#003 The Design Insider: Digest
Twitter adds tip jars, Apple unveils new search ads, New changes come to chat on Messenger and much more.
🗞 In the News 🗞
TikTok introduces Sound and Login SDK's
Due to its soaring popularity, developers of third-party apps are constantly looking at new ways to integrate TikTok into their product ecosystem. TikTok vowed to support this, promising new integrations to help them achieve this, and it seems they are delivering with these two new SDK's.
Sound Kit: This will allow creators and artists to bring original music from third-party apps seamlessly to the TikTok ecosystem. Some of the apps that will use this sound kit include; Audiobridge, LANDR, Rapchat and Yourdio.
Login Kit: This will give users of third-party apps the option to log in with their Tik Tik credentials. Current apps that have integrated this include; IRL, Medal, Lolly, Breathwrk and more.
Apple focusing on own search ads
Apple's app tracking transparency setting has recently shaken up the $350+ billion digital ad industry led by Facebook and Google. The new setting requires third-party apps to ask for permission from users to track their data. However, while the old guard issue lawsuits against them, Apple is now expanding its own ad business with a new ad slot. The latest slot will appear in the search section before a user types in a search term.
Twitter adds tip jars
Twitter's design team has been on fire recently. First, with the release of its clubhouse competitor, Spaces, which recently became available to all users with 600+ followers. Now it's looking to get a slice of the premium content pie with the release of TipJars, a new feature in which creators can receive donations for the content they create. Twitter will initially take 0% commission for all contributions, and users can get their contributions paid directly by connecting the TipJars with their Cash App, Venmo, Bandcamp, Patreon or PayPal accounts.
Changes to chat on Messenger
Just as the standalone app hit a mammoth 5 billion downloads, Facebook has unveiled several new features coming to Messenger. The new features include;
Chat Archives: This new feature allows users to clean up their inbox by archiving their chats. To do this, users need to swipe left on a chat to reveal the "archive" button.
Tap to Record: This new feature allows users to record audio messages by tapping the microphone button instead of holding it down.
New Themes: This new feature will enable users to personalise their chats with themes. Currently, their are two themes you can try; Star Wars and Netflix’s Selena: The Series.
Sections feature now live on Substack
After already setting the world of traditional news, media and journalism on notice, Substack is stepping things up with "sections". A new feature that will allow creators to separate the various types of content they publish. Each section will appear in a tab at the top of a publication's homepage, and subscribers will get the chance to opt-in or out for receiving emails for each section.
📚 Recommended Reads 📚
Dark Patterns - A Look into Deception in UX Design: Many companies use dark patterns when designing products to trick you into doing things you might not want to do. This article dives deep into what these dark patterns are, how companies are using them, and how to approach them as a designer.
Machine-centred design - Core skills: As Designers, we need to understand machine learning as it becomes a more integral part of the digital products we use every day. So, in this article series, the author details how user experience design differs when working with machine learning, how to collaborate with data scientists and what skills you need to get started. This part provides an overview of the core skills required to design experiences for machine-learning-driven products and features.
Who, what, and why? Design for your target audience: Designers have the incredible responsibility to advocate for their product users. However, to do this effectively and design successful products, they must first understand precisely who they're building for. In this article, the author dives deep into the various strategies and techniques designers should employ to narrow down the target audience, identify their pain points and create need-based solutions.
5 steps to maintain strong design-dev bonds: Designers and developers are two key members of a team who often have a love-hate relationship but need to work together effectively. In this article, the author shares their five tips to keep the designer and developer relationship thriving to improve productivity and create successful digital products.
Choice Hacking Podcast Episode 106- Cashless Effect: Whenever we make a purchase, we experience a phenomenon called the “pain of payment”, which is exacerbated when we use a tangible payment method such as cash. This episode explores the behavioural science of the Cashless Effect, and talks about how designers can use it to their advantage in business, marketing, and experience design.
🛠 Useful Tools and Resources 🛠
The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick: The MOM test a practical guide that will help you master the art of talking to your customers to get meaningful feedback that matters and avoid biased opinions that massage your ego and push you down the route of making bad decisions.
Awkward Silences Podcast by User Interviews: Awkward Silence is an excellent podcast that brings UX professionals from some of the leading companies in the world to discuss and break down various topics and concepts relating to UX research.