WELCOME
Privacy & Design
Being designerly is all about thinking, feeling and acting like a designer. One designerly behavior is being an advocate for your users, who are not always in the room when design decisions that impact them are being made.
Ethical design takes care that the user is not at a disadvantage when it comes to privacy and security - two big technology-related issues facing users today. Simply put, privacy gives the user control over their information, and security safeguards that information. But as you and I know, it is commonplace to hear about technology that misuse user information - covert or overt. Phones and the apps on the phones are a big culprit - but there are companies like OSOM that are working to fix that (news section). And if you're buying a smart device (yes, even that talking coffee maker) head over to the Feature to see what's at risk. There's no need to be afraid, but it pays to be aware...
A few other links about UX that will affect us (soda bottles design), logo trends, rebranding America, and some useful tools.
Enjoy!
FEATURE
Privacy Not Included - 2020 Edition
Just in time for holiday shopping, Mozilla released their fourth edition of the *Privacy Not Included buyer’s guide, helping people shop smart—and safe—for products that connect to the internet.
They label products safe or not based on their Minimum Security Standards, considering factors like if a product shares or sells your data, doesn’t let you delete your data, or if the company has a poor track record of protecting their users’ data.
Look at the Best Of category to find companies who are doing privacy and security right.
Spying Vacuum Cleaners?
Many of us willfully allow devices to constantly listen to us, and are reminded by the unintended lighting up of the rings on voice assistants like Alexa, Google Home, and Cortana (yes, she's still got some life until Jan 2021). But can devices without microphones also "listen" to you?
The linked research paper (1.5Mb PDF) shows how a automated vacuum cleaner's LiDAR sensors can be used to eavesdrop on conversations. Hackers don't need vulnerabilities, but can use strengths and features of devices for unintended purposes like listening where people may not expect to be overheard.
The academic paper shows how a Xiaomi Roborock vacuum cleaning robot was used to eavesdrop using laser beams reflected off of minutely vibrating objects (like a trashcan or a takeaway bag) located near the victim’s computer speaker. The image above, from the paper, is a simple illustration, but skim through the paper to get the details on how they did it and the fairly accurate results.
Not to sound alarmist, but be aware; be warily aware!
nus.edu.sg
Companies Are Rushing to Use AI—but Few See a Payoff
The previous issue of Being Designerly focused on Artificial Intelligence and Design. When it comes to ROI of AI, there's no simple formula to calculate it.
More companies are using it, many are seeing benefits, but only 11 percent of firms that have deployed artificial intelligence are reaping a “sizable” return on their investments.
wired.com
UX
After 30 years, PepsiCo redesigned the two-liter bottle to improve usability and ergonomics
If you ever wondered how difficult is it to redesign a bottle, Mauro Porcini, SVP and chief design officer at PepsiCo explains: “The reality is, when you need to redesign a bottle with this scale . . . and this impact on the world and business, it is probably one of the most difficult projects I ever faced in my career.”
Read all about it - then go grab one - it will be easier to pour from!
fastcompany.com
VISUAL
2020 Logo Trend Report - LogoLounge
As we near the end of 2020, it is a good time to look back at trends in logo design this year. This annual report discusses wordmarks with big fat fonts, ultra-minimalist vector images, minimalist effects using transparencies, animated movements in some logos, and hand-drawn naïve symbols.
It's a long but interesting read if you're into logos...
logolounge.com
TOPICAL
Digital privacy and Covid-19: between a paradox and a hard place
This article looks at how countries have used technology capabilities to track residents' contact and predict the spread of Coronavirus and the issues involved.
It all comes down to privacy and control: can users control the data being shared and can that data be safeguarded and not misused? The example of the French StopCovid app adoption is a good lesson for designers and creators.
theconversation.com
The Great American Rebrand: Wieden+Kennedy's ideas on how the USA might restore luster to the brand
Fast Company asked Wieden+Kennedy to treat America as a client and come up with a rebrand. And they did, in 67-click-slideshow in this linked article (the image is one of those 67).
They took America's brand promise: America is the land of opportunity, show how it's not being lived up to, followed by some ideas to rebrand America.
There are some interesting ideas (Mount Bezos, a traveling Statue of Liberty, among others).
Click. Through. Those. 67. Slides.
fastcompany.com
TOOLS
Tyrus - free digital toolkit from Airbnb Design
A free digital toolkit from Airbnb Design that helps freelance illustrators and creatives optimize their business. The toolkit is based on a survey of 250 illustrators across the world and seeks to address common pain points.
Take a look at the downloadable templates that range from project briefs to sample emails to clients. I'm sure you'll find a template you can put to use real soon!
UX posters of Nielsen's 10 Usability Heuristics
Nielsen Norman Group recently released UX posters of Nielsen's 10 Usability Heuristics. These heuristics have been used by UX designers for over 25 years. Grab the posters at the bottom of the linked article
nngroup.com
NEWS
Devices With Privacy Built-In - ETA late 2021
OSOM (Out of Sight, Out of Mind) has a very clear mission: giving people more control over their data. It plans to do that through a combination of hardware and software, with more than half a dozen products arriving over the next several years.
"When it comes to phones, there are two main privacy concerns. The first is what data your operating system or device maker collects on you. The second is what information the third-party apps you download are extracting and sharing, whether the OS outright allows it or not."
OSOM's Android phones won't have access to user data, and if users want to share their data, it will make sure they know where it's actually going.
Looking forward to what they come up with!
cnet.com
UNTIL NEXT TIME
Happy Thanksgiving!
It's Thanksgiving this week (which is why this is out a few days early), and I'm thankful that we've come this far and recent news seems to show a light at the end of the 2020 pandemic tunnel.
I'm looking for feedback, of the brutally honest kind, so this can improve over time. You can reach me at lycerejo (at) gmail.com - thank you!
Look for another issue in about two weeks...
Happy Thanksgiving!