ICYMI: In case you missed it

In Case You Missed It (Vol 3)

We recently decided to stop sending each other “Did you see this?!” emails, and start sharing them with all of you, just ICYMI. If you like this kind of thing (or don’t), feel free to let us know or join the conversation. In the meantime, here’s what we’ve seen lately:

Want an honest, if inebriated, opinion of your website?

Meet Richard Littauer, a veteran designer and the metabolism behind theuserisdrunk.com. Littauer’s service breaks down the principles and goals of user experience-oriented design to a simple question: Can a drunk guy figure out your website? You can see his review of the Hubspot homepage, and the whole thing is refreshingly candid.

In a lot of ways, what Littauer is doing is incredibly elegant. “Drunk-user-friendly website design” is a great way to explain a lot of what UX design aims to do while employing its creator’s expertise at the same time. By the way, he also set up a similar kind of review process with theuserismymom.com, where his friend’s mom performs the same kind of usability test, but with a bit more Grey Attitude.

The upcoming cookiepocalypse

The “no more third-party cookies” upcoming cookiepocalypse is likely a non-event for CUs and banks, while online advertisers are moving to what looks like should be a better option. Instead of tracking by individual cookies, advertisers will be able to target large groups of people with similar interests. Sure, it will take some getting used to, but more privacy is a good thing, remember?

Dumping credit scores from lending decisions

Can I get a “hell yeah!” with a side of “what’s taking you so long?” While banks may be toying with the idea of dumping credit scores, credit unions are leading the charge away from “one number to rule your life” back into the days of considering the member’s entire picture when making credit decisions. For example, CU Diva Denise Wymore recently jumped on board with a CUSO startup called QCash Financial, an app-based small-dollar loan platform for credit unions. Other CUs are at least trying to help members get some control over their credit score by giving them access, education, and tools for addressing problems. It’s a step in the right direction, but CUs can and should do much more to reform the entire lending process for everyone. It’s the right thing to do…and an enormous opportunity too.

10,000 hours? How about 4 or 5 each day?

While Malcolm Gladwell may have popularized the idea that it takes ten thousand hours of practice to become an expert at something, it was based on a study of music training that showed the best students practiced with 4-6 hours of intense focus. In fact, most people tend to only have four to five hours of peak attention during a work day. So why don’t we change how we work?

BTS is so big they shut down Micky D’s

K-pop supergroup BTS has become almost insanely popular, even here in the USA. The Korean boyband has been very popular on the other side of the world since their 2013 debut, but after this year’s American Music Awards performance they spread across the nation like wildfire. Their popularity is seriously overwhelming; case-in-point being their new(ish) partnership with McDonald’s. If you’re anywhere within the Marketing sphere of influence, you just can’t ignore their skyrocketing trajectory. I mean, people got mad that they didn’t get the special BTS packaging on their McBTS meals, and the sheer volume of orders brought so much chaos to Indonesian locations that they had to shut down.

Fake news warnings from Facebook, finally

The 800 pound social media gorilla is actually going to warn you about fake news, especially when you try to like or share it. Will it make a difference? Cause people to pause and wonder if what they just read is true? Get them out of their existing fake news bubble? We can only hope.

Too much to write, too little time? Jarvis can do it for you.

Now there’s an AI robot that will help you generate headlines, crunch out copy, and keep those words flowing. It can even translate your copy into 11+ languages. (Just make sure your boss doesn’t see Jarvis working on your day off.)

Branch & ATM locators that actually look good on your site

As you can see if you click, Wave2 is our recommended solution to show all your branches, ATMs, surcharge-free network ATMs, shared branches, and more in one cohesive solution. Plus it works on your website, mobile apps, and online banking. (They’re friends, so tell everyone at Wave2 we said “hi” if you talk to them.)

Is your CU ready for the “great resignation”?

A recent study found that 41% of the workforce would consider leaving their current employer within a year. The pandemic emphasized problems – a lack of job security in an economic crisis, less personal interaction with coworkers when you only saw them on zoom – contrasted with more family time by working remotely and skipping the commute. Which means the companies demanding everyone return to the office may have the greatest risk of losing them.

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