Connect Fall 2018 | страница 2

D OW N LOA D THE NEW AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA Inspired by the lack of support mothers often feel within the tech- nology industry, Chairman Mom, a new social media platform for working parents of any gender, was created as a safe space for parents to ask questions (think “How do you ease the stress of work travel on your family?”) and support one another. According to Chairman Mom’s creator, Sarah Lacy, traditional social media platforms are organized to keep people on the site longer and increase ad revenue, rather than to add true value to members’ lives. In comparison, Chairman Mom collects no personal data from its users and allows users to enter a truly “anonymous” mode. Rather than supporting itself with ad revenue, Chairman Mom distinguishes itself from other social platforms by charging a $5 monthly subscription fee. Does Chairman Mom represent the new age of social media platforms—a platform for the people, rather than the advertising industry? Only time will tell. The Rise of Fintech & Cryptocurrency Fintech—financial technology—is an emerging sector of the financial community impacting nearly all areas of banking, business, and customer interaction. In the past decade, we’ve seen innovation in retail banking, financial education, investment, and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. The result is more easily accessible financial endeavors for individuals and small businesses and increased accessibility between larger busi- nesses and banking institutions. How can you incorporate fintech into your business? IMPROVED DATA. New technologies like machine learning and predictive behav- ioral analytics allow business orders to more accurately determine the right financial decisions by better improving their customer understanding. SMART CONTRACTS. Computer programs can now automatically execute contracts between sellers and buyers, limiting the amount of legwork needed on your end and more efficiently gaining you sales. CYBERSECURITY. Given the proliferation of data stored online and in the cloud, small businesses can and should take advantage of improved cybersecurity programs to protect their personal and customer information. REDESIGNING HUMANSCALE Any user experience design buff knows about Humanscale—the first all-in-one tool created to show you the correct measurement for any subject you happen to be designing for. Building a desk, a computer, a coffee cup—human measurements are vital to your design process and allow people to easily use your product. Humanscale, a set of nine rotating disks with over 60,000 data points, was unique in its offering in that it provided a comprehensive set of information in one easily accessible 2 SNB.COM // CONNECT INNOVATION FALL 2018 // RANKED ONE OF FORBES' BEST BANKS OF 2018 tool, whereas past sets of information were scattered across databanks and research centers. While new technology has taken the place of the Humanscale, this quintessential design tool continues to hold the fascination and love of many designers, which is why it has been recreated recently for the modern age by IA Collaborative. At the very least, this handy, revolutionary design tool reminds us of the value of creating products, tools, and services with the target customer in mind.