FEATURE
Put down devices, let your mind wander
People consistently underestimate how much they would enjoy spending time alone with their own thoughts, without anything to distract them, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
"Humans have a striking ability to immerse themselves in their own thinking," said study lead author Aya Hatano, Ph.D., of Kyoto University in Japan. "Our research suggests that individuals have difficulty appreciating just how engaging thinking can be. That could explain why people prefer keeping themselves busy with devices and other distractions, rather than taking a moment for reflection and imagination in daily life."
medicalxpress.com
CURIOSITY
There Are 2 Types of Creativity...
... and 1 Doesn't Peak Until Your 50s
Lots of creative breakthroughs do cluster among those in their 20s. But science shows this is only half the story. There's a whole other kind of creativity, and on average it doesn't reveal its genius until well into middle age. Conceptualists vs. Experimentalists - read about it!
inc.com
VISUAL
Heinz asks an AI image generator to ‘draw ketchup’
After the success of last year’s ‘Draw Ketchup’ campaign, the brand has used an artificial intelligence (AI) image generator to draw a bottle of the red stuff for a follow-up spot.
Watch the minute-long ad!
thedrum.com
Laundry symbols make no sense. Here’s a redesigned version
Despite the fact that we have laundry symbols on us (or our clothing tags) every day, they fail to educate us on what they stand for and that is the one and only job symbols have. Researcher Joni Browne showed four basic laundry symbols to the respondents, but only 1 out of 15 people got the symbols right. Almost half respondents got every symbol wrong.
This author takes a shot at redesigning them...
uxdesign.cc
UX
What is a product designer: a primer on the career than can change the world
Product design leverages technology and problem-solving to create positive and long-lasting solutions for user experience shortcomings in the consumer space.
On a day-to-day basis, the role of a project designer comes down to: solving problems while keeping user experience and utility at front-of-mind.
In both physical and virtual realms, product designers conceptualize and innovate to help close the gap on what’s missing, in order to achieve a more optimal user experience overall.
fastcompany.com
INCLUSIVE
Considering a website redesign? Why not do it in public?
The rebirth of ADA.gov offers a real-time glimpse into how language and modern interface constructs can transform a visitor’s experience.
https://beta.ada.gov/
computerworld.com
6 ADA Web Accessibility Trends
The mid-year ADA web and App report was created by the UsableNet research team reviewing all lawsuits filed in federal courts under the ADA and California state court under Unruh. They reviewed the cases to identify where a digital property, including websites, mobile apps, and video, is the subject of the claim. This article has a summary of trends, and a way to download the entire report in exchange for your info.
usablenet.com
Accessibility: The missing key to connecting with customers
So where do you start on your accessibility journey? Fast Company spoke with four brands about how they think about and build for accessibility and disability inclusiveness. Here’s what they learned.
fastcompany.com
