentation. While traditional research, especially in an academic setting, would typically take months from start to finish, user researchers in the industry have found ways to make research more efficient and tactical, while remaining effective and informative.

      In collaboration with Priscilla Lim.

      User experience research and design is a hugely collaborative process; it involves a research team, a design team, project leads, clients and more. A large part of this collaborative effort lies in being able to get stakeholders to engage in the UX process. Stakeholder engagement is something that should be sought after as soon as stakeholders have been identified in order to ensure that they are engaged in the project every step of the way. They can provide rich insights and context about a project or product that equips UX teams with the necessary background they need to get started. Stakeholder engagement is something that should be seen as a key part of the UX process, rather than an afterthought. For this article, we’ll focus on engaging stakeholders in research. So, what are some of the ways to engage stakeholders in user experience research projects?

       If one performs a job search on a job board, one job might require Python and another might say Javascript. What do the experts think are important? Github and Stack Overflow list Javascript as the top trending programming language (“Major Programming Trends to Prepare for in 2019”  2019). Although Github and StackOverflow list Javascript as number one, it does not specify with Javascript package such as Vanilla, Angular, or React. This is why knowing and keeping up to date with programming trends are important for employers and employees alike. 

       Being a full-service UX research agency, Key Lime employs researchers take pride in wearing many hats. The versatility of our researchers is what allows our staff to be nimble and adaptable in tailoring our services to every client. Part of training at Key Lime includes brushing up on skills that haven’t been flexed in a while or might benefit from being strengthened.  Last week, our researcher Mindy Eng spoke withJess Gamble, a client relationship management expert, about her pro-tips as an account director working with clients around the world.